how to knit a teeny tiny baby hat in 8 easy steps

Years ago, I posted about knitting baby hats. But it was kind of a sloppy post, with some random instructions and pictures of hats I had made over the years.

So, when I sat down the other day to knit a teeny tiny hat for my teeny tiny new nephew, I thought I would post a proper post with instructions and photos like the fancy bloggers do.

Ha.

You know me, trying to keep up with the Jones's

I am in a BIZARRE place lately, just FYI. Its like all these goat farm in the Midwest plans are falling away, like shedding a cocoon, and I am just hanging here, on a blade of grass, waiting for wet wings to unfurl, no idea what kind of creature I will be now.

Totally. That.

In any case.

Baby hats.

So here, you are, in all its glory, a proper how to make a baby hat in 8 easy steps.

So, first things first. I'm using a size 8 needle here and a pure cotton, my mom has scads of this stuff lying around to make dish cloths. I like pure cotton for babies, or maybe a linen mix, rather than a synthetic. I would use a wool/cotton blend for a winter weight hat, but its summer now, gloriously so, so cotton is perfect. Also, if this were a winter hat I might use smaller needles for a tighter weave, or even a double strand.

STEP ONE

Cast on 50 stitches. I might have miscounted and done 52. Doesn't make a difference.

Lets assume you know how to cast on, shall we?

STEP TWO
Now, start your first row with a knit row. The needle goes behind in the knit stitch. Knit all the way across. Then flip.

STEP THREE
Now we purl a row. Purl is just like knit but from the front.

Okay, so, maybe this isnt a fancy perfect instruction posts. There are excellent youtube videos showing how to make a purl and knit stitch...why recreate the wheel, right??

Ha.

Also, yes, fuzzy pictures. Sorry. Incredibly hard to take photos whilst knitting.

Here, lets pause and insert a Youtube video on how to cast on and make a knit stitch and purl stitch.

That will make me feel better.

TWENTY MINUTES LATER. There are a crap ton of crappy videos on Youtube about how to knit (the worst was a woman with distractingly long fingernails and cats meowing in the background) To prevent you from wading through that crap, watch the videos below. This woman is tolerable and the sound quality is good. Man I hate Youtube.

How to cast on.

How to do the knit stitch.

How to purl.

Phew! Now, on with the hat.

Once you alternate a few rows of knit and purl you will see a rolling edge begin. This is a roll brim hat. If you wanted it to be a ribbed brim hat you would need to knit purl knit purl all the way across one row and then the next row would be purl knit purl knit...etc.

How do you know when you are at a purl row or a knit row? Say the toddler is suddenly mysteriously quiet and you throw down your knitting to investigate and discover him or her diligently drawing stars all over the living room in marker?? (Just in case things like this happen to you, too.)

Its actually easy. The above shot is a knit row. See the V shapes? If you were at a purl row it would be little bumps. (refer to above detailed videos)

This is a purl side image. See the bumps?

STEP FOUR

Now, to check for size. Once you are several rows in you can stretch the knitting out, halfway through a row, and with your fingers, stretch the bottom into a round hat shape. Look like it will fit the head you are knitting for??? That's how I do it.

 Now, you see how large the piece is now, maybe three inches? Think of a large orange. That's about the head size here. You want this first part to be large enough to cover ears, up to the crown of the head. On an adult its the length of a palm. On a teeny baby, three inches.

STEP FIVE
So now you start to reduce stitches.

I start out with knit knit knit, then knit two stitches together, (above photo)

Then on the purl row I just purl straight across, without reducing.

I do this for three or four rows.

Then on the knit row I start reducing by knitting one stitch, knitting two together. Etc. Keep doing this until you have ten stitches left on your needle.

STEP SIX
Now, we are binding off. I'll link a video below. Here are pics of me doing it.

 Two stitches, knitting. Always bind off on a knit row. I dont know why. Just looks better maybe?

Then take the back stitch and slide it over the front stitch and off the needle, thereby "locking it" off.

Keep going.

Here I am trying to show pulling the back stitch up and over.

Now there is one stitch left, then knit another stitch, pull back up and over and off, etc.

Then when you have one stitch left cut your yarn, leaving enough to stitch up the hat, and pull it through your last stitch, securing it.

FINISHED HAT...except for stitching it up. You can buy plastic yarn needles for this purpose. All my crafty stuff is packed so I used a large embroidery needle.

STEP SEVEN
Just weave a seam up the two sides of the hat. Confession. I was so distracted by two little girls yelling at me about finding just the right buttons to add to the hat that I sewed up the bottom of the hat instead of the side. I've literally made dozens of these and I still screw up.

STEP EIGHT
Add buttons. You could embellish with ribbon, flowers, etc.


NOW...finished hat.

Little cute as a button nephew, having a peek at me.

And, back to sleep.

So there you have it. Proper hat knitting instructions, the June way, with the help of Youtube. HA.

Happy knitting!!