question about changing size of a hat pattern...please help!

hedgewick · 10-20-2005, 01:20 PM

I'm new to knitting and getting ready to start my first hat. I'm not using the circular needles (not that adventurous yet). The patern I found is sized for adults and looks very easy. I want to make it for my 3 year old son as well as 2 more for My sister-in-law's twins who are almost a year. How do I change a patern to fit a smaller (or larger) head? Can I just cast on less stitches (guess) and decrease in the same way as the patern suggests or is there more to it than that? What if I change needle size? Any ideas would be great! :XX:

rebecca · 10-20-2005, 08:23 PM

I use this basic hat pattern for all of my hats :D

hedgewick · 10-31-2005, 04:43 PM

Any other ideas would be great!

feministmama · 10-31-2005, 05:23 PM

So when I make a hat I measure the head fiirst. let's say it's a 22 incher. Then a knit a swatch (Not really I just knit four or five rows of garter then about an inch or two of stockinette) and measure however many sticher per inch I ma getting for that yarn with whatever needles I'm using. Let's say 4 stches per inch with Lamb's Pride worsted on size 8 needles. So then I calculate st per inch (4) x inches on head (22) and you get 88. So that's how many stiches you cast on. As for the decreases, look at the pattern. Does it decrease every x number of stiches in a way that is divided evenly? If so then just do that. So you've 88 stiches right so a good number would be every 8 stiches 9since it goes in evenly) Gete it? Also don't be afraid of circulars. They really are very easy. They don't bite really. If you need help with them just give a holler. Good luck