Knitting a hat is an excellent first project for anyone new to the craft, offering a chance to learn fundamental techniques while creating a wearable item. This guide provides a straightforward path to completing a basic beanie, focusing on simple stitches and construction methods. The process is designed to be accessible, allowing a beginner to build confidence with the needles and yarn.
Gathering Your Supplies
The selection of materials significantly impacts the ease of the project and the final result. Beginners should choose a medium, or worsted weight (Category 4), yarn. This thickness is easy to handle and provides good stitch definition, making it simpler to see and correct errors.
For the needles, a US Size 7 or 8 (4.5 mm to 5.0 mm) is recommended for worsted weight yarn. Circular needles with a 16-inch cable are the preferred tool for knitting a hat in the round, which eliminates the need for a seam. If straight needles are used, the resulting flat piece will require seaming later.
A few small accessories, known as notions, are also necessary. A stitch marker is used to denote the beginning of a round when knitting in the round. A tapestry needle, which has a blunt tip and a large eye, is used for weaving in the yarn ends. Finally, sharp scissors are needed to cut the yarn tails.
Mastering the Basic Stitches
The first technique required is the Cast On, which creates the initial row of loops on the needle. The long-tail cast-on is a common and stretchy method, involving a loop of yarn held between the thumb and forefinger to create the stitches.
The primary stitch used for the hat body is the Knit stitch, abbreviated as ‘K’ in patterns. To execute a knit stitch, the working needle is inserted into the front of the loop on the left needle, the yarn is wrapped around the tip, and the new loop is pulled through. This motion is repeated across the row, creating the characteristic V-shape of the knit fabric.
The final technique is the Bind Off, which secures the stitches so the work does not unravel. This is achieved by knitting two stitches, then using the left needle to lift the first knitted stitch over the second and off the needle. Repeating this process until only one loop remains closes the edge of the knitted piece.
Knitting the Hat Body and Crown
To begin the hat, a standard adult size requires casting on between 72 and 84 stitches using worsted weight yarn. Once cast on, the stitches must be joined in the round, taking care not to twist them before placing the stitch marker to indicate the start of the round. The initial rows are worked in a rib pattern (such as knit one, purl one) for about two inches to create a snug, elastic brim.
After the brim is complete, the main body of the hat is worked in the stockinette stitch, which is achieved by knitting every stitch in every round when working circularly. Continue knitting until the piece measures approximately 7 to 8 inches from the cast-on edge, depending on the desired fit. This length ensures the hat covers the head before crown shaping begins.
Shaping the crown involves decreasing the number of stitches to create a rounded top. A simple and effective decrease is the “Knit Two Together” (K2tog), where the working needle is inserted into two stitches simultaneously and knit as one. This action reduces the stitch count by one and causes the resulting stitch to lean slightly to the right.
A common decrease schedule involves dividing the total stitches into equal sections (six or eight) and decreasing at the beginning or end of each section. For example, a decrease round might involve knitting a set number of stitches, then performing a K2tog, repeating this sequence around the round. A plain knit round is worked between decrease rounds to allow the shaping to lay flat and create a smoother curve.
The decrease rounds continue, with the number of plain knit stitches between the K2tog decreases reducing in each subsequent round. This process is repeated until only 8 to 16 stitches remain on the needles. At this point, the yarn is cut, leaving a tail of 10 to 15 inches.
The Finishing Touches
With the crown decreases complete, the remaining yarn tail is threaded onto the tapestry needle. The needle is passed through the remaining live stitches, slipping them off the knitting needle and onto the yarn tail. Pulling the yarn tight cinches the opening closed, sealing the top of the hat.
If the hat was knit flat on straight needles, the final step before weaving in ends is to seam the side edges together. The mattress stitch is a technique used for this purpose, creating a nearly invisible vertical seam that joins the two sides of the fabric. This transforms the flat rectangle into a three-dimensional hat shape.
The final step involves securing the two yarn tails—the one from the cast-on edge and the one used to close the crown. The tapestry needle is used to weave each tail into the inside of the hat fabric for several stitches, changing direction slightly to lock the yarn in place. Once the tails are woven in and trimmed close to the fabric, the hat is complete. An optional pom-pom can be attached to the crown.