How to Knit a Pillow Hat

A knitted hat

Knitted hats come in many styles and can be worked up in an endless variety of stitches. Knitting a simple hat builds skills from knitting scarves and the pillow hat is as easy as hat knitting gets. To knit a pillow hat you only need to know how to knit and how to purl, there is no decreasing. Pillow hats knit up quickly and you can adorn them any way you choose.

Things You'll Need

• Size eight straight needles
• Size eight 16-inch circular needles
• 200 yards worsted-weight yarn or 100 yards bulky-weight yarn
• Tapestry needle
• Stitch marker

Instructions

Straight needles

1. Cast on 80 stitches. Leave a 12-inch tail of yarn. Use one strand of bulky yarn or two strands of worsted yarn.

2. Knit in garter stitch, (knitting each row), until the hat measures 8 inches from the cast on edge.

3. Cast off all stitches.

4. Thread a tapestry needle with the yarn tail and sew the two sides of the hat's top together. Tie off the yarn. This is the wrong side of the hat.

5. Sew the side of the hat together, also on the wrong side.

6. Turn the hat so that it is right side out and the seams don't show.

Circular needles

1. Cast on 80 stitches and join. Check to be sure the yarn is not twisted and use a marker to indicate the beginning of the round.

2. Knit in garter stitch, (knit one row, purl one row), until the hat measures 8 inches from the cast on edge. End with a knit row.

3. Cast off all stitches. Use yarn and a tapestry needle to sew top together.

4. Turn hat right side out so that the top seam doesn't show.

Tips & Warnings

• If you knit the hat on circular needles, knitting every row in a stockinette stitch will form a rolled brim.

• Give a plain hat personality by decorating with buttons, ribbon, appliques or pompoms. Anything goes.

• Create stripes by using different yarn colors. This is a great way to use up some of your left over yarn.

• Consider donating your knitted hat to a foundation that distributes hats to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

References

• Knitting Pattern Central: Hats
• Knitting on the Net: Free Knitting Patterns for Hats

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• The Top Hat Foundation: Volunteer