Hershey Kiss Hat

Today I'm taking a break from the paper crafting to share a hat with you that I crocheted for a friend this past week.  Her daughter has a birthday coming up soon and she had pinned this hat on one of her Pintrest boards.  So mom thought it'd be fun to surprise her with the hat for her birthday.
 
If you crochet you can find the free pattern here.
 
Now I'm new to the world of crochet and have been teaching myself off and on for a couple year and just finally picked up the hang of it......well with the exception of holding the yarn correctly.  But that's another story.  Anyhow, I am fortunate enough that my mother (who has been crocheting for 60+ years) lives right in front of me so when I had trouble converting the pattern for a larger size I knew where to go.  Plus she gave me this great tip that made all the difference in the overall look of the hat...........You ready?
 
Every row begins with what is considered a throw away stitch. "Ch 3,  dc in same sp" Instead of chaining 3, chain 2 and the dc in the same space.  Seriously, it lays much nicer.
 
And there you have it.  My first crocheted hat that's not a straight out beanie.