With the onset of cold weather, you can’t do without a hat. It will not only protect your head from frost, but will also become part of your child’s image. Such an item as a hat for a girl is quite easy to knit with knitting needles. There are many types of patterns that even novice needlewomen can handle.
Selecting yarn and tools
Using knitting needles, a hat for a girl can be knitted by craftsmen in a few hours. For inexperienced people, this process can take 1-2 days. First, you need to decide on the yarn. Many people mistakenly believe that children's hats should be made of 100% wool. However, this is fundamentally wrong. Products made from it are very prickly. In order to soften them, artificial fibers, often acrylic, are added to the natural material. Usually used:
- Yarn made from merino sheep wool. It is soft, retains heat well, does not overheat the head. Products do not irritate the skin, do not lose their appearance even after long use.
- Cashmere is a thin, light thread. Suitable for making a hat for the summer season. Cashmere is a soft, hypoallergenic and wear-resistant material.
- Mohair is a fluffy, voluminous yarn made from the wool of Angora goats. Products made from it will last for many years. The thread has low thermal conductivity, so it is suitable for winter weather. The disadvantages include the fact that it can roll and peel. In addition, mohair cannot be wetted, and cleaning is only allowed by chemical means.
Knitted hats for girls are also made from alpaca wool. Such yarn is resistant to deformation, does not get wet, does not roll. A light hat for spring and a warm winter product will be equally comfortable.
For knitting hats, circular or stocking needles 40-60 cm long are best suited. If the product is not knitted in a circle, you can take regular straight needles with a tip at the end. The thickness depends on the selected yarn. Usually, manufacturers indicate on the label which tool number is suitable for the threads. An equally important parameter is the knitting density. The higher it is, the larger the size should be.
Beginners should choose thicker knitting needles, as they usually knit quite tightly. Before starting work, knit a sample. This will make sure that the size is chosen correctly.
The choice of yarn for babies is approached with special care. It should not be prickly and hard (wool), too fleecy (mohair), so as not to cause discomfort. Acrylic is best suited for newborns. Despite the fact that it is a synthetic material, it does not cause an allergic reaction. In addition, acrylic products do not lose their shape even after repeated washing. If the baby does not have an allergy, you can use mixed yarn (wool with acrylic). Cotton and viscose have proven themselves well.
How to take measurements
Before knitting a hat for a girl, you need to take measurements. All measurements are taken with a measuring tape: it is applied tightly to the head, without pulling too tightly. If the product is made for growth, first take exact measurements, and then add 2-3 centimeters.
Beginners often make the mistake of taking measurements not from the child's head, but from another hat. All materials stretch differently, so a product made from other threads may turn out to be uncomfortable, despite the fact that the dimensions are identical. To knit the simplest headdress, two measurements are enough - head circumference and height. They are taken as follows:
- distance from the forehead to the base of the skull (the measuring tape goes around the head, pressing the ears);
- the section from the earlobe to the crown of the head.
Popular patterns and decor
There are many simple patterns for knitting children's hats with knitting needles. However, any work begins with creating an elastic band, which also varies. The simplest option is two purl and two front loops alternate between each other.
Once the elastic is knitted, you can start creating a pattern. A knitted hat looks beautiful if you alternate the patterns. Below are patterns that are suitable for a girl:
- Braids. Hats with them are voluminous and very warm. A large number of pattern options opens up scope for imagination.
- Pearl. It is made by alternating purl and knit stitches. Its advantages include density, excellent thermal properties and a beautiful appearance. A hat in pearl knitting looks very neat.
- Honeycomb. One of the most elegant patterns, which looks like a honeycomb. Due to the volume, hats made in this technique are warm and comfortable.
- Braided pattern. Simple and unobtrusive, it looks like weaving, like on baskets and other interior elements. There are "braided" options for winter, and there are light ornaments with holes, on the basis of which you can get an openwork hat for a girl.
- Satin stitch. This type is often used to create items for the smallest children. The hat is knitted like this: the back side is knitted with purl stitches, and the front side is knitted with front stitches.
- Openwork pattern. Stylish option for spring or summer. Openwork hat is knitted with knitting needles for spring using yarn overs, adding and decreasing loops. Different variations of patterns look very beautiful, but require a certain skill.
Beginner needlewomen are better off using simple patterns that do not require the use of additional knitting needles. One of the most common patterns for beginners is pearl. It is easy to knit, and the result will certainly please. To make it, you need to cast on an even number of loops on the knitting needles. Then follow the diagram:
- First row. The first loop is removed - this is the edge loop. Then knit to the end of the row 1 purl and 1 front loop. The last loop is knitted purl.
- Second row. Remove the edge stitch, then knit the front loop of the previous row as a purl stitch, and the back loop as a front stitch. Do this until the end of the row.
- All odd rows are similar to the first, and even ones to the second. The pattern is double-sided.
A girl's hat looks more interesting if it is beautifully decorated. Beads, embroidery, beads and ribbons are used to decorate very young fashionistas. Older children will certainly like models decorated with tassels, decorative stones and rhinestones. An openwork hat with ears and pompoms will suit teenagers.
To create a tassel, you can use ready-made knitted tape with long fringe.
Step-by-step master class
Below are three master classes on knitting hats for girls of different styles. The type of yarn, as well as its length, is selected depending on the measurements taken. For knitting a hat with earflaps and a bonnet, it is better to use thick threads (merino or mohair), and for a beanie - thin ones (cashmere, alpaca, acrylic, cotton).
Warm winter hat with earflaps
To make a hat with earflaps, you will need yarn and knitting needles No. 3. Often, one purchased skein is enough. Step-by-step instructions for knitting a hat for a girl with knitting needles:
- Start with the "ears". They are knitted at the same time. 6 loops are cast on the knitting needles and knitted with the front loops, then a row of purl loops is made.
- Knit according to this pattern until the number of loops reaches 20. Then continue the work without increases until the “ears” reach the desired length.
- Start knitting the main part. Cast on 15 loops. Then pick up 20 from the right "ear" and knit 37 loops to the center. Next come the loops of the left "ear" and another 17 cast on loops. Continue knitting with garter stitch until the desired height of the hat.
- To begin making the top, 2 loops on the sides of each row are tied together. This is done until there are 13 loops left. They are pulled together and the back of the hat is sewn together.
- Next, knit the collar. Cast on 33 stitches from the bottom and knit all rows with the front stitches until the collar reaches the desired length. In the last row, decrease 2 stitches on each side. Close all stitches.
Depending on the size of the child's head, the total number of loops can be reduced or increased.
Autumn beanie
This hat is a great option for autumn. It is easy to knit and is universal, as it will suit not only a child, but also an adult. To knit a beanie, you will need 2 skeins of yarn, 4-pointed knitting needles. Step-by-step instructions:
- Cast on 132 stitches (for a head circumference of 57 cm). Divide the knitting into 4 knitting needles: 33 stitches on each. Then knit about 23 cm in front rows.
- Close the loops for the crown: at the beginning of each knitting needle, knit one front loop, then two loops together front loop behind the front wall. Then knit with front loops until there are 2 loops left on the knitting needle. They are knitted like this: remove the first, the second front loop, throw the unknitted loop on it. This maneuver is done on all four knitting needles until there are 2 or 3 loops left on each.
- Thread the thread through the remaining loops and tighten.
Stylish hood
Suitable for children from 3 years. Before knitting, it is necessary to take an additional measurement from the child's neck. Step-by-step instructions for knitting a loose hood with a head circumference of 66 cm:
- Cast on 108 stitches on #5 knitting needles and knit 3 cm with a simple elastic band, alternating 2 front and 2 back stitches.
- Start knitting the purl row. It consists of 1 edge loop and a 2 by 2 elastic band. Finish it with an edge loop.
- Knit 22 cm in stocking stitch. In the last row, cast on 54 stitches for the hood.
- The product is turned and work continues in the opposite direction.
- At the end of the purl row, close the loops.
- The second side is knitted in the same way, loops are closed in each front row.
- For the collar, cast on 96 stitches and begin knitting in the round. The knitting is done in the form of a 2 x 2 elastic band up to 20 cm.
- At the final stage, both parts are sewn together.
Using ready-made patterns, even a novice craftswoman can make a unique knitted hat. You can decorate the product as you wish. Most often used are beads, rhinestones, ribbons, and patches.
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