Wrapped Stitches Baby Hat for Straight Needles
This is a simple baby hat in several sizes. The wrapped stitches look more complicated than they are. I have included a photo tutorial on the technique.
This is the straight needle version of the pattern. For the in-the-round version, go here.
There is also a pattern available for a coordinating baby blanket.
Sizes:
Small preemie – 8″ circumference, 4″ high
Preemie – 10″ circumference, 5.5″ high
Newborn – 12″ circumference, 6″ high
6 month – 14″ circumference, 7″ high
12 month – 16″ circumference, 7.5″ high
Toddler – 18″ circumference, 8″ high
Gauge:
22 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in stockinette
Materials:
0.5 to 1 oz (40 to 80 yards) of DK weight baby yarn
Size 6 (4 mm) needles
Yarn needle
Abbreviations:
k = knit
p = purl
k2tog = knit two together
ssk = slip one knitwise, slip one knitwise, insert left needle into front of both slipped stitches and knit.
w2s = wrap two stitches – with yarn in back, slip two stitches to right needle purlwise. Bring yarn to front and slip the same two stitches back to left needle purlwise. Bring yarn to back and slip same two stitches back to right needle purlwise. Bring yarn to front and slip same two stitches back to left needle purlwise. Bring yarn to back and knit each of the two stitches.
Pattern:
Small preemie – Cast on 49
Preemie – Cast on 61
Newborn – Cast on 73
6 month – Cast on 85
12 month – Cast on 97
Toddler – Cast on 109
Repeat instructions between * across the row.
Ribbing (6 rows for preemie size, 8 rows for other sizes):
Row 1: * k2, p2 * k1
Row 2: p1 * k2, p2 *
Repeat these two rows until you have the size ribbing you want.
Body:
Row 1: k
Row 2: p
Row 3: k1 * w2s, k4 *
Row 4: p
Row 5: k
Row 6: p
Row 7: * k4, w2s * k1
Row 8: p
Repeat these eight rows (end with an even row) until the hat measures the desired height for size including the ribbing:
Small preemie – 3″ high
Preemie – 4.25″ high
Newborn – 4.75″ high
6 month – 5.75″ high
12 month – 6.25″ high
Toddler – 6.75″ high
Crown:
Repeat instructions between * across the row.
Row 1: * k4, k2tog, ssk, k4 * k1
Row 2: p
Row 3: * k3, k2tog, ssk, k3 * k1
Row 4: p
Row 5: * k2, k2tog, ssk, k2 * k1
Row 6: p
Row 7: * k1, k2tog, ssk, k1 * k1
Row 8: p
Row 9: * k2tog, ssk * k1
Cut the yarn with several inches to work with. With a yarn needle, pull the yarn through all the remaining loops, secure, stitch side and weave in end.
Edits:
2/17/14 – changed even rows to purls in crown.
Just finished the Wrapped Stitches Baby Hat for straight needles. Thank you for sharing this lovely, easy, pattern.
I am wondering if there maybe an error in the instructions. The decrease seems to be written as for circular needles. Should there be some purl rows in there?
Josephine
Thank you for letting me know. You are correct and I’ve changed it now. I had neglected to change the even rows in the crown when I converted the pattern.
i was about to knit this hat, but am a bit confused with the needle size you gave. Is 4mm a size 8, NOT a 6
thanks
lynne
4mm is a size 6. I say size 6 (4mm).
4mm knitting needles are equivalent to Old UK Size 8, but US Size 6.
The nice babycap is so sweet and easy to make! Thanks. PAX Gerd
Love your simple patterns for newborn baby hats. Want to knit a simple hat but your wool patterns are DK and I need a 4ply pattern as have wool already. Can you tell me how to adjust your pattern to the right tension. Many thanks, Janice.
My straight needle versions are all multiples of 12 plus 1 stitch. The DK yarn makes 22 stitches per 4 inches on size 6 (4mm) needles. For a four ply you would have around a gauge of 30 stitches per 4 inches on size 2 (2.75mm) needles. At this gauge, cast on for these finished circumferences –
10″ = 73
11.3″ = 85
13″ = 97
14.4″ = 109
Thank you for this pattern I finally got to grips with the wrapped stitch and have knitted two hats one of my favourite patters now 🙂
I think I may have gone wrong on the first decrease round? How many stitches should I have after row 1 of decrease round for newborn size?
x
The newborn size has 6 sets of decreases, so decreases 12 stitches each decrease round. After the first set of decreases you should have 61 stitches.
I didn’t do it wrong! Yay! Ha. Came out lovely, thank you for the pattern. Been looking for a baby hat that’s worked flat! Lovely patterns, I shall be doing more! X
Thank you Mama for all your wonderful patterns,I was wondering if you happen to have a pattern for a baby hat with little knots or bobbles I can’t seem to find one on sites
Thanks Karen 🙂
I found these:
http://makezine.com/craft/bobbletexture_baby_hat/
http://cherylsknitting.blogspot.com/2010/10/bobble-hat-pattern.html
Thank you so much Mama will try these patterns out 🙂
Thanks for a great pattern 3 sizes off the needles this month
Cutest little hat ever! Thank you for this adorable pattern 🙂 lots of little ones in my life that will be getting these 🙂
Just made this adorable hat, in blue, for my nephew-to-be!!!! Super happy with the outcome. Thank you so much for this lovely pattern! Definitely love the w2s in this design!
Would this and your other patterns work out well in worsted weight yarn? I don’t have DK weigh yarn. I’m looking for preemie or newborn hats to knit for a charity. I have size 6 straight needles. 🙂
Do you usually use size 6 with worsted? If I try to use size 6 with worsted it comes out too tight. I usually use at least a 7 but usually 8.
Worsted on size 8 needles would make these circumference hats with these cast on amounts:
49 – 11.25″
61 – 14.25″
73 – 17″
85 – 20″
Hi, when I am completing the main body of the hat row 7 the whole row ends with w2s but then there is nothing left on the left needle when you slip over to the right at the beginning of this step which makes it hard to follow the steps for w2s. I tried my best slipping it back and forth between the needles and then it ends up with a step in the end of the knitting.
Have I done something wrong with this? Many thanks
There should be a knit after that last w2s. How many stitches did you begin with?
Hey! I’ve been looking for a good pattern that can be done on two straight needles. I want to use 6mm needles, so I’m going to decrease the number of CO stitches and try to figure out how to do the decrease!!!
I just made this hat for my 18 month old grandson and it came out great!
A very easy pattern to follow that can be done in a few hours! Thank you so much!!!!!
I am confused about the ssk direction. The directions state “slip one knitwise, slip one knitwise, insert left needle into front of both slipped stitches and knit. How does one knit when the left needle appears to be in the way?
Thanks for any help you may have for me.
To make a normal knit stitch, while the stitch is on the left needle, you insert the right needle behind the left one. If you look at the needles before you knit the stitch, the left needle crosses over the top of the right one. For the ssk, you move unknit stitches knitwise to the right needle. Passing them knitwise changes the direction of the loops to create the effect wanted. Now when you insert the left needle through the front of the stitches, the right needle is in the back just like in a regular knit stitch. The same thing could be achieved by passing the two stitches knitwise to rotate the loops, passing them both back to the left needle purlwise which does not rotate the loops and then doing a regular k2tog. But if you look at the needle position during the k2tog, it’s exactly the same as the position for the ssk, so these extra steps aren’t necessary. I hope that explanation makes sense.
Hi I would like to knit the hat in adult size with 4mm needles. How much stitches do you think I should cast on?
121 for a S/M adult size or 133 for a L adult size.
Great pattern. I would like to make this hat as a gift for a baby due to be born in May and would like the child to be able to wear the hat during Fall and Winter of 2017 when he/she would be 5-12 months old. Should I knit it in a 6 month size or 12 month size? Thanks very much for your help.
The 6 month size is stretchy and will last a bit for size. The 12-month size would probably be too big for most of that period of time.
Loved this pattern! One question: the cast on stitches for straight needles for 12 month old is 84, but is 96 in circular? I did 96 and the hat came out as if it would fit a 2 year old. I used worsted and a smaller needed (US 5).
The straight needle and circular cast-ons per size only different by an additional stitch for the straight needle version to allow for a seam. Even using smaller needles with worsted won’t fully compensate for the larger size. I’d recommend also casting on for one size smaller.
is there a baby cardigan pattern the same as this?
I didn’t create a cardigan pattern for it. If you have a pattern for a plain baby cardigan that you like you could add wrapped stitches to it to make it coordinate.