Accessories Crochet Patterns
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Getting Accessories right
A hat should measure smaller than the head
Crochet ribbing and most stitch patterns have some give, so a beanie is designed with negative ease - usually 1 to 2 inches smaller than the actual head circumference - so it grips instead of sliding off. Measure around the widest part of the head, above the ears, and trust the pattern's number.
Match the yarn weight to the season
A worsted-weight hat in acrylic is warm; the same pattern in a linen-cotton blend is a spring accessory. The stitch count stays the same, but the fabric and the gauge change, so swatch in the yarn you'll actually use rather than assuming a substitution is one-to-one.
Try it on as you go
The advantage of a small project is instant feedback. Slip the hat on when the body is a few inches deep to check the circumference, and again before the crown decreases to check the length. Frogging back two inches now beats finishing a hat that doesn't fit.
