Because it feels like a new baby enters my circle of friends and family about every two minutes, it’s pretty hectic trying to welcome each one with a hand knit gift. And although I’m short on time and long on babies, I would hate to give new parents the impression that I whipped some yarn into something vaguely wearable and oh-by-the-way-congratulations-about-the-baby. In other words, I’m in serious need of a quick, but exquisite baby gift.

Hats for Newborns | Purl Soho

Nothing’s quicker than a hat, but how to convey that this is no ordinary hat? Easy, choose an extraordinary yarn! Purl Soho’s Line Weight is instantly special with its simple purity and understated beauty. A single ply, soft and cozy merino, it is as light as a feather and as soft as a kitten. Plus, the almost 500 yard skeins mean that I’m all set for the next round of babies! -Whitney

Hats for Newborns | Purl Soho

Update: New Yarn

May 21, 2021

Hats for Newborns | Purl Soho

We’ve renamed these adorable hats for the classic pieces they are! Our Classic Baby Hats are knit in our new yarn Santolina and are every bit as a precious as the babies we hope they warm! Click here to read more!

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoHatsForNewborns, and #PurlSohoLineWeight. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Hats for Newborns | Purl Soho

  • 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Line Weight, 100% merino. Each skein is 494 yards/ 100 grams.
    • Color A: 1 skein; approximately 200 yards required. We used the color Storm Gray.
    • Color B: 1 skein; approximately 171 yards required. We used the color Oyster Gray.
  • A US 2 (3 mm), 12-inch circular needle.
  • A set of US 2 double pointed needles.
  • A Pom Pom Maker (for the Roll Brim Hat).

NOTE: This is enough yarn for ten hats!

GAUGE

8 stitches = 1 inch in stockinette stitch

SIZE

Finished Circumference: 13½ inches

Patterns

Garter Brim Hat

Hats for Newborns | Purl Soho

With Color A, cast on 108 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.

Round 1: Purl.

Round 2: Knit.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 three more times.

Next Round: Purl.

Change to Color B and knit every round until the piece measures 4 inches from the cast on edge.

The Crown

Round 1: *K7, Knit Two Together (k2tog), repeat from * to end of round. (96 stitches)

Round 2: Knit.

Round 3: *K6, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (84 stitches)

Round 4: Knit.

Round 5: *K5, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (72 stitches)

Round 6: Knit.

Round 7: *K4, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (60 stitches)

Round 8: Knit.

Changing to double pointed needles…

Round 9: *K3, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (48 stitches)

Round 10: Knit.

Round 11: *K2, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (36 stitches)

Round 12: Knit.

Round 13: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (24 stitches)

Round 14: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (12 stitches)

Round 15: Repeat Round 14. (6 stitches)

With Color A…

Round 16: Repeat Round 14. (3 stitches)

Arrange the remaining 3 stitches onto one needle.

Knit a 2 inch I-cord. (For help, visit our I-Cord Tutorial here.)

Bind off, cut the yarn, and pull the tail through the remaining stitch.

To form the top loop, bring the tail to the inside of the hat, pulling the very tip of the I-cord along with it. As you weave in the tail, sew the I-cord tip to the inside of the hat.

Weave in the rest of the ends and gently block the hat.

Roll Brim Hat

Hats for Newborns | Purl Soho

With Color A, cast on 108 stitches.

Place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.

Knit every round until the piece measures 4 3/8 inches from the unrolled cast on edge (4 inches from it rolled).

Work the Crown section of the Garter Brim Hat (above) through Round 15. (6 stitches)

Cut the yarn, and sew it through the remaining 6 stitches.

With Color B, use a Pom Pom Maker to make a pom pom. I used the smallest Susan Bates template and made the pom pom quite sparse so it wouldn’t be too heavy on the hat.

Bring each tail of the pom pom to the inside of the hat through a different hole. Tie a knot with the tails and weave them in.

Weave in the rest of the ends and gently block.

Striped Hat

Hats for Newborns | Purl Soho

With Color A, cast on 108 stitches.

Place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.

Round 1: *K1, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Round 1 six more times.

**With Color B, knit 2 rounds.

With Color A, knit 2 rounds.

Repeat from ** until piece measures 4 inches from the cast on edge, ending with the first round of either color. (For help with knitting stripes, check out the Knitting Stripes in the Round tutorial right here.)

Maintaining the stripe pattern, work the Crown section of the Garter Brim Hat (above) through Round 15. (6 stitches)

Cut the yarn, and sew it through the remaining 6 stitches.

Weave in the ends and gently block.