Pointers and Tips about Elasticity

DonnaK wrote:

“Love this preemie hat – so elastic  and pretty – thank you.  Can’t wait for next part.”

Donna has made a good point as we begin the little preemie hat that is this month’s BOBBOL project for February. You can get a surprising amount of elasticity in the Seemingly Seamless 2-Needle Preemie Hat. This is due to both the ribbed pattern design  and the choices you make in materials and needles. Here are some pointers and tips to think about.

Designing for Elasticity

Lace stitches are not usually themselves elastic, but alternating the columns of herringbone lace with 2,2 ribbing adds elasticity; i.e. the knitted fabric expands when stretched, and  contracts when released. Ultimately, the goal is for the hat to comfortably fit but not fall off the baby.

Yarn

Besides choosing a soft, non-allergenic yarn that will caress baby’s head, the choice of a “bouncy” yarn encourages elasticity. Acrylic is a popular, overall choice. Cotton by itself is a good fiber but is too inelastic, so choose a blend with another more elastic fiber like nylon or acrylic.

Although very soft grades of scale-less superwash wool could be used for their bounciness, they are not advised for charity knitting that will be subjected to commercial and hospital laundering. You could consider this for a baby-going-home gift, though.

Needle Size

I’ve given a suggested needle size to use. But of course we are all different in our knitting. There seems to be an optimum needle size for ribbing of a particular yarn to maximize the elasticity.

Too large of a needle (for the gauge of your knitting style or your yarn choice) can make the ribbed fabric too loose and limp. Therefore, it will stretch out, but won’t rebound.

Too small of a needle can make the the ribbed fabric too stiff and “boardy”. The fabric will just flatten out in an already expanded state with the elasticity destroyed.

Swatching is a good idea to test that you are getting the elastic fabric you want. But of course, this little preemie hat is about the size of a good-size swatch anyway. Don’t tell anyone you heard it from me, but you can always dive in with your best guess. Worst that can happen is that the hat will fit some baby in need. Make notes of yarn and needles used, and adjust for next time if needed.

Casting On

The preemie hat pattern begins by casting on stitches loosely. What do I mean by that? You can use your favorite cast on. But take into consideration a commonly overlooked fact that the distance between the stitches of the cast-on row is a big determinant in whether there is enough looseness in the cast on edge to stretch out as desired.

I’ve already written an article about this called Cast on for a Good Finish that is on my HeartStrings FiberArts website. Please take a look at it there. I think you will find its tips and recommendations helpful in much of your knitting going forward.