Grading patterns for knitting and crochet: hats

What size is your head? When Grading patterns for knitting and crochet patterns, this is an important question.

It’s a deceptively simple question—and a surprisingly important one if you’re a knitting or crochet designer. That’s why I’ve created a free guide to help you grade hat patterns for all head sizes, perfect for designers and the pattern-writing curious.


[Download your copy by signing up to my designer newsletter here.]

But let’s start with the bigger question:
Why should a hat pattern be graded at all?

There are three key reasons to grade a hat pattern:

Market demand – Multi-size patterns sell better.
Inclusion – Every body is different.
Sustainability – Patterns (and hats) that last.

In short? It’s just good practice.

Market Demand: Why Multi-Size Hat Patterns Sell Better

Multi-size hat patterns perform better. They’re more likely to sell or bring traffic to your blog, which can boost ad revenue and build your brand.


To dig deeper into this, I ran a quick search on Ravelry and sorted hat patterns by popularity—first filtering by crochet hats, then knitted hats.


I started by looking at the top 24 most popular hat patterns. These are the most viewed right now and, likely, the ones making sales.


Then, I looked at patterns ranked around 241–252—the first 12 listings on page 6. It’s a spot I’m familiar with: when I launch a new design, it often lands there. If it stays there, it doesn’t sell. But if it climbs into the top 50, sales begin to trickle in. The top 20? That’s where things get really promising.


So what did I find?

Crochet hats:

Of the top 24 patterns, 12 were multi-size.
10 were one size only, and 2 were designed for cats.
On page 6, of the first 15 patterns, 12 were one size, and only 3 offered multiple sizes (each with just 3 sizes).

Knitted hats:


In the top 24, only 6 were one size—and all those had some trend or gimmick attached making them currently and temporarily popular (like the “elbows up” hat).
On page 6, all 15 patterns were one size only.

The pattern is clear:
Graded hat patterns are in the minority overall, but they dominate the top results. That extra sizing gives them an edge. When you consider the sheer volume of competition—178,000+ knitted hats and 59,000+ crochet hats on Ravelry—standing out matters. Good grading is one way to do that.

Inclusive Design: Why One-Size Hat Patterns Don’t Fit All

You know that Taylor Swift lyric in Anti-Hero?


“Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby
And I’m a monster on the hill…”

I feel that lyric!

Here’s the wildest part—I’m not big.
I have a 39” chest, which is bang-on average in the UK and Ireland. Right in the mean, median, and modal categories. So if I feel excluded by clothing and pattern sizing, I can only imagine how it feels for people who are plus size.

That feeling shows up every time I try on shop-bought clothes—or look for a pattern that actually fits.

And honestly? If someone is going to invest time and love into making something by hand, it needs to fit. That means the pattern must come in more than one size.

Because nobody’s body is exactly like anybody else’s. Not even identical twins share the same fingerprints.

Size inclusion and hat sizes

Head size, like hand and foot size, varies widely—and not always predictably. It’s more influenced by skeletal structure, genetics, and early childhood nutrition than by body weight.

A few years ago, I test-knit a hat in gorgeous merino wool. It was stunning, but too big for me. I never wore it and ended up sending it to my brother’s family. My sister-in-law sent back a photo of my nephew wearing it in his pram.

Out of curiosity, I asked her to measure his head.

Sure enough—my three-year-old nephew had a bigger head than I do.

At birth, babies’ heads are disproportionately large compared to their bodies. By age one, the brain is already 50% grown. Head growth is rapid and early—and it varies a lot.


The so-called “ladies’ size” hat likely fits half of all women—or fewer. Some need smaller sizes, others bigger. That same hat might be too small for one child and too big for a grown man.

The sizes I use for grading hat patterns for knitting and crochet

That’s why, if I’m designing a hat pattern for adults, I’ll always write it in at least three sizes:


One that overlaps with the largest child sizes for small headed adults
A “standard” ladies’ or medium adult size
A larger adult size, especially for gender-neutral or male-friendly styles

And if the pattern is suitable for kids too? I’ll go for eight sizes, from toddler to XL adult.

Sustainability and Value: Multi-Size Patterns as Slow Fashion

Another reason I’m passionate about multi-size grading?

Sustainability.

A well-graded, size-inclusive pattern fits beautifully into a slow fashion mindset. It can be reused again and again, made in stash yarn, gifted to different people, and adapted without buying another pattern. That’s real value.

A perfect example is Ysolda Teague’s Musselburgh Hat. It’s the most popular hat knitting pattern on Ravelry, and for good reason:

Any yarn weight
Any colour combination
Any size—from newborn to “Uncle Big Head”

It’s endlessly adaptable and deeply personal. Buy it once, knit it 20 times—each one different.


As knit and crochet designers, if we want to match that success (sorry, Ysolda!), we should study what works for the big successful designers. And size inclusivity is a big part of that.

In a world where fast fashion contributes 30% of global carbon emissions, this matters. Offering patterns that are versatile, long-lasting, and tailored to real people helps reduce waste and challenge overconsumption. You don’t need to keep buying and knitting new hats, when the ones you’ve got look great and fit perfectly.

Start Grading Your Own Hat Patterns

Multi-size hat patterns aren’t just “nice to have.” They:

Create better fit and satisfaction for makers
Include more bodies and build a bigger audience
Offer real value and fight back against disposable fashion
Stand out in a crowded marketplace and improve your pattern’s chances of success

Want to learn how to master grading patterns for knitting and crochet?
My free resource walks you through how to grade a hat pattern for knitting or crochet.


[Download your free guide by signing up here.]


You can check out some of my hat pattern bundles

Whether you’re designing for clients, community, or creative joy, your patterns deserve to fit as well as they inspire. Let’s make that happen—one well-graded hat at a time.