Worsted Hat No. 3: The Perfect First Hat Knitting Pattern

Ready to knit your first hat? This is the pattern for you! Designed to be knit in worsted weight yarn, it's our go-to pattern when a beginner wants to learn to work in the round and make a beanie. This is the third iteration, meaning we've perfected it to be very easy to follow.

The hat is worked in the round from the bottom up. It starts with a ribbed brim, then you work stockinette up to the crown. At some point in the decreasing of the top of the hat, the stitches will not fit around the 16” circular needles, and you will have to switch to double pointed needles, or long circulars to use the magic loop method to finish the top of the hat.

SKILL LEVEL
Advanced Beginner/Intermediate. See below for techniques used in this pattern.
(refer to this page for skill level descriptions)

TECHNIQUES USED
casting on, working in the round, knitting, purling, using knits & purls in the same row/round, knit two together (k2tog), working in the round on small circumferences, weaving in ends.

YARN 
70 (90, 110, 140, 160, 190, 220) yards of worsted weight yarn 

NEEDLES 
US 8 / 5 mm 16” circulars & either double pointed needles (DPNs), or long circulars for the magic loop method

GAUGE
5 stitches & 7 rows per inch in stockinette stitch

NOTIONS 
one stitch marker

SIZES
Baby (Toddler, Child, Adult Small, Adult Medium, Adult Large, Adult Extra Large)

MEASUREMENTS
14.5” (16”, 17.5”, 19.25”, 20.75”, 22.5”, 24”) actual hat circumference

Brim length & hat height are both easily adjustable.