Changing Yarn Size

[Nuuriell]

I have been asked to make a summer beanie for someone who wears beanies 24/7. The beanie pattern I wanted to use calls for worsted yarn, but I was hoping to use the same pattern with fingering yarn. Is there a way I can convert the pattern from using worsted to fingering to have it be the same size as the worsted beanies made from the pattern?

 

Thank-you.

[magiccrochetfan]

you would have to rework all the numbers for the smaller gauge.  hopefully the pattern gives you a stitch gauge as a starting point for this exercise.  

 

if you held the fingering doubled or tripled, you might get the same gauge as the original pattern, and could make the hat that way.  

[Nuuriell]

I don't mind reworking it. The aim is to have a lighter beanie but the same size. The stitch gauge is 13sc x 4in on an H hook.

[magiccrochetfan]

I would start by swatching with the lighter yarn in the stitch pattern of the beanie, see what you think of the fabric.  if you want it lighter, it may be OK for it to also be more open.  

 

Once you see what gauge you like for the fingering, you will have to figure out the stitch counts for the pattern in the new gauge.   I can't give you a formula for that, it will be based on a ratio I think, but others here are much better than I at math explanations.  

[RoseRed]

Or use a cotton 4 ply worsted instead of acrylic.

[Granny Square]

Unless the stitch pattern is really complicated, you should be able to follow this hat 'recipe', where you can use any yarn to fit any head if you have the person's head measurement.  You may end up with the top of the head being a plain stitch followed by the rest in the pattern stitch.  Is it a free pattern you can link to?

 

http://www.crochetcabana.com/html/round_hat.html    scroll down to where it shows a circle diagram

[Nuuriell]

This is the pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-basic-guy-hat

[Granny Square]

This hat is just simple US SC / UK DC, so sure, you could use any yarn and hook you want and follow the 'recipe' that I linked.

 

Here are average head sizes (and other good stuff), since the stitch counts in the pattern won't be the same.  You can just follow the striping pattern by eye, since the stitches will be shorter with fingering yarn as well you may want to have more rows between stripes than it calls for, or not.

 

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/size-chart.html

[Nuuriell]

Thank-you. ^_^