The second week of our Holiday Maker’s Challenge is kicking off and today I’m sharing a free knitting pattern for an easy beanie made with bulky yarn – and it’s knit on straight needles so it’s beginner friendly!

Design Story and Inspiration for this Knit Beanie Pattern

I remember when I started out knitting I could not figure out how to work in the round for the life of me. (Don’t worry, I finally got it! lol)

I tried finding good patterns that were knit on straight needles but it wasn’t always easy to find, so for the Holiday Maker’s Challenge I like to design knit hats that are knit on straight needles. Last year it was the Easiest Ever Knit Hat, which is truly a wonderful beginner pattern as there is no shaping involved, just knits and purls.

This year I’ve designed a hat with bulky/chunky weight yarn (category 5) that knits up quickly and makes a great gift!

Yarn Options for this Bulky Knit Beanie

I chose a wonderful hand dyed skein of Miss Bab’s K2 that I picked up at my local yarn store, but you can use any weight #5 (bulky or chunky) yarn that gets gauge.

If you don’t have any bulky yarn on hand and want to use up your stash, try holding 2 strands of worsted weight yarn together to see if you can get the recommended gauge. I’ve done that several times and it’s a great way to use up your stash yarn! (As a bonus you get a really cool look with two different colors held together).

This yarn is a merino wool because I’m partial to wool hats, but any fiber will work, except I don’t recommend a 100% cotton yarn because I’ve made a couple of hats out of cotton and found they weren’t warm enough for a winter hat. Stick with animal fibers, acrylic, polyester or blends.

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Bulky Knit Hat Pattern Details

As I mentioned, this hat is knit flat on straight needles.

It is worked in a multiple of 6 with 2 selvedge stitches, one on each side. These two stitches are always worked in Stockinette stitch to allow you to easily seam using the mattress stitch. It really makes for a neat seam!

The brim is a k2p2 rib that keeps these 2 selvedge stitches even and results in a nice k2 where the seam meets.

How to Customize This Knit Hat Pattern

Since this hat is worked in a multiple of 6 sts it’s easy to make it larger or smaller. The pattern as written give you a head circumference of 19.5″, which stretches to fit most adult heads.

If you’d like to make it larger, cast on an extra 6 or 12 sts, keeping in mind that for every pattern repeat you are adding 1.5″. So if you increase the stitch count by 6, the circumference will be 21″, and if you add 12, the circumference will be 22.5″. This can help if you want to make a larger head size.

If you’d like to make it smaller, subtract in multiples of 6 to decrease the circumfrence. Again, for every 6 sts subtracted take away 1.5″ from the finished circumference.

Keep in mind this may affect your k2p2 rib, so you might have to change the stitch count of that to be a multiple of 4 + 2 and then add a stitch or two to get your total number.

Then, follow the pattern as written for the beanie.

If you’re new and this is confusing just follow the pattern as written and you’ll be fine. 😀

Want to Download This Pattern Free? Join the Challenge!

Easy Bulky Knit Winter Beanie

What You’ll Need

Yarn: Miss Bab’s K2 in Teal, 1 8-oz skein (Bulky #5)

Needles: US Size 8 (5.00mm) and 10 (6.00mm) straight needles

Notions: Yarn needle, scissors

Gauge: 16 sts and 24 rows = 4” (10cm) in stitch pattern on larger needles

Finished Size: 19.5” circumference, stretches to fit adult head

Abbreviations
Stitch (st)
Knit (k)
Purl (p)
Knit 2 Together (k2tog)

Notes

Pattern is knit flat and seamed.  A selvedge stitch is worked in Stockinette st on each side, which will be used for seaming with the mattress stitch.

Knit Beanie Pattern

With smaller needles, cast on 80 sts.

Ribbing

Row 1 (WS): *P2, k2; repeat from * to last 2 sts, p2.

Row 2: *K2, p2; repeat from * to last 2 sts, k2.

Rows 3-8: Repeat rows 1-2.

Change to larger needles.

Body

Row 1 (WS): P1, *p1, k2; repeat from * to last st, p1.

Row 2: K1, *p2, k1; repeat from * to last st, k1.

Row 3: P1, *p1, k1; repeat from * to last st, p1.

Row 4: K1, *p1, k1; repeat from * to last st, k1.

Rows 5-28: Repeat rows 1-4.

Crown Shaping

Row 1 (WS): P1, *p1, k2, p1, k2tog; repeat from * to last st, p1 – 67 sts.

Row 2: K1, *p1, k1, p2, k1; repeat from * to last st, k1.

Row 3: P1, *p1, k1, p1, k2tog; repeat from * to last st, p1 – 54 sts.

Row 4: K1, *p1, k1; repeat from * to last st, k1.

Row 5: P1, *p1, k2tog, k1; repeat to last st, p1 – 41 sts.

Row 6: K1, *p2, k1; repeat from * to last st, k1.

Row 7: P1, *p1, p2tog; repeat from * to last st, p1 – 28 sts.

Row 8: Knit all sts.

Row 9: P1, *p2tog; repeat from * to last st, p1 – 15 sts.

Row 10: Knit all sts.

Row 11: P1 *p2tog; repeat from * to last 2 sts, p2 – 9 sts.

Finishing

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail.  Use tail end to gather remaining 9 sts and pull tightly to close.  

Sew back seam using the mattress stitch, hiding the selvedge stitches.

Weave in ends.  Block if desired.

More Free Knit Beanie Patterns

Final Thoughts on the Easy Bulky Knit Beanie

I hope you enjoy this free knitting pattern as much as I enjoyed designing it!

This pattern is easy enough for an advanced beginner who knows how to knit, purl and knit 2 together (k2tog) but nice enough to give as a gift, which is the whole goal of the challenge.

I invite you to join the Holiday Maker’s Challenge today – it’s open until Christmas Day!

Happy Knitting!
Amanda