Friday, December 30, 2005

Hats....Check Your Gauge!



For the Crochetville Hat Exchange beginning in January, I decided to make this very cute cloche. I'm using RH "Light & Lofty", however, instead of the Lion Brand "Homespun". I thought they were comparable.

BUT! My hat is just too big and floppy and doesn't have that 'tightness' that the cloche on the model seems to have. And I'm not even through with the pattern instructions! There's supposed to be at least another 2.5" to crochet!!! But look at it!

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It'd be down to my nose or further if I added 2.5" more to it!!! I am using the "N" hook called for. However, upon checking my gauge...the pattern indicates that 10 sc should equal 4". But my 10 sc equal 6"!!! Ok, I'd say that would be why my hat is so big.

So now I'm debating whether to frog this project and start again with a smaller hook or salvage this hat by somehow threading a black ribbon through the stitches close to the forehead so that it can be gathered into a bow. Any suggestions?

Last year I tried this Lion Brand pattern for the Floppy Brim Hat. I did not substitute yarns and DID use Lion Brand Chenille as the pattern called for, but when the hat was completed, again I felt it was too big and floppy compared to the hat on the model! Perhaps I'm just not cut out to make hats... Oh well, I won't give up. I will try, try again!

About this big, floppy hat, I think I'll just make another hat. I can't bear to frog this one.....

Yet.

5 comments:

Karen said...

I love the hat and the suggestion you made about the black ribbon! I don't think I'm a hat maker either because I usually have the same problem as you!

none said...

You might want to see if you can go down to an H hook. The black ribbon might look nice, as long as it doesn't make the hat gather on the top.

Another thing is you could do some decrease rows to kind of pull the hat back in. I would try to get atleast 6 decreases in the first row you decrease. Try and even them out throughout the row so it isn't more obvious on one side.

If you do decide to frog it, good luck....homespun doesn't like to frog very well.

I like the color of the hat, don't know if I have seen that colorway in the homespun. Very nice choice.

Thanks for commenting on my blog, I appreciate it. I hope you can go back and sign my frappr map, if you haven't already...I will enter your name in a drawing in a few days.

Anonymous said...

Just a note, I have found that although Homespun and Light & Lofty should be comparable that the TLC brand usually does end up bigger for me. That's good for me since I crochet too tight, but if you are having a problem with it I would definitely say go down at least one hook size, maybe even 2 if you are subbing the TLC brand for the Homespun.

Hope that helps!

Anonymous said...

Hi, Karla! I just bought a skein of Light & Lofty in Plum yesterday and loved it! I made a beautiful scarf, went back and bought another in Antique Rose to make another! The hat is pretty as it is!! ::hugs::

LG said...

Hi Karla! I'm in the Hat Swap too. After reading your post I feel scary of having the same problem... Please let us know what you decide to do!