Many novice craftswomen learn to knit (with knitting needles or crochet), making scarves or just plain cloths. This is logical and quite justified, but sooner or later they have to get acquainted with other techniques, such as reducing and adding loops, the formation of shoulder bevels and necks, shortened rows and other “charms”. This is not to say that it is simple and affordable for absolutely everyone, because only the most diligent girls with well-developed spatial thinking can really knit really well.
The specifics of hats
Having mastered all the necessary techniques, you can begin to manufacture such products as sweaters, sweaters, dresses and, of course, hats. To knit hats, you should carefully study how the reduction of loops with knitting needles occurs . On the cap, only if it is not a simple "stocking", there should be a rounded crown. In addition, it should be connected symmetrically, avoiding the formation of folds or a protruding cone.
How are the simplest caps made?
The basic algorithm is worth considering on the example of a product from thick yarn, shown in the photo below.
This cap is tied with front stitch, and so that the canvas does not curl, the belt is made with a garter pattern. The usual size of the cap is 55-57 cm in diameter and 17-20 cm in height. The main fabric knits evenly (if it does not take), and then begins to taper.
The reduction of loops with knitting needles is performed when the part is about 12-15 cm high. Traditionally, cuts are made in six places in a row, following this sequence:
- Six loops are selected along which a decrease will occur, and marked with markers. They should be distributed evenly across the row.
- Each front row: knit the fabric with facial loops, before (or after) the marked loop, two elements are knitted together.
If the craftswoman chose a thin thread for work, then the reduction of loops with knitting needles on the cap is done both before and after the marked loop. Thus, twelve loops are shortened, not six. Alternatively, you can reduce only on one side, but in each row, and not just in the front.
- When the number of loops is reduced to 6-10, they should be pulled together with a strong thread and finish knitting. If you try to cut them further, you can get a sticking top.
The described method should be studied by craftswomen before knitting a hat with circular knitting needles.
Work with an openwork pattern
In the photo below you can see a very beautiful autumn-spring hat, connected by an openwork pattern.
For work, a thread of medium thickness was used. Here it will not work to knit round, only straight and return rows can be applied.
The lower edge of the cap is connected with an elastic band so that the product fits snugly to the head, and the ears are covered with a dense (rather than openwork) cloth. Next, an ornament is used, the scheme of which is described below (left side of the figure).
Depending on the thickness of the yarn, you need to repeat the rapport two, three or even four times. To get such a hat as in the photo, from the typesetting edge to the start of the cuts, you should knit about 20-22 cm. If you make a cloth 12-15 cm high, then the product will fit your head tightly, and the crown will not hang.
How to beautifully reduce the loops on a hat with an openwork pattern?
The most difficult thing when cutting the loops is that the craftswoman must preserve the beauty of the pattern and at the same time get a neat rounding of the bottom of the cap. For many patterns, these are incompatible concepts, so most often resort to such techniques:
- They work according to the scheme drawn up by the designer.
- Knit the top with a simpler pattern.
- Just collect all the loops into a bundle and fasten the thread.
The last two methods are quite simple, but such hats have a not very neat appearance. Of course, reducing loops with knitting needles on the cap is not for the faint of heart, but professionals, as you know, are not looking for easy ways.
The scheme (on the right) is designed taking into account the design features of the cap. Following it, you can get a hat of the correct shape.
Knitting hats with jacquard
It's a shame, but knowing how to reduce the loops on the cap does not help much when working with jacquard ornaments. In this case, the craftswoman can only look for a special scheme.
The photo below shows an excellent version of such a development.
Here, the saturation and density of the pattern are preserved, and the bottom of the product is round.
The designer recommends that after knitting several rows of front stitch, add two loops to each rapport, since jacquards can slightly tighten the fabric (due to broaches on the wrong side).
Important: before work, it is advisable to knit a control sample and find out the density of knitting your canvas. This will avoid an unpleasant situation when it suddenly turns out that the pattern is only half-knitted, and the cap is already longer than necessary.