Beanies, Berets and Slouched Hats: Sizing headwear
Hannah. 20" size knit in Vintage Purls Max.
The sizing used in all my patterns is based on the following average or generic sizings. These sizings are based on the Craft Yarn Council's Standard Body Measurements.
Head Size Fits approx age Crown length
12"/30.5cm Premmie 4¼"/11cm
14"/ Newborn 5"/13cm
16"/ Baby 6¼"/16cm
18"/ Toddler 7"/18cm
20"/ Child 7½"/19cm
22"/ Adult 8¼"/21cm
24"/ Large Adult 9¼"/23.5cm
These sizing can be a good starting point for knitters and do offer a good basis for fit. However, there may be times when you wish to customise knitted headwear for a more accurate and precise fit, this is known as customising the fit. To do this you will need to take accurate measurements using a tape measure held snug against the head.
1. Measure your head circumference
The starting point for a perfect fit is to measure the head of the person you are knitting for. It is important that the tape measure goes around the widest part of the head; over the forehead and above the ears. Remember to keep the tape snug. Hat brims need to fit snugly so your measurement should reflect this. This measurement is what should guide your initial sizing choice. For example, you may find your toddler measures 20" so use that as the size you knit. When we come to the next measurement we will look at the adjustments we can make for length.
If the hat pattern you are using provides a finished measurement for the brim rather than the size it fits, a good general rule to follow is that the brim of a hat will usually have about 2"/5cm of negative ease. That means the brim will measure about 2"/5cm less than your head circumference. Your own personal preference may mean that you prefer a brim that is either looser or tighter.
2. Measure your crown length
The second step to a perfect fit is making sure the crown is the right length. To measure the crown length, measure from the crown of the head to the base of the ear in a straight line.
If you're measuring a small child or toddler, you may find it easier to measure them when they are asleep. I know this from experience. Just wait until they're in a deep sleep. (You can test this by picking up their arm and dropping it. If it drops with no disturbance, they're in deep sleep.)
If you're gifting a beanie and don't want to give away the game as to what you're knitting, you can trick your recipient by measuring the distance between their second finger and an outstretched thumb. This distance will be the same as their crown length. Neat huh!
The crown length gives you the standard or optimum length for a beanie. I like to work in about ¼ to ½" extra length to account for stretch.
You may want to vary this length based on your own personal preference, I like my beanies a wee bit longer so that they cover my ears in the cold.
If you're knitting a slouch or a beret you will want to add a bit of additional length before you begin the crown shaping. The longer the length, the more the hat will slouch. Generally, slouch factor is created with 1 to 3 inches of extra length. I generally use about 2".
Using this knowledge, ascertain what crown length you want for your hat.
With this measurement in mind, subtract the length of the crown shaping. This will generally be in the vicinity of 1½ to 2½"/4 to 7cm.
Most patterns will not give you this measurement, and that's ok. It's quite easy to work out.
Look at the row tension for the pattern you are using. Divide that by 4 to get the row tension per inch.
eg. for a dk weight beanie the tension may be 30 rows per 4 inches. 30 ÷ 4 = 7.5 rows per inch.
Read your pattern and work out how many rounds are worked in the crown shaping.
eg. In my Hannah pattern (pictured above) there are 15 rounds for the crown shaping.
Divide this number by the rows per inch figure you arrived at earlier.
eg. 15 ÷ 7.5 = 2" of crown shaping.
Subtract the length of the crown shaping from your desired hat length and this will give you the length to knit to before the shaping begins.
Ideally, you will have knit a tension square, washed your swatch and adjusted your needles to allow for any discrepancies. Your row tension, as well as the yarn you are using, can also impact on the length of the crown and mean that it alters from that given in the pattern. Super-wash yarns are notorious for growing and even with a small item like a beanie need to be handled gently when blocking. It is all too easy to stretch them out when blocking!
Blocking your hat:
I believe in wet blocking everything.
Beanies can be blocked over inflated balloons (keep out of reach of kids unless you want your hat to be incorporated into some crazy game!). Slouches can be blocked over balloons or even a round dinner plate. Berets block best over a dinner plate.
Head Size Fits approx age Crown length
12"/30.5cm Premmie 4¼"/11cm
14"/ Newborn 5"/13cm
16"/ Baby 6¼"/16cm
18"/ Toddler 7"/18cm
20"/ Child 7½"/19cm
22"/ Adult 8¼"/21cm
24"/ Large Adult 9¼"/23.5cm
These sizing can be a good starting point for knitters and do offer a good basis for fit. However, there may be times when you wish to customise knitted headwear for a more accurate and precise fit, this is known as customising the fit. To do this you will need to take accurate measurements using a tape measure held snug against the head.
1. Measure your head circumference
The starting point for a perfect fit is to measure the head of the person you are knitting for. It is important that the tape measure goes around the widest part of the head; over the forehead and above the ears. Remember to keep the tape snug. Hat brims need to fit snugly so your measurement should reflect this. This measurement is what should guide your initial sizing choice. For example, you may find your toddler measures 20" so use that as the size you knit. When we come to the next measurement we will look at the adjustments we can make for length.
If the hat pattern you are using provides a finished measurement for the brim rather than the size it fits, a good general rule to follow is that the brim of a hat will usually have about 2"/5cm of negative ease. That means the brim will measure about 2"/5cm less than your head circumference. Your own personal preference may mean that you prefer a brim that is either looser or tighter.
2. Measure your crown length
The second step to a perfect fit is making sure the crown is the right length. To measure the crown length, measure from the crown of the head to the base of the ear in a straight line.
If you're measuring a small child or toddler, you may find it easier to measure them when they are asleep. I know this from experience. Just wait until they're in a deep sleep. (You can test this by picking up their arm and dropping it. If it drops with no disturbance, they're in deep sleep.)
If you're gifting a beanie and don't want to give away the game as to what you're knitting, you can trick your recipient by measuring the distance between their second finger and an outstretched thumb. This distance will be the same as their crown length. Neat huh!
The crown length gives you the standard or optimum length for a beanie. I like to work in about ¼ to ½" extra length to account for stretch.
You may want to vary this length based on your own personal preference, I like my beanies a wee bit longer so that they cover my ears in the cold.
If you're knitting a slouch or a beret you will want to add a bit of additional length before you begin the crown shaping. The longer the length, the more the hat will slouch. Generally, slouch factor is created with 1 to 3 inches of extra length. I generally use about 2".
Using this knowledge, ascertain what crown length you want for your hat.
With this measurement in mind, subtract the length of the crown shaping. This will generally be in the vicinity of 1½ to 2½"/4 to 7cm.
Most patterns will not give you this measurement, and that's ok. It's quite easy to work out.
Look at the row tension for the pattern you are using. Divide that by 4 to get the row tension per inch.
eg. for a dk weight beanie the tension may be 30 rows per 4 inches. 30 ÷ 4 = 7.5 rows per inch.
Read your pattern and work out how many rounds are worked in the crown shaping.
eg. In my Hannah pattern (pictured above) there are 15 rounds for the crown shaping.
Divide this number by the rows per inch figure you arrived at earlier.
eg. 15 ÷ 7.5 = 2" of crown shaping.
Subtract the length of the crown shaping from your desired hat length and this will give you the length to knit to before the shaping begins.
Ideally, you will have knit a tension square, washed your swatch and adjusted your needles to allow for any discrepancies. Your row tension, as well as the yarn you are using, can also impact on the length of the crown and mean that it alters from that given in the pattern. Super-wash yarns are notorious for growing and even with a small item like a beanie need to be handled gently when blocking. It is all too easy to stretch them out when blocking!
Blocking your hat:
I believe in wet blocking everything.
Beanies can be blocked over inflated balloons (keep out of reach of kids unless you want your hat to be incorporated into some crazy game!). Slouches can be blocked over balloons or even a round dinner plate. Berets block best over a dinner plate.