If you’re brand new to knitting, a super quick hat is a fantastic beginner project! This step-by-step tutorial will teach you how to knit a hat from start to finish. You can check out the free pattern on this page, or if you prefer, you can purchase the ad-free, printable PDF from our shop.
UPDATED: JANUARY 2, 2025 BY BRITTANY
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Skill Level | Beginner
Finished Size | Fits 17″-22″ Head Circumference; 9″ length
This simple and easy knit hat is a great place to start if you’re brand new to knitting and looking for a first project. Especially if you’re not a scarf or headband person!
A hat is a practical way to learn and practice essential knitting skills, and this one covers them all. Plus by using a super bulky yarn, you’ll have it finished in a matter of hours.
In this easy-to-follow guide, I’ll walk you through the simple steps to knit a hat.
Don’t know how to knit yet? No worries! We have a complete How to Knit guide that’ll walk you through all the basics. Check that out first, and jump back to this project.
How to Knit a Hat Step-by-Step
This easy knit hat pattern for beginners provides a great foundation for learning the basic knitting stitches and techniques, helping you gain confidence and build your skills as you embark on your knitting journey.
Through this project, you’ll learn the fundamentals of every knitting project, including casting on, and basic knit stitches. Plus you can apply these techniques in a practical and enjoyable way.
Keep reading for more frequently asked questions, and pattern details, or jump down to the free pattern.
Pattern Overview:
- Supplies
- Buy the ad-free, printable pattern
- Abbreviations
- Pattern Notes
- Gauge & Finished Size
- How to Knit a Hat – Pattern Instructions
- Can This Hat Be Made In Other Sizes?
- How to Knit a Hat Step-by-Step Tutorial
- More Knitting Tutorials + Patterns for Beginners
- More Easy Knitting Patterns That a Beginner Can Make
You can view the pattern completely free on this page. But, if you prefer having a digital copy that you can save or print, we’ve got you covered with that option as well.
If you’d like to support our work here at B.Hooked, purchasing the digital pattern is a wonderful way to do so!
Recommended Supplies
- Approx 106 yds; Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick (Colorway pictured: Marble)
- US 11 Circular Needle 16″ (measured tip-to-tip)
- Yarn Needle, Large
- Scissors
Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick is a great choice for this hat because there are so many color options with this yarn! If you can’t find this yarn or want to use something you already have, look for another super bulky weight (#6) weight yarn. If you’re not familiar with yarn weights, I have an article that explains it all here.
Any yarn in this weight category will work fine, but a smooth yarn is best for knitting your first baby hat. That way, you can see the stitches better! Lion Brand Thick & Quick Mandala is another yarn with great color options.
For the needles, you can use any 16″ fixed or interchangeable circular knitting needle as long as it’s a US 11 size. I recommend Knitter’s Pride Dreamz knitting needles for beginners because the stitches stay on the needles, but they’re still really smooth to knit with. If you don’t already have a pair, I suggest starting with this one.
Since this hat doesn’t have crown decreases, you won’t need double-pointed needles. This is the only knitting needle you’ll need to finish this hat!
Abbreviations
- CO Cast On
- k Knit
- p Purl
These abbreviations are industry standards and are used to simplify the pattern and make it easier to read. Whenever you see a “K” simply tell yourself to knit and whenever you see a “P”, that’s your cue to purl.
Pattern Notes
This really easy knit hat is knitted starting with the band and working up to the crown. You’ll start, and knit the entire project on your 16″ circular needles. Most hats are knitted in the round because doing so makes them seamless all the way around. This pattern is the best for learning how to knit a hat in the round on circular needles!
With that in mind, you won’t be able to knit this hat on straight needles. Check out the supplies section above if you need a starting point for which needles to buy if you don’t already have them.
If you’re familiar with knitting gauge swatches, go ahead and do one to see if it matches the pattern’s gauge:
Gauge: 7 sts x 4.5 rounds = 2″ worked in stockinette stitch
Never heard of gauge before? No worries! Gauge is just a simple but crucial step to ensure your stitches are the size they’re supposed to be. This way, you can be confident that your hat will match the size dimensions listed below. Why bother checking? Even if you use the same yarn and needle size, your stitches might turn out a tad bigger or smaller than those in the pattern.
Think of knitting like handwriting – we all use the same letters, but everyone’s style is unique. You might knit your stitches a bit tighter or looser than someone else.
That’s why it’s always a good idea to check your gauge. Use whatever needle size you need to match the pattern’s gauge, ensuring your hat turns out the perfect size and that you have just enough yarn to finish. I have a really helpful article about gauge, and it’s worth reading if you want to knit more projects!
Finished Size: Fits most 17″-22″ head circumference; About 9″ long
Easy Knit Hat Pattern Instructions
A digital pattern is available in our shop so you can print out the pattern
Finishing
To close up the top, trim your yarn leaving a tail that is approximately 24″ long. Feed the tail through each stitch with your darning needle, removing them from your knitting needle as you go. Once you have fed the tail through every stitch, pull the tail to draw it up.
Pull it as tightly as you can without breaking your yarn. Using the darning needle, run the tail around the center of the closure several times to secure it. Run the tail through the center of the hat, tie a knot, and trim.
By using this pattern, you agree to our terms of use:
This pattern is for personal use only. You agree not to modify, publish, transmit, sell, create derivative works or in any way exploit any of the content within this page, in whole or in part. If you wish to share this pattern, share a link to this webpage only. You may sell finished items made from this pattern.
Copyright, B.Hooked Crochet, LLC
How to Knit a Hat In Other Sizes?
This pattern is currently available in one size, but it’s pretty simple to make adjustments for a different-sized hat. The two main things you need to change are:
- The number of cast on stitches (more for bigger, fewer for smaller)
- The total number of rounds in the hat (more for bigger, fewer for smaller)
To estimate the number of cast-on stitches, you will need to know the hat circumference you need. Once you have this measurement, check out our hat sizing guide to learn how to calculate your cast on number of stitches.
How to Knit a Hat Step-by-Step Tutorial
Video not displaying? Watch this tutorial on YouTube instead.
More Knitting Tutorials + Patterns for Beginners
Making step-by-step tutorials for beginners is kind of our thing. If you aren’t ready to knit a hat yet, check out some of our other tutorials with free knitting patterns specifically for beginners:
