Knit Newborn Hat

Those first weeks after Clara was born I had a lot sitting-on-the-couch time. And I had leftover yarn from that yummy chevron blanket I’d finished.
So I tackled my 3 knitting project!…a little newborn hat (with a small sewing twist).

Most patterns I looked at required that you knit in the round. I didn’t have the right needles for that. So I used the same concept as these bunnies I’d made, adapted some info from this pattern, and sorta came up with my own pattern. Instead of knitting in the round, there’s a small seam that goes down the back (or side) but it’s fairly inconspicuous and easy to knit. If you’re new to knitting, this pattern’s for you! Plus we’ll add a little fabric bow which puts me right in my comfort zone.

I’m definitely a novice at this knitting stuff.
So please excuse any lingo-mishaps or mistakes.

Okay, here we go….
Needles: Size 8 USA. I used these Addi Needles.
Yarn: I used leftovers of this Berroco brand β€œVintage” wool/acrylic blend

DIRECTIONS:
Cast on 52 stitches
Rows 1-32: knit (hat should measure 3 1/4 inches)
Row 33: k2, k2tog (40 sts)
Row 34-35: knit
Row 36: k1, k2tog (appx 26 sts)
Row 37-38: knit
Row 39: k2tog (appx 13 or 14)
Row 40: knit
Row 41: k2tog (7 sts)
When you get to this point, remove your knitting needles, cut a long tail (about 18 inches) and thread the tail through a yarn needle. Feed the needle through the 7 stitches and pull tight, so you’ve created a tight circle at the top of the hat.
Then use the remaining yarn and needle to whipstitch the back of the hat together. Sew down the entire seam. When you reach the bottom, tie a small knot and trim the yarn tails down to about 4 inches. Use the needle to weave the tails into the hat so they blend in.
You’re done!
Not let’s spice it up a bit and add a fabric bow.

Using scraps of knit fabric, cut two strips any size you’d like (one strip for the bow, one for the tie. Both will be folded in half).

(For more detailed info on making bows, see my tutorial here.)

Place your finished bow on the finished hat and decide where you’d like it to sit. I prefer a side bow.
Using a sewing needle and thread, use little stitches to sew the bow to the hat. Sew on the middle of the bow first. Then sew the outer edges of the bow (make sure you only sew the bottom layer of the bow to the hat).
Then try your hats on!
(I promise she liked them.)
Now she has a knitted blanket and a newborn hat.
I mean, she HAD a hat.
Now it’s looking more like a french-girl cap.
Guess that works too!
Happy Knitting!

  1. I just don’t think she could be any cuter with her French-girl cap. Very impressed she’ll keep it on. Drummer swipes at anything he even *thinks* is on his head. Fun, fun.

  2. gorgeous! if only i enjoyed knitting. i think i’m the only person in the world that gets stressed out while knitting, haha.

    • 5) Allison

      No you are definitely NOT the only one. Give me fabric any day!

  3. 6) Jackie

    I want to learn knitting. I see the cutest knitted stuff on Pinterest. I can do a little crocheting. The end result isn’t always pretty, guess I need to practice more.

    • 7) Rose clark

      There are free classes at michaels on some Sunday’s check their flier or website if you sign up for night classes they are not expensive. Joannes craft store have classes and with the fee they give you the yan free for the project. I love to knit and I just found this site Im going to make the hat right now it is a very easy pattern. Also you can go to you tube and type in learn the garter stitch and cast in stitches and you can learn on your own. Happy knitting

  4. I actually think it looks even cuter now, with her blonde hair sticking out at the front!

  5. 9) Courtney

    Such a sweet idea! And I love, love, LOVE the chevron blanket!

  6. So cute! Baby heads grow really fast, so it’s great to have easy hat patterns to cover them (and they’re still cute even when the hats don’t cover their ears any more!).

  7. oh my gosh, cutest ever!!! I’m such a knitting fool, might actually be able to figure this one out. You’re amazing as always!

  8. 13) Emra

    Super cute! Love the “seam” and the bow is a fun touch. I’ve made several layered and market skirts for my girls and now you inspire me to knit. Thanks πŸ˜‰

  9. Oh my gosh, these are so cute! This makes me want to dig out my knitting needles!

  10. ACK so cute!! kind of love it as a little french girl beanie, too! πŸ˜€

  11. Ahhh. It’s so cute! You’re a sewing genius. Wish I had your mad skills. πŸ™‚

  12. Oh my word…….don’t know which is more adorable, hat or baby….okay, the baby wins, but I’m makin’ that adorable hat….will leave the babies to daughters, now…hahaaa!

  13. Ok, Dana~ I generally don’t ooh and goo over anything knitted. Believe me, I WANT to love knitting since it would give me something portable to do, but I just couldn’t find a project to get excited about. Enter, your blanket. SERIOUSLY, I adore it! Now I’m off to go back and find that post. Thanks for giving me a reason to knit. Oh and PS, I think the hats are really cute too! πŸ˜‰

  14. How cute! I’d love to knit this is purl. I’ve never made a hat before- maybe its time!

  15. So adorable! I love it on her tiny and less-tiny head!

  16. Perfect timing Dana. I am almost done with the 4th stripe in the chevron blanket and had just been thinking about a knit hat for baby. Thanks for always being so crafty!

  17. 25) Kat

    I wish that I knew how to knit! Maybe someday!

  18. 26) Ali B

    So cute! I could pop!

    Just wanted to say I love your blog! I craft and sew for my babies – 3 under 4 so its kind of crazy! – and I have loved so many of your ideas and tutorials. In the UK hardly anyone sews and I’m a bit of an oddity but finding you, Katy at No Big Dill and Shannon at Luvinthemommyhood has been like finding family, I’m always screaming “Yes, I love it!” at the laptop. You’ve given me so much confidence in my own skills. Thank you.

    On another note, the hub is in Chicago this weekend – do you know of any fabric shops he could hit for me? So cheeky to ask!

  19. That hat is SO cute — even as a French cap. πŸ™‚

  20. 28) Lauren

    Super cute!!! I need to remember that adding embellishments to plain hats really elevates them and a “fancy” knit isn’t always needed. My only notes on the pattern would be to specify the needle size to be US 8 (in case of Canadian or British knitters), and also the more common abbreviation for knit 2 together is “k2tog” instead of “k2t”… but those are just small tiny things to nitpick about. Sorry if I am over the line! But keep knitting! It’s awesome… I love it. I can’t sew though so you amaze me πŸ™‚

  21. Cute hat! I love to knit but am not so good at sewing – I love how you combined the two though.

  22. So cute! I had a crocheted beanie mostly done but then I couldn’t figure out how to finish it off. I wonder if it would even fit Eddie now? I love the ‘french’ style on Clara now! ahhahahaha. And HOW CUTE is that cross-eyed pic omg

  23. 31) Rachel Adair

    This time of year is pretty crazy with making Christmas type gifts but if you think Clara might wear a new hat I would love to send one your way. I love crazy colors so it might just be one she could wear with everything. πŸ™‚

  24. 32) Xenia

    Super cute hat! When I was learning to knit, I made a rectangle hat, with yarn braids in the top corners. It was super cute! πŸ˜›

    BTW, why do you say you don’t have needles to knit in the round? The ones in the picture are the ones you need!!

    • I think she’s saying she doesn’t have a set of double pointed needles. The ones she has would get you 75% done for most in the round patterns until the decreases at the top when you’d switch to dpn’s. Super cute!

  25. 35) Sarah K.

    Great work! Love the addition of the bow!

  26. 36) Laura

    Really adorable! Can’t believe how quickly she’s grown. The pattern is great, but I noticed for the last two rows that they both say to knit, but I think the last row is supposed to read k2tog (in order to get to 7 stitches) πŸ™‚ Thank you for posting the pattern though, I just finished making mine and it’s too cute.

  27. This looks like a knitting project I might actually try–and finish! Thanks, Dana!

  28. Oh my stars, Dana! This is too cute. I have recently gotten an itch to crochet or knit, don’t know how to do either one. This has given me the push to go and and buy the tools to give it a shot! So adorable:)
    ~Melissa, MM

  29. 39) May

    Hey Dana! I love your colour choice! Gorgeous! You have inspired me to knit the chevron blanket… to my cat πŸ™‚ You can knit in the round with 2 round needles. It is an easy and fantastic method. Here’s a video that shoes how to. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RybPvCNfrT8

  30. 40) Kalli

    With those circular needles you can knit in the round! Adorable hat!

  31. 42) Margaret

    Love this little hat…as a beginner knitter, I was able to make this hat.

    Do you have the conversion for larger sizes? I’d like to be able to make them as the baby grows…like 6 & 12 months.

    Thank You for sharing!

  32. 43) Cassondra Harger

    Just so you know, the needles you used are circulars, so you could have worked that hat in a round. So you’ve got the supplies! But, even as an avid knitter, I prefer to work on straight needles and sew afterwards. I feel like I can make the pattern more of my own if I do it that way.

    You did a fantastic job!

  33. 44) Autumn

    That is so cute! I made one that is pink and purple for my cousins baby, Vivian. It’s so adorable! Thank you for sharing this pattern!

  34. 45) Kelsey

    I LOVE this hat and blanket. I am a beginner knitter and have no idea what the directions mean especially
    Row 33: k2, k2tog (40 sts)
    Row 34-35: knit
    Row 36: k1, k2tog (appx 26 sts)
    Row 37-38: knit
    Row 39: k2tog (appx 13 or 14)
    Row 40: knit
    Row 41: k2tog (7 sts)
    I can cast on and knit stiches but that is as far as my knitting knowlege goes. If someone could point me in the right place to figuring out what the direction mean, that would be great!

    • 46) Magen

      Kelsey,
      I was in the same position as you not too long ago. Here’s a great website that has all the knitting abbreviations. My recommendation is to look up the abbreviation, then write it out before you begin your project. If you do this once, it’ll all make sense. Ex: k2=knit 2
      k2tog=knit 2 together. Literally, knit two “loops” together. Easy!
      The website explains it all:
      http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knitting-glossary

      Have fun!
      Magen

  35. Hi Dana,
    This is super cute. I love your blog and read it all the time even though I’m not crafty at all. I was scrolling around trying to think of a gift I could make for my sister-in-law, who is starting chemo soon. Do you think you could adapt the pattern for adult sizes? If you ever do, let me know and I’ll learn how to knit, I promise!

  36. 48) Debby

    Hi,
    I am a beginner and was wondering if the circular needlles are hard to use. Do I just knit regularly or is there an added step?

    Thanks–

  37. 49) Gabi

    Can I just say without being creepy that I love you!!! I struggled for weeks to try and figure out how to knit a baby hat without intense knitting skills and tons of needles. I am going to try this right now. You just made my day.

  38. 50) Brenda

    This is JUST perfect! I’ve knitted multiple hats just like this but without the k2tog. It creates kind of a ruffled/pleated loot at the top of the hat which I think is cute. It’s great for toddlers. But I was trying to figure out how to shape it just a little bit better for a small baby. So simple, I’m embarrassed I didn’t think of that (I’m better with Crocheting that Knitting).
    I’m due with baby #2 in January and I have the PERFECT plush super white yarn. I’m starting this project (literally) RIGHT NOW! πŸ™‚

    Thanks mama!
    ~B

  39. adorable hat loved your sight very nice

  40. 52) Madhu Pandit

    Thank you. Could knit a hat following the given instructions.
    Couldn’t have made one without your help. Thank your ever so much.
    Cheers.

  41. 53) Ramona

    Thanks so much for this tutorial. It was really easy to do and completed one this afternoon. I am really new to knitting and the instructions were very easy to follow.
    Now to make a couple more for expecting friends!

    Thanks again!

  42. 54) Leighann

    Hiya can you use straight needles for this and what is the UK size needles. Many thanks

  43. 55) gayathri

    Hi,
    I am a beginner at knitting.Can you please give me the pattern for straight needles.
    This hat is so so cute I badly want to try making it.I am due in next month.Hence want to knit for my expecting new born baby .

  44. 56) Mariah C.

    Dana! I am a new sewer and have LOVED your videos and tutorials. I am always so excited to make it myself. I was wondering if you could do a baby onsie tutorial??

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