Classic Slouchy Beanie - Knitting Pattern

A clean, modern slouchy beanie designed to be easy to customise. Worked in the round with a sturdy ribbed brim and smooth stockinette body. Designed for worsted/aran weight yarn. Notes are precise so you can alter length, brim style or make a folded brim. Friendly for magic-loop, small-circ or DPN users.

Sizes & Finished Measurements

• Newborn: Approx circumference 12.5" (32 cm); Height before crown 5.5" (14 cm)
• Baby: Approx circumference 14.2" (36 cm); Height before crown 6.5" (16.5 cm)
• Child: Approx circumference 16.0" (41 cm); Height before crown 7.0" (18 cm)
• Teen / Small Adult: Approx circumference 17.8" (45 cm); Height before crown 7.5" (19 cm)
• Adult Medium: Approx circumference 19.6" (50 cm); Height before crown 8.5" (21.5 cm)
• Adult Large: Approx circumference 21.3" (54 cm); Height before crown 9.0" (23 cm)

Materials

• Yarn: Worsted / Aran weight yarn (Category 4/Aran). Imperial & Metric yardage estimates by size: Newborn 80–100 yards (73–91 m); Baby 100–120 yards (91–110 m); Child 120–140 yards (110–128 m); Teen/Small Adult 140–160 yards (128–146 m); Adult Medium 160–180 yards (146–165 m); Adult Large 180–200 yards (165–183 m). One typical 100 g / 200 yd (183 m) skein will cover most adult sizes; heavier slouch or bulky yarn will change yardage.
• Needles (straight/circular/DPNs as preferred): Brim needles (smaller) US 7 / UK 7 (old) / 4.5 mm. Body needles (larger) US 8 / UK 6 (old) / 5.0 mm. Double-pointed needles: same sizes as above if you prefer DPNs for crown. (Information included in US, UK Old and Metric notation.)
• Notions: Stitch marker, tapestry needle, scissors, optional pompom, waste yarn for provisional cast-on (if making a grafted/hidden seam folded brim).

Gauge

18 stitches and 24 rounds = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette on larger needles (US 8 / 5.0 mm). Your gauge may differ with yarn and tension; please swatch and adjust needle size to match.

Stitch Abbreviations (US)

• K = knit
• P = purl
• K2tog = knit two together (right-leaning decrease)
• P2tog = purl two together
• St(s) = stitch(es)
• CO = cast on
• PM = place marker
• SM = slip marker

Pattern Notes

• This pattern assumes knitting in the round. Use circular needles with magic loop or small-circ method, or DPNs.
• Cast-on counts below are multiples of 8 to make crown decreases cleaner. If you change stitch multiple, follow the crown-decrease algorithm in the Crown Decrease section.
• Negative ease: the finished hat stretches. Choose the cast-on size closest to the wearer’s head measurement minus 0–2" depending on desired snugness.

Cast-on (choose one)

Cast on using your preferred stretchy cast-on in the stitch counts below (all multiples of 8):

• Newborn: CO 56 sts
• Baby: CO 64 sts
• Child: CO 72 sts
• Teen/Small Adult: CO 80 sts
• Adult Medium: CO 88 sts
• Adult Large: CO 96 sts

Brim

Brim worked in 2x2 rib. Choose either folded brim (longer, seamed) or simple rib.

1. Switch to smaller needles (US 7 / 4.5 mm).
2. Round 1: *K2, P2* around. Place marker at beginning of round.
3. Work 1.5–2 inches (4–5 cm) for a standard brim, or 2.5–3 inches (6.5–8 cm) if you plan to fold the brim. For a folded brim, work double the finished folded depth (you will fold and seam or graft the cast-on edge to the live edge at the end).

Body

1. Change to larger needles (US 8 / 5.0 mm).
2. Round 1: Knit all stitches (start stockinette in the round).
3. Work in K rounds until piece measures the specified height before crown shaping (see Sizes & Finished Measurements above) measured from the cast-on edge or folded brim edge for folded brim. For a slouchier fit add 0.5–1 inch (1.5–2.5 cm).

Crown Decrease (multiples-of-8 method)

Designed for cast-on counts that are multiples of 8 (the counts provided above). This method reduces 8 stitches each decrease round using an easy repeat that changes by 1 stitch each round. It’s very forgiving and works beautifully for these totals.

How it works: Each decrease round uses the repeat "*K x, K2tog* around" where x starts at (cast-on / 8) - 2 and decreases by 1 each subsequent decrease round until x = 0 (at that point you are doing K2tog around). After each decrease round, knit one plain round between decreases to let fabric relax (optional but recommended for smooth shaping).

Example (Adult Medium CO 88): initial x = (88 / 8) - 2 = 11 - 2 = 9. So first decrease round: *K9, K2tog* repeat (88 / (9+2) = 8 repeats). This reduces 8 sts -> 80. Next round x = 8 -> *K8, K2tog* etc. Repeat until x = 0 then K2tog around and finish.

1. Set current_x = (cast-on / 8) - 2.
2. While current_x >= 0 do:
3.   a) Decrease Round: *K current_x, K2tog* repeat to end of round. (Example text: for current_x=9 this is "*K9, K2tog*")
4.   b) Knit 1 round plain to settle stitches (optional).
5.   c) current_x = current_x - 1

Continue until 8 stitches remain (after the final K2tog round you should have 8 sts). If you start with a smaller cast-on that isn’t a multiple of 8, use the same approach but choose an initial repeat count (number of repeats) equal to your cast-on / 8 rounded to the nearest integer and adapt the initial x so that (x+2) * repeats = cast-on; place markers and distribute extra stitches across the first few repeats as needed.

Finishing

1. When 8 stitches remain, cut yarn leaving a 6–8" tail (15–20 cm). Thread tail through tapestry needle and draw through remaining stitches. Pull tightly to close crown and secure with a few stitches on wrong side. Weave in ends securely.
2. If you made a folded brim with provisional cast-on or extra length: fold brim up, join cast-on edge to live edge with mattress stitch or grafting for a clean seam.
3. Block gently if needed: steam or light wet block to even stitches; do not over-stretch.

Optional Modifications & Tips

• Make it slouchy: add 0.5–1" (1.5–2.5 cm) to the body length before starting crown decreases.
• Make it fitted: subtract 0.5–2" from the body length before decreasing or choose one size smaller cast-on.
• Folded brim: cast on with provisional cast-on to graft closed for a seamless folded brim, or simply fold and sew edge to inside with mattress stitch.
• Pompom: attach a pompom after crown is closed for a classic look.
• Cables or texture: you can swap the stockinette body for any stitch pattern as long as it’s worked in the round and you maintain the same gauge; adjust crown decrease placement if using a patterned repeat.

Care

Follow yarn manufacturer care instructions. For most wool blends, hand wash cool and lay flat to dry. Synthetic blends may be machine washable on gentle; still reshape and dry flat.

Troubleshooting

• Hat too big? Check gauge. Drop down a needle size and reknit a swatch. A tighter brim can also be achieved with a smaller needle just for the ribbing.
• Uncomfortable seam if folded brim sewn incorrectly? Use mattress stitch and stitch from the inside to make the join invisible on the outside.

Pattern Summary (Quick)

1. CO: choose from 56,64,72,80,88,96 (multiple of 8).
2. Brim: US 7 / 4.5 mm, K2, P2 rib for 1.5-3" depending on whether folded.
3. Body: switch to US 8 / 5.0 mm, knit stockinette until length specified.
4. Crown: use multiples-of-8 decrease method: initial x=(CO/8)-2 then decrease rounds *Kx, K2tog* decreasing x by 1 each decrease round until x=0; knit plain round between decreases if desired.
5. Finish: pull tail through last 8 sts; weave in ends; block lightly.

Needle sizes (explicit): Brim needles: US 7 / UK 7 (old) / 4.5 mm. Body needles: US 8 / UK 6 (old) / 5.0 mm. DPNs: match the same sizes. These three notations (US, UK old, Metric) are included for clarity.

Yarn sizing (explicit): Worsted / Aran: typical skein 100 g / 200 yd (183 m). Yardage per size listed above in Imperial (yards) and Metric (meters).

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