Crocheters always ask about hat sizing requirements for the human body. What are the typical dimensions for the average person?
In This Project
Age is Not Factored Into Hat Sizes
For example, we are often asked about getting the correct sizes for children when a crocheter gives us an age. Kids don't grow evenly in height and body shape in a school classroom, and we adults, too, are different shapes and sizes.
Our Jeanne has taken the time to research general sizes for heads regarding hats. She has given the standards of typical sizes that the textile industry uses for the sizing across the spectrum. More importantly, she has given the dimensions of the age bracket to give crocheters a better understanding of what size patterns they should be looking at. In the olden days, I raised a young man with a massive head for his age. He eventually grew into his head, but he would have fit into an adult hat in his childhood, not a kids' hat.
If you take some measurements of the person you are making your hat for, you may find they are outside the typical textile industry. Knowing this information will allow you to adjust your pattern to the correct sizes so you are not crocheting something that ends up too big or too small.
More Ideas
Hat Size Measures Measurements Charts
Click on the tables to download or print them.
How to Use the Tables for Measuring
When you start a beanie-style hat, meaning from the top down, the first measurement you need to know is what size head this is going to fit. Take the tape measure and go around the head at the point around the forehead for the Head Measurement.
Circumference
If measuring the person beforehand is impossible, try 'guestimating' using the chart by age.
Crown Size
The subsequent measurement is the hat crown size. You want to measure your circle across and use the chart to determine when to stop increasing your circle and start working evenly.
Top Tip
Work it out if you are making your own hat or are concerned about the sizing. After you come out of a circle, you need to stop growing the hat and allow the stitches to stretch out. It takes several rounds for the curvature to appear. If you wait too long, the hat will be too big.
It will seem too small, but remember, your stitchwork has to relax as it's been compressed into a circle. Once you start going around without doing any more increased stitches, it will continue to get bigger.
Visualizing the Crowns
Below is a visualization of the crown of the hat's fullest growth of increased stitches before they start to wrap around the hat without any further increase.
It's difficult to believe that 5" across the hat's crown is enough, as it takes several rounds of just one stitch in each stitch for the diameter to stop growing fully.
Yes, that 5" turns into the size of the hat you see. Mikey's general rule, based on measurements, is that the finished hat is 10" across the diameter or 20" circumference. The 5" across the crown doubles its size.
It would be safe to assume that if the crown is 4" across, the finished hat will be 8" across and only 16" in circumference.
The difference in just one extra growth round will make or break the hat design.
Height of Hat
Here is another example of measuring the Hat's Height Size. On the chart, this fits me as an adult medium. If you start at the top of that hat, it's easily adjustable for height, as you can stop at any point to customize it for you.
I hope this unlocks some of the mystery of sizing your hats.
Be creative! 🙂 - Jeanne - The Crochet Crowd
Kathy Wilkie says
I need to ask...do these hat sizes refer to unstretched hats? I'm not good at hats.
Thank you
Mikey says
Jeanne is unavailable today. I'll ask her to respond possibly tomorrow.
Octavia says
Hello,
I wanted to thank you for the tips. I'm making hats for men and want to size them correctly. I'm making them flat and then joining at the back. I'm sure your tips will help me:)
Memith says
Thank you so much! This is exactly what I needed! I'm making hats for my 10 year old grand niece in Idaho and I have no way of measuring her. Thank you Jeanne. I love the Crochet Crowd!
Dottie says
Hi; Can someone tell me what “Mc” is please? Thanks ?
Mikey says
Main Colour. (MC)
Kay says
Milk Cotton. Here in Malaysia, we use this type or yarn for crochet.
Bevann says
Magic Circle OR Main Color
Melissa Singer says
MC = magic circle.
Kimberly Catlin says
If the crown diameter measure is correct as for example 6.05 inch which basically circumference would be 19 inch then end up measure 21 inch of circumference so what would you do? Even crown diameter is correctly read but not circumference after finish crochet hat.. I notice people don't count circumference after finish measure hat but notice people count it as crown diameter more than circumference hat..
Please help..
Sarah Moulding says
If you start at the brim rather than the top, would the head circumference be the actual size you would make it?
Mikey says
yes, that's correct.
Janice Giordano says
🙂
bunky749 says
Thanks, it was filled with lots of helpful tips.
Carol says
Thank you. Thank you. I donate most of my hats and scarfs and I can't tell them who it will fit (unless it's obvious). This will help me a lot!!
Billie Tipton says
Loved this. Been looking for something exactly like this. Thanks so much
Nicole says
Will use the charts and all your tricks ... Thank you
Teresa Ballantyne says
Thank you, for all the future hats I will make that will fit! Every hat I make ends up going to someone other than the person it was made for. And, our family is one where everybody's head is oversized. Now I know how to measure those noggins!
Shannon Vary says
Great breakdown of hat sizes. This will come in very handy....pinning this now. Thanks for doing all the legwork Jeanne...you ROCK!