Hat sizing trouble

[Crochetingcait]

I'm a self-taught crocheter and am having trouble with sizing my hats! I'm using a magic circle to start, with 12 DC. I'm alternating one DC and two DCs into each stitch on my increase rows. If I keep three rows of increase, my hats are too small for my boys but four rows of increase makes them too large. Any thoughts on how to remedy this situation? Thank you!

[magiccrochetfan]

Welcome to the ville!

 

You need to change the rate of increase with each round.  See "increasing rounds" here http://www.crochetcabana.com/html/round_howto.html

 

Sizing info here under "basics" http://www.crochetcabana.com/html/round_hat.html

 

there are lots of existing posts on the subject here too, so search a little in the Help section and you should find several that have more good info :-)

[Granny Square]

This is going to require a little math.

 

Measure their heads, around where the brim of the hat would be.  Divide by 3.14; this number is the diameter of the circle you will make for the top of the hat before working even.

 

The correct (or traditional, tried and true) way to increase for a hat in any stitch is always increase each round by the same number of stitches as in the first round.  (the way you are doing it would result in too many stitches too fast; you want to make a flat circle that will typically be more than 4 rounds before beginning to work without increasing)

Start with 12 DC in the starting ring, as you have done.*

Make 2 DC into each DC - you have increased by 12, you now have 24

Make *2 DC into the first DC, 1 DC into the next 1 DC; repeat. you have increased by 12, you now have 36

Make *2 DC into the first DC, 1 DC into the next 2 DC; repeat. you have increased by 12, you now have 48

Make *2 DC into the first DC, 1 DC into the next 3 DC; repeat. you have increased by 12, you now have 60

Continue in this pattern, where you increase the number of plain stitches between increases, until you the circle is the right diameter.

 

If you get to a point where your current round is close to your goal but a bit too small, but the next one round would be too big:

Measure the 'too small' round across, and multiply by 3.14: this will tell you how big the hat would be at that point.

Subtract that number from your goal hat size.  Example, if your current round will make a hat that is 18", but you want a hat that is 20": the difference is 2 inches.

Measure how many of your DC cover 2 inches (Let's pretend 8 DC = 2" for this example).  

Make another row, but only increase 8 times (in this example), not 12.  You will have to do some math to figure out  how many stitches to skip for this to come out approximately evenly.

 

* for SC, you would start with, and increase by, 6.   For HDC, the number is 9.

[Granny Square]

Hi Magic!  I knew that was going to happen.

[Crochetingcait]

Thanks!!!! So helpful

[magiccrochetfan]

Hi Magic!  I knew that was going to happen.

 

Hahaha!  Well, see, when I said there were existing posts, I was thinking of your lovely posts that explain the math so well!