Stitch count for hats?

[Martinhouse]

I need to make myself a couple of hats for winter. They will be the full-face mask type, with only one opening, for my eyes, so the air I breathe is somewhat warmed.

I will be using four-ply yarn and either 6 or 8 size needles. Probably I will knit flat and seam the hats up the back, because I'm not accomplished wnough to figure out the opening while using my stocking needles.

Can anyone tell me how many stitches are needed for fitting around the head? With both of those size needles? I plan to do a regular rib stitch.

Thanks,

Carol

[Micah68]

you should be able to find the answer here, I would think:

http://www.thetreeofliberty.com/vb/showthread.php?t=62142&highlight=balaclava

[Martinhouse]

Micah, thanks, I found what I needed from that other thread you posted. It was perfect and I can use the stocking needles on it!

One question.....what is garter stitch? The pattern called for this for the dickey part of the hat, but there looks like there is no difference in stiches, in the picture.

Carol

[Micah68]

Micah, thanks, I found what I needed from that other thread you posted. It was perfect and I can use the stocking needles on it!

One question.....what is garter stitch? The pattern called for this for the dickey part of the hat, but there looks like there is no difference in stiches, in the picture.

Carol

The garter stitch just means you use the knit stitch for every row, rather than knit and purl.

[Martinhouse]

Okay. Thanks!

I can't wait to dig out some yarn and get started!

I just picked a huge pan of leafy celery and will be all day cleaning and cutting it up for freezer, dehydrator, etc., but I want to make my hats soon.

The fumes from the celery have totally cleared my sinuses and bronchial tubes! Wow! Almost dizzying!

Thanks again,

Carol

[Disastercat]

Garter stitch is knit every row, UNLESS you are knitting in the round. If you are knitting in the round, just knitting will result in stockinette stitch, which is made by knit one round, pearl one round when knitting flat. If you need garter stitch while knitting in the round (at the bottom of a hat or top of a pair of socks) just knit one round, pearl one round until you get as much garter stitch edging as you need.

The best way to make a hat to fit you is to knit a "swatch" with the needles you are going to use and the yarn you are going to use. Knit a piece about 20 stitches long and at least 20 rows deep. Now, lay it down very carefully with a measuring tape and count the stitches in one inch or four inches (four inches is better than divide by four for you gage per inch). The number of stitches per inch is your gage. Now measure your head (most adults are between 21 and 23 inches). Remember that knitting stretches a bit, so multiple the number of stitches per inch by the number of inches on your head for your basic number. If you want a tighter had, use 10 to 20 percent fewer stitches or use a smaller needle for the brim.

Example

There are four stitches to the inch on your swatch (or your 20 stitch piece has 80 stitches divided by 4)

Your head is 22 inches wide

Hat basic measurement is 4 x 22 = 88 stitches ( a very common hat number)

However, you want it to be a bit tighter around your ears so either start by casting on about 2 inches less (apx 8 to 10 stitches) so about 78 stitches. Or go down 2 needle sizes for the bottom inch or two of your hat, then switch to larger needles.

This works for basic caps, baklava's are a bit trickier so using a pattern may be easier. But the gage would be the same idea. You can also stop and measure what you are knitting to see how many stitches you have per inch. If you are way off, you may want to start over, but if its only a little bit, you can just add or subtract stitches from a many types of patterns. Lace is trickier but doable, though you have to decrease by certain amounts and fudge a bit more.

Meanwhile, the second knitting book every homestead should have is The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns by Ann Budd. This has nearly every size of most required garments for everyday wear (and even survival) in a cold climate. She's already worked out how many stitches you need for socks, scarves, hats, gloves, mittens and flat sweaters. All you do is knit a swatch and get your number of stitches per inch.

While I prefer to knit my sweaters in the round, most of her patterns convert easily and its my only criticism of the book. I've used my copy a gazillion times for things like baby hats and adult gloves.

Combine this book with Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears and you can make most simple things. There are a couple of other useful books to have as well. But these are the first two.