Monday, January 2, 2012

Made In America Slouch

Made In America Slouch

By: Amanda Melton

12-13-11


This hat was not intended to be a slouch hat.  My husband had a coworker who had great difficulty finding a hat to fit his head at 24” circumference.  We measured twice and unfortunately I crocheted twice, because the first hat began to appear rippled or gathered.  After having worked on that for two nights, I decided to go back to my basic crown and just enlarge that by two increase rows to get the desired 96 stitches around.  I didn’t want the hat to look like a bag, so I decreased at the band area.  There is a lot of color change throughout the hat, but I wrote the pattern for the easiest method I found.  In addition, the pattern is color coded by row, and there are special instructions for the last row.

Stitches & Abbreviations Used
Chain (ch)
Slip Stitch (ss)
Single Crochet (sc)
Double Crochet (dc)
Together (tog)
Decrease (dec)

Hook, Yarn & Fit
-          K/10 ½ - 6.50mm
-          Red Heart Super Saver Solids
o       Blue
o       Hot Red
o       White
o      
-          This hat is fairly large.  Even taking it in to 84 sts at the band, it slipped down over my eyes, as you will see in the pictures.  You can also decrease to 72 sts in the band if you prefer a more snugly fitting band.  Not only is the hat large circumferencewise, it is also a long hat (it completely covers my face), which is why I consider it a slouch.  I would not recommend this hat as written for children, unless you decreased to 60 sts in the band.

Instructions

Notes
-          Holding all three colors together, tie an adjustable/slip knot.
-          At each ** ss 3 strands tog to top of beginning ch (3, 2, or 1), ch with selected color for the following row
-          Be sure to keep the yarn you are working to the far left (for right hand crochet) to avoid getting them tangled
Begin
12dc
Ch 4, ss to first ch; ch 3, 11 dc inside ring; **
Row 1
24dc
Ch 3, dc in same, 2 dc in each around, **
Row 2
36dc
Ch 3, 2dc in next, *dc, 2dc in next; repeat from *; **
Row 3
48dc
Ch 3, dc in next, 2dc in next, *dc, dc, 2dc; repeat from *; **
Row 4
60dc
Ch 3, dc in next 2, 2dc in next, *dc, dc, dc, 2dc; repeat from *; **
Row 5
72dc
Ch 3, dc in next 3, 2dc in next, *dc, dc, dc, dc, 2dc; repeat from *, **
Row 6
84dc
Ch 3, dc in next 4, 2dc in next, *dc, dc, dc, dc, dc, 2dc; repeat from *; **
Row 7
96dc
Ch 3, dc in next 5, 2dc in next, *dc, dc, dc, dc, dc, dc, 2dc; repeat from *; **
Row 8
96dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 9
96dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 10
96dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 11
96dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 12
96dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 13
96dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 14
96dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 15
96dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 16
96dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 17
96dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 18
84dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in next 5, dec in next 2, *dc, dc, dc, dc, dc, dc, dec in next 2; repeat from *; **
Row 19
84dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 20
84dc
Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 21
84/72sc
Ch 1, sc in same, sc in each st; **

-OR-

Ch 1, sc in same, sc in next 4, dec in next 2, *sc, sc, sc, sc, sc, dec in next 2; repeat from *; **
Row 22
84/72sc
Ch 1, sc in same, sc in each st; **
Clip red yarn leaving a 4” tail
Row 23
84/72sc
Work first part of row over red tail

Ch 1, sc in same, sc in each st; **

Clip white yarn leaving a 4” tail
Row 24
84/72sc
Work first part of row over white tail
Ch 1, sc in same, hold hat as if you were going to continue working in the same direction as first 23 rows, but sc in first st to right and each st around MOVING TO THE RIGHT; **

Working sts in opposite direction produces a rope look that lends a more finished look to the final row.






Wearing glasses comes in handy for keeping the hat in place!

The band can be turned up for a different look/fit


Trying to show the overall coloration, but it also illustrates the length of the hat

Rope effect created by crocheting in stitches moving RIGHT rather than left

Inside of hat where colors are carried

4 comments:

  1. I've been looking for a hat for my husband's 24" head! I'm about to try this. Hope it fits! Thanks! :)

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  2. Just wanted to let you know that this pattern does not fit a 24" head. I even went down to 72 sts and it's still WAY too big. I followed the pattern, used the right hook, and even had the same brand of yarn. Guess I'm back to searching.... :)

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  3. I'm so sorry it didn't work out! :( It is a very large hat, and I believe that the way I wrote the pattern it is closer to 26" circumference at the band and 30" at the largest point. It was not meant to be a tightly fitting cap like a beanie. The person I created this for typically wears a tighter fitting cap under a knit-type hat so the roominess wasn't an issue.

    I am working on a sc hat now using a K hook, and 8sts x 7rows is a 2" square, so by that math using 96sts would be exactly 24". However, you will want it to be a snugger fit than that as it will stretch some. You could try 88sts (22") or 92sts (23") in sc with a K hook and working them tightly. DC will result in a larger hat.

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  4. There is an easier way to crochet hats with any yarn, hook, and stitch and still come out with the same sized circumference needed to fit any head.
    Take your head measurement and divide it by 3.14 (also known as "Pi") and you will get the size of the crown needed measured from one end of the circle to the other to fit that exact size.
    So a 24" head divided by 3.14 is 7.6" roughly. That means your crown (or increase circle) before adding height (the body) should measure about 7 inches in diameter (one side of circle to the other) before continuing on with the body of the hat (rounds without the increases).
    I have more tips and tricks like these, and even a size chart on my blog if needed located here: www.TouteBeauteBoutique.weebly.com

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