Tuesday, January 13, 2015

A Year of Lucky's Measurements - Head Sizes of a Newborn and the Hats that Fit

What size is a newborn's head really?  When I was pregnant with Lucky I had no concept of how big his head was and when certain hats would fit him.  I used a baby hat size chart as a guide, but many patterns still seemed pretty small to me.

I became determined to measure Lucky's head every month, both in circumference and in height.  For height I chose to measure from eartip to eartip because I could be consistent that way.  This height matters to knitters because depending on where you want the hat to lay you want the hat to be at least an inch longer than the eartip to eartip distance.  In this post you will find the results of my data collection.  I am also providing pictures of Lucky with the measurements of the hats he is wearing as a reference point. Some of these measurements were taken NOW, so they may have been smaller after they were first knit.  I hope that this is helpful, I know that I will refer back to this post myself!

5 days old, 7 lbs 3 oz. 
  • Head 13.5" around
  • 8" eartip to eartip.
  • Feet 3" long 1.25" wide
1 week old - Newborn Owl earflap hat .  6" across (flat) and 4.25" from front edge to crown. Photo credit Sarah Severson Photography.  
1 week old - Pumpkin Hat.  6" from brim to tip (unfolded), 6.5" across.  Photo credit Sarah Severson Photography.  


12 days old (~2 weeks)
  • head 14"
  • 8" eartip to eartip
  • Feet still 3"long
~2.5 weeks old, Newborn Owl earflap hat..  6" across (flat) and 4.25" from front edge to crown.

3 weeks old (11/1/2013)
  • head 14.5" around.  
  • 8.5" eartip to eartip
  • Feet 3.25" long.  
3 weeks old - Ribbed Newsboy Visor Hat.  14" around, 5.5" brim to crown.

3 weeks old  - Charlie.   6" wide, 7" with brim rolled out, 6" with brim rolled.   (After months of wearing and washing, the hat now rests at 7" wide, but still is 6" deep.)   

1 month 
  • head 14.75 inches around. 
  • 8.5 inch eartip to eartip
  • feet relatively unchanged.
1 month old - Turkey Head  7.25" wide, 6.25" brim to crown unrolled.  4.75" rolled.  

5-6 weeks old - Hungry Caterpillar Hat - 7.5" wide, 5.25" brim to crown rolled, 6" unrolled.  

6 weeks old - Pumpkin Hat.  6" from brim to tip (unfolded), 6.5" across

7 weeks (11/26)
  •  Head 15.5 inches
  • 9 in eartip to eartip
  • feet just shy of 3.5 inches long

7 weeks old -  Charlie.   6" wide, 7" with brim rolled out, 6" with brim rolled.   (After months of wearing and washing, the hat now rests at 7" wide, but still is 6" deep.)   

8 weeks old -  Ribbed Newsboy Visor Hat.  14" around, 5.5" brim to crown.

8 weeks old - Thanksgiving 2013 - Turkey Head  7.25" wide, 6.25" brim to crown unrolled.  4.75" rolled.  

2 months old (12/9)
  • 15.75 inch circumference
  • 9 in eartip to eartip
2 months old - A Lucky Christmas Hat  ribbing 5" wide, stockinette 6.5" wide when flat, 9.5" long from brim to the beginning of icords.  

2 months old - Baby Marley Hat - 6.75" wide (flat after lots of wearing), unrolled 7" brim to crown.  rolled 6".

2.5 months old -  Charlie.   6" wide, 7" with brim rolled out, 6" with brim rolled.   (After months of wearing and washing, the hat now rests at 7" wide, but still is 6" deep.)   

3 months old
  • 16.25" circumfrence on the head
  • 9.5 " eartip to eartip
  • feet remeasure - 3.75"  when toe stretched

4 months old - Hungry Caterpillar Hat - 7.5" wide, 5.25" brim to crown rolled, 6" unrolled.

4 months old (2/10/2014)
  • 16.5 head circumference
  • 9.75 eartip to eartip
  • feat measure 3 7/8 "

5 months old

  • Circumference 16.75"
  • 10.25 eartip to eartip.
  • Foot 3.75"
Lucky wore the Charlie and Baby Marley hats for the rest of the winter.

6 months old (4/9/14).  Lucky is 55% for height and head circumference.  
  • 17.125" circumference.
  • 10.25" eartip to eartip
  • foot 3.875" 

6 months old - Baby Marley Hat - 6.75" wide (flat after lots of wearing), unrolled 7" brim to crown.  rolled 6".


7 months old (5/18/14)
  • Head  just over 17  3/8"
  • eartip to eartip 10.5"
  • foot 4"


7 months old - Charlie.   6" wide, 7" with brim rolled out, 6" with brim rolled.   (After months of wearing and washing, the hat now rests at 7" wide, but still is 6" deep.)   


8 months old (6/13/2014)
  • head 17.5" around (ish)
  • eartip to eartip 10.5"
  • foot ~4" long

9.5 months old (7/25/2014)
  • head 18" (widest part)
  • eartip to eartip 10.5
  • foot 4-4.5"

10.5 months old (8/21/2014)
  • Just shy of 18" around
  • 10.5 eartip to eartip
  • foot 4.25"

11 months old (9/18/14)
  • Around 18"
  • eartip to eartip 10.5"


11 months old. Foxy Hat 8.5" wide (above ribbing), 6.5" brim to crown. 

11 months old -  Hungry Caterpillar Hat - 7.5" wide, 5.25" brim to crown rolled, 6" unrolled.  

1 year old
head 18" (approx)
eartip to eartip 10.75
foot 4.5

1 year old - Snowy Penguin Hat 16” around, 6.25” deep. 

Lucy is now 15 months old!  He is still wearing the Snowy Penguin Hat and the Foxy Hat.  I am not collecting as much data on his head size because as you can see the growth slowed dramatically.  The biggest differences (understandably) happen between birth and the first few months.  Ribbed hats with a rolled brim are the best gifts because they grow with the baby in terms of width and length.  

I hope this resource helps you as much as it has helped me already!   Happy Knitting!