Basic Beanie Puckering

[Croshay]

My basic beanie is flat on top as it should be, and when I stop the increases to start working down the side, if I lay it flat, it's puckered.  My stitch count is correct.  I've crocheted for many years and I've seen this before but haven't made hats for awhile so I haven't had this problem for a long time.  As I work more down the side, the hat has sort of a boxy look, kinda square-ish on top since the top was made in a flat circle.  Does someone have another good method?  

Edited December 22, 2019 by Croshay

[magiccrochetfan]

For the top being too flat, sometimes I will do a round with no increases, then resume increasing.  After several inc rounds, do another plain round.  That gives it more taper.  

But the flatness and the puckers may not show at all when it's being worn, if it's the right size for the person.  

[USpolishgirl]

Are you using a pattern?. I am asking because you mentioned above that you did not crochet hats for a while...The best way for you is to get a pattern. There are many nice free patterns on Pinterest. I am sure that would help you.

Krys

[Croshay]

I'm using sort of a memorized pattern I guess you'd say.  12 dc's on the 1st round, then 24, then 36, etc.  I'm using a lightweight yarn, so I got up to 84 stitches before it was about 6.5" across and time to start working down the sides.  

[USpolishgirl]

Well...something is going wrong according to you.

I would get a written pattern to fix that "problem"

First of all to crochet a Beanie I would not start with 12dc, I would with 10dc. 

Krys 

[Granny Square]

The 'guideline' that I've seen for making a flat circle is sc=6, dc=12, for the number of sts in round 1, and the number that you increase every row by, so 12 stitches is right for the 'average' crocheter working a circle in dc (whoever that is).

Meaning...we are all human and have different stitch height gauges, so the 'right' number may be 10 for dc for Krys, or some other number for me.  And it probably is some other number, because I start with 12 and tweak because I often get ruffling, but I think 10 for me would start to cup after a while.  Maybe 'my' number is 11, who knows.

 

Your scheme of making a flat circle 6.5" across, and then working even, will give you a hat that is 20.4" around, just for reference (6.5 x pi, 3.14).  If that has worked for you in the past, and fits you, you should be good to go.  I just looked at hats I've made, some are nicely curved and some do look a bit not-smooth at the top sitting in the drawer, but they look fine when worn - my head fills out the puckers.  This includes knitted ones BTW.

[USpolishgirl]

1 hour ago, Granny Square said:

The 'guideline' that I've seen for making a flat circle is sc=6, dc=12, for the number of sts in round 1, and the number that you increase every row by, so 12 stitches is right for the 'average' crocheter working a circle in dc (whoever that is).

Meaning...we are all human and have different stitch height gauges, so the 'right' number may be 10 for dc for Krys, or some other number for me.  And it probably is some other number, because I start with 12 and tweak because I often get ruffling, but I think 10 for me would start to cup after a while.  Maybe 'my' number is 11, who knows.

 

Your scheme of making a flat circle 6.5" across, and then working even, will give you a hat that is 20.4" around, just for reference (6.5 x pi, 3.14).  If that has worked for you in the past, and fits you, you should be good to go.  I just looked at hats I've made, some are nicely curved and some do look a bit not-smooth at the top sitting in the drawer, but they look fine when worn - my head fills out the puckers.  This includes knitted ones BTW.

When you start crocheting Beanie you do not really want to have  perfectly FLAT circle that is why 10dc is better for Beanie . Starting with 10dc will be almost flat. Those 2 dc extra  stitches from the start will make a big by the time you will  get to row 5 or 6.  You do not need all those extra stitches to be there when crocheting Beanie. After all no one head is perfectly flat on top.

But everyone can do whatever they want.. 

Krys