I saw a hat pattern on Ravelry - thanks for suggesting that site by the way - but I don’t get the point of the 'flap.
Since it’s a public pattern, here are the directions:[INDENT]Cast on 93 stitches[/INDENT]
[INDENT]Work in garter stitch for 2 inches, ending with a wrong side row(RS)Bind off 13 sts (80 sts remain). Knit to end of row. DO NOT TURN. You will now join for knitting in the round. [/font][/INDENT]
[INDENT]Place marker to mark the beginning of the round and join by knitting the first stitch after the bound off section[/INDENT]
[INDENT]Continue knitting each round until the hat measures 5 inches from cast on edge.[/INDENT]
[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]After shaping the crown, you then secure the flap:[/SIZE][/FONT][INDENT][FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Secure the “garter flap” (created from the 13 st bind off) to the hat by sewing the button to the flap through both layers.[/SIZE][/FONT][/INDENT]
[SIZE=2]Am I missing something? What’s the point of the flap, and how is it secured? [/SIZE]
[FONT=Arial]Oh, the frustration of being a newbie even after all these years. Thank heavens you guys are around to help![/FONT]
Hi! I noticed you haven’t received an answer to this question. I don’t know if I can help; although I’ll try…
Do you have a pic? Is it possible the flap goes over the ears for an extra layer for warmth? (I did notice there was only one flap, though…)
I’ve made a couple of the adult ones for charity. You sew a button on the “flap”, but you sew it through to the back of the hat. It just secures it. It’s made to look like it buttons. If you sewed a button on just the band w/o the flap it wouldn’t look the same. They come out really cute. Here’s one of them I made.

Right…it’s just decorative.
I just had a look at the pattern, and yes, you cast on, garterstitch for a while in the flat, cast off 13 stitches. THEN join the other stitches in the round and continue as per the pattern. Then as people have said the little flap is just ‘flapping around’ so it gets sewed to the rest of the garter stitch band with a button. Pure decoration and supposed to make it look like it 'buttons up. Very nice hat.
You guys are so nice - thanks for responding. As you can see from the date, I don’t always get back to the chat room as often as I would like.
Your info helped a lot and the pics are great; they’ve given me inspiration to try the hat myself.
I’ll try to post a picture when the hat is complete, but I haven’t mastered the art of inserting a photo yet.
Thanks again!
Check the link in my signature for photo posting guidelines and help. 