Crochet Preemie baby hats to newborn hats

[mdkb904]

 I want to do my own pattern But I don’t know how to measure and how many stitches or chain I should be doing for my pattern I’m going to use double crochet stitches and single crochet stitches if anybody could help me please message me back on this page

[Granny Square]

If you want it to be 13 inches, 13 divided by 3.14 is 4.1", to fit with no stretching.  The thing that I'm having trouble picturing is, you'd only be adding 1" to that flat circle for a 5" hat height.  It would look like a frisbee, I'd think.  Really, it would take just a few minutes to whip one up, I agree with BGS to give it a shot and get their feedback.

I'm also thinking, as one who pretty much either uses aran weight (like Red Heart Super Saver weight) for hats (for me)...if I were volunteering for this I'd think about using sock weight or sport weight yarn.  It would probably stretch more, be softer in the sense of drapier.  But use what you have, and see what they say.

[Granny Square]

However many it takes you to get to the diameter you need for the top of the baby hat.  The number of rounds would depend on your yarn, hook, and personal tension.  Look at the link that BGS gave in the second post, the 2 smallest sizes would range from 3" to 4.5" in diameter, whether you are aiming for premie or newborn size.  That diameter determines the size, because the diameter x pi (3.14) equals the circumference, or head size.  After you get to that size, just work even (without increasing) however many rows to the hat height it tells you to (measure from the circle center to the brim).

[mdkb904]

So it says for a Preemie 3- 3.5 the height is 4 

[Granny Square]

I had to sign off last nite, so I didn't see your last post until now.

From the site that Bgs linked to above, said for a premie hat size, the crown width (this is the width of the flat circle that you start with) should be 3-3.5 inches, and the height should be 4 inches...OK, I hadn't paid attention before (I was looking at the adult measurements which sounded about right) but that sounds like it would be more like a yarmulke than a hat, since you'd be making a flat circle with only half to 1 inch for the sides.  I have to admit I've never made such a tiny hat.  

Doing the geometry math, 3" x 3.14 (pi) is 9.42" circumference, 3.5" x 3.14 is 10.99" circumference.  The chart says the actual head is 12-13"...I think that's allowing for too much stretch.  For an adult head, I might expect a sc hat to stretch maybe 1", but not a lot more (I may be biased because I like looser hats).  I don't think such a tiny hat in SC is going to stretch that much.  I'm also thinking aran/worsted weight yarn (like Red Heart Super Saver weight); thinner yarn like sock or sport weight would have more stitches, would stretch more.

Here's another site with hat sizes, this is the one I've referred to for a long time http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/size-chart.html  This site also assumes you want to make a hat small to make it stretch, but she gives head plus "small for stretching" hat measurements.  Notice she gives a lot of premie measurements--she gives the actual head circumference measurement, then the hat 'circ', which is circumference, which she assumes to be 1"-1.5" smaller.  You have to do your own math to figure out if you are making (example) a hat for a 12" head, to divide 12 by 3.14 = 3.8" flat circle to start with.  (Don't be scared off by the math; there's a lot of simple arithmetic in crochet.  I always have a calculator nearby  )

Bev's site has another assumption/suggestion, which is to make hats 2" too long and assume you will be rolling up a brim.  I think this is a good idea for a simple hat, for a more adaptable fit.

I hope the above isn't making your head spin.  Really, the hardest part is head measurement divided by 3.14 (to give you a crown for a hat that fits. 

If it's for a burial outfit fitting exactly is fine; otherwise the baby's going to grow, so if it fits at birth, it will stretch more with growth than if you'd made it too tight to start with. Then look at the chart and figure out the distance from crown to brim that allows for turning up the brim. 

Your example of a hat 3-3.5" across and 4" deep was for a head circumference of 12-14".  Following Bev's chart, it looks closest to her premie estimate below:

5 1/2 - 6 lbs  2.7 kg
Head Circumference 12 1/2" - 13"  31-33 cm  hat circ = 11" - 12" 28-33 cm  Hat height =  5 to 5.5" 13-15 cm

Her measurements call for making the hat too small. If you make it to fit, you'd want the initial circle to be 4" plus or minus a tenth of an inch (actual head measurements divided by 3.14). Then go with her hat height to allow for a brim roll-up.

 

[bgs]

Granny Square I hate making hats for little ones because of being clueless as to whether the size will be ok so I tend not to make them.   Once I made some for someone's nicu project and hoped they worked. Seems like in my research I came across the comment to think about the hat fitting an egg so I think they were ok.  I used Caron Simply Soft which I dont like working with but I wanted them to be soft.  

[Granny Square]

An egg, wow; that looks like the tiniest size on the "Bev" chart (up to 1.5 pounds, 7-8" head).  My usual go-to baby shower gift is a blanket that was a non-specifically baby pattern and off-white. I figure it wouldn't clash with any nursery theme and could be used later as a lap blanket, stadium or picnic blanket or whatever later.  And it doesn't have to fit!

 

[mdkb904]

The charity that I am making these for who wants a circumference 13 inches And the hat  height 5 inches

[bgs]

Granny Square they were for a nicu.  I cant remember what pattern I finally used.  It was definitely out of my comfort zone not because it was hard but from the not knowing if the size was going to work. Typically I just cant bring myself to make baby stuff other than an afghan. Like you I make them at least big they can be used as a lapghan.

 

 

[bgs]

2 minutes ago, mdkb904 said:

The charity that I am making these for who wants a circumference 13 inches And the hat  height 5 inches

Thats good they are telling you what they want.  Make one and get their feedback on if you need to tweak it a bit.

[mdkb904]

So can I use the pattern the granny square gave me 

[mdkb904]

One more question how many rounds should I do 

[bgs]

33 minutes ago, mdkb904 said:

So can I use the pattern the granny square gave me 

The best thing I can tell you is give it a try.  I think hats are hard.  I cant begin to tell you how many I have had to frog and start over making adjustments to get them to fit my head.  It would be helpful if you can find a doll the right size to have so you can check the fit.  I can tell you from experience that you can get a different fit using the same pattern but different brands of yarn even though they are the same weight.

[bgs]

Granny I am missing our Magic.  Hope she is ok.

[Granny Square]

  She's alive and well, I run into her quite a bit on Ravelry.  She started a group, Crochet Tech and Theory- not really busy, but people wander in and out with questions or interesting ideas.  She's Kathy-crochet there.

I'm making a little hat out of worsted weight...I dunno...back in a bit with a pic of a frisbee probably.

[bgs]

1 minute ago, Granny Square said:

  She's alive and well, I run into her quite a bit on Ravelry.  She started a group, Crochet Tech and Theory- not really busy, but people wander in and out with questions or interesting ideas.  She's Kathy-crochet there.

I'm making a little hat out of worsted weight...I dunno...back in a bit with a pic of a frisbee probably.

Thanks I will have to check out her Rav group.  

[Granny Square]

Good news - I just realized I was visualizing this in my head wrong - the hat height part.  I was thinking adding 1" to the 4" diameter circle would give you a 5" hat height (and a frisbee not a hat), when really it would be like the radius, not diameter being 5" (if it were still a circle at that point, hope I'm not confusing you).  Bottom line, it should be OK to make a 4" circle, then work in rounds without increasing when, folded in half, the center of the circle to the brim is 5".  So from 'ear to ear', the hat would be 10".

Need to start dinner, will check in tomorrow...

 

[mdkb904]

What size hook should I use 

[Granny Square]

It doesn't matter, neither does the yarn weight (although a thinner weight would be more soft and drapey for baby hats, but you need to do more rounds to get it done).  You could use sock weight yarn and a C hook, or worsted weight and an I hook, or anything in between (maybe even smaller or bigger, but less likely).  You are working to a measurement, not a stitch count, so you could whatever yarn and whatever hook is an appropriate size for the yarn to get the measurement you need for the flat circle diameter (4.1 inches), and then more rounds without increasing until folded in half, the center of the circle to the brim = 5".  And If I made a circle with x yarn weight and y hook size and told you to use that, my gauge and yours are possibly/probably not the same so you might not get the same result--use what works for you.  

Edit, re-linking that yarn standards info I linked on the page before, it gives suggested hook sizes to use in milimeters  https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/yarn-weight-system 

This page also has a menu item ((on the right side of the page) for 'hooks and needles' which will help translate the millimeters to US letter sizing for hooks.  Or, you can see what the yarn lablel says, but  that's just a suggestion , it doesn't mean you have to use that size and could probably use a size up or down from that if it's more comfortable or better for your stitch gauge.  

 

[mdkb904]

I have one more question for everyone as you know I’m crocheting Preemie hats for a charity so I’m using purple yarn for shaking baby. The color is a lilac color but I was wondering what is a good purple color for a boy because I think the lilac is to light for a boy if any one can give me Suggestions that would be great

[Granny Square]

What yarn are you using?  What brands are available near you?  Grape (dark purple) maybe?

Darn, I don't seem to be able to link to specific colors, but here's the Red Heart Super Saver Page - I was thinking like Amethyst, Dark Orchid, something like that.  Here's a page where hopefully you can scroll down and see the colors, hover over to see the color name http://www.redheart.com/yarn/super-saver?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9fumkJKJ3QIVzUwNCh1tdA5eEAAYASAAEgKUqfD_BwE

Here is Iris in Caron Simply Soft https://www.yarnspirations.com/caron-simply-soft-yarn/H97003.html?dwvar_H97003_color=Autumn Red#prefn1=brand&prefn2=yarnProductLine&prefv1=Caron&prefv2=Caron+Simply+Soft&start=1   Or a purple Ombre https://www.yarnspirations.com/caron-simply-soft-ombres-yarn/294022.html?dwvar_294022_color=Teal Zeal Ombre&cgid=

Those are the brands I know are pretty available.  I don't think a little guy or his parents would mind lilac, tho.  Did you know the whole pink/blue thing used to be the other way around, until a couple of generations ago?  Blue is the color of the Virgin Mary and red/pink was used for military uniforms and considered a manly color.

 

[bgs]

You could also use a beige/light brown and then add a stripe of a purple color.  

[Granny Square]

Back to that slip stitch; you CAN make a hat in a spiral, round and round and round in all SC if you want--nothing wrong with that.  

The only thing to be aware of if you do this, when you end you will not have a straight brim, it will end looking like this ___---

There will be a little height jog, since your last stitch is 1 stitch taller than the next stitch you would have used if you kept going..  You can smooth the jog in SC by making the last stitch a slip stitch, or you might camouflage it by transitioning into some sort of distracting edging like a shell stitch, or little little loops (chain 3, skip a stitch, slst in next stitch, repeat).  Or lots of other possibilities.

[bgs]

This link was recently shared on another thread.  I think the info is going to help me a lot.

 https://hearthookhome.com/how-to-size-crochet-hats-master-beanie-pattern/

[Granny Square]

Good link; the only comment I have is that her scheme of making a DC flat circle isn't consistent with most patterns.  She starts with 10 and increases by 10 each row.  The more traditional scheme is SC = 6, HDC = 8 or 9, DC = 12.  The numbers are the number of stitches you start with, and increase each subsequent round by; it changes by stitch height because of the assumption that SC is half as high as DC (mostly true-ish, depends on your stitch tension) so in 2 rounds of SC you should end up with the same number of stitches as 1 round of DC (12).  This flatness matters, because the plane geometry depends on a flat circle to work: diameter times pi = circumference for a flat (1 plane) circle, not for a cupped one (or ruffled one for that matter), and the 10 DCs she uses will probably cup for most people's tension.  If you measure the right diameter on a cupped circle, the hat will be too small.

Having said that, everyone has different stitch tension width and height wise, and the traditional scheme is for the average crocheter, whoever that is  .  If you make really short stubby stitches, 10 might work for DC.  If you make tall, lofty stitches, you might need more.

To the OP, I suggest you start your hat with an adjustable ring instead of chains.  When I first looked at tutorials for this, I found them confusing until I realized it was really just a slip knot:  make a slip knot like you usually do to put the yarn on the hook, except don't tighten it - leave it open maybe 1", with the hook inserted just like it would be if you were to tighten the yarn on the hook.  Make a slip stitch or 3 as usual, but you will be continuing to make stitches over the open loop and it's tail.  Make sure the tail is a few inches long, enough to weave in securely later.  The nice thing is you can size it however you want later, you can close it really tight or leave it open (sometimes opening it up can help ease ruffling a little  for example).

[bgs]

Granny Square I did notice that she started out different than most patterns.  I havent tried it so dont know how thats going to work but I am sure you are right because so many of the patterns follow the traditional scheme and they do it because thats what works.   I thought the measurements were going to be helpful when I was trying to make a hat for a target group.  I am always at a loss on sizes unless it fits my head.