Looking for the easiest knit hat pattern? This hat is knit flat on two needles, so no circular or double pointed needles required!
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A lot of people are intimidated by knitting in the round. I know I was for a long time! That’s why I created the Easiest Ever Knit Hat pattern – so you can knit with two straight needles and still knit hats!
Design Story and Inspiration for the Easiest Ever Knit Hat Pattern
I have a few knit hat patterns on the blog and I have had several requests for a hat that was knit on two needles.
A popular technique in crochet is to work the hat side to side and then sew the seam closed and cinch the top, so I thought – why not do that with knit??
So I tried it, not knowing until the end if it was going to turn out the way I envisioned – and it did!! Wow, I love this method of making knit flat hats and I’m planning a design with a cabled brim now.
About the Yarn
I chose Lion Brand Yarn’s Color Made Easy because it’s one of my favorite bulky yarns (size 5). It works up quickly, feels great, is easy to care for, and comes in an amazing array of colors.
Since I was totally feeling fall (and finished this up on my vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains!), I chose this Mineral Yellow that really said “autumn” to me.
If you would like to substitute, any size 5 yarn that gets gauge should work.
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Knit Hat Pattern Details
This hat can easily be adjusted because of the nature of how it is made. You can also choose to wear it with the brim down or turned up.
The brim is 7 sts and could be kept the same for any size. The body of the hat is simple Stockinette and you can adjust the height with this part of the hat.
The number of stitches you cast on is the height of the hat. I wanted my hat to be around 8-8.5″ tall after I cinched it closed, so I worked the number of stitches needed (use the gauge information to calculate stitches per inch and then multiply by desired hat height).
Then I worked in my stitch pattern (Stockinette for the body, Seed Stitch for the brim) until it was the desired circumference. An average adult hat is 20″ so I kept knitting until my piece was 20″ long from the beginnning.
Easy peasy!
So, if you wanted a hat that was 5″ tall and 15″ around you would figure out how many stitches you would need to make 5″ and cast on that number, then work in stitch pattern until piece was 15″ from beginning.
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Easiest Ever Knit Hat
What You’ll Need
Yarn: Lion Brand Color Made Easy, 1 skein Mineral Yellow
Needles: US Size 10.5 (6.50mm)
Notions: Yarn needle, scissors
Gauge: 15 sts and 20 rows = 4″ in Stockinette stitch
Finished Size: Approximately 8.5″ tall and 20″ circumference to fit the average adult head
Stitch Abbreviations
Knit (k)
Purl (p)
Knit Hat Pattern
Cast on 33 sts, leaving a long tail for seaming.
Row 1: (K1, p1) 3 times, k to end.
Row 2: P 26, (k1, p1) 3 times, k1.
Repeat rows 1-2 until 20″ or desired circumference. I worked 99 rows and bound off on row 100.
Bind off, leaving a long tail for seaming.
Knit Hat Pattern Finishing
Thread yarn needle with the long tail left from the bind off and use the mattress stitch to seam short edges together, forming a tube.
Thread yarn needle with long tail left at beginning and run yarn through rows on top of hat, pull tightly to close. This will not close the hat completely, so you will need to use the tail end to help sew the top shut.
Add a pom pom if desired at this top point.
Weave in ends.
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That’s it!! I’m telling you, it’s the Easiest Ever Knit Hat Pattern! Absolutely NO decreasing and NO double pointed needles!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this free knitting pattern. Be sure to check out the rest of my free knitting patterns here.
Happy Knitting!
Amanda
Hi Amanda,
Just a quick question I believe this hat is knit on straight needles and then we need to sew it.
Thanks
Vasanti
Yes, that is right. No circular knitting required 🙂
Hi if you wanted to make hat with 4 ply yarn how do you change pattern
Hi! This can definitely be done. First, create a gauge swatch and figure out how many stitches per inch you are getting. Then, multiply this number by how tall you want your hat to be (mine was 8″) and keep knitting until it’s the right size to go around the head (mine is 20″).
How many stitches and rows for the brim of the hat. Did you use long knitted needles or short needles. And did you use 10.5 knitting through out the pattern.
The brim of the hat is written into the pattern. It is the seed stitch edging. I used long needles, but short needles would have worked and since the brim is knit at the same time I only used one set of needles as written in the pattern.
what is the pattern for the brim of the hat
The brim is written in to the pattern and you knit it as you go.
do you just start with row one of the pattern for the brim of the hat and just continue rows one and two for the whole hat.
No, the brim is on the side. You are knitting it sideways and then seaming it up, so the stitches that are in seed stitch are the brim of the hat.
Hi Amanda,
I am knitting a hat for the first time and i need some help.
Row 1: (K1, p1) 3 times, k to end.
Row 2: P 26, (k1, p1) 3 times, k1.
What does it mean?
You work the instructions in parentheses (k1, p1) three times, so k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1 – then just work all knit stitches until the end of the row. On the next row, it’s a wrong side row so you purl 26 stitches, then work the instructions in parenthesis (k1, p1) three times as before, then knit the last stitch.
Hi Amanda,
Let say cast on 33 sts. I see NO brim pattern in this pattern? Love the look and wondering where to find? Secondly 33 sts is not a true sts to k, since will be a child’s size fit. This is round head, circumstance. Unless I have mis- judged this pattern # of sts should be doubled at CO?
Thanks, look forward to beginning ur pattern, (USA, Pennsylvania, Friday, tomarrow)
This hat is knit flat and seamed. The 8 sts on the end where you knit and purl are the brim. The number of stitches on the needles is the height of the hat, and then you knit to the desired circumference. This is NOT a typical knit in the round hat pattern. Trust the pattern, it’s been made a lot of times with success. 🙂
How long is the brim of the hat supposed to be.
The brim of the hat is the seed stitch portion of the pattern, so its the first or last stitches of the row when you are working in a k1, p1 pattern. It’s around 1.5-2″
My yarn I am going to use it acrylic and wool mix. Will that work and did you use one skien or two skiens together. .
This is my first time doing this and I’m not quite understanding how to close the had. When you say run the yarn through the rows, can you explain?
Hi Jen! Just take a yarn needle threaded with the same yarn and work it in and out of the sides of the rows. This will allow you to pull the top closed and then use the rest of that long strand of yarn to sew up the seam in the back. 🙂
Hi Amanda!
Wonderful pattern. Thanks for sharing!
So glad you like it! I love mine 😀
Loved this hat pattern! Mine came out super cute. Will be using this one again, thanks!
Awesome! So glad you liked this pattern – it’s such a quick knit. I love mine, too!
Amanda I love this pattern EASIEST EVER KNIT HAT and I would love to make this for preemie to new born babies, as I knit a lots of this size hats for 3 charties, do you have a patern similar that I could use? Thanks
I don’t have a similar pattern, but you’ve given me the inspiration to make one! That would be amazing to have a knit flat hat that could be made for charity. I’ll be working on that soon. 🙂
Hi Amanda
Love your pattern so easy, I’d love to knit this pattern for a child. How would you adjust the pattern for a child
Many thanks Amanda
Hi Amanda! You would have to adjust how many stitches you cast on so that it wasn’t so tall, and then just knit to the desired circumference depending on what size child you are making it for.
Thanks so much for making an easy hat pattern! I’ve just started, but I’m a really new knitter and am really unsure about closing the top of the hat in a clean and attractive way (I don’t like pom poms). Would it be possible to add pictures of how you did that, or do you have pictures of that posted somewhere already?
Hi! I don’t have a tutorial for this, but my friend Tonya has an excellent one here that can help: https://nanascraftyhome.com/how-to-sew-the-top-of-a-crochet-or-knit-hat-closed/
Hi Amanda,
I’m in the process of knitting this hat. So far I’m not seeing the pattern.
Your instructions are straightforward but I feel like I’m missing something.
I wish I could attach a picture of what I’ve got going.
I’m going to stick with it and hope for the best.
Thank you,
Dawn
Hi Amanda,
It’s Dawn, again. I just figured out what I was doing wrong.
On the purl side I did not pay attention to the instructions to purl 26, then K1,P1 3 times ending with knit one.
I purled down to the last 6 stitches.
By not starting on the 26th stitch, I wasn’t getting the seed brim.
I’m getting ready to start over.
I swear sometimes it takes this 67 year old brain awhile to catch on🤪
Hi Dawn! Glad you figured it out. Sometimes it takes a while for me to get back to the comments on here. 😀