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Decreasing the crown of a hat knit from a flat knit pattern to knitting in the round

by Marsha
(Doylestown, PA)


I took a hat pattern that was supposed to be knit on straight needles and, instead, knit it on circulars. The pattern called for 72 sts. It has a classic K1, P1 ribbing in the beginning and the body of the hat is all Stockinette Stitch.

I didn't know that I should have dropped the 2 selvedge sts before I began. Now, I'm about 3/4 of the way done. What should I do to adapt the directions for the crown decreases so that the hat is finished correctly?

FOR INSTANCE- Directions read as follows:
Shape Crown- Next Row: K2,*K2tog, K3 rep from * to end. 58sts
Next Row: Purl
Next Row: K2,*K2tog,K3 rep from * to last st, K1 47sts
Next Row: Purl
Next Row: K2,*K2tog,K2 rep from * to last st, K1 36sts
Next Row: P1,*P2tog,P1 rep from * to last 2sts, P2 25sts
Next Row: K2,*K2tog rep from * to last st, K1 14sts
Next Row: P1,*P2tog rep from * to last st, P1 8sts

Even if I had begun by dropping the 2 selvedge sts and cast on 70sts, I would still have to figure out how to adapt the pattern so I could decrease the crown correctly..right? AHHHH, what do I do to finish this hat?? HELP!

Comments for Decreasing the crown of a hat knit from a flat knit pattern to knitting in the round

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Apr 02, 2021
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Hat Crown Decrease in Pattern
by: Anonymous

The hat I'm knitting is in the round, stockinette stitch with alternating colors of cream and baby blue. So at the crown decreasing section, I'm wondering what the best method would be to keep the pattern from jumbling up, if possible. Or add a plain color at the crown so it wouldn't matter.

--------------------

The decrease sts pattern add a unique character to a handmade hat and I wouldn't do anything to change that.
I would just continue with the color pattern. Keep working with current color If you're only 1-2 rows away from ending off.

Ratcha
Jul 13, 2020
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		correction
by: Ratchadawan

Since you knit in round, we have to change the purl row to knit row. I wasn't thinking about that part when I copied and pasted and recalculated this.

So the corrected one will be like this instead;

Next Row: *K2tog, K4 rep from * to end. 60sts
Next Row: Knit
Next Row: *K2tog,K3 rep from * to end, 48sts
Next Row: Knit
Next Row: *K2tog,K2 rep from * 36sts
Next Row: *k2tog,k1 rep from * 24sts
Next Row: *K2tog rep from * 12sts
Next Row: *k2tog rep from * 6sts


Ratcha
Jul 13, 2020
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Shaping a crown of a hat
by: Ratchadawan

Hi Masha,

Thanks for sharing your question and a hat picture. I think the best way to do this is to recalculate the decrease that will make the hat looks the same as the original. The good news is that the 72 stitches will divide by 6 evenly. So, we'll rewrite a pattern as follow;

Next Row: *K2tog, K4 rep from * to end. 60sts
Next Row: Purl
Next Row: *K2tog,K3 rep from * to end, 48sts
Next Row: Purl
Next Row: *K2tog,K2 rep from * 36sts
Next Row: *P2tog,P1 rep from * 24sts
Next Row: *K2tog rep from * 12sts
Next Row: *P2tog rep from * 6sts

What do you think? I think it's better this way since everything fall into it place perfectly and you don't have to worry about the extra stitches in front and back of each row. I think this happens for a good reason.

Happy knitting!
Ratcha

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