How to Knit a Beanie for a Baby

Nothing is more fun than creating a gift for someone you love, especially if that someone is your own little one. This simple baby beanie is a great project for a beginning knitter who wants something that's difficult to mess up or a more seasoned knitter looking for a fast knit. The result is a basic stockinette stitch, rolled-brim hat that looks great on its own or can be embellished with a pom-pom on top or an applique stitched to the front.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• DK weight yarn (at least 100 yards)
• 16-inch circular needles, U.S. size 7
• Set of four double-pointed needles, U.S. size 7
• Stitch marker
• Ruler
• Scissos
• Yarn needle

1. Determine the size of hat you want to make. These instructions are broken down by age group instead of head size since that's easier to determine. The instructions will be written by size as follows: newborn (0-6 months, 6-12 months, 1-2 years).

2. Cast on 64 (72, 80, 88) stitches onto your circular needles, preferably using the long-tail method.

3. Space the stitches out around the circular needle with the first and last stitches at the points of the needles. Be sure the working yarn is coming from the right needle. Place a stitch marker to show the beginning of the round by slipping the marker onto your right needle before you begin knitting. Be careful not to let your stitches twist on the circular needles before you make the first stitch connecting the ends. You only need to worry about this the first time around since you're connecting the circle together.

4. Join the circle by knitting into the first stitch on the left-hand needle. Continue knitting every stitch to the end of the round.

5. Knit every round until the hat measures 5 1/2 (6, 6 1/2, 7), inches from the cast-on edge. Measure by placing a ruler at the cast-on edge and measuring to the row just below your needle. Let the knitted fabric relax; don't pull or stretch it while measuring the length. When you reach the desired length for the size hat you're making, you are ready for to start decreasing.

6. To create the decreasing section of the hat, knit the following twelve rounds:Round 1: Knit 6, knit 2 together; repeat these 8 stitches to the end of the round.Round 2: Knit 5, knit 2 together; repeat these 7 stitches to the end of the round.Round 3: Knit all stitches.Round 4: Switch to the double-pointed needles while knitting this round in the following manner: Needle 1 - knit 4, knit 2 together until 15 (15, 15, 20) stitches are on this needle; Needle 2 - knit 4, knit 2 together until 15 (15, 15, 20) stitches are on this needle; Needle 3 - knit 4, knit 2 together until 10 (15, 20, 15) stitches are on this needle.(Note: From this point on you will use the free double-pointed needle to knit the stitches on each needle.)Round 5: Knit all stitches.Round 6: Knit 3, knit 2 together; repeat these 5 stitches to the end of the round.Rounds 7 and 8: Knit all stitches.Round 9: Knit 2, knit 2 together; repeat these 4 stitches to the end of the round.Round 10: Knit all stitches.Round 11: Knit 1, knit 2 together; repeat these 3 stitches to the end of the round.Round 12: Knit 2 together; repeat these 2 stitches to the end of the round.

7. Cut the yarn leaving an 8-inch tail and thread this tail onto a yarn needle. Thread each remaining stitch onto the yarn needle and off the knitting needles. Pull the tail through the remaining stitches and pull tightly to completely close the ring.

8. Secure the yarn on the inside of the hat by weaving the end through several stitches. Trim the excess yarn close to the hat. Weave in the end at the brim of the hat along the cast-on edge so it is hidden in the roll.

Tips & Warnings

• This simple pattern is cast on in multiples of 8, so if you want to make a larger size, simply increase the number of stitches by 8 (which will add about 1 1/2 inches to the circumference).
• You can also spice it up by striping with different colors of yarn.