How to Knit a Hat From the Top Down
A warm hat makes a quick, simple and useful knitting project or last-minute homemade gift. This hat is knit in-the-round from the top down. The type and weight of yarn you use and the needle size are unimportant because you assess the fit of the hat as you work. This means the same method can be used to knit a tiny baby's hat from fine yarn, a thick adult's hat with bulky yarn and anything in between. Instructions are for a stockinette stitch hat with a ribbed band at the bottom using worsted-weight yarn, but the basic method can easily be adapted to customize the look with other yarns, stitch patterns or color patterns.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- 1 to 2 balls yarn (worsted weight)
- Set of five double-pointed needles (size 8, 9 or 10)
- 16-inch circular needle (size 8, 9 or 10) (optional)
- Stitch marker
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
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1
Cast on eight stitches using two of the double-pointed needles. Divide the stitches over four double-pointed needles so that there are two stitches on each needle. Place a stitch marker at the beginning of the round.
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2
Knit the first stitch on the first needle, pulling the yarn tails tightly to close the gap that will be at the top of the crown on the hat. Now make one stitch (M1). To do this: loop the yarn under and over your right-hand needle; hold the loop between your thumb and forefinger and slip it off the needle; twist the loop 180-degrees counterclockwise and put it back onto the right-hand needle. It should resemble a stitch.
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3
Knit one then make one (K1, M1) for the rest of the first round. You should now have 16 stitches in total with four on each needle. Knit every stitch for the next round.
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4
Continue to knit alternate increase rounds and knit rounds in the following manner: for the next round (an increase round), knit two, then make one (K2, M1) and repeat for the whole round. For each subsequent increase round, increase the number of knit stitches by one i.e., K3, M1, then knit a round; K4, M1, then knit a round; K5, M1, knit a round.
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5
Stop knitting increase rows when the circle fits the widest part of the crown of the intended wearer's head. If you are using thick yarn and big needles to knit a baby's hat you may only need to knit four or five increase rows; with finer yarn and smaller needles or for a larger hat you will need to knit considerably more increase rows.
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6
Slip all the stitches from the double-pointed needles onto the circular needle if you are using one. Knit every stitch for every round until the sides of the hat are about two inches shorter that the finished hat should be. To try the hat on, temporarily slip all the stitches from the needles onto a length of scrap yarn
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7
For the ribbing band at the bottom of the hat, knit two then purl two (K2, P2) for all the rounds. Stop when the ribbing band is about two inches deep, or whenever you feel the hat is done. Bind off and weave in the yarn ends.
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1
Tips & Warnings
For a quirky touch, add a pom-pom or a tassel to the top of the hat.
For a version of the hat that can be knit up in an afternoon, use three or four strands of yarn together. This makes a thick, dense hat that is very warm and knits up very quickly, ideal for a last-minute gift.
If the person you are knitting the hat for is not available to try it on as you work, visit the website of the Craft Yarn Council of America for their standard sizing guidelines.
