Beginner’s Newborn Hat with Turn-Up Brim

Knitted flat · Garter-stitch brim · Stocking-stitch crown

A snug newborn hat worked back and forth on straight needles and seamed up the centre back. The turn-up brim is worked in garter stitch (knit every row), so there are no alternating knit and purl stitches in any one row. The body is stocking stitch — still one stitch type per row — then the crown is decreased with simple k2tog. Designed for a first wearable project.

Skill level: Beginner
Construction: Flat, bottom-up, seamed

Size

Newborn (0–3 months)

Negative ease is built in so the hat stays on. One size only.

Materials

Yarn: Worsted / aran weight, 80–90 metres (87–98 yards) / approx. 40–50 g. Choose a soft, machine-washable fibre suitable for babies (superwash wool, wool-acrylic, or cotton-acrylic blend). Smooth, light-coloured yarn makes stitches easier to see.

Needles: 4.5 mm straight needles (UK 7 / US 7), or size needed to obtain tension.

Notions:

• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Tape measure
• Optional: 1 removable stitch marker or safety pin (to mark the right side)
• Optional: 5 cm pompom maker

Tension (gauge)

20 stitches and 28 rows = 10 cm (4 in) over stocking stitch on 4.5 mm needles, after light blocking.

Work a tension square of at least 12 × 12 cm, then measure the centre 10 cm.
If you have more than 20 sts to 10 cm, switch to a larger needle.
If you have fewer than 20 sts to 10 cm, switch to a smaller needle.

Hat circumference depends on stitch tension; row tension is less critical because lengths are given in centimetres.

Abbreviations

Pattern notes

• The hat is knitted flat and seamed after the crown is gathered. The seam sits at the centre back.
• Brim: garter stitch — knit every row. Every brim row is all knit stitches; there is no rib and no mixing of knit and purl in the same row. Garter stitch looks the same on both sides, so the brim is neat when turned up.
• Body: stocking stitch — one whole row knit, one whole row purl. Still no alternating stitches within a row.
• Right side: once stocking stitch begins, the knit side is the RS (the outside of the hat). Clip a marker to the RS on the first stocking-stitch row if it helps you keep track.
• Cast on loosely so the brim edge will stretch over a baby’s head. A long-tail cast-on is ideal.
• Do not join in the round at any point.

Instructions

Brim

Using 4.5 mm needles, cast on 64 sts loosely.

Garter-stitch brim (all knit, every row):
Knit every row until the piece measures 6 cm (2¼ in) from the cast-on edge.
(About 24 rows. Count rows if you prefer: 24 knit rows ≈ 6 cm in garter stitch.)

The brim will be turned up later; 6 cm gives a generous 5 cm fold with a little extra to sit against the head.

Body

Change to stocking stitch. Each row is still all one stitch type.

Row 1 (RS): Knit to end.
Row 2 (WS): Purl to end.

These 2 rows form stocking stitch. Repeat them until the piece measures 14 cm (5½ in) from the cast-on edge, ending with a WS (purl) row.

(You have worked approximately 8 cm / 22 rows of stocking stitch on top of the 6 cm brim. 64 sts remain throughout. ✓)

Crown

Keep working flat. Decrease rows are all knit; wrong-side rows are all purl. Stitch counts are given at the end of every RS row.

Row 1 (RS): *K6, k2tog; rep from * to end. (8 decreases → 64 − 8 = 56 sts ✓)
Row 2 (WS): Purl to end. (56 sts)

Row 3 (RS): *K5, k2tog; rep from * to end. (8 decreases → 56 − 8 = 48 sts ✓)
Row 4 (WS): Purl to end. (48 sts)

Row 5 (RS): *K4, k2tog; rep from * to end. (8 decreases → 48 − 8 = 40 sts ✓)
Row 6 (WS): Purl to end. (40 sts)

Row 7 (RS): *K3, k2tog; rep from * to end. (8 decreases → 40 − 8 = 32 sts ✓)
Row 8 (WS): Purl to end. (32 sts)

Row 9 (RS): *K2, k2tog; rep from * to end. (8 decreases → 32 − 8 = 24 sts ✓)
Row 10 (WS): Purl to end. (24 sts)

Row 11 (RS): *K1, k2tog; rep from * to end. (8 decreases → 24 − 8 = 16 sts ✓)
Row 12 (WS): Purl to end. (16 sts)

Row 13 (RS): *K2tog; rep from * to end. (8 decreases → 16 − 8 = 8 sts ✓)

Do not work a further purl row. 8 sts remain.

Cut the yarn, leaving a 40 cm (16 in) tail. Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle, pass it through the remaining 8 sts, and pull firmly to close the crown. Fasten off on the wrong side, but do not trim the tail — you will use it to sew the back seam.

(Crown is 13 rows ≈ 4.5 cm at 28 rows / 10 cm. Total length from cast-on: 14 cm + 4.5 cm = 18.5 cm ✓)

Finishing

1. Seam. With RS facing you and the 40 cm tail, mattress-stitch the centre-back seam from the crown down to the cast-on edge.

   • Through the stocking-stitch section, pick up the bar between the edge stitch and the next stitch on each side, working under one bar from the left, then one from the right.
   • Through the garter-stitch brim, match the garter ridges row for row and stitch into the little bumps at each edge so the ridges line up when the brim is folded.
     Pull the seam snug but not tight — it should have the same stretch as the fabric. Fasten off on the WS.

2. Weave in ends. Weave the cast-on tail along the WS of the brim for 4–5 cm, then trim. Weave in any other ends.

3. Turn up the brim. Fold the garter brim to the outside by 5 cm (2 in). The folded hat now measures 13.5 cm (5¼ in) tall (18.5 − 5 = 13.5 ✓). Garter stitch will hold the fold without stitching; if you prefer it fixed, catch the brim to the hat with a few small stitches at the back seam only.

4. Block (optional). Mist lightly with water, pat into a gentle rectangle/dome, and dry flat. Do not stretch the circumference beyond 32 cm.

5. Optional pompom. Make a 5 cm pompom and sew it firmly to the gathered crown with the yarn tails, passing through the crown several times and knotting on the WS. Safety: a pompom is a choking hazard if it comes loose. Attach it very securely, check it often, and omit it for unsupervised wear or for very young babies.

Wear and care

Pull the hat on with the seam at the back and the brim turned up. It should sit just above the eyebrows and cover the ears.

Follow the yarn ball-band for washing. Most baby yarns are machine-washable on a gentle cycle; dry flat.

You have used 64 sts throughout the brim and body, decreased 8 sts on every RS crown row (7 decrease rows → 64 − 56 = 8 sts remaining ✓), and finished at 18.5 cm unfolded / 13.5 cm with the brim turned. Happy knitting.