Help with baby beanie pattern!

[kimberlyj]

Hello! I am completely new to this site and crochet. I am beginning a project for a baby hat that I am having trouble understanding how to start. I have watched several youtube videos and done a little research online, but I'm still confused. 

 

The pattern says:

 

ch 2; 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, place

marker = 6 sts

 

I understand that this reads as: chain 2; 6 single chains in the 2nd chain from hook, add a place marker. Should equal 6 stitches. 

 

What I'm not understanding is- If I make a slipknot, chain 2, place my hook in the 2nd chain and single crochet 6... isnt that a total of 8 stitches? What am I doing wrong?

 

[FlossiePotts]

You know, hats are one of the easiest things to make. Why don't you ditch that pattern and do a 3ch ring (or magic circle)work 2 ch, then 9hdc into the ring (10 sts)join with slip stitch into top of 2ch.

 

Next round; 2ch, 1hdc into same place as slip stitch, then 2hdc in each stitch around and join to top of starting 2ch.

Next round; 2ch, 1hdc same place, 1hdc next stitch, 2hdc next stitch all around, doing 1hdc, 2hdc (ie every 2nd stitch is 2hdc)join with sl st to 2ch.

Next round; Same as previous round, but do the 2hdc increase every third stitch.

Keep going like this until you have the desired crown width. I usually stop increasing after I have got up

to increasing (2hdc) in every 6th stitch, for small baby hats.

For larger sizes, keep going with the increasing rounds.

 

When you have got the right crown width, just do as many rounds for the size you want of 1hdc in each stitch around.

Don't worry too much about stitch counts until you have done a few. It will make no difference to the finished product, except maybe a bit of a spiral back seam, which wont be noticed.

 

Good luck.

[FlossiePotts]

I think that it looks ok. Maybe the next one you do, use a finer yarn. I wouldn't use worsted for a baby hat.

DK and a 4.5mm hook would be about as heavy as I would go.

That is just my personal preference, though.

You will get better. Everything is just practice.

[kimberlyj]

I still don't quite have it...

 

but I'm getting much closer thanks to all of your help! so thank you!

 

 

Its still a little more pointed than I would like at the top and although I followed the stitch count, this beanie is WAY too big for an infant. Its maybe a size or 2 smaller than something I'd be able to wear. I am so frustrated that I can't seem to get this right. As I mentioned before, I have only made very simple blankets before this, so I've never learned anything other than a single chain stitch. I feel like this shouldn't be as difficult as it is for me, but I really want to be able to do this correctly from the pattern or I fear that I wont learn to read them and therefore be unable to learn other new projects in the future. 

 

I still think my error has something to do with how I am starting it.

 

Grannysquare- The beginning says ch2; 6 sc in 2nd chain from hook, place marker = 6 sts

 

                      It then goes into rounds of 11, 22, 22, 33, 33, 44, 44, 55

 

FlossiePotts- I think I'm just not understanding how to properly start it, as the pattern says, I am using a 5.5mm (I) hook and 4 worsted yarn.

 

Thank you both for not giving up on me! I'm really determined to successfully finish this project as it will be a gift to my nephew who is on the way I REALLY appreciate you both taking the time to help me.

[FlossiePotts]

I have to take back my statement about there not being enough stitches to be not cone shaped. I have just done those three rounds and I have a flat circle.

I can't imagine why yours is cone shaped, except that you are not doing the second round correctly and not working all of the stitches. Are you using a marker?

 

I wonder if the weight of the yarn is just too heavy for the size of the hook.

[Granny Square]

What are the numbers of stitches you're supposed to have after the first 3 rounds? (edit, I just realized this was unclear, I meant in the rounds beyond the third round)

 

Usually each round increases by the number in the first round.  Example, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36 etc. for SC, or 12, 24, 36, 48 etc. for DC

 

Here is a really good tutorial on the mechanincs of making a circle http://www.crochetcabana.com/html/round_howto.html

[kimberlyj]

Thanks. It is 6, 11, 22, but I will try adding more stitches and see what happens

[FlossiePotts]

I think that that 6, 11, and 22 stitches are always going to look like a cone. To me, those first 2 rounds (6 & 11) do not have enough stitches to have a flattish crown which gradually widens.

[Granny Square]

Do you have the right number of stitches for the round you are in?  Example, you were supposed to have 6, then 11,  then 22, etc.

 

It looks like you have too few stitches.

[kimberlyj]

I really appreciate all your input. I am determined to learn this.

 

I tried starting this differently as you had suggested, but I am still ending up with a cone hat 

 

[kimberlyj]

I keep ending up with a cone shaped hat rather than a beanie, so I take it that was wrong.

 

FlossiePotts: The next rounds after the starting chain go like this...

 

round 1: 1 sc in the first sc of beginning row; [2 sc in each st] 5 times = 11 sts

round 2: 2 sc in ea sc around = 22 sts

 

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate all the help on this. I've never worked in rounds before and I've gotten so frustrated trying to learn this!

[Granny Square]

Be careful if you google search magic loop, that is a fairly established knitting term . 

 

Magic ring, adjustable ring is a technique for making a very loose slip knot, and crocheting into the circle formed by the slip knot, then pulling the loose end to close up the loop as tight or loose as you want it. 

[Gingerbread Girl]

I think that the magic loop would work just fine. The only difference from what's shown in the video would be that if you are indeed working in a spiral, instead of joining with a slip stitch at the end of the round you would simply continue to work single crochet (or whatever stitch is to be used on the next round) and just make sure you adjust your stitch marker so that you can easily see where the rounds start/end. I use magic loop all the time when I work in the round; I find it easier and the work looks neater when completed, in my opinion.

[FlossiePotts]

No, not really. If I were you, I would do 3 chain and join it to make a ring. Then work from there.

Do 1ch and then work 6sc into the ring.

 

I take it that you don't join the rounds at the end of the round, do you? That is what working in a spiral means. You just keep going around and around. The stitch marker tells you when to go to the next round.

 

Can you give me an idea of what the next couple of rounds are?

[kimberlyj]

Is this essentially what I am trying to do? 

[kimberlyj]

can this be explained any other way? I am REALLY new to this I've never crocheted in rounds before.

[FlossiePotts]

In effect you are doing two rounds in this process. Of the 2 chain, one becomes the basis for 6 stitches and the other is the turning chain and not counted as a stitch.

If you count them, you will have 6 stitches and a turning chain. The hat is obviously going to be worked in a spiral.