Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Tiny New Baby Hat

Every hat I used to make for new babies never fit within a mile either way.  So I finally gave up, did some math and measuring, found the fit and style I found easiest on babies, and have been doing this hat instead ever since.

The Tiny New Baby Hat

Materials: Approximately 80 yrds worsted weight soft acrylic or washable wool yarn
Size 5 16” circular needles, and 4 size 5 double pointed needles, or whatever size needed to obtain gauge. (come on, do a gauge swatch… it’s for the baby!)
Stitch marker
              
Gauge: 20 stitches is 4 inches in stockinette stitch in the round.
Finished circumference: 13 inches; fits 14-15 inch head very nicely.
Size: newborn

CO 64 sts, place marker, and join to work in the round.
Knit all rounds until hat measures 4 ¼ inches.
Begin decreases, switching to double pointed needles when sts become too tight:
 (Knit all even rounds.)
Round 1: (k6, k2tog) around
Round 3: (k5, k2tog) around
Round 5: (k4, k2tog) around (If desired, switch to a different colored yarn at this point.)
Round 7: (k3, k2tog) around
Round 9: (k2, k2tog) around
Round 11: (k1, k2tog) around
Round 13: (k2tog) around
Round 14 and so on: repeat Round 13 until 3 sts remain.
Arrange remaining 3 sts onto one needle, and work an I-cord for 2 inches. Bind off, and secure end inside the I-cord. 
To finish, tie a knot in the I-cord, and weave cast on end into the inside of the rolled brim.


It is so satisfying to give new parents a hat that actually fits their child when they put it on that child in front of you.  You can smile and congratulate them, instead of apologizing and promising to make them a new hat because the one you made swallowed their child, or, the other scenario, your hat made their 1 day old baby look like a 1 year old because the hat was so small.
This way everyone wins, and you even made the baby a little cuter (if that's even possible, right?) with a little curly-q right on top. :)
 

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