A hat is a comfortable and stylish headdress. Knitted from light yarn, it will protect from the sun's rays and will complement a romantic or casual look. The hat is best made with a crochet hook, it holds its shape well, and thanks to the openwork pattern it is not hot. You can make such a headdress for the summer yourself.
Selecting yarn and tools
It is best to knit a summer hat from natural threads without adding wool or acrylic. For comfortable use, the yarn should have:
- air permeability;
- hygroscopicity;
- strength;
- brightness of color.
For knitted summer hats, it is recommended to choose cotton, linen or viscose. But not all of their varieties can be used. The thread must be dense, so soft mercerized cotton is not suitable. Hats knitted from it will not hold their shape. It is better to choose the yarn "Iris", "Lily", "Violet", "Narcissus", threads with the addition of bamboo or microfiber. A good hat with wide brims will turn out from raffia - this is a natural fiber made from palm leaves. There are also artificial analogs of such yarn. Raffia resembles thin ribbons, and the knitted product looks like a straw hat.
In addition to yarn, you need to choose the right tools to crochet a hat. You will need a pattern, scissors, and a tape measure. It is best to choose a metal hook with a plastic handle. It is comfortable to hold and will not stain light yarn.
The hook number is selected depending on the thickness of the thread. The smaller it is, the denser the knitting will be.
Necessary measurements
In order for a crocheted hat to fit well, it is necessary to take measurements correctly. You will need to measure the circumference of your head and the depth of the fit. This is done using a measuring tape. To measure the circumference of your head, place it so that it passes 1.5-2 cm above the eyebrows, and at the back - along the most protruding part of the back of the head. After taking measurements, you need to determine the diameter of the bottom of the hat. To do this, divide the result by the number Pi (3.14), then subtract 1.5-2 cm from the result.
To calculate the depth of the hat, you need to divide the head circumference by 3. Add 1-2 cm to the result. Then the finished product will slightly cover the ears.
It is important to calculate correctly how much yarn is needed. A children's hat will take 100-150 g, a headdress for women will need from 150 to 300 g. The consumption depends on the thickness of the yarn itself and the chosen pattern. An openwork product will require less thread, and a dense fabric will require more. You also need to take into account the production of decorative elements, piping. For example, if the head size is 56 cm, and the hat is knitted tightly without a pattern, it will take 300 g of yarn.
Deciphering the knitting pattern
To make a hat, you will need knitting patterns. Even experienced needlewomen use them all the time. This helps you not to get confused and do everything correctly. You just need to know how to read them correctly.
Knitting patterns for hats are circular. They start from the middle of the circle and continue clockwise. All patterns use the same symbols:
- circle – air loop (AL);
- cross - single crochet (SC);
- letter "T" - half double crochet;
- vertical line – half-column;
- a crossed vertical line is a double crochet (DC), the number of lines indicates the number of yarns (C2H, C3H).
Sometimes several symbols on the diagram are connected and come out of one place, this means that they need to be knitted from one loop.
Manufacturing stages taking into account the model
There are different models of women's summer hats. Styles differ in the size and shape of the crown and brim. The brim can be wide or narrow, upturned or downturned.
To ensure that a headdress made from cotton yarn keeps its shape, it is recommended to starch the finished product.
Openwork
It is best to knit an openwork hat for the summer. It will protect your head and face from the sun, and it will not be hot. Any thin natural yarn is needed, best of all "Iris". You need to take a hook No. 1 or 1.5. Step-by-step description of the knitting pattern:
- Start with 4 VP, which are closed into a ring.
- Knit 3 dc into each loop.
- In each column knit 2 CH, between them 2 VP.
- From this row, knitting of petals begins, there are 12 of them in total. To do this, you need to knit 2 CH in the first column, then one by one. Between the petals, 2 VP.
- In the 7th row, each petal should consist of 7 CH.
- Now the number of loops decreases. In the 8th row there are 5 of them, between the petals there are two arches of VP, connected by CH.
- In the 9th row there are 3 CH, and between the petals there are 3 arches.
- In the 10th row there is an alternation of 1 CH and 3 VP.
To move to the crown, you need to knit a “fan” in every second arch of the previous row, consisting of 2 CH, 1 VP and 2 CH. Between these elements 3 VP. To make the crown straight, you need to alternate 2 such rows with a row in which between the “fans” will be knitted: 3 VP - CH - 3 VP. From the 16th row - 2 VP. Continue this way until the 23rd row. To knit the brim, the number of VP increases, and in place of the “fans” knit “berries” consisting of a larger number of CH.
With wide brim
Once you understand the patterns, crocheting is not difficult. You can choose from a variety of designs. The beautiful openwork pattern is best seen on wide brims, since the bottom and crown are usually made thicker to protect the head from the sun.
Wide-brimmed summer hats are knitted according to their own pattern. They are usually openwork, so you will need 150-250 g of yarn depending on the width of the brim. To ensure that the brim is even, the product must be constantly placed on the table while knitting. If you get a wavy edge, you need to make increases less often, but if it shrinks, then more often. The width of the fields can be 14-16 cm.
- Cast on 5 VP and join them into a ring.
- Next knit 12 CH.
- Knit the next 4 rows in the same pattern, expanding it through one column.
- Next, knit 8 more rows according to this pattern and move on to any openwork pattern you like.
- According to the field expansion scheme, you need to make an increase every 5 columns.
- The last row is knitted with a fishing line grab, and the edges are tied with sc from left to right.
Cauldron
The simplest crocheted summer hat is a bowler hat. It is made of thick fabric. You will need 200-230 g of yarn, a hook no larger than 1.25 mm. For crocheting, use regular single or double crochet stitches. Work begins from the middle of the bottom with 3 VP. They are connected into a ring. After that, knit with the same loops, adding 6 loops in each row. The increases should be uniform.
Once the circle reaches the desired size, you need to start knitting without increases - knit one column into each loop. The first 2-3 rows of the transition should be made a little denser so that the fabric is even. If you are knitting a hat with brims, increases are made again in the right place (determined after trying on). For regular brims, every 3 rows, 2 columns need to be knitted into every 10th loop. It is recommended to finish knitting the hat with single crochets.
To ensure that the brim of the bowler hat holds its shape well, you need to insert a fishing line in the last row.
Headdress decoration
If you choose a beautiful knitting pattern, the headdress itself will be attractive. A simple fabric requires decoration, otherwise the hat will look boring. Popular decoration options:
- a beautiful ribbon or braid with a pattern that is sewn to the base of the crown;
- you can make flowers from the same yarn by sewing them on the side, but the composition should not contain more than 2-3 elements;
- a large bow made of wide satin ribbon;
- ready-made artificial flowers;
- brooch in the form of a butterfly or dragonfly;
- simple embroidery with thick thread or cord;
- applique;
- lace or fringe sewn along the edge.
A beautiful crocheted summer hat will complement any look in casual, beach or romantic style. The advantage of such a headdress is the ability to choose the style, color and pattern at your discretion.
Video
https://youtu.be/lD5FSCQX7Zo
