Houston -- We Have a Problem

I've been trying to make some men's "charity" hats. [I really don't like that term.....I prefer to think of it as a gift for someone I don't know.] Anywho......this hat seems to be jinxed. I'm on my third pattern -- and finally think it's a keeper (k2/p1) -- looks a little different inside/outside and will look interesting when the cuff is rolled up. It's in washable wool -- doubled to make it extra warm.




So I cast on using the directions in Charlene Schurch's Hats On book. At least I thought I was following the directions. After knitting a couple inches, I thought I'd pull out the waste yarn to see how stretchy the cast on was and.......all the stitches came out too. Clearly, I did something wrong. But the good news was that I'd only finished a couple inches and not the whole hat.


I think I'm at Plan D on this hat. It was looking a little small in any event (someone asked me if it was a sock).

Does anyone else have problems with k1/p1 in the round? Mine always looks awful.