Are you a new knitter looking for information on how to knit a baby hat with straight needles? Here’s a beginner tutorial that shows you how to do it step-by-step.
I was recently asked to help a friend who has some knitting skills, and used to knit, but had not done any for a long time. She had lost her confidence in knitting. 🙁
She has a granddaughter who is expecting her first baby and naturally wants to make something for her baby. Like so many people she has suffered from anxiety and fear during the pandemic so I was very keen to get her back into knitting which has therapeutic benefits.
She wanted to make a baby beanie but so many of the patterns she found involved using circular knitting needles. She did not want to have to cope with too many new skills at once so I found her a simple pattern that used only the basic knitting skills to get her back into the hobby again.
Contents
Overview of the Baby Hat Pattern
This design by Paintbox Yarns is beginner-friendly, and knitted flat on single-pointed straight needles – so no worries about knitting in the round.
A seam is made to join the side edges to form the beanie. After casting on, an amount of 2 by 2 rib is done and a section of straight stocking stitch before doing some decreases to shape the crown part of the beanie. If you use the recommended yarn it will automatically – like magic – make stripes with no extra effort on your part.
Download the Free Pattern
To get the pattern at no cost you can either click the image above or HERE to be taken to the website where you can download the instructions. As well as downloading them to your computer or phone, the website has a useful library, where you can save all your patterns so you can quickly and easily find them later.
Supplies Needed?
Yarn?
You will need some baby double-knitting yarn. The recommended yarn is the Paintbox Yarns Baby DK Prints range – as I mentioned previously the benefit of using this yarn is that you get the automatic striping effect.
Knitting Needle Sizes?
You need to have a pair of 3.25mm (US 3) and 4mm (US 6) single-point straight knitting needles. You need the smaller 3.25mm needles to do the 2 by 2 ribbing. This will be slightly tighter meaning that it will fit closely to the baby’s head. After the ribbing is done you then change to the bigger 4mm needles for the rest of the hat.
Other Supplies Needed?
A big-eyed sewing needle with a blunt end will be needed to sew up the back seam more easily.
Watch the Video
The instructions on the pattern are very clear, but if you like to be shown what to do, watch this accompanying video tutorial that takes you through each step. Don’t be alarmed when you see circular needles being used – if you listen carefully she tells you that she is knitting it flat – with a seam. She is using the circulars as you would normal straight needles.
Make a slip knot and cast on the required number of stitches that you need for the baby size that you want to make. There are 5 sizes to choose from newborn up to the age of 2 years.
Now work a 2 by 2 rib section. This is done by knitting 2 stitches and then purling 2 stitches, and repeating this sequence to the end of the row for the required number of rows. On the last row of the ribbing, you need to knit the last 2 stitches together – ie a decrease.
Now, you change the needles to 4mm and work the set number of rows in stocking (stockinette) stitch – ie knitting the right side and purling the wrong side.
Shape the top of the hat by performing some decreases (knitting 2 together) as determined by the pattern.
Finally, pull the yarn through the remaining stitches tightly to close it off. Secure it well so it does not unravel and cut the yarn. Weave in this leftover yarn and the bit left from the cast-on. Use a new length of yarn to sew up the seam using mattress stitch to complete your project. Mattress stitch results in an almost invisible and really neat seam.
Finishing off the project
You can add a pom pom if desired. Using a fork ( as shown in the video below) or investing in a pom pom maker are 2 ways of doing this.
So there you have it, an easy way for beginners to knit a baby hat very easily on straight knitting needles using only the knit and purl stitches. My friend was able to follow the pattern easily and went on to make many versions in different sizes. Now it’s your turn.
