Progress (or not) on the flat-top hat

So I started on the flat top hat following the directions and thought it was going to be a tad small. I took it apart and started over again... this time with 96 stitches rather than the 84 it called for. I got pretty far along (see the photo) and realized I was doing something wrong. Obviously it looks okay, but there are major problems. Maybe not major, but it's coming undone and I'm starting over again. I think I know where I went wrong. I still have ideas for knitting a copy of the Nepali hat though. And I will be trying to socks too. All this while getting ready to move to Denver!!! Mountains!! Here
we come!!