- need help, not a math wizard

#1

I need help. I am knitting a hat for FH, it is basically Silver’s Palindrome hat without the cables (only k2,p2 ribbing). I am going to make it the same length so it will fold over. However, here is where I need help.

He wasn’t a brim, but not a regular brim, an all the way around the hat brim…he’s weird. Anywhoo, when I finish with the hat, I will fold it up and pick up 120 k2,p2 stitches. I need to figure out how to keep the k2,p2 pattern (if possible) and increase it out about 2-21/2 inches, then decrease it to match the increases. That way I can insert the brim, and fold it over and sew it up. Any ideas? I can’t figure this out.

I can follow a pattern with the best, and make some little changes to a pattern, but for this…the math and dimentions escape me.

#2

What? :??

Do you mean a hat like this?
http://magknits.com/Dec07/patterns/reasonablyhip.htm

#3

A brim all the way around, like a man’s fedora or dress hat.

#4

Yup exactly!

#5

http://webhome.idirect.com/~quanah/patfelthat.html
something like this?

I’m haviang a hard time visuallizing the brim along w/lthe fold over part.

#6

here is one kinda like it, here is another one with a front brim/visor and the fold (the second one is closer to what I want because the top is fitted, but not quite exact) as he wants a brim that goes all the way around like this only not floppy and 2 1/2 inches wide. What I’m going to do is knit the hat then pick up stitches and add the brim…or I could CO 120 stitches, knit in the round increasing then decreasing, and just sew the brim/visor on…

#7

Not QUITE the same thing,
but this is great.
http://highcountryknitwear.com/cowboyhat.shtml

#8

Thats cool!! but if I knit that and tried to get him to wear it…he’d call off the wedding and tell everyone I was crazy…:roflhard:

#9

oh, OH I have an idea!!! maybe this will make it easier…

I’ve knit 2 1/2 inches which will be the fold up part. What I could do is figure out the increases and just knit the round brim/visor part now (incorporate it into the pattern) then decrease the same as I increase get back to 120 stitches, then knit the rest of the hat part.

Then sew in the brim/visor. What do you all think?

#10

I tried to edit my last post, to include a picture, but for some reason it wouldn’t let me.

I’ve elaborated a little on my blog, here is where I’ve done so…hopefully it makes sense.

#11

I drew a picture of what I want to do.

I’ve knit the first 2 1/2 inches that will be the roll top. Now I want to increase, keeping the k2,p2 pattern so that I can insert the visor, then I will have to decrease to get back to the 120 stitches, so that I can go on with the hat.

I hope the picture helps…cause I’m really lost on this one. I know what I want to do but I don’t know how to do it.

Thanks to any and all.

#12

Okay… why you want to have both a cuff and a brim I dunno, but what you can do is pick up stitches at the bottom edge of the cuff and knit a round. Next round increase, maybe about half as many sts as you picked up (if you picked up say 80 sts, then inc in every other one for a total of 120 sts). Knit one round, then increase again, maybe the same number you did before. And so on. The trick is going to be to keep that brim from flopping down. I’m not sure how you’re going to do that unless you knit it twice as long, decreasing on the 2nd half to match your increases, fold it over and put something inside to stiffen it then sew up.

#13

Because that is what FH wants, and since it’s his hat and he’s gonna have to wear it…that’s what I’m gonna try to do…I dont’ get it either but for some reason he thinks it’s gonna look good. ?!?

That is exactly what I’m going to! I have some plastic that I’m going to put in it.

Now here’s what I was thinking:

for every 10 stitches (since I have 120 CO) it is k2, p2, k2, p2, k2

The next round k2, p4 (by purling twice into each purl stitch), k2, p4, k2

Then do a round with that stitch,

then k4 (by knitting twice into the knit stitch), p4, k4, p4, k4

Continuing in that manner until it’s as wide as I want, then decrease to match the increases, then when I get back to 120 finish up the hat. Then sew up the plastic into the visor portion, and be done.

If I do this it will keep the ribbing pattern right?

#14

Your inc method would work. I didn’t read too closely before, but you want to knit the cuff, then the brim, then the rest of the hat? I’m not sure how that would work out. My suggestion would be to knit the whole hat, turn up the cuff, then pick up stiches at the fold for the brim.

#15

Thanks suzeeq!!! I really appriciate it. This is my first attempt at designing something (albeit something I’m making for someone else and to their specifications).

Designing is hard as I can follow a pattern, but I’m not too good spacially.

#16

Ok, I’ve knit the cuff portion about 2 1/2 inches. I then knit two rounds (for stockinette so when I sew it up it will have a cleaner edge) and now I have started increasing. Here is what I’ve done:

Round 1: K2, p4 (bar increase before each purl stitch), k2, p4,k2

Round 2: K2, p4, k2, p4, k2

Round 3: K4 (bar increase before each knit stitch), p4, k4, p4, k4

Round 4: k4, p4, k4, p4, k4

Roundd 5: k4, p4, k4, p4, k4 (for 240 stitches)

I know have twice the number of stitches that I started with. What I’m wondering is do you think I should increas anymore, or will twice the number of stitches be good? I am going to knit out about 5 inches, so that the visor when folded over will be 2 1/2 inches. Should I increase again? Or should twice the stiches be enough?

#17

I’m not sure; just make it like you think and see how it works out. If not, go back to this point and try another way. That’s how designing your own ideas goes - you have to try it one way and if that’s not what you want, try it again differently.

#18

I really appriciate all of your help. It’s a little nerve wracking trying to make something without a pattern to help.

#19

A lot of becoming a `good’ knitter is trial and error. Figuring things out on your own, or trying this and that to see how they turn out.