Tunisian Hat top down- Is it possable? [hat pattern+math]

Yes.

So I fiddled around today with my need double ended hooks and some yarn.  I decided to see if I could start a top down hat worked in a Tunisian knit stitch.        
             
I worked the hat out for about 5 rows of increase and these photos below are the  results.  I realize I didnt use the best colors for an example work, since I used a white and black variegated MC with a black CC but it was the yarn I had that was handy and easy to unravel if I decided to try working the hat differently if it didn't work up like I had planned.

So here is what I used --
Size M/N 9mm double ended hook
Worster Weight yarn in 2 colors (Mc/Cc)
Stitch marker (I used a scrap of white yarn)
You need to know some tunisian before attmpting this, how to work a TSS(simple stitch) and a TKS (knit stitch)

Here is the basic pattern I started working--

R1- MR sc 8 (work normal sc)
 R2- This is where you will leave your loops on the hook-- I did this increase round by picking up a loop from the front, then back loops of the top of each stitch.  You should need to work off loops as you add them on, for me I was comfortable having 6 stitch's on the hook at any time.  You work them off as you would work a return pass in normal Tunisian with the CC, leaving 2 loops of the MC on the hook to maintain consistent tension. [16]
R3- Inc, tks  (the way I increase was to work a normal tss then in the same stitch work a tks)[24]
R4- Inc, tks 2 [32]
R5- Inc, Tks 3 [40]

Just keep fallowing this pattern of increases till you get the width you need for the person the hat will go to.  The Tunisian knit stitch has a natural curl to it so dont worry when it starts to curl out wards, once you start working the length it should work itself out. 

A little math to help you out--

C=2piR

What that means-
C= the circumference of the head
R= the radius you need to get to insure your increase row will leave you with the circumference you need.
pi= 3.14~~~~~

So lets say you want to make a hat for a toddler with a 18 head.  To make sure you work the right amount of increase and dont make a hat to small or way to large we need the radius (that is the length of the start to the edge of the hat ((or from the center of the circle to the edge))).

So 18=2piR  we divide both sides by 2;  9=piR;  and now we divide both sides by pi (3.14) so we get 3=R (I rounded up the real number was 2.86).  So from the start of the hat to the edge needs to be 3 inches (or 6 inches across from edge to edge) in order to be wide enough to fit.

If you want the math for the diameter (from edge to edge) its C=piD so that math would be 18=piD; divide by pi  D= 5.73 which I would round up to an even 6 inches.

Front-1

 

Back-1

Front-2

Back-2

Christmas gifts!! (spoilers for family members dont look if you dont want to know)

 I am happy with how all of these turned out with the exception of the red slippers.

The yarn selected for them wasn't my favorite the pattern I wrote before my husband picked out the yarn.  It would have been a yarn I would have happily done a hat/scarf but not easy to work with on a detailed pattern with a small hook.

I was going to sew in the applique you see on one of the slippers to both but I was not happy with how  they turned out.  They are supose to look like the  Kansas City Chiefs logo but no matter how many times I tried the arrow head shape it just didn't look right.

I am so happy with how everything else turned out it almost makes me want to scrap the red slippers but I dont have an other yarn the right weight (super bulky) to make them with out making some major adjustments to the pattern.

 From top to bottom--

Infinity Scarf -- done with the basic tunisain stitch with a Q hook.  The yarn was a mystery yarn that was set to me by a very generous Redditer from the r/crochet as part of a Fiber Therapy care package.  I realy love that yarn depending on the lighting you see different shades and colors.  It has dark blues and purples, with felt bobbles in light blues purples and a few sections have tiny tuffs of gold.

Skull Dice Bag-- Gift for one of the people I game with every week
Divine Hat-Pattern found here
Evil KC Red Slippers
 Ribbed Blue slippers pattern can be found here
Lattis Hat-Made from this pattern with a few small ajustments

Remy is here!

I do not offten get to see photos of the items I make for people which is ok, but I alway love it when I do.   Remy 8lbs 2oz born June 9, 2014.  They got some professional photos taken and used the turtle set I made in one of the shots here it is. Jessica Donna Photography took the photos.  So much better then a stuffed cat no?

Winter Spiral (AKA Divine hat by Rhe modified)

I made myself a winter spiral hat, its loosely based of the Divine Hat by Rhe's.

Image is a Gif on a 15 sec loop

I used her Front Post Double Crochet cluster meathod to get the spiral pattern, but I started with a MR with 10 DC and only worked the increase up to 3 stitchs as going up to 4 made the hat way to big for me, even at 3 its a bit big.  I added a winged brim held up with some black buttons I had on hand.  Sorry for the bad photo's as I mentioned in a previous post I am having some camera issues, photos will not take with out the flash on now no matter how well lit the area if the flash is off its just blurry.

I plan on trying to recreated this in the white merino wool I got as a gift for Christmas, but I want to find buttons that are stunning to compliment it.   I didn't bother getting stunning buttons for this black version because it is in black most of the detail will go unnoticed  I might eventually re-button it but for now the plastic ones will hold.

I used the Black Red Heart Super Saver that reddit user r/ShesSoStripes traded me for in a r/YarnSwap.  I just need to throw it threw the wash to get all the pet hair from my Kitty's and doggies off of it they where very interested in the box of yarn that exploded to make this.

The Backup plan-FINISHED

Its finished I am happy with how this one turned out.

I took an indoor shot and two outdoor shots, I had to spin the hat around on the head form so the image could be seen with out the nose making it misshaped.

The Black Mage badge alone was just around over/under 500 stitches with my E hook.  So not sure if I will be making something this tasking for a while.

Hope he loves how this one turned out!

Black Mage from Final Fantasy

 My older sister want to know if I could crochet a hat for Johnny, her husband.  She wanted a Black Mage from final fantasy and wanted it worked into the hat.  This first image is the results of my first try at making a Black Mage hat, I was unhappy with how it worked up.  Do to the fact that I could not start the BM until after I finished all my increase rounds I was not able to get the whole mage on the hat it grew to long.  If I had tried to start it earlier the increases would have made the color changes and rows not line up properly.   I also had to fight the image from twisting.  What I mean by that is as you crochet in the round and slst to move up a round your stitches will slowly slant or twist or spiral in that direction.  To fight that I had to increase right before all my color changes and decrease right after.  I failed to take into count that all the bulk of the yarn will bulge which created a 'dip' along the colored portion that my inc/dec helped exaggerate.

Backup Plan

I started my backup plan even before I showed her the hat.  She liked it from the image I texted her, but I just was not happy.  I wouldn't charge someone for this hat if I had been paid to make it I would offer it for free or offer to re-due it at no extra cost- that's how much I disliked how it came out.

Now there is nothing particularity wrong with the hat, its just long and would need the brim folded up which in turn would cover up the gist of the image defeating the purpose of having it. Also the brim was wibbly wobbly, but whatev's Johnny said he liked it and would wear it.  So then I showed them my backup plan. I free form crochet a black mage that I plan to stitch onto a plain crochet beanie.  They loved that idea!  So I just need to remake a basic black hat and stitch it onto it.

I made this free form one with my E sized hook so it would be a bit smaller then the one made as part of the hat which was worked with and I hook.  I tried to block it by damping it with a spray bottle and pinning it to a sheet of cardboard so the point of the Mage's hat and his brim would lay flat and not curl up on itself so when I do stitch it onto something it wont pull at the stitches and warp the item.

The cat that couldn't smile and other things...

Finished Grumpy Cat Hat!! In the sunllight!!

I was asked to make a 'Grumpy Cat' hat, and a Zebra Hat.  Grumpy cat aka Tardar Sauce is a cute Kittie that was born with feline dwarfism and a huge under-bite leaving her to look grumpy. She is the inspiration for this hat.

I will update with images as I work!

I really hope they turn out well.  I really like how the GC hat turned out, it was sunny enough out I was able to get a natural light picture of it, it does have a pink nose my camera just didn't pick the color up.

Will start on the Zebra tomorrow!


I finished up the Zebra Hat today, it ate up the rest of my black yarn  trying to make the mane stand upright, and not flop to the sides.

Give a Hoot..

I got in a few more orders for Owl hats, sorry I didnt post wip shots.  Two of these hats have already been sent on their way.  Up next is a never ending granny afgan and I will make sure I post WIP shots, but  I cant start it till I get a color change confirmation.  After that will be a Grumpy Cat Hat and a Zebra Hat then I will be on hiatus to give my wrists a break.

Crochet at Animeggroll!

I was out at Animeggroll tuesday and today thursday helping Cindy.  She wanted to make a crazy hat so I worked out a pattern for her and this is what we wound up with when she finished it was about 60 inches long.  I think she did a great job on her first hat!  I sent her home with a pattern for a shorter verson of this hat, and for a tam or slouch hat.  I cant wait to she what she brings into Animeggroll on Oct 15 at 3pm when we meet up for an other 'class'.

Huge shout out to Animeggroll for letting us come take up space in the back.
They are having there 3 year anniversary party this weekend on Oct 12 starting at noon, come by and have some cake!!

EEk an other minion hat!

After people saw Jordans FeMinion I got a request for a male Minion.

I just have to sew in the eye and pluck in some hair, then add braided tassles.

This one has ear flaps unlike the other minion hat I made.

While I was out this weekend my sister bought me this nifty head form so I could easily display hats when I take pictures.

 

UPDATE

Finished the hat and managed to get some pictures of it while the sun was still shining!

I have the front pulled down over the nose so you can see the eye and the hair in the picuter together, I also took a side shot to show off the ear flap and tassel.

Jordan and hats

This past weekend I got the chance to have my neice begrudgingly model the hat's I have been working on for the past week or so. She looked so cute but she thought it was to warm out and kept taking them off. These are some of the best shots I could manage.

Hat season!

Apparently Minions are 'IN' right now.  My sister wants me to make Jordan a girly minion hat.  I bought a pattern for this project, but reading over it I don’t like st count, its done in odd numbers and they have jagged color changes.  So I will be tweaking the patter, just a itty bitty tiny lot. I think I will make the base hat a normal yellow beanie, then add a band for the eye and strap sepratly then add in all the girly details.  It might take longer but I think it will look better then the patter I bought -,-

She also has a friend at work who wants 3 hats, piggie, owl, and a fox!

~~update~~

More hats requested!!  I will also be making a Yoda and Leia!!  I really hope I don't get my hats sizes mixed up I will have to make sure they all are pinned with a note or something.

I have to run out and pick up a few supplies I am short on since I made all those toys I haven't restocked my stash and I am low on a few key colors.

I will be updating this post with my WIP (Works in progress) photos as I get started.

Leia front view

Leia Side view

~~~~~~~~SIDE NOTE~~~~~~~~

Also a big thanks to Katie Board I finally got some Kahoot's comfort grips for my hooks! I am pretty sure these are the ones you recommended.  I finally found them at a Hobby Lobby over here but they where well hidden and only had two in stock.  I dont care much for the dark green I wish they had them in the bright purple color shown on the packaging but none the less I hope these help.

 These hat's will be the first projects that I get to use them on.  Extra special thanks to Christine (my sis) who bought them for me!

Mom's Gift

So I finaly got to give my mom the hat I was working on here.  I am glad I got to give it to her today, because its one postive thing on an other wise unhappy day.  For those of you who dont know my younger sister would have been 23 today and it still makes some of us sad angry and frustrated that we wont get to celebrate her birthday ever again.

Here is my prettyfull mom styling in her new hat. 

She had some cute scarfs made out of this mesh looking yarn no idea how she makes them but I want to try working with that yarn soon.

Currently I am trying to mock up a pattern for a Red Panda amigurumi because I want to.  I have no outstanding commissions, and I just finished a pair of slippers I made for my husband. Will post images of them when he decides to let me take pictures of his feet!!

Suprise Gift

I think I worked on this off and on for 3 days.  It is basically a doily pattern done with a fingerling weight wool yarn and a E hook.   Instead of finishing it flat I adjusted and decreased to turn it into a cute summer hat.  It is suppose to look like a beret with a lacy twist.

My adorable hugs and kisses bear is my display model.  Its an adult size so it was kinda to big for him but I don't have a manikin head to use as a display.


If anyone wants the pattern let me know and I will update this post with it!  



Pattern- 
(Original Doily Designed by: Cylinda Mathews I edited it to make it into a hat)

Ch 8; join with a slip st in first chain to form a ring.

Rnd 1) Ch 3 (counts as first dc, now and throughout); 19 dc in ring; join with a slip st to first dc: 20 dc.

Rnd 2) Ch 4 (counts as first dc, plus ch 1); * dc in next dc, ch 1; repeat from * around; join with a slip st to first dc: 20 dc/20 spaces.

Rnd 3) Ch 3, working behind ch 3, dc in last ch 1 space, ch 1; * dc in next dc, working behind last dc, dc in last ch 1 space (counts as a cross stitch), ch 1; repeat from * around; join with a slip st to first dc: 20 Cross sts.

Rnd 4) Slip st in next ch 1 space; Ch 1, sc in joining, ch 5; * sc in next ch 1 space, ch 5; repeat from * around; join with a slip st in first sc: 20 spaces.

Rnd 5) Slip st in next space; Ch 3, dc in same space, ch 3; * 2 dc in next space, ch 3; repeat from * around; join with a slip st to first dc.

Rnd 6) Slip st in next dc; Ch 3, 2 dc in next space, ch 3; * skip next dc, dc in next dc, 2 dc in next space, ch 3; repeat from * around; join with a slip st to first dc.

Rnd 7) Slip st in next dc; Ch 3, dc in next dc, 2 dc in next space, ch 3; * skip next dc, dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next space, ch 3; repeat from * around; join with a slip st to first dc.

Rnd 8) Slip st in next dc; Ch 3, dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next space, ch 3; * skip next dc, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next space, ch 3; repeat from * around; join with a slip st to first dc.

Rnd 9) Slip st in next dc; Ch 3, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next space, ch 3; * skip next dc, dc in next 4 dc, 2 dc in next space, ch 3; repeat from * around; join with a slip st to first dc.

RND 9.5 (I added this in to make the doily more hat sized)  slip st in the next dc; ch 3, dc in the next 4 dc, 2 dc in next ch space, ch 3 *skip the next dc, dec in the next 5 dc, 2 dc in the space, ch 3; repeat from*

Rnd 10) Slip st in next dc; Ch 3, dc in next 3 dc, skipping last dc, ch 3, sc in next space, ch 3; * skip next dc, dc in next 4 dc, skipping last dc, ch 3, sc in next space, ch 3; repeat from * around; join with a slip st to first dc.

 (I Adjusted fro the extra st by skipping  over the middle dc in addition to the last dc)

Rnd 11) Slip st in next dc; Ch 3, dc in next dc, skipping last dc, ch 4, 2 dc decrease over next 2 spaces { (yo, insert hook in next space, bring up a loop, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook) twice, yo, draw through last 3 loops on hook to complete the stitch }, ch 4; * skip next dc, dc in next 2 dc, skipping last dc, ch 4, 2 dc decrease over next 2 space, ch 4; repeat from * around; join with a slip st to first dc.

Rnd 12) Slip st to center of next space; Ch 1, sc in same space; * ch 5, sc in next space; repeat from * around; ending with a ch 1 and dc in first sc, forming last loop on round.

Rnds 13-14) Ch 1, sc, (ch 3, slip st in top of sc just made, sc) in same space (counts as a picot, now and throughout); * ch 5, sc in next space, picot; repeat from * around; ending with a ch 1 and dc in first sc, forming last loop on round.

Rnd 15) Ch 1, sc in same space, ch 6; * sc in next space, ch 6; repeat from * around; join with a slip st in first sc.

Rnd 16) Slip st in next space; Ch 3, 4 dc in same space, ch 2; * 5 dc in next space, ch 2; repeat from * around; join with a slip st to first dc

--From here I stopped fallowing/adjusting Cylindas pattern--

Rnd 17) chain 3, DC in each dc end with a slst into first chain

Rnd 18) chain 3, DC Dec *5dc DC dec Repeat from *

-from here just keep DC rounds and decreasing till you get it the size suitable for your head, I went for 3 more rounds, just keep in mind you do less DC between dec's so Rnd 19 would be 4dc dec  then the next round would be 3 and so on.

I didnt like the hole at the top so I made a simple flower,  and stitched it into the top

Flower Pattern

Start like a MR wrapping the yarn around your fingers, start the first sc but instead of hooking under and pulling threw a second loop to finish I *chained 3 then did 2 DC into the MR then chained 2 and slst into the ring.  Repeat from * till you have 5 groups.  Close it off with a slst pulling the tail threw to FO and close up the MR then sew onto the top of the hat or where ever you want.

I did two rounds of just DC fallowed by a round of SC once it was small enough to fit.  if you want it more lacy, instead of decreasing you can just skip over the stitches, I did that for one of my rounds.

Keep in mind I used a E hook American terms, and a wool yarn not thread.  My ball of yarn was 200yds and I had less then a foot left when finished.