Free knitting pattern
Free baby hat knitting pattern, 0–12 months
A soft baby hat knit in the round: a ribbed brim to fold up, a plain body and a crown that closes in eight neat lines. A first hat that's quick enough to make in an evening or two. It’s a beginner pattern of about 4 hours, and it teaches knitting in the round, rib, decreasing. Follow it below, or open it in Stitchbay to count it row by row.
You’ll need
- 60 m (66 yd) for Newborn, 80 m (87 yd) for 3–6 months, 100 m (109 yd) for 6–12 months of light weight yarn (DK), soft washable wool, cotton or a baby acrylic. Choose a yarn you can put in the washing machine.
- 3.5 mm (US 4) and 4 mm (US 6) needles: 40 cm circular needles (or double-pointed needles from the start, as a baby hat is small), and double-pointed needles for the crown
- Stitch marker, Tapestry needle
- Gauge: 20 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) in stockinette in the round
Sizes: Newborn (32 cm round, for a 35 cm head), 3–6 months (36 cm round, for a 40 cm head), 6–12 months (40 cm round, for a 44 cm head). Numbers for the bigger sizes are in brackets: cast on 80 (88, 96) means 80 for the first size, 88 for the second, 96 for the third.
Before you start
Join to work in the round without twisting the stitches, and place a marker for the start of the round.
The hat is a little smaller round than the head, so it stays on.
Abbreviations
| co | cast on |
| k | knit |
| p | purl |
| k2tog | knit two together |
Brim
With the smaller needle:
Cast on 64 (72, 80). Join in the round.
Rnd 1: *K2, p2; rep from * to end.
Rep this rnd until the piece measures 5 (6, 6) cm from the cast-on edge: about 14 (17, 17) rnds in all, ending rnd 14 (17, 17).
The brim folds up, so it's deeper than it needs to be.
Body
Change to the larger needle.
Rnd 1: K to end.
Rep this rnd until the piece measures 7 (8, 9) cm from the top of the rib: about 20 (22, 25) rnds in all, ending rnd 20 (22, 25).
Crown
Newborn Rnd 1: *K6, k2tog; rep from * to end (56 sts).
Newborn Rnd 2: K to end.
Newborn Rnd 3: *K5, k2tog; rep from * to end (48 sts).
Newborn Rnd 4: K to end.
Newborn Rnd 5: *K4, k2tog; rep from * to end (40 sts).
Newborn Rnd 6: K to end.
Newborn Rnd 7: *K3, k2tog; rep from * to end (32 sts).
Newborn Rnd 8: *K2, k2tog; rep from * to end (24 sts).
Newborn Rnd 9: *K1, k2tog; rep from * to end (16 sts).
Newborn Rnd 10: K2tog to end (8 sts).
3-6m Rnd 1: *K7, k2tog; rep from * to end (64 sts).
3-6m Rnd 2: K to end.
3-6m Rnd 3: *K6, k2tog; rep from * to end (56 sts).
3-6m Rnd 4: K to end.
3-6m Rnd 5: *K5, k2tog; rep from * to end (48 sts).
3-6m Rnd 6: K to end.
3-6m Rnd 7: *K4, k2tog; rep from * to end (40 sts).
3-6m Rnd 8: K to end.
3-6m Rnd 9: *K3, k2tog; rep from * to end (32 sts).
3-6m Rnd 10: *K2, k2tog; rep from * to end (24 sts).
3-6m Rnd 11: *K1, k2tog; rep from * to end (16 sts).
3-6m Rnd 12: K2tog to end (8 sts).
6-12m Rnd 1: *K8, k2tog; rep from * to end (72 sts).
6-12m Rnd 2: K to end.
6-12m Rnd 3: *K7, k2tog; rep from * to end (64 sts).
6-12m Rnd 4: K to end.
6-12m Rnd 5: *K6, k2tog; rep from * to end (56 sts).
6-12m Rnd 6: K to end.
6-12m Rnd 7: *K5, k2tog; rep from * to end (48 sts).
6-12m Rnd 8: K to end.
6-12m Rnd 9: *K4, k2tog; rep from * to end (40 sts).
6-12m Rnd 10: K to end.
6-12m Rnd 11: *K3, k2tog; rep from * to end (32 sts).
6-12m Rnd 12: *K2, k2tog; rep from * to end (24 sts).
6-12m Rnd 13: *K1, k2tog; rep from * to end (16 sts).
6-12m Rnd 14: K2tog to end (8 sts).
Cut the yarn, leaving a 20 cm tail. Thread it through the last 8 stitches, pull tight and weave in on the inside. Fold the brim up.