Guide: Sideways Hat

January 10, 2017

A very easy way to make a hat is making it sideways. You simply crochet a long rectangle and sew the ends and the top. And there you have a hat.


I'll show you how to do that and how to figure out the right sizes.


Sideways Hat Concept

  1. Crochet a long rectangle. The hat height will be the same as the width of your work.
    Head circumference is the length of your work. (Minus a couple of cm/inches. Read on). 
  2. Fold it and join the two short ends of your work. You can use slip stitch or single crochet. 
  3. Sew the top together. You can weave in your loose end and pull it tight. Make a knot and sew the end in.
 


OR

  1. Sew the top, so you have something close to a square. You can use slip stitch or single crochet here as well.
  2. Make ears. Stitch the top triangles to let them look like ears.

Size

Use this table to find your approximate head size. This is your starting point for calculating the hat size:
Head Sizes


Add Room for a Brim and/or Slouchy?

  • If you want a folded brim, add 4-8 cm (1.6-3 inch) to the hat height = your foundation row.
  • If you want a slouchy hat model add around 5 cm (2 inch) to the hat height.

Stitch Pattern - Rib or not?

Choose the stitch pattern you want to use. If you use a regular stitch pattern - as opposed to a rib - your hat length/circumference is easy to figure out.

Hat circumference (non-rib) ≈  5 cm (2 inch) less than head circumference.

You can also make the hat completely of rib. I've written about different kinds of rib in another post: Guide: Simple Rounded Hat II:II. If you do rib, you need to test your work once in a while to see how much it stretches. The actual flexibility strongly depends on hook size and yarn. So measure the length of your rib, when it is stretched.

Hat circumference when stretched (rib) ≈  2-3 cm (1 inch) more than head circumference

NOTICE: If you use a very flexible stitch pattern, the work might 'shrink' in one direction when stretched in another direction. Meaning the hat can be a little shorter, when you wear it. If you work on a tight fit hat, consider to add 2-3 cm to the height.


The Red Hat Sample

For my red hat (size small adult) I used:
I slipped stitches the two short sides together. Finally the top was sewn together. Oh - and I also did a couple of rows of decreasing at the top before fasten off. But that isn't necessary.



I'm almost done now writing a pattern for a more smooth top - which might also save yarn. However, it will probably be a paid pattern because it requires an extra effort.


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