Earflap hat for baby

[crayolaab]

I'm desperately seeking a cute earflap hat for a baby. My google searches are failing, apparently I'm using the wrong search terms. I've searched this forum and found lots of references to hats but no links to patterns?

I know of Knitty's Vinterlue, but have made it previously and found the pattern sizing to be *way* off. Not sure it would work for a small child?

I'm happy to pay just appreciate a well-written pattern with photos.

Thanks!

mta: I found this one, http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/PATTperuvian.html , which might work if I can figure out how to add earflaps?? but I'm not sure I want that chunky of a yarn. What have you had the most success with for your kids?

[angela]

What about the LTK pilot cap? I think that one is super cute!

[crayolaab]

What about the LTK pilot cap? I think that one is super cute!

I saw that, but I'm not sure that's what my friend really wants - it doesn't look like it comes down low enough on the forehead.

mta: I am LOVING the LTK rhythm cloche, but I don't know how I would add earflaps to that.. any advice?

[treangel]

I made Swell hats for my boys, look in my blog...

[crayolaab]

I made Swell hats for my boys, look in my blog...

Now that's an idea! Don't know why I didn't think of it - I guess Knitty haven't archived that issue yet, it didn't turn up when I looked.

[trishshack]

I just made a hat for ds1 based on this (http://www.knitlist.com/95gift/ski.htm) pattern. There are pics of it on my blog linked in my sig.

[crayolaab]

Thanks, Trishshack! I did see that last night when I was looking through blogs but then today couldn't remember who's blog it was.

I am headed over to my LYS shortly to see if they have any suitable yarn (not too scratchy), but I also have some Manos del Uruguay that I might end up using. I'm worried it's too scratchy for a hat for a baby with not much hair, any thoughts?

[smillerky]

The Baby Tao Hat (there was a thread about it a few days ago) is an earflap hat. It's VERY cute with the little pom-poms or tassles on top too! :)

[twouglyducks]

http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/PATTswell.html

You just have to type "summer" in place of "fall" in the knitty URL. :pink

[crayolaab]

http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/PATTswell.html

You just have to type "summer" in place of "fall" in the knitty URL. :pink

Thanks! Usually they have stuff in their archives, funny this one isn't there!

[Ruth]

Sara who wrote the baby tao hat pattern posted it free on Sewing mamas forum. I could pm her and ask if she minds if I post it here.

[crayolaab]

Ruth, that would be great! Or, where are the sewing mamas forum, is it something I could join and find it there or is it a members-only (paid and/or by-permission-only) forum? NEVERMIND I found it with a google search - great pattern!!

I got the most luscious yarn at the LYS on my lunch break - "100% alpaca" from blue sky alpaca, sport weight. I've got navy blue and cream, 220 yards total - hoping to either stripe or do a design like Knitty's Swell or maybe something fair-isle-y. It's so soft!!

[crayolaab]

OK, so I started the hat last night and I am about to scream with frustration!! I had to mess with the gauge/stitch count because I'm using a thinner yarn than the patterns are all calling for so I looked up a 1 year old's head and it says 17" average. I figured out how many stitches I need for 17" and cast on and spent nearly an hour working on this blasted hat (adding fair isle patterning). I thought it was looking kind of big so I strung it on some waste yarn and lo and behold, it fits ME. Whoops.

I guess I forgot to include negative ease!!

So, anyone have any thoughts on how much negative ease I should allow for in a hat? 10%?

Also, I'm using two colors and adding a little pattern to the hat and I'm getting really frustrated trying to sort out how to hold the freaking yarn. I knit in the style where I hold the yarn in my left hand and I can't work out how to keep an even tension while still holding both strands of yarn; the one I'm NOT using starts going slack and then it's hard to hold it. Anyone have any suggestions on good websites or links that might give me some help with this??

[smillerky]

I think 1" to 2" is the norm for negative ease in hats, IIRC.

:)

[crayolaab]

I think 1" to 2" is the norm for negative ease in hats, IIRC.

:)

yikes. So, baby (1 year) head sizes seem to be 16-19". I am roughly using the Baby Tao Hat for sizing, which ends up being 80 stitches at 4.5 sts/inch (17.777 inches)... which doesn't account for any negative ease, really. Anyway, I used that along with my 6 sts/inch gauge to figure 110 stitches, then rounded up to 112 for a multiple of 8.

Oh well that is clearly not working for me :) So, let's say I want the hat to fit 18", then allow 1" negative ease (I'm not ribbing it at all), that's 17". I'm at 6 sts/inch so that gives me 102 stitches. I need a multiple of 8 for my pattern, so I can do 96 or 104. 16" or 17.333". Any thoughts on which size to make?? I'm not sure the kid's actual head size but he has been about the middle of the chart for head size.. and I'm doing a fair isle pattern in the hat so it won't be as stretchy as it might be otherwise.

[pmcgary]

Sara who wrote the baby tao hat pattern posted it free on Sewing mamas forum. I could pm her and ask if she minds if I post it here.
Ruth - That would be great...I vaguely remember seeing this one and apparently didn't print it out when I had the chance....

[Ruth]

She used to charge for it but doesn't have a site now so is publishing it for free.

[crayolaab]

Ahh, I am so annoyed by this hat!

I finally decided to just make one up but it is looking WEIRD. Do any of you have baby hats to hand (1 yr size - 17-18" circumference) and can you measure for me how tall they are from brim to crown? I started the decreases when the hat started to look tall enough but they aren't looking very nice.

Also, how many decreases should I work? I've got 96 stitches and I tried doing 6 sets of decreases to mirror the 6 repeats of the pattern I used (a snowflake) but it looks really weird. should I bump up to 8 decreases?

[crayolaab]

OK, now I am really annoyed. I just looked at the CDC growth charts (should have done that first.. DUH) and it looks more like 18-19" head circumference for a 1 year old (the pattern I have said 16-19, so I was aiming for 17.5ish since the kid's at about 50%ile for head). I just measured the hat and it's 8.5" across slightly stretched when lying flat (7.5" totally relaxed)- so appx 17" circumference in fair isle so there won't be much more stretch than that.

Are the CDC growth charts a good place to look for sizing? How horrible would it be for the hat to be a little too big, in the hopes he can wear it through next year too (if I add another repeat of the snowflake, it'll be another 2.5".. how quickly do kids' heads grow, anyway??)?

I am THIS CLOSE to ripping again and doing the darn thing in ribbing but that seems so boring..... and doesn't fit with the ear flaps in my opinion :( The party is tomorrow and I have ripped and re-done this thing so many times I don't see HOW it will be finished in time :(

Any advice??

[raitch]

I just joined Sewing Mamas to find the pattern and I can't get it! Waah!

[raitch]

Oh nevermind, I found it in my drawer from when I bought it two years ago ;)

[mommy2maya]

my 12.5mo has a 18.4" head, or 46cm.

[Ruth]

Raitch, she posted it here ;).

[whitecalx]

I just knit a regular hat and add some flaps. But I tend to be a make it up as I go along knitter.

[midwifemama]

There is also a cute looking baby/kids earflap hat in the 2007 knit pattern a day calender...