How to decrease in the round?

mamadiosa43 · 07-06-2009, 12:40 PM

Hi everybody! I am a new knitter and am working on a beanie hat for the new baby in my belly. This is my first project ever and I am using a stockinette stitch, I am knitting in the round using a set of 4US 7 needles. I casted on a total of 54 stitches and I am not really following a pattern, I figured I could just wing it, but here is the thing, how do you decrease in the round? I started to decrease by knitting 2 togetherlike at the begining of the stiches on each of the 3 needles, so it did get smaller like the shape of the hat, but where I was k2tog there are like bumps, like where the fabric won't lay flat. Also the stitches go off to the left where I decreased. Can anyone tell me, how should I make this beanie correctly? Thank you!!! I actually finished it already but it is bumpy and I would like to make another, the right way.

Jan in CA · 07-06-2009, 12:55 PM

The 'bumps' are normal and will form an angular line of stitches. It's really kind of a decorative effect and looks good.

There are many ways of decreasing some will create a taller, pointier hat, some will create a gathered top. It's all personal choice.

For 54 stitches you could also k7, k2tog around the hat. Knit one row even (no decreases), then k6, k2tog around, the knit one row even, etc. Do this till you have only a few stitches on each needle..maybe 3 or so then cut the yarn about 6 inches long and thread it through a yarn needle. Put the threaded needle through each of the stitches left removing needles, go through stitches again and tighten it up and weave in the ends.

suzeeq · 07-06-2009, 02:07 PM

It's better to dec with the same amount of sts between them, rather than going by your needles. 54 is a great number because you can divide it by 9, so Jan's suggestion of k7, k2tog all the way around works. Then knit a row plain and next row dec by k6, k2tog; keep knitting one less st between the decs on every other row till you get down to about 18-24 sts or so, then you'd k2tog all around then just pull the tail through the sts like a drawstring and you're done.