My hats turn out too big..how many stitches to cast on

[denaverbena]

The last three hats I made turned out too big. What I usually do is do a 10 stitch test swatch and then measure the head that hat is being made for. Is there a standard number of stitches to cast on for an adult hat? I don't know what I'm doing wrong and I'd really like the hat I'm making to turn out. I'd appreciate any advice! Thanks so much!

[lynsage]

That sounds like a pretty small number of stitches to get an accurate gauge swatch, even if you're using a really fat yarn.

Here's an article: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring03/FEATswatchout.html

I'd try using patterns. Whenever I try to wing it, something always goes wrong. I'd rather use a free pattern with a gauge for reference- there are tons of them out there.

[texmati]

Can you look at a hat that fits the wearer well? I'd betcha that the circumfrance of the hat, is smaller than the measurement that you are taking, since the hat will stretch to fit on the head.

I'm lazy as all get out, and I just knit an inch or so of the hat on circular needles, and then go test it out on my subject. if it's too big, I'd just decrease a bit more.

[DeerMother]

I usually use patterns, but...

For an adult hat using worsted weight yarn, I do the rib on 6s and body on 7s or 8s and cast on between 90-100.

[peainthepod]

If I'm not following a pattern, I do a gauge swatch of about 3 inches wide and two inches long in stockinette (knit one row, purl next row) stitch so I have an idea of how many stitches per inch I'll get. Then I just multiply that number by the number of inches in my head circumference.

This way I can improvise a hat from whatever yarn I feel like working with and I don't have to worry too much about precise needle size. So far this method has worked really well for me, but I mostly only knit hats right now.

[JamieCatheryn]

Depends entirely on the needle size and whether you knit tight or loose. If you have a pattern and it's coming out large, I'd try going down a needle size rather than less stitches. My hats on size 6 needles are around usually about 80-90 stitches, I knit loosely.

[omamasmama]

I usually knit with 8 and cast on around 72 stitches or so. That was even when I had some massive dreadlocks. Just depends....I've never really gotten into test swatches until recently and now I'm glad that I did....I don't like having to start over.

[MeepyCat]

ITA that 10 sts is too small a guage swatch.  The other thing to be aware of is that, if you're knitting in the round, your gauge may be different than it is when you knit flat.  This is why the knit an inch or two of hat and try it out idea is good,  but if you have recent hats in similar yarn, you could measure and see what your gauge is on them.