How to Knit an Easy Hat

Co-authored by Blythe Nudelman

Last Updated: June 10, 2024 Approved

Do you need a hat but don't want to go out and buy one? If you have yarn, knitting needles, and a bit of time, you can make your own! Provided you know the basics of knitting, this project can be easily tackled in an afternoon. If you know how to cast on, cast off, and decrease, you're ready!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Materials

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1
Pick out your yarn. Have a style of hat in mind before you go about selecting your yarn. You should only need one ball; choose one of a reasonable thickness.
- Cotton is less stretchy and not as warm as wool.
- If you're a beginner, avoid a thin, skinny yarn. Thicker ones are much easier to work with and take less time.
- Check the yardage on the ball so you know you have enough for your finished product.
  - If you're using a bulky weight yarn, you'll need between 125 and 200 yards (115 and 183 meters); if a worsted weight yarn, between 150 and 300 (137 and 275 meters).
2
Choose your knitting needles. They come in all sorts of different sizes and determine the look of your stitch. A circular knitting needle will be easiest for this project.
- US #8 is pretty standard. Anything up to size 10 will be fine.
- You may use double-pointed needles, but those are typically easier for smaller items, like socks. A circular needle is best and will be assumed for the purpose of this article.
- A darning needle or crochet hook is needed for finishing your work.
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3
Grab your extras. You'll need a few more things before you get started.
- Scissors
- Stitch markers (safety pins work fine)
- Measuring tape
4
Measure your head. Don't skip this part! Knowing how many stitches to knit is necessary for a hat that perfectly fits your head. The last thing you want is a doll-sized hat or a hat for a bucket.
- Measure your head.
  - If you're giving this as a gift, the average adult head is around 22 inches in circumference (56 cm).
- Knit a swatch. Take note of how many stitches there are per inch.
- Multiply the measurement of your head by the number of stitches needed per inch. (example: 21 inches x 4 stitches per inch = 84 stitches.) This is the number of stitches you will need at the base.
- You may want to round down to a number divisible by eight; this will make it easier to reduce later, for the top of your hat.
  - Rounding down is safer than rounding up; yarn stretches easier than it shrinks.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Knitting

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1
Cast on. This is where the math you just did comes in handy. Cast on the amount of stitches needed for the base of your head (84 in the previous example).
- If you've never knitted or knitted in the round before, learn how to knit first and do some research online.
2
Join your cast on stitches in the round. The circular knitting needle makes this ultra-easy to do.
- Be careful not to twist! Twisted rounds cannot be fixed; if you're not careful, you'll have to start completely over. What you end up with will not resemble a hat.
3
Keep knitting. Around and around and around you go! Try your hat on at different times to gauge how many more rounds you should make.
- The circular needles create a brim that rolls automatically. Because of this, you'll need to knit for a bit longer to account for the lost length.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Finishing

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1
Start decreasing. If done well, this part will leave your hat snug on your head. If you're unfamiliar with decreasing, stop now and do some research online.
- Place stitch markers every 8 stitches.
- When at 2 stitches before the marker, decrease (a fancy term for knitting two stitches together at once).
- Continue this pattern, decreasing every round.
- After decreasing for a bit, you'll notice your hat getting smaller and smaller. Don't be afraid to adjust your needles accordingly; this won't mess up your work.
When you have just 4 stitches left on your needle, you're ready. Snip off more than enough to work with in finishing the hat, about 15-20 inches (38-50 cm).
3
Remove the needle. Take a darning needle or crochet hook and pull the loose yarn through your remaining 4 stitches one at a time. This will tighten the top of your hat.
- After you've pulled the loose yarn through each stitch on the needle, slide the needle out.
4
Hide the excess yarn. Grab the loose end and pull it down through the top of the hat with your crochet hook. The end should end up at the underside/inside of the hat.
- Cut it down to about a few inches. Weave in the end using a darning needle down the length of your hat. This will remain secure and tight and hide the seam.
- You can also hide the starting tail end by weaving it through the hat as well.
Enjoy your knitted hat!

Community Q&A

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Question

How long should I knit before I start to decrease?

Community Answer

Keep knitting until the hat is almost big enough to fit on your head before you begin to decrease. If it comes out a little large, you can roll up the bottom edge of the hat a bit more.

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Question

How do I know how many stitches to do just by the measurement?

Community Answer

You can't really know since it depends on the yarn. The best way is to knit a swatch and then measure it. This will give you the most accurate answer.

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Question

Do the stitch markers ever come out of the hat?

Community Answer

You remove the stitch markers from the hat. You can do this by either getting stitch markers that open up (like safety pins) or by slipping them off your needle as you pass them while knitting and no longer require them.

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Tips

When you're feeling more confident, try out a more complicated hat pattern. There are dozens available online.

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If you drop a stitch, use a crochet hook to pick it back up.

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Try hard and if you drop a stitch, stop as soon as possible to fix it or it will be really hard at the end.

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Warnings

When knitting stitches together, always count them at the end of a row to make sure you have the correct number.

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If you want to knit on an airplane, check whether the airline you're flying allows knitting needles on board and whether TSA currently allows knitting needles through security. Scissors are usually not allowed through security, but you can get a yarn cutter pendant at a yarn or craft shop.

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