Striped Hat Knitting Pattern

Striped Hat in Rowan Big Wool

What is Being Made

This is a classic striped beanie hat designed to fit an average adult woman's head with a circumference of approximately 48cm. The hat features a folded ribbed brim, a striped body created by alternating between two contrasting yarn colors, and is finished with a pompom at the crown. The design combines traditional knitting techniques with a modern, versatile aesthetic suitable for everyday wear.

Techniques Used

The Striped Hat employs several fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for beginner-level crafters. The pattern is worked in the round using a circular needle, which eliminates the need for seaming the body of the hat. A distinctive construction feature involves creating a folded brim—after working the initial ribbed section, the work is turned inside out so the cast-on edge becomes visible when the brim is folded down, creating a professional finished edge. The crown is shaped through strategic decreases using knit two together (K2tog) stitches, worked in multiple rounds to gradually reduce the stitch count from 44 stitches down to 11 stitches. The pattern incorporates color changes by breaking off one yarn and joining another to create the horizontal stripes. Finally, a pompom is hand-crafted and secured to the top of the finished hat for a decorative accent.

Stitches Used

• Ribbing (P1, K1 tbl): Purl one, knit one through the back loop, repeated across the row to create the elastic ribbed brim that maintains shape and comfort around the head
• Stockinette Stitch (st st): The primary stitch used for the main body of the hat, created by knitting all stitches on right-side rounds and purling on wrong-side rows (though this pattern works primarily in the round, so stockinette appears as knit rounds)
• Knit Two Together (K2tog): A right-leaning decrease used multiple times throughout the crown shaping rounds to reduce stitch count and form the hat's tapered top
• Slip Stitch (sl1): Used when creating the folded brim edge to smoothly transition between the ribbed section and the stockinette body

Materials: Yarn and Needles

This pattern uses Rowan Big Wool, a bulky-weight yarn that knits quickly and creates a warm, substantial fabric. Two color options are provided for each stripe: Yarn A can be either Nougat (shade 095) or Floss (shade 097), while Yarn B can be either Linen (shade 048) or Concrete (shade 061). One 100-gram ball of each color is required to complete the hat. The pattern calls for 12mm (US size 17) circular knitting needles measuring 40cm in length, which are appropriate for the bulky yarn and allow the work to be completed in the round without excessive bulk. A stitch marker is used to denote the beginning of each round, helping the knitter maintain their place in the pattern. The tension is 9 stitches and 12 rows to 10cm measured over stockinette stitch using the specified needles and yarn weight.

Finishing Details

After the crown decreases are complete and the remaining 11 stitches are secured by threading yarn through them and pulling tightly, a mattress stitch is used to join the back seam of the hat. A hand-made pompom measuring approximately 8cm is created from Yarn A and securely attached to the top of the beanie, adding a playful finishing touch to the striped design.