Baby Hat Sizes
Negative Ease in Hats
Hats are made with something called negative ease. Negative ease is a sizing term that means the finished measurement is smaller than the actual measurement. In this case, the band of the finished hat is smaller than the head size. You can see where this is taken into consideration in the “finished hat circumference” column of the chart.
Using Less Negative Ease for Baby Hats Than Adult Hats
It’s smart to use less negative ease when making hats for babies and children than for adults. The reason for this is a baby’s tendency to grow at a surprising rate. You spent quality time making that hat, so you’ll probably want to make sure it fits for more than a day. For a baby, the finished circumference should be closer to their actual measurement than it would be for an adult hat.If your baby has a current head size of 15 inches and you make a hat that fits with no ease, using the exact measurement, then you’re ensuring that the hat can be worn until baby’s head reaches 16.5, or perhaps even 17, inches circumference. It’s best if the hat is just snug enough to stay on, but not too tight.
