One of my most popular crochet patterns is the One Hour Beanie. The most common problem that I’ve heard from people who use the pattern is that their hat turns out too small. And the main reason why this happens is that they crochet tighter than I do. So, even though they counted correctly and followed the instructions, the end product is too small.

The solution to this is to use a bigger hook than the one that I list in the pattern. Then, your stitches will be bigger, even though you may crochet more tightly.

Or, an even better solution is to make a gauge swatch BEFORE you even start working on a new pattern!

Then you’ll know if you can use the hook size that I recommend based on what I do, or if you need to use a bigger or smaller hook to achieve the correct sized stitch.

Watch the video below to learn all about stitch size, hooks, yarn and gauge so that your next project will turn out the perfect size!