The image shows the crown of my Aeonium Hat pattern. It features the post title “Hat Masterclass - Crown Shaping”.
Whenever I start a new Hat design, I invariably start with the crown. Even if I know exactly which style I'm aiming for or which stitch pattern I'm going to use, and whether it be a top-down, bottom-up or even sideways design, the crown is the first thing I consider. The maths of the crown determines not only the type of crown finish (beanie, beret, pixie, gathered or anything in between) but also the mathematical structure that runs all the way through a Hat.
THE 'DECREASE 8STS EVERY OTHER ROUND' FORMULA
This is a common formula for a Hat, and what it results in is a beanie style (half-dome, watch-cap) style Hat. However, it's not applicable to every situation. Let's look at some numbers.
When we create a beanie what we are essentially doing is knitting a cylinder that's finished off with a circle on top. The schematic above shows that the length of a Hat, from the crown to the base of the ears, is the length from the centre of the crown to the brim edge – or the radius of the top circle plus the length of the cylinder.
With negative ease, this method works, as the edge around the top of the cylinder is smoothed off when worn.
The common formula for a circle is to decrease 8sts every other round, or 4sts average per round. This works well in something like stocking stitch, where the row and stitch gauge have a common relationship, or in lace, whereby blocking helps all the proportions settle.
THE ROLE OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE AND RADIUS
We'll remember from school that the circumference of a circle is 2 x pi x the radius, where pi can be rounded to 3.14. In short, the circumference is 6.28 x the radius.
The circumference of our Hat is the number of stitches on our needles right before we start the crown shaping – it's the widest part of the knitting, and the part that determines fit in a beanie. To know this measurement we'll also want to know our gauge.
Let's use an example of a Hat knit in DK with a gauge of 22sts/10cm. With a circumference of 100sts it will measure 45.5cm – the perfect finished size for the average adult female (allowing for 6.5cm of negative ease).
If we want to knit a beanie, and have the top of that Hat flat as a circle, we'll be able to calculate the radius of our circle, which in turn helps us calculate the number of rounds over which we will decrease.
45.5cm/6.28 (2 x pi) = 7.25cm crown circle radius
If our row gauge follows a typical fashion of 3:4, our row gauge would be approximately 30rows/rounds to 10cm, or 3rows to 1cm, and so we would have to work our decreases over 22 rounds:
7.25 (length of radius in cm) x 3 (number or rows/rounds per cm) = 21.75 rounds
We have 100sts we wish to decrease, so we would aim to decrease 4.5sts per round on average. (100/21.75)
Except, that as we close the top of the Hat we don't want to decrease down beyond say 6 or 8 sts, as this creates an unfortunate bump at the very top of the Hat, so we would change our decrease ratio slightly:
(100-6)/21.75 = 4.32 sts decreased per round, average.
Knitting is forgiving enough to allow us to decrease on average 4sts per round, and it would usually even out with blocking.
And don't forget that that 4sts is an average figure – you could decrease 8sts every other round, or 12sts every third round and so on – it allows for quite a bit of flexibility when you need to adapt stitch patterns.
TAKING THE NUMBERS BEYOND STOCKING STITCH
But what if your row gauge and stitch gauge differ wildly, or your stitch pattern gauge doesn't match that of your stocking stitch?
A good example would be a fairisle Hat where the row and stitch gauge are almost square, e.g. 22sts x 24rows, and the numbers would look a little different. Assuming we're still working with an example of 100sts cast-on:
45.5cm/6.28 (2 x pi) = 7.25cm crown circle radius
Our row gauge gives us 2.4rows per 10cm, so we would need to decrease over 17.4 rounds:
7.25 (length of radius in cm) x 2.4 (number or rows/rounds per cm) = 17.4 rounds
We have 100sts we wish to decrease down to 6sts, the numbers would look like this:
(100-6)/17.4 = 5.5sts decreased per round or 11sts decreased every other round.
Another example might be garter stitch, where the row gauge is invariably double that of the stitch gauge, e.g. 22sts x 44rows to 10cm
45.5cm/6.28 (2 x pi) = 7.25cm crown circle radius
Our row gauge gives us 4.4rows per 10cm, so we would need to decrease over 31.9 rounds:
7.25 (length of radius in cm) x 4.4 (number or rows/rounds per cm) = 31.9 rounds
We have 100sts we wish to decrease down to 6sts, the numbers would look like this:
(100-6)/31.9 = 3sts decreased per round or 6sts decreased every other round.
BEANIES vs BERETS
A beret essentially is the same idea as a beanie, except it's a wider circle on top of a wider cylinder.
The length of a beret body is usually similar to that of a beanie; the fundamental difference is that larger circle on top, which not only adds width, but effectively adds length, too. The standard increase formula from the brim into the body of a beret is to increase by 50%, e.g something along the lines of K2, M1 (where M1 is a lifted bar increase). Our circumference would then be 50% bigger than that of our beanie, and that creates a lot more room to play with.
The same methods and formulas would be applied; first calculate the circumference measurement using the stitch count (at the point where you would start the crown shaping) and the stitch gauge. From there, calculate the radius and use the row gauge to determine how many stitches on average would be decreased per row/round.
As the maths of the circle is consistent, the number of stitches decreased per row/round should stay the same (4.32sts/row on average in Stocking Stitch) yet in practice, I have found that anything up to 6sts per round works well, too, even for stocking stitch. This is largely due to the larger area and the ability to block out smoothly.
TURNING A CIRCLE INTO A CONE
Having determined how many stitches on average we need to decrease across a set number of rows to make a crown flat, we can now think about what happens if we reduce or increase the decrease ratio (i.e. decrease more or less stitches than the beanie examples gave us)
If we increase the number of stitches we decrease, i.e. work less rows and on average decrease more per row/round, then we will head towards a gathered finish as the radius of the circle is rapidly shortened. If we reduce the number of stitches we decrease on average, and work more rows/rounds into the crown, then the radius lengthens, and creates a cone – this is how we create a pixie Hat.
With a pixie Hat, the number of rows/rounds we decrease over is increased, and what was the radius of the circle now becomes the slant height (or angled edge) of the cone.
The circumference of the Hat has the same properties, but as a cone is essentially an incomplete circle, the circumference of the Hat would equate to the arc of the cone (if we were considering this cone as a flat construct)
The slant height of the cone is an important factor, as that determines the overall length of the Hat from the cast on edge. The actual height of the cone tells us how high the Hat is through the centre, and that requires a bit more maths. However to simplify things, you can simply add more non-decrease rows/rounds to the numbers that a beanie formula gives you – the more plain rounds you add, the taller your Hat will be.
One final thing to bear in mind when designing pixie Hats – the length of the body doesn't need to be as long, as head will sit higher in the crown. You will still get that lovely pixie finish, but it is better supported (i.e. it will stand up straight rather than flop over!) if the crown shaping is started a little sooner.
THE GATHERED FINISH
The gathered slouchy look has been popular of late, and it follows a similar formula to other shapes of this nature, in that you'll knit a cylinder for the body. To create that gathered look we want to decrease more rapidly, and exaggeratedly so. When I design slouchy Hats with this type of crown I generally aim for decreasing either half the stitches per decrease round with only a few plain rounds in between, or an average of 10sts per round.
However, simply gathering all the stitches up at the end of a cylinder and finishing there isn't advised - this creates quite a bulky and unflattering look at the crown, hence a gradual but rapid decrease formula is better. Similarly, a plain round before threading your yarn through the stitches and pulling to close is always advised, as it soften that final part of the Hat.
GOING BEYOND THE CYLINDER + TOP STRUCTURE
It's worth bearing in mind that this structure is only one way to construct a Hat; there are countless other ways of doing it. That said, it's a good place to start, so that you understand the maths and numbers which will then enable you you to go beyond this method.
So often I see knitters and designers blindly following the 4sts every round/8sts every other round formula without fully understanding why those numbers fit, and their limitations.
this article was originally published in issue 97 of the Knitter, Spring 2016
There's a lot more involved in designing a Hat than I've shared here! If you’re interested in learning more, I’ve a number of self-paced, downloadable online classes all about Hat design, and you can find them all in my Hand Knit Hat Academy!
I thought we’d update the video we originally produced to show you how to work the drop stitches in Rosalind and close of the cable. Dropped stitches never get boring, I’m tempted to work on some more designs with them after doing this!
I've been meaning to post for ages and let you know that I've been adding lots of new tutorials, and now that pile has grown somewhat!
The landing page is the best place to find them all, but I haven't yet figured out how to make it active by simply clicking on Tutorials in the header (something I loved in SS5 and is sorely missing in SS7). Fear not though, as I'm keeping the page up to date with links to all of the methods.
And there are new pages! I've since added Grafting, Garter Stitch, Short Rows, Slipped Stitches, Cables and probably a few more I've not mentioned before. As there are rather a lot, here's an overview below, and feel free to go and have a rummage through the pages.
German Short Rows
I've only recently started to explore this method, and didn't want to recommend it until I'd learnt how they grafted, how much they differed to the wrap and turn method, and the best situations to use them. Currently I have PDF tutorials for GSR in garter stitch, and for grafting GSR in garter stitch. Further more, I've short video clips for each, too!
(I really want to expand on the blurb for the IG videos... "Short knitting tutorial video clips - ideal for slow internet connections, limited bandwidth or those who like their info succinct. No music, no talking, no time wasting - just straight to the point." but figured that sounded a little off)
This is one of the videos, to give you an idea. You'll find the rest from the Short Rows page. And naturally grafting GSR is also on the Grafting page.
I do like this method, it has advantages and disadvantages just like any other method. It's not as invisible in garter stitch, it gives a more pronounced look, which is not necessarily a bad thing. And I don't think it will be as adaptable in 2 sided stitch patterns or blend as easily (the main reason I ran with w&t for Going Straight). It is easier to graft though, which is a huge bonus as grafting w&t can be fiddly. Like most knitting techniques, there isn't a right or wrong method. As long as you understand what your stitches are doing and are happy with the result, it's all good.
Slipped Stitches
I'm enjoying these right now. So simple in their concept yet so effective. And I really like them with garter stitch.
There's more to follow on this method, and the PDFs can be on the Slipped Stitches page. I'm working on a very special project that involves slipped stitches and grafting and sideways knitting, but I'll talk more about that another time!
Cables
We finally had the chance to shoot some short videos for Cabling Without a Needle, and the first has just gone live. The PDF tutorial was published years ago, but once we started with the IG videos I knew this was one I wanted to cover. The second tutorial is due in a few days.
There will be overlap between the pages, which is how it should be I think. I like the way I can expand on the methods and topics, rather than have things cramped or layered under pages - it's easy to navigate, and you can get straight to where you want to.
If anyone is concerned that they don't have an IG account but still want to watch the videos - you can! They will play on the page as you view them, within this website, and if you want to click through and read the discussion, clicking on the comment's bubble at the bottom of the frame will open a new window in your browser where you can read the discussion and view at a larger scale. You only need an IG account if you wish to comment or follow along directly.
On the RSI and trapped nerve front, I have more movement and less pain than I had a week ago! Regular exercises, lots of breaks, painkillers, ice packs and more has helped. I am still working (albeit slowly), I have to, and it's great to see improvement. I am a bit bored though, as I really want to dive into things but I'm holding back so as to not make anything worse. Patience was never my virtue, as we know...
I've had a little tidy up of the Tutorial pages. Before I explain about that, here's the latest IG video tutorial that we've filmed!
We've been working hard on getting these up to scratch. The crochet provisional cast-on is one of my faves, and was the very first IG video we posted a year or so ago. The links to the old one are still there as I don't believe you can have too many views of the same thing, but I am glad of the cleaner, lighter presentation in this new version.
Recording them has been trickier than we expected, mostly because I want a light and consistent feel to them, and light doesn't always play nicely when you expect it to. Having set up a mini recording studio in the corner of the studio trailer, where natural light is sufficiently blocked out (yup, our biggest issues were over exposure and strong casts) and where we have space for the the tripod and artificial light (courtesy of a few full spectrum LED bulbs) it's finally going smoothly.
the latest IG video being edited in Blender, the open source animation software
Tom's doing the editing in Blender, which has a pretty sharp learning curve but it's open source with more tutorial videos than you'll ever need available free online, and it's proving to be worth the effort. I'm happy that Tom has more of a role than the occasional model in the biz too, as he's pretty good with the video side of things (filming drone boy that he is) and it'd be a shame not to make the most of that. Accessibility is still my primary concern, especially for folks like ourselves with next-to-nothing internet or expensive data plans, and I plan to continue to offer the 15sec IG videos as a compliment to the PDF tutorials whenever I can.
Now that we're on a roll with this, I figured it was time to break up the Tutorials section further into specific sections for easier navigation. Instead of being grouped by format, they're grouped by technique, which makes far more sense especially given the growing number of tutorials I have now!
Follow the Tutorials section in the drop down menu above and you'll see how I've broken things down. There are a couple of landing pages too that are unlinked should anyone come in from one of the links in my patterns, or via an old link - I've tried to think of everything and everyone!
The only bit I'm not sure about is how to categorise what I've listed as the 'Structural Methods' - techniques that to me are very structural, and quite separate from other covered aspects. Has anyone any suggestions on that? I'm happy to break the page down further but am not keen to have a single tutorial sitting on a page alone unless I know I'm going to be adding more in the near future.
Anyways, I hope this is all helpful and adds to the value of this site! Quite a bank of techniques and tutorials are building, and I'm pretty excited to be working on more, both as PDFs and 15sec IG videos.
This month in The Knitter my first article about Hats and Hat design for them has been published!
my latest article, explaining the maths behind crown shaping
And it's all about crown shaping.
I got talking to the editor a while back, and we discussed the possibility of a Hat design masterclass; It would have been impossible to try and fit everything into one article, and so I'm writing a series of 3! And even then, there's lots more to be said.
In this article I cover the maths for familiar crown shapings such as beanies and berets, and then go on to discuss how row gauge affects shape, and how altering the decrease ratio creates other shapes (e.g. pixie or gathered crown). There is a fair bit of maths, which is kinda essential! And talking through with the editor and tech editor, I think it's broken down well into manageable chunks.
This article goes into much greater depth with the maths for the crown shaping that we cover in my Hat Design workshop - it would be impossible to cover all the maths in a 6hr day AND have everyone complete their Hat! Hence I've developed a method of teaching it that makes it a little easier to manage all in one day. The crown is the most complex part of the Hat, and it undermines the design for the rest of the Hat, so you may wish to consider this alongside my design class. (and I'll try and see if there's any way to incorporate this info in the workshop notes, for those that want to take the maths further... hmm... how many pages is too many for workshop notes?)
The next two articles will be Style and Fit, and all about Sideways Knit Hats. It's going to be hard to contain myself within the word count; you know how much I can go on (and on and on) about Hats....
If you're not able to get your hands on a print copy, then I believe single issues are available through Zinio (I've just looked and yup, issue 97 is listed!) The rights revert back to me a little earlier than usual, as I've asked to republish the article on this blog - it'll probably need to span a couple of blog posts as there's a lot to it - but it's something to look out for late summer/early autumn.
I've had great feedback so far on the article - I do hope you enjoy it!
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So yeah, I kinda fell into a bit of silence! My neck/shoulder issues post EYF didn't improve and my sciatica started to grumble, so sitting here at my laptop hasn't been easy. I'm getting better but not quick enough, really! I've had too much time to think and more time in the garden, as I try and break my day up so that my posture changes and my back or neck doesn't get stiff. Getting older is no fun.
But I have new knitting and maybe some new designs, so it's not been all bad! It's just that trying to get images from my phone to here without emailing them to myself or sitting here too long hasn't proved easy. Now, if only I could get the SquareSpace app on my table to work, I might find it easier to blog....
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