Hat Knitting Calculator
Knit hats are a little smaller than the head so they stay put. This gives the cast-on count and the straight rows, from your gauge and head size.
- Free
- Works offline after your first visit
- Saves on this device
- No sign-up
- Updated
How it works
Multiply the head size by one minus the share you choose to make the hat smaller, then by the stitches per 4 inches, and divide by 4 inches. Round the result to your stitch repeat.
Rows come from the hat depth times the rows per 4 inches, divided by 4 inches. Then decrease for the crown as your pattern says.
Worked example
For a head 21 in around, with the hat knit 10% smaller, you cast on 94 stitches and knit 59 rows before the crown.
Questions
How much smaller should a hat be?
Many knit hats are about 10 to 20 percent smaller than the head, so they stretch over it and stay in place.
Why does my hat come out too big or too small?
Gauge changes with the needle size, the yarn and how tightly you knit. Knit a swatch and measure it before you cast on.
Does a ribbed band change the count?
Ribbing pulls in, so it can be a little narrower. The stitch repeat keeps the count even for the ribbing pattern.
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