Tag: free hat pattern

Quick Hat Knits For Christmas Gifts

The most difficult thing about knitting a simple hat to gift at the holidays may be waiting for the yarn order to arrive! If there is a yarn store near you, consider yourself lucky and head on over to get your supplies.

Use a heavier yarn, such as worsted or bulky weight – I have some suggestions listed down this page – and these hats will finish up in plenty of time to put under the tree.

Included on this page are pattern ideas for adults and kids. Also, I’ve searched for some nice yarn, from online shops, in worsted, bulky and super bulky weights to get you started. Many yarn links go to Wool and Company where I buy a lot of my online yarn. They will wind yarn for free and also offer free shipping to US residents! Or search online and possibly find good sales this time of year.

Why Knit Hats For Gifts?

Hats are quick projects, are easy to take-along and knit, and mail easily. Usually only one skein of yarn is needed – depending on the style of hat and yardage of the skein. Each pattern will list the amount of yarn needed, so check that. If there is a long brim or pom pom, more yarn may be required.

Christmas comes upon us quickly. Many people choose to wear hats in winter, so everyone could use a nice new hat, right? Make it a hand-knit, and it’s extra special for the recipient. It can be created in their favorite color, or made in their favorite style. Choose a washable yarn, and it’s easy to care for.

Hats don’t have to be sized perfectly. Most hat patterns may seem a little small while being knit, but they are meant to stretch a bit to fit the head.

Quick Knits

Hats are also quick projects. A hat without any kind of brim is super fast to finish. Hats are small enough to take along on a car ride, or knit while visiting a friend. Easy hat patterns mean simple knitting without following a chart or directions.

To make a quick knit hat, use a thick yarn – worsted, aran or bulky weight. Be sure you have the correct size needle for the yarn used, and a simple hat will knit up fast. Unless you are knitting for a bald person or a baby, the yarn won’t need to be super soft. The yarn I have listed on this page is “Superwash” or machine washable, in case the recipient will tend to toss the hat in the washer!

Miss Babs K2 Chunky yarn, Rock Sparrow
Miss Babe – chunky yarn
Manos del Uruguay Franca yarn
“Franca” super bulky, washable yarn

Easy Hat Knitting Patterns For Adults

The list of hat patterns on this page are perfect for anyone to knit, using simple knit, or knit and purl stitches. Some easy cable hats are also included.

  • Nina Hat (free pattern) – Super bulky yarn (Franca – link below, or similar), US size 11 needles
  • Harbormaster – bulky yarn – perfect for him.
  • Pebbles Hat – free pattern in worsted weight (slouchy style)
  • Easy Tweed Hat – free pattern, super bulky – the pattern uses two strands of yarn held together to create a “tweed”, but a super bulky yarn alone would also work.

For knitting a bottom up hat (starting at the brim) you will normally need these supplies: Yarn – enough for your chosen pattern, a 16 inch circular needle, same size DPNs (double pointed needles) for finishing the top. A tapestry needle for closing up the last stitches and weaving in yarn ends, and scissors for cutting the yarn. (I usually use a DPN needle when doing simple cables.)

Northward cable hat hand-knit
Northward easy cable hat for kids and adults by Tin Can Knits. Link to pattern on Ravelry
Cable hat in light pink
Aran Watch Cap – pattern is in the Hat’s On book and is a simple cable knit in worsted yarn.

Hat Patterns For Kids

  • Kids’ Banana Beanie – (bulky yarn) free pattern from Balls to the Walls Knits. Comes in a variety of sizes. A 16 inch circular may be too large to knit the smallest of sizes.
  • Kid’s Helmet Hat – (bulky yarn – free pattern)
  • Christmas Elf Stocking Cap – (worsted) – pattern website contains a LOT of ads to wade through. More patterns for kids on this page, if you can deal with the ads!

Machine Washable Worsted Weight Yarn

Any item that is hand knit will last longer if it is hand-washed. But, using a Superwash yarn means it can be washed in the machine. Items should be washed on a delicate cycle. Be sure to tell the recipient how to care for the item, or include a tag they can keep and reference.

I would use a mesh laundry bag (Amazon affiliate paid link), so maybe gift one to the recipient along with the hat. For the most part hand-knits should not go into the dryer!

Here is a short list of worsted weight yarns to get you started, but there are more washable yarns out there. Most worsted weight yarns require a 6 – 9 needle size.

Machine Washable Bulky Yarn

The needle size used for bulky and / or super bulky yarn is usually US size 10 or 11. Don’t forget you will also need DPNs in the same size.

Although hats and other items knit up fast using thicker, bulky yarn, some people find it tough on the hands.

I hope these selections were helpful. Remember, next year get started early, and give everyone a special, hand-knit hat!

(Chipmunk in hat, photo at top, courtesy of Pixabay.)

More knitting stories

Knitting My Star-topped Hat

I’ve been trying to knit a simple hat for my son, but both times I began recent hats I ran out of yarn for the cast-on! I’m doing the German Twisted cast-on (I have linked to the YouTube video below) and it tends to use more yarn than I measure out for the Long tail cast-on. I keep misjudging amounts… Grrr…! So the hats have ended up being knit for me because my son has a big head!

Star on top hat
Mad Tosh “Vintage” and Anzula “For Better or Worsted”

How to Knit This Hat

I made this up myself and here is how I did it.

Cast on 102 stitches (this will make a loose hat) using the German Twisted cast on – SEE VIDEO BELOW, or a stretchy cast on. I used a size 10, 16-inch circular needle (and DPN’s) and ended up with a circumference of about 18.5 inches unstretched. My head measures around 22.5 inches, and it fits me well, but it is not tight at all. (It also fits my son fine… oh well, but he doesn’t like the colors.)

Knit one, purl one ribbing … for as long as you want. I made mine extra long because I was originally going to complete the hat in that stitch. I switched to knitting only (stockinette) for a couple rows and then began the “star” colorwork. I had to learn how to carry the yarn and create long floats for this. View my favorite YouTube video for this here.

102 stitches divides into 6 sections with 17 stitches in each. At the beginning of the round I knit 16 in gray (Mad Tosh Vintage in Antique Moonstone, I think), 1 in brown – around to BOR. On the next row I knit to one before the brown and added brown on each side – knit 15 gray, knit 3 brown.

I continued on this way until the whole top was brown (Anzula “rootbeer” yarn in “For Better or Worsted” – knitting a FREE cowl with this here). Then I began my decreases.

Decreases for top: Row 1: K4, k2tog, PM (place marker) around. Row 2 & even rows: knit around. Row 3 and odd rows: Knit to 2 stitches before marker and K2tog, around. Do this until only a few stitches remain and gather them up with the end of the yarn on a needle, and pull. Weave in ends, remembering that the brim will flip up!

Star on top hat knit in worsted yarn
Drying on a cantaloupe

Andrea Mowry and The German Twisted Cast-on

I watched many videos trying to understand the German Twisted cast-on, (which is also called the Old Norwegian Cast-on). The one I have linked to below is by far the best. She goes slow, but not too slow. It is very easy to understand, and use, once you practice.

By the way, Andrea Mowry is an awesome, and successful, knitwear designer. The link goes to Ravelry where her patterns are for sale. Or check out her website at Drea Renee Knits. I have not knit any of her patterns, only because I’m not yet sure I have the skills needed for most of them. Her Throwback cardigan is one of my favorites, but my next pattern may be the comfy looking Oxbow Cardigan.

Somewhat Related: Taking a Walk in Florida’s Winter

The photo below has nothing to do with this post, but I took it around the time I was knitting the hat and it is mixed in with the knitting photos on my phone. I thought I would share what I saw on a recent walk around my Florida neighborhood in the evening.

Getting exercise is necessary, and I tend to feel unwell when I just sit around and knit, or work online. It’s easy to become preoccupied with knitting, but I do get outdoors this time of year to stretch my muscles. It is a wonderful treat after suffering through the long HOT Florida summer.

Our climate in Florida is nearly opposite to the north, in my mind, because summer keeps me indoors. Except that the summers are worse because you truly cannot do anything much outside. At least in the northern winters there are good days. This is not true of Florida summers. It NEVER cools off.

Evening walk in Florida neighborhood
Taking a walk

December is one of the best months, weather-wise, in Florida. Nights are cool (40’s to 60’s), and days are warm (60’s and 70’s). There are few storms, no hurricanes, and very little rain. Evenings are especially nice and if you have a view of the west, the sunsets are gorgeous. I am not looking directly toward the West in my photo. The bright sunset colors are off to my right – through the trees – but that color spreads across the sky because it’s so flat here.

Anyway, this was a quick glimpse into a Florida winter evening. Happy knitting!