What are the short rows for in this pattern?

How-to Questions
1

I saw this pattern for an unusual beret :

Chemo Hat

And I was thinking of trying to make it, although I would need to adapt the pattern for the yarn I want to use (Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk, aran weight).

So anyway, looking at the pattern, right after the ribbing at the brim, you do an increase round, then knit 2 rounds.

Then there is a whole bunch of short row shaping…

Then you start the decreases right after that, and decrease pretty rapidly.

I am not too sure what the short row shaping is for. :?? Part of the reason I like the pattern is because of the purl ridges between the ribbing and the pinwheel crown decreases. But, it looks like those are produced by the short rows somehow. :??

I am not too sure how to reproduce this thing with the yarn I want to use, or if I could do something simpler than the short row shaping they use and achieve the same look. I am not too great at short rows, or wrapping stitches.

Anyone know what the short rows are for, or have any ideas on how I can adapt this pattern for a heavier weight yarn?
TIA.

2

I have NO idea. I do know that if you turn circular knitting and knit back the way you came that you get a purl ridge on the right side of your work…But yeah, the short-rows seem pretty superfluous to me too…

3

It looks to me that the short rows are there to help shape the hat so it tends to lean back. The only stitches not knit with the shortrows are the ones along the ‘seam’ in the back. Maybe not knitting them every row allows that to be shorter?

It’s hard to explain, but I can’t imagine why there would be so much short row shaping without a reason. I suspect it’s to keep it from poofing up in the back.

This is just a guess, though. :thinking: :thinking: