Baby Stan’s Mama is a very capable knitter, but toward the end of her pregnancy developed carpal tunnel in both wrists and had to temporarily park her needles before she could gets some hats made. I made several hats in newborn size and posted patterns.

This is my basic baby hat made with Bernat Softee Baby His Jeans Ombre.

These are from my cabled baby hats pattern and made with Bernat Softee Baby Mint and White.

These are from my textured baby hats pattern and made with Bernat Softee Baby Pale Blue and Lion Brand Babysoft Blue Bell and Spring Green.

While I was designing the hats, the first cabled hat I made came out to a preemie size. I was planning on donating that one, but when Stan came a month early, he needed it.

I then made Stan a couple more preemie sized hats.

Baby Stan has a jungle/monkey theme in his room, so I decided this blanket pattern would look have a bit of a jungle look with these colors:

This is Red Heart Designer Sport yarn which I had never used before, but I love how soft it is, how it handled to sew and the colors are magnificent. This is Latte, Pistachio and Dutch Blue. The pattern is Downey Soft Zig-Zags by Carole Prior. It’s published in Leisure Arts #2853, Our Best Baby Afghans.

Although the blanket is crochet, I knitted a coordinating hat.

The pattern for the hat is one of my own.

This blanket pattern is special to me, because I made my own dear son a blanket using it. I knitted him a ribbed coordinating hat. This was his outdoor wear for his first winter.

These three hats all begin with the same ribbing and can be completed with the Little Check pattern (darker blue), King Charles Brocade (light blue) or the English Diamond Block pattern (green). Instructions are given for preemie and newborn sizes.

There are patterns available for coordinating blankets for the King Charles Brocade and the Little Check.

There is a straight needle version of these patterns here.

Sizes:
Preemie – 10″ circumference
Newborn – 12″ circumference

Gauge:
22 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in stockinette

Materials:
0.5 to 0.6 oz (40 to 50 yards) of DK weight baby yarn
Size 6 (4 mm) 40″ circular needle (for magic loop) or set of size 6 (4 mm) double pointed needles
Yarn needle

Abbreviations:
k = knit
p = purl
k2tog = knit two together
k3tog = knit three together
p3tog = purl three together
ssk = slip one knitwise, slip one knitwise, insert left needle into front of both slipped stitches and knit.
s2kp2sso = slip2 (together, knitwise), k1, pass 2 slipped stitches over

Cast on and Ribbing (same for all three hats):
Cast on 60 for preemie size or 72 for newborn. Join to knit in the round. Divide stitches between double pointed needles or needles for a magic loop. Divide with multiples of 12 on each needle.

Repeat round instructions across the entire round.

Ribbing (6 rounds for preemie size, 8 rounds for newborn size: k3, p3

Body and Crown:
Little Checks

Rnd 1: k
Rnd 2: p
Rnd 3: k
Rnd 4: p3, k3
Rnd 5: k
Rnd 6: p3, k3
Rnd 7: k
Rnd 8: p
Rnd 9: k
Rnd 10: p
Rnd 11: k
Rnd 12: k3, p3
Rnd 13: k
Rnd 14: k3, p3
Rnd 15: k
Rnd 16: p
Rnds 17-30: repeat rnds 1-14
Rnd 31: s2kp2sso, k9
Rnd 32: p
Rnd 33: k4, s2kp2sso, k3
Rnd 34: p
Rnd 35: k1, s2kp2sso, k4
Rnd 36: p1, k1, p1, k3
Rnd 37: k3, s2kp2sso
Rnd 38: p1, k1
Rnd 39: s2kp2sso, k1
Cut the yarn with several inches to work with. With a yarn needle, pull the yarn through all the remaining loops, secure and weave in end.

King Charles Brocade

Rnd 1: k9, p1, k1, p1
Rnd 2: p1, k7, p1, k1, p1, k1
Rnd 3: k1, p1, k5, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1
Rnd 4: p1, k1, p1, k3, p1, k1, p1, k3
Rnd 5: k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k4
Rnd 6: k2, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k5
Rnd 7: k3, p1, k1, p1, k6
Rnd 8: as rnd 6
Rnd 9: as rnd 5
Rnd 10: as rnd 4
Rnd 11: as rnd 3
Rnd 12: as rnd 2
Rnds 13-24: repeat rnds 1-12
Rnds 25-30: repeat rnds 1-6
Rnd 31: k2, p2tog, k1, p2tog, k5
Rnd 32: k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k4
Rnd 33: k1, p2tog, k1, p2tog, k4
Rnd 34: p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k3
Rnd 35: p2tog, k1, p2tog, k3
Rnd 36: k1, p1, k4
Rnd 37: p1, k1, p1, k3tog
Rnd 38: k1, p1
Rnd 39: p3tog, k1
Cut the yarn with several inches to work with. With a yarn needle, pull the yarn through all the remaining loops, secure and weave in end.

English Diamond Block Pattern

Rnd 1: k4, p1, k4, p3
Rnd 2: k3, p3, k3, p3
Rnd 3: k2, p5, k5
Rnd 4: k1, p7, k4
Rnd 5: p9, k3
Rnd 6: as rnd 4
Rnd 7: as rnd 3
Rnd 8: as rnd 2
Rnds 9-24: repeat rnds 1-8 twice
Rnds 25-30: repeat rnds 1-6
Rnd 31: k2, p5, k2, k3tog
Rnd 32: k3, p3, k3, p1
Rnd 33: k3, p3tog, k3, p1
Rnd 34: k2, p3, k2, p1
Rnd 35: k2, p3tog, k3
Rnd 36: k1, p3, k2
Rnd 37: p1, p3tog, p1, k1
Rnd 38: k1, p1, k2
Rnd 39: k3tog, k1
Cut the yarn with several inches to work with. With a yarn needle, pull the yarn through all the remaining loops, secure and weave in end.

Edits:
6/30/2014 – added link to straight needle version.
12/17/2015 – replaced a broken link for Magic Loop method.

Both of these hats begin with the same ribbing. Hat I is a more simple pattern since the cabling is contained in the repeat area. I would recommend having experience with both knitting in the round and with cabling before attempting Hat II. Because the cabling is across the entire hat, on some rows stitches will need to be shifted between needles to accommodate cable stitches.

Sizes:
Preemie – 10″ circumference
Newborn – 12″ circumference

Gauge:
22 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in stockinette

Materials:
0.5 to 0.6 oz (40 to 50 yards) of DK weight baby yarn
Size 6 (4 mm) 40″ circular needle (for magic loop) or set of size 6 (4 mm) double pointed needles
Cable needle
Yarn needle

Abbreviations:
k = knit
p = purl
t3f = twist 3 front – Slip the next 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front of work. Purl the next stitch from the left-hand needle, knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle.
t3b = twist 3 back – Slip the next stitch onto cable needle and hold behind work. Knit the next 2 stitchs from left-hand needle, purl the stitch from the cable needle.
c4f = cable 4 front – Slip the next 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front of work. Knit the next 2 stitches from left-hand needle, knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle.
k2tog = knit two together
ssk = slip one knitwise, slip one knitwise, insert left needle into front of both slipped stitches and knit.
* = repeat instructions between *’s across the round. Instructions before a * are for the beginning of the round and instructions after a * are for the last stitches of the round.

Cast on and Ribbing:
Cast on 60 for preemie size or 72 for newborn. Join to knit in the round. Divide stitches between double pointed needles or needles for a magic loop. For Hat I, divide with multiples of 12 on each needle.

Ribbing (6 rounds for preemie size, 8 rounds for newborn size: *k2, p2*

Hat I
Rnd 1: *t3f, p4, t3b, p2*
Rnd 2: *p1, k2, p4, k2, p3*
Rnd 3: *p1, t3f, p2, t3b, p3*
Rnd 4: *p2, k2, p2, k2, p4*
Rnd 5: *p2, t3f, t3b, p4*
Rnd 6: *p3, k4, p5*
Rnd 7: *p3, c4f, p5*
Rnd 8: *p3, k4, p5*
Rnd 9: *p2, t3b, t3f, p4*
Rnd 10: *p2, k2, p2, k2, p4*
Rnd 11: *p1, t3b, p2, t3f, p3*
Rnd 12: *p1, k2, p4, k2, p3*
Rnd 13: *t3b, p4, t3f, p2*
Rnd 14: *k2, p6, k2, p2*
Rnds 15-28: Repeat Rnds 1-14
Rnd 29: *k1, ssk, p4, k2tog, k1, p2*
Rnd 30: *k2, p4, k2, p2*
Rnd 31: *k1, ssk, p2, k2tog, k1, p2*
Rnd 32: *k2, p2, k2, p2*
Rnd 33: *k1, ssk, k2tog, k1, p2*
Rnd 34: *k4, p2*
Rnd 35: *ssk, k2tog, p2*
Rnd 36: *k2, p2*
Rnd 37: *k2tog, p2tog*
Cut the yarn with several inches to work with. With a yarn needle, pull the yarn through all the remaining loops, secure and weave in end.

Hat II
Rnd 1: *k2, p2, k2, p6*
Rnd 2: *k2, p2, k2, p6*
Rnd 3: *t3f, t3b, p6*
Rnd 4: *p1, k4, p7*
Rnd 5: *p1, c4f, p7*
Rnd 6: *p1, k4, p7*
Rnd 7: *t3b, t3f, p6*
Rnd 8: *k2, p2, k2, p6*
Rnd 9: k2, *p2, t3f, p4, t3b* (last t3b includes k2 from beginning of round)
Rnd 10: p3, *k2, p4*, k1
Rnd 11: k1, *p4, t3f, p2, t3b* (last t3b includes k1 from beginning of round)
Rnd 12: p5, *k2, p2, k2, p6*, k2, p2, k2
Rnd 13: *p6, t3f, t3b*
Rnd 14: *p7, k4, p1*
Rnd 15: *p7, c4f, p1*
Rnd 16: *p7, k4, p1*
Rnd 17: *p6, t3b, t3f*
Rnd 18: *p6, k2, p2, k2*
Rnd 19: p1, *p4, t3b, p2, t3f* (last t3f includes p1 from beginning of round)
Rnd 20: *p4, k2*, p4, k1
Rnd 21: k1, p3, *t3b, p4, t3f, p2*, t3b, p4, t3f (last t3f includes k1, p1 from beginning of round)
Rnd 22: *p2, k2, p6, k2* p2, k2, p6
Rnd 23: *t3f, t3b, p6*
Rnd 24: *p1, k4, p7*
Rnd 25: *p1, c4f, p7*
Rnd 26: *p1, k4, p7*
Rnd 27: *t3b, t3f, p6*
Rnd 28: *k2, p2, k2, p6*
Rnd 29: k2, *p2, K1, ssk, p4, k2tog, k1*, p2, k1, ssk, p4, move first stitch from prior round to end of this round, k2tog. This stitch is now permanently moved.
Rnd 30: *k1, p2, k2, p4, k1*
Rnd 31: *k1, p2, k1, ssk, p2, k2tog*
Rnd 32: *k1, p2, k2, p2, k1*
Rnd 33: *k1, p2, k1, ssk, k2tog*
Rnd 34: *k1, p2, k3*
Rnd 35: k1, *p2, ssk, k2tog*, p2, ssk, move first stitch from prior round to end of this round, k2tog. This stitch is now permanently moved.
Rnd 36: *p2, k2*
Rnd 37: *p2tog, k2tog*
Cut the yarn with several inches to work with. With a yarn needle, pull the yarn through all the remaining loops, secure and weave in end.

Edits:

12/17/2015 – replaced a broken link for Magic Loop method
11/13/2018 – corrected wording of parenthetical on rnd 21.

This is a very basic baby hat in several sizes. This is designed for in-the-round knitting.

Sizes:
Preemie – 11″ circumference, 5.5″ high
Newborn – 13″ circumference, 6″ high
12 month – 15.25″ circumference, 7″ high
Toddler – 17.5″ circumference, 7.5″ high
Teen – 19.5″ 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) 40″ circular needle (for magic loop) or set of size 6 (4 mm) double pointed 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.

Pattern:
Preemie – Cast on 60
Newborn – Cast on 72
12 month – Cast on 84
Toddler – Cast on 96
Teen – Cast on 108

Join to knit in the round. Divide stitches between double pointed needles or needles for a magic loop. Divide with multiples of 12 on each needle.

Ribbing (6 rounds for preemie size, 8 rounds for other sizes): k2, p2 repeated across round

Knit until the hat measures the desired height for size including the ribbing:
Preemie – 4.25″ high
Newborn – 4.75″ high
12 month – 5.75″ high
Toddler – 6.25″ high
Teen – 6.75″ high

Before starting the crown, there are 60 (72, 84, 96, 108) stitches

Crown:
Repeat across the round
Rnd 1: k4, k2tog, ssk, k4 – 50 (60, 70, 80, 90) stitches
Rnd 2: k
Rnd 3: k3, k2tog, ssk, k3 – 40 (48, 56, 64, 72) stitches
Rnd 4: k
Rnd 5: k2, k2tog, ssk, k2 – 30 (36, 42, 48, 54) stitches
Rnd 6: k
Rnd 7: k1, k2tog, ssk, k1 – 20 (24, 28, 32, 36) stitches
Rnd 8: k
Rnd 9: k2tog, ssk – 10 (12, 14, 16, 18) stitches
Cut the yarn with several inches to work with. With a yarn needle, pull the yarn through all the remaining loops, secure and weave in end.

Edits:
11/3/2013 – made adjustments to sizing.
2/19/2014 – added stitch counts to the decreasing rows of the crown.
12/17/2015 – replaced a broken link for Magic Loop method.
1/26/2017 – added “in-the-round” to description.

I created this baby hat to coordinate with the crocheted baby blanket Downy-Soft Zig Zags by Carole Prior published in Leisure Arts #2853, Our Best Baby Afghans. It features elongated stitches to mimic the elongated double crochets in the blanket.

This is approximately a twelve month old sized hat.  The hat is 16″ around and 8″ long.

Gauge:
20 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches in stockinette

Yarn:
Red Heart Designer Sport Yarn
Color A – Latte, .6 oz
Color B – Dutch Blue , .11 oz
Color C – Pistachio, .11 oz

Materials:
Size 7 (4.5mm) 40″ circular or 5 double pointed needles
Stitch marker
Yarn needle

Abbreviations:
inc – Increase: knit and purl in same stitch
k – knit
m – make stitch: with left needle, insert needle from front to back under the yarn between the previous and next stitch; knit into the back loop
kw2w – knit with two wraps: insert right needle to knit, but wrap yarn twice and pull through
kw4w – knit with four wraps: insert right needle to knit, but wrap yarn four times and pull through
dws – drop with slip: slip the stitch with the extra wraps purlwise, dropping the extra wraps. There will be a single elongated stitch.
spw – slip purlwise
* – indicates the sections that should be repeated for the round
sts – stitches

Directions:
Cast on 4 and set up to work in the round. I recommend the Magic Cast-On for Toe-Up Socks for the most seamless look.

I continued by using a 40″ circular needle beginning with 2 stitches on each needle, but the hat can also be made by moving each stitch to a double pointed needle. This is a good tutorial for knitting in-the-round on a long circular needle.

Rnd 1: inc in each (8 sts)
Rnd 2: k
Rnd 3: inc in each (16 sts)
Rnd 4: k
Rnd 5: *k, m, k2, m, k* (24 sts)
Rnd 6: k
Rnd 7: *k, m, k4, m, k* (32 sts)
Rnd 8: k
Rnd 9: *k, m, k6, m, k* (40 sts)
Rnd 10:k
Rnd 11: *k, m, k8, m, k* (48 sts)
Rnd 12: k
Rnd 13: *k, m, k10, m, k* (56 sts)
Rnd 14: k
Rnd 15: *k, m, k12, m, k* (64 sts)
Rnd 16: k
Rnd 17: *k, m, k14, m, k* (72 sts)
Rnd 18: k
Rnd 19: *k, m, k16, m, k* (80 sts)
Rnd 20: k
Rnd 21: *k2, kw2w, k4, kw4w, k2*
Rnd 22: color b *k2, dws, k2*
Rnd 23: *k2, spw, k2*
Rnd 24: *k7, spw, k2*
Rnd 25: repeat 24
Rnd 26: k
Rnd 27: *k2, kw2w, k4, kw4w, k2*
Rnd 28: color c *k2, dws, k2*
Rnd 29: *k2, spw, k2*
Rnd 30: *k7, spw, k2*
Rnd 31: repeat 30
Rnd 32: k
Rnd 33: *k2, kw2w, k4, kw4w, k2*
Rnd 34: color a *k2, dws, k2*
Rnd 35: *k2, spw, k2*
Rnd 36: *k7, spw, k2*
Rnd 37: repeat 36
Rnd 38: k

Knit 6 additional rounds.

Complete 12 rounds of k2, p2 ribbing.

Cast off.  I recommend using a yarn needle with the knit-two-purl-two-ribbing cast off method for the neatest looking finish.

Edits:
12/17/15 – replaced a broken link for Magic Loop method

I was so excited to learn that a woman I used to work with was going to have a baby.  The bedding she chose for the baby’s room was a toile pattern with off-white background and light blue and taupe accents.  I searched around and decided this pattern named “Mint” for Friends by Brooke Shellflower in Leisure Arts Our Best Knit Baby Afghans would coordinate with toile.  I made a toile tote to use as a gift bag.

So how many of these have I made? Well there is this one, and this one, and this one. This is just a very easy but elegant pattern. It is published as a full sized afghan made with two strands of worsted weight, but I usually make it for a baby blanket with fewer stitches and one strand of a bulky thread.  This one is in Red Heart Baby Clouds.  The much loved pattern is Repose by Carol Prior in Leisure Arts Big Book of Quick Knit Afghans.

In my three and a half decades of stitchery, I have managed to accumulate way too much yarn, and I really need to reduce the stash. A friend of mine has volunteered with a local hospice to supply hand stitched lap blankets, shawls and preemie blanket and hat sets.  She delivers items quarterly.  These are the items I donated to her September batch.

This began as a baby blanket I wasn’t going to finish, so I finished it as a lap blanket.  The pattern is Afghan #1 by Rachel J. Terrill in Leisure Arts #2687, Knit One For Baby.

This is a lap blanket in the Navajo style my grandmother used for so many afghans.

I had begun this to be a rectangular wrap that I was never going to finish, so I finished it as a lap blanket.  The stitch pattern is Candle Flames from A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara G. Walker.

This preemie blanket and hat set is made in the stitch pattern English Lace from A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara G. Walker.

This was an easy, quick and fun way to use up a couple of skeins of a print yarn. The pattern is Lyn’s Round Ripple Baby Afghan which I have used as a lap blanket.

This lap blanket is made in the stitch pattern Flemish Block Lace from A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara G. Walker.

This lap blanket is made in the stitch pattern Shadow Triangles from the Reader’s Digest The Ultimate Sourcebook of Knitting and Crochet Stitches.

The preemie blanket and hat set is based on the stitch pattern Feather Lace from Knitting on the Edge by Nicky Epstein.

This is a lap blanket sized version of Stashaholic’s Brain Dead Afghan.

I use this pattern a lot, but it just makes a great baby blanket.