Hat Help?

I recently completed my first knit hat. I had intended it to be a winter hat, but I've found that although it looks like a decent winter hat, its not very warm. I knit it using regular cheapo mostly acryllic yarn from a fabric store on size 10 needles following the "Hot Head" pattern in one of the Stitch N' Bitch books. Any suggestions for how to make a warmer hat? (Besides sewing in a liner of some kind). I'm not sure if I should try switching to smaller needles, to minimize any holes letting air in, or if it would help to use a bulkier yarn of some kind. Your thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!

Comments: 8

Ida W. Oct 24, 2006, 5:39pm EDT

If you make it with wool, it'd be warmer of course. I'd suggest a smaller needle, too. You could always knit it with the acrylic using two strands held together. Whatever change you decide to make, be sure to do a new gauge swatch.
Ida

reply to this comment

Dina S. Oct 24, 2006, 6:21pm EDT

You could also make a hat with worsted weight yarn, then felt it. Just make sure you knit it much larger than it should when it will be worn, as it will probably shrink by almost half.

reply to this comment

Sue * Oct 24, 2006, 6:40pm EDT

That is my winter goal...to learn to knit. I tried last year, and couldn't get the hang of it.

reply to this comment

Lisa W. Oct 24, 2006, 6:45pm EDT

Thanks for the tips.

Sue--good luck learning to knit. I have the basic skills down but am just expanding ito hats, etc.

reply to this comment

Tamarian G. Oct 28, 2006, 1:57am EDT

Second the vote for wool! Smaller needles is a smart idea, too. My personal favorite for warmth (this week, anyway) is alpaca. I've also found it to be less itchy than some wools can be.

reply to this comment

Pat V. Oct 30, 2006, 12:10pm EST

Another thing you can do is use a soft and fuzzy yarn (not eyelash or anything like that - more like Lion Brand's Homespun). Yarns like that hold the warmth better because the stray fibers fill in the holes that firmer yarns leave.

reply to this comment

Krista J. Nov 13, 2006, 5:26pm EST

I just got that Stitch and Bitch book this week from a friend who's teaching me to knit. She suggested using Wool yarn on a hat, so that's actually what I'm using for my first sampler hat, too.

reply to this comment

Ricky B. Nov 15, 2007, 4:07pm EST

I just completed my first hat. After making Scafs all last year. The Pattern that hat is a nice design but it is too big. I will have to figure out a way to make it smaller. I started out with fun fur for the brim then i used lion brand suede. I casted on 94 stiched and went from there using 10 1/2" needles. I seems like the hat keeps gettign bigger. I am now going to use smaller needles and see what happens.

reply to this comment

Comments: 8

Join the Conversation

You might also like

More by Lisa W.