Needing Help Please

[Rebecca0630]

When I crochet hats the increase stitches always stick up higher than the other stitches. It makes the rounds look slightly uneven. Also, when I join the rounds it sticks up higher than the other stitches. I have had 2 hats that had a slight point where the rows were joined together. How do I fix this and make it so all the stiches (increases and joins) will be even all the way around?

 

Also, if I have a pattern for a hat that is crocheted in the round that says to use a 2.5 mm hook, but the smallest size I have is a 3.75 mm hook would I be able to make the hat? Would the 3.75 mm hook be able to be used and if so what adjustments would need to be made to the pattern so that the hat will be the same size that the pattern is for? I tried it with this hook and it ended up way too big, so is it possible to use a bit larger hook and still have the same size hat if you adjust the pattern? How would I do this?

 

[Tampa Doll]

I am not sure about the increase stitches, but I found, unless you turn at each row, I just sc to start the row.

 

  Now this works if your first stitch is a sc, if it is anything else, you have to join.  I find the beginning stitch looks smother.

[Granny Square]

This site has a 'recipe' for making a hat (that starts from the top of the head) that will fit anybody.  Scroll down to the part that shows a sketch of a circle's diameter and circumference.

http://www.crochetcabana.com/html/round_hat.html

 

Here is a site that shows typical head sizes, plus another explanation of the above math

http://anniespictureperfect.blogspot.com/2013/01/how-to-properly-size-crochet-hats-chart.html

 

This works if you are making a hat without a pattern, using a plain stitch.  If you are using a written pattern with a fancy stitch pattern, this may not work easily without a lot of tweaking.

 

I'm not sure where you are located, but in the US you can find packages of several sizes of hooks relatively inexpensively--I think it would be a good idea to invest in a few sizes to increase the selection of patterns which will work for you without having to re-engineer them. You can get a set of 5 or more, depending on brand or if they are metal or plastic, for $5-$10 (Boye or Bates are the least expensive, but they work fine) .

 

As far as the 'stick up higher' problem - if for example the number of increases each round in your pattern is 6, do you mean that the starting circle looks like a hexagon not a circle?  You can solve that problem by staggering where you put your increases after the first couple of rounds, so they don't all stack up on top of each other.

[Becky Morgan]

You can also try thinner yarn with a larger hook. The hat won't be as warm and will look more lacy than solid, but you might like the look in some patterns. On some hats, you can swatch (make a sample), measure it and see whether leaving out a pattern repeat will work. If the hat is too big but is supposed to be slouchy, you can always line the band or run thin elastic through the back of it with a yarn needle.

 

I second Granny Square's advice to see about getting some extra tools. A six-pack of Susan Bates plastic hooks is under $3 at a craft store near us (they were on sale for $2.50 last week.) If you like the boye style better, Wal-Mart has metal hook sets for something like six bucks. It's always good to have a range of choices when it comes to hook size.