How to decrease crown of beanie hat?
Most beanies are knitted in the round. It is fun to work in different stitch patterns and the beanie is quickly almost ready. When it comes time to shape the crown for a hat, the problems arouse. How to decrease the crown? Is there a universal easy method decreasing crown of beanie? Yes, there is! And I’m going to show you how.
The easies method decreasing crown is to work in K1, P1 -rib the last rounds of your beanie. Then the Purl stitches are decreased all at once and you work in stockinette stitch until the end.
Shaping the crow of a beanie
There are many ways to shape the crown of a hat. They all provide different effects for the shape of the crown. The most common one is to divide the stitches in 8 even sections and keep on decreasing the same places until the end. Or you can divide the stitches in 4 even sections and decrease double between the sections. But what if the number of stitches is not divisible by eight?
Sometimes your hat would fit perfect when using odd number of stitches. Or the stitch pattern is worked in multiple of 6 or 10 or 5 or any other number than 4 and 8. When it is impossible to divide the stitches in 8 even sections, the following method is the solution.
Easy method decreasing crown of beanie
Knit a basic beanie like this:
- Cast on even number of stitches. Work in K1, P1 -rib 5 cm (2”). If you wish to fold the edge double, continue to 10 cm (4”).
- Work in stockinette stitch or any other stitch pattern 12 cm (10¾”). If needed for your stitch pattern, increase the missing stitches evenly across the first round. At end of last round increase or decrease 1 st so that the number of stitches is divisible by three.
- Next round: *P2tog (=purl 2 stitches together), K1*, repeat *-* to end of round. You have now decreased one third of your stitches. Continue in P1, K1 -rib 5 cm (2”). Next round: Take care that the 1st stitch is purl st. *K2tog (=knit 2 stitches together)*, repeat *-* to end of round. Knit 2 rounds. Next round: *K2tog*, repeat *-* to end of round. Knit 2 rounds. Cut yarn, leave 20 cm (8”) tail. Pull yarn through last sts using tapestry needle. Pull tight. Thread the needle through the top sts one more time before weaving in the end.
Decreasing crown in special stitch patterns
If you are working the beanie in special stitch pattern, it is possible to embed the first decrease round within the pattern itself. My new design Kide-beanie is worked like this. This makes it possible to make the rib on top narrow. The method of decreasing is the same anyways. Therefore the shape of the beanie is exactly the same as in the easy pattern shown here before.
Kide
Kide
Kide means ice crystals in Finnish. Kide-hat was born last winter when the windows of my old and drafty house started to freeze and form lovely frost patterns in the windows.
I got inspired and looked for a nice stitch pattern from the (huge) bin of knitted swatches I had made over the years. I found one that I wanted to test with my yarn. But of course, I didn’t remember anymore how to make it. So, I made a mistake. That looked nice. I repeated it and it started to look awesome! Yes, Kide-stitch pattern was created by mistake. But I love it. I made a beanie and fingerless mittens with Kide.
Knitting pattern of Kide-beanie
The pattern of Kide-hat is now released and on my Ravelry store Piia Maria Designs. Kide-hat is worked in the round from the bottom up. You can adjust the length by adding more pattern repeats for longer, more slouchy cap. Elegant crown decreases form a lovely pattern at the top. Kide-hat features a special stitch pattern that looks like ice crystals. The pattern is written out, no chart needed.
What yarn to use for Kide-hat?
Kide is made of soft alpaca sock yarn teetee Tundra with 3,5 mm needles. This is the same yarn as I used for Säde-Poncho, only that was lighter, fingering weight yarn. Tundra yarn has also 25% polyamide to make it stronger. This is not necessary for the beanie though, unless it is going to be in heavy use. Shooce DK-weight yarn that is soft and round. Alpaca or Merino wool work the best.
Wish You Happy Knitting, Piia Maria
