A knitted hat is not just a fashionable and stylish accessory that completes the image. For those living in countries with a moderate or cold climate, this headdress is an indispensable item of clothing that provides warmth in winter, spring, and autumn. Despite the wide range, it is not always possible to find a suitable option. With minimal skills, it is wiser to knit a hat yourself, because special skills are not required for this. You just need to decide on the style, choose the right yarn, find a pattern. Making the product will take only a couple of days, and the result will be an exclusive, unusual model.
The nuances of choosing yarn
The type of yarn to use for knitting a hat for women depends on when the accessory will be worn. Spring, winter and summer hats should differ in thickness, so different yarn is used to create them. Conventionally, it is divided into 3 types:
- natural;
- mixed;
- synthetic.
If you are knitting a light hat for the summer, it is recommended to use yarn made of 100% cotton or linen. Such threads allow air to pass through, so your head will not sweat. In addition, they do not electrify, which is very important for those with long hair. Such yarn can be thin or thick. Which option to choose for creating summer knitted hats depends only on personal preferences.
If you use thick threads, the hat will be voluminous and the work will take less time.
If you need to make a winter hat, it is recommended to use thick yarn. You can use natural or synthetic fiber. It is worth considering that the second type of thread is more preferable, since such yarn does not prickle, does not shrink, and is not eaten by moths.
For winter knitted hats, it is recommended to use the following threads:
- Mohair. A fine, fluffy fiber made from goat wool. It makes beautiful, voluminous accessories.
- Cashmere. Knitted hat models made from this yarn are warm and fluffy. Despite the fact that such threads are quite thin, they are strong and wear-resistant.
- Wool. Suitable for making a winter hat. But it is worth considering that this material is prickly and susceptible to moth attacks.
- Cotton. You can also knit an accessory for winter from cotton yarn, but in this case you need to choose thick threads. Making a women's hat from pure cotton without impurities is quite difficult.
In winter, massive headwear looks more appropriate. In addition, voluminous hats retain heat better. To create such products, it is recommended to choose mixed fibers, since they are less susceptible to external influences. Such threads do not fade, do not shrink when washed, and do not roll.
It is better to make demi-season knitted hats with knitting needles from cotton or linen yarn. Material with wool interweaving may look inappropriate. In addition, it will be hot in such a headdress. The best option is to choose thick threads, since stylish models knitted with your own hands are made from them.
To help the hat hold its shape better, you will need to make a fleece lining.
Crochet hook or knitting needles
What tools to prepare before knitting a hat yourself is a question that beginner craftswomen often ask themselves. There is an opinion that a hook and knitting needles are used to create completely different types of fabric. This is not entirely true, however, each device has its own nuances of use:
- Structure, density. Knitted women's hats made with knitting needles are smoother, softer and more elastic. Crocheted fabric stretches worse and feels rough to the touch.
- Method of creation. A knitted women's hat has a front and back side. When working with a crochet hook, the accessory is double-sided.
- Varieties. Beautiful voluminous headdresses with a relief pattern are best made with knitting needles. Crochet is more often used if you need to create a geometric applique or a complex pattern.
It is easier for beginners to work with a crochet hook, since in this case only 1 loop will be the leading one. In addition, if a mistake is made, it can be easily corrected, there is no need to unravel a significant part of the fabric. Another advantage of the crochet hook is that the patterns created in this way are easier to perform. Also, when making a fashionable knitted hat, you do not have to close the loops of the bottom row. The disadvantage of crocheting is that the fabric "takes" much more yarn.
As for knitting needles, this tool is great for creating winter models. But it is worth considering that knitting a hat with knitting needles for beginners is more difficult. If a mistake is made, the base will have to be redone. This tool is more suitable for creating models with a flat canvas and rare large patterns. The advantage of knitting needles is that the hat is more elastic and easier to drape.
Knitting techniques
To create women's knitted hats, you can use not only different tools, but also methods. If you have no experience, it is recommended to choose simple patterns, otherwise the product may not work. The following techniques are popular:
- Garter stitch. There are 2 types - front and back. With patterns of this type, work with straight knitting needles. If a circular type tool is used, the rows of front and back loops will alternate. But making a hat on two knitting needles using this method is recommended only if you have experience.
- Front and back satin stitch. Odd rows are formed with front loops, and even rows are formed with back loops. This technique can be used even by beginners.
- Relief patterns. If you find a simple and correct scheme, creating a pattern will not cause difficulties. In order for the ornament to look beautiful and even, you need to be careful when working.
If you are making a spring or winter hat for the first time, it is better to choose the simplest knitting method. It is recommended to experiment first and try to create an even fabric according to the chosen pattern and only then start making the headdress. It is better to choose thick yarn that does not stretch much.
Modeling
In order for the accessory to be beautiful and look good, you need to not only know how best to knit a hat, with knitting needles or a crochet hook, but also find a suitable pattern, and take measurements in advance. Otherwise, the product may fall off or be too small. In order not to miscalculate the size, you need to decide on the following parameters:
- head circumference - to find out the value, you need to wrap a measuring tape around your head along the eyebrow line;
- depth – measured from the beginning of the bridge of the nose to the level where hair growth ends (the resulting value is divided by 2).
When taking measurements for women's hats, you need to take into account the features of the future accessory, including how loosely it should sit. You need to decide on the number of loops on which the hat will be knitted. To do this, it is recommended to make a small sample, wash it and see how much it shrinks. Then the fabric is measured with a ruler, based on the result obtained, calculate how many loops will need to be formed.
Manufacturing stages taking into account the model
How to knit a hat depends on the tools and pattern used. To make the work easier, it is recommended to print the pattern. It is worth remembering that a good result can be obtained if you follow the prescribed algorithm of actions.
Men's beanie knitting
This knitted hat is made quite quickly. The size of the product is 55-58 cm. This headdress will look best made of cotton or acrylic. For work you will need 2 skeins of yarn of 50 g each, scissors, a needle, threads, 2 knitting needles (3 and 3.5 mm). This stylish hat is knitted with an elastic band according to this algorithm:
- First you need to cast on 142 stitches and 2 edge stitches.
- The work begins with an elastic band: 2 front and 2 back, the pattern alternates.
- Even rows are knitted as the stitches lie.
- Next comes the odd row, formed by alternating 2 front and 2 back loops.
The elastic is knitted up to the 7th row, after which knitting with face loops is done for about 17 cm. From this point on, you can decrease by knitting 2 loops in every third row. When the fabric is ready, it is sewn with threads that match the tone of the yarn. This pattern, described step by step for beginners, is simple. To make the headdress fashionable, the fabric can be made longer than 17 cm.
Women's chunky knit sock
This version of the headdress is versatile, suitable for both girls and women aged 50 and over. For work you will need a skein of mixed yarn (wool with acrylic), a needle with thread, knitting needles No. 4. The original headdress is created with garter stitch (only face loops), transverse turning rows. First, you need to dial 50 loops, then adhere to this algorithm:
- Knit all the stitches in the first row except the last five, turn the base over.
- In the second row, knit all the stitches, and purl the last edge stitch.
- In the third row, knit all the loops except the last 4.
- The fourth and other even rows are created using the same algorithm as the second.
- In the fifth row, leave 3 loops unknitted, in the 7th – 2, in the 9th – 1. In the 11th row, all loops are knitted.
- Next, repeat rows 1 through 12 until the desired hat size is reached.
When the fabric is ready, the loops need to be closed. After that, the base is fixed with threads. These new models are recommended to be made loose, not tight-fitting.
Children's shovel made of thin yarn
A hat knitted according to this pattern looks great on both a child and an adult. It can be made from any type of fiber, thick or thin. Depending on the desired volume, the headdress is knitted in one or two threads.
- You need to cast on 101 stitches and close the hundredth one.
- Next, create 70 rows of elastic (1 through 1).
- Afterwards, the base needs to be divided into 4 parts – 13 and 37 loops.
- Calculate everything so that the path of 13 loops begins and ends with purl ones.
- In every second row, a decrease is made: before and after the path of loops, 3 front loops are knitted instead of purl ones. As a result, each time the loop that was specially left and 2 others must be captured.
- Next, using double-pointed needles, knit a row alternately with and without decreases until only rows of 13 loops remain.
- They need to be sewn with a knitted stitch or simply gathered with threads.
A thin hat for a girl is best knitted from cotton or linen. The model is universal – suitable for boys. The only difference in this case is the colors used.
Decor options
In order for the product to be beautiful and sit properly on the head, it is recommended to find a standard description and patterns for its creation. But to make the hat look more interesting, it needs to be decorated. There are no restrictions in choosing the decor, here everything depends only on the imagination. To make the openwork hat with knitting needles look more original, it can be decorated:
- bead applique;
- fur pompom;
- knitted flowers or leaves;
- fabric or leather patches;
- glass or plastic beads;
- with natural fur inserts.
To choose the optimal decor, you need to consider what yarn was used to create the hat, the planned period of wearing and the color of the product. Summer voluminous hats with unusual patterns can be left in their original form so that they do not look too heavy. As for winter and autumn models, on the contrary, it is recommended to decorate them. Decorating a hat with your own hands will not be difficult even without experience, the work will take no more than two hours.
Video
