How to Knit a Child's Hat

A child's hat is a quick and satisfying gift that can often be completed in an afternoon. Its diminutive size gives it added value in its cuteness as well as its speediness.

Things You'll Need

• Yarn Circular needles Set of five double-pointed needles Tapestry needle Tailor's measuring tape Scissors

Instructions

1. Measure the child's head with a flexible sewing tape measure, if the child is available. The tape should wrap around the widest part of the crown of the head, including the middle of the ears. If the child isn't available, your hat should measure 12 inches in circumference for an infant, 15 inches for a toddler, and 18 inches for a child. Knit a swatch to determine the number of stitches to the inch your yarn will knit up. Multiply this to get the number of stitches you'll need to create the crown of the hat.

2. Cast on the number of stitches you need on a circular needle and begin knitting the crown. Usually the crown is done in a rib. This can be a 1x1, 2x2 or any other rib choice that you like. You can also do a band of a particular stitch, or you can simply begin with a stockinette stitch. This last option will result in a roll-band for the hat. Make sure the number of stitches you cast on is the right number to create a continuous rib. Place a marker where your row begins so you can keep track of the number of rows you knit. Knit 1 to 2 inches of your crown.

3. Begin the body of your hat. You can use any stitch pattern or combination of patterns. You must make sure you have the right number of stitches to make your pattern continuous as you knit on your circular needle. To add more stitches, increase at a consistent rate in your first row of the hat body to get the number you need. To take away stitches, decrease at a consistent rate. Knit 5 inches of body.

4. Transfer your stitches to four double-pointed needles and begin knitting using the fifth needle. Create the crown of your hat by decreasing at a consistent rate every few rows. The decreases will usually last over a period of about 3 to 5 inches. Different types of decreases will create different crown patterns. A more gradual decrease will make a subtle pattern, whereas a more sudden amount of decreases will be more evident on the crown. Continue your progression of decreases until you have between five to 10 stitches left on your hat.

5. Cut your yarn so that there is a "tail" of about 6 inches. Thread your tapestry needle with this tail and weave the tail through the open stitches on the needles, taking them off the needles as you go. Push the needle through the opening in the top of the hat's crown and pull gently until the hole has closed. Weave in this end and any others you have on your hat. Block and dry.