Simple Baby Hat

Simple Baby Hat Top ViewThis simple baby hat pattern is easy for even for beginners. Like our other free knitting patterns for babies, this easy baby hat pattern uses a combination of the double cast on stitch, the garter stitch, the stocking stitch and a perfect k2tog bind off. You will quickly learn why this is considered one of the easiest crochet baby hat knitting patterns.

Info For Beginners
K=Knit (ie, K7=Knit 7 stitches)
General Info on how to Knit and follow a pattern, is available here.
The Double method of casting on, which is neat and gives you an already-knitted row, is shown here!

Sizes
Small (12-18 months) to fit head 17 inches circumference
Medium (3-5 yrs) to fit head 19 inches circumference
Large (6-8 yrs) to fit head 21 inches circumference

Materials
Set of US size 6 (or 4mm) double-pointed needles
worsted weight yarn

Gauge
4 1/2 stitches/inch
6 rows/inch

Simple Baby Hat Side ViewThe Basic Hat
Instructions are for the smallest size, with larger 2 in parentheses. To alter hat to account for different gauge or size, just
remember to keep the number of initial stitches divisible by 8. (I’ve used 72; you may use 80, 88, etc)

Cast on 72 (80, 88) sts and join to form a round.
Knit 6 (8, 8) rows of garter stitch
Knit stocking stitch until you reach 2 1/4 (2 1/2, 2 1/2) inches in from bottom edge of hat

Decrease for top
[K7 K2tog] repeat to end of round. Knit 2 rounds
[K6 K2tog] repeat to end of round. Knit 2 rounds
[K5 K2tog] repeat to end of round. Knit 2 rounds
[K4 K2tog] repeat to end of round
[K3 K2tog] repeat to end of round
[K2 K2tog] repeat to end of round
[K1 K2tog] repeat to end of round

[K2tog] repeat, until only 1 stitch remains
Break yarn, thread through stitch, and fasten off neatly.
Sew in all loose ends.

Optional Touches
The red “row” was added afterwards with a loose crochet: one crochet stitch for each knit stitch.
As an obvious alternative, one could knit it in, instead, as the first stocking stitch row. One could also cross-stitch the row. Also, I ended up crocheting ear-flaps on it, for warmth and to keep it on the head!

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