How to Knit a Slouch Hat Beanie

Dig through your knitting basket and knit up a slouch hat beanie today.

Slouchy hats are the epitome of casual style. Worn by celebrities and average joes alike, these hats make an ideal accessory for those days when you don't have time to style your hair. Knit one up with a skein of any yarn and a set of double pointed needles (DPNs). It's a simple matter of increasing the hat before you decrease it later.

Things You'll Need

• Yarn
• Knitting needles
• Scissors
• Large eye blunt needle

Instructions

1. Cast on your hat using double pointed needles (DPNs) the way you normally would. Use worsted weight yarn, size US-8 needles, and cast on approximately 60 stitches. Divide your stitches evenly between the three DPNs and knit a two-by-two ribbing (knit two, purl two, repeat) around every round for 2 inches. This will be the brim of your hat, and it should fit snugly around your head; if not, start over with more or fewer cast-on stitches.

2. Knit every stitch in the next round, then begin to increase your stitches. For the first increase round, knit nine stitches, then knit in the front and back of the next stitch to make an increase; repeat this pattern around. Continue to alternate knitting a regular round and knitting an increase round for a total of three more increase rounds; each time you make an increase round you will add one more stitch before the increase in your pattern. So, for the second increase round, for instance, you will knit ten stitches, and then make an increase.

3. Knit evenly around for the next 20 rounds; this means you will just knit every stitch around for every round.

4. Decrease for the top of your hat. Work a decrease the same way you worked your increases, except instead of knitting in the front and back, you will knit two together. Work backwards from the way you increased, and continue to decrease your stitches every other round, with even rounds in between. Decrease until you have fewer than ten stitches left on your needles.

5. Cut your working yarn to make a 15-inch tail. Thread this tail onto a large eye blunt needle, and then loop it inside of the stitches you have left. Slide the stitches off the knitting needles and pull the yarn tightly like a drawstring. Pull the working yarn into the inside of the hat, weave in your ends, and tie a knot.

References

• Knitting Pattern Central: Hats