Learn to Knit a Hat in the Round Kit
You’ve knit the requisite garter stitch scarf… and another and maybe another. Now what? Knitting has a mountainous learning curve, and if you’re not careful, you can plateau… early. Take your beginning knitting skills to the next mountain top with Purl Soho’s Learn to Knit in the Round Pattern!
This Pattern is for advanced beginners who know how to cast on, knit, and purl but who want to learn how to use circular and double pointed needles, as well as how to join and orient knitting in the round.
By the end of our step-by-step how-to booklet you’ll be totally prepared to finish up with your very first no-seam, no-sewing, in-the-round classic winter hat. And in Purl Soho’s beautiful Worsted Twist, it’s a great way to reach the next peak!
Please note: The original Kits designed for this project are no longer available, but good news! You can purchase all the necessary materials below, including the Hat In The Round Pattern…
Materials
To knit our Learn to Knit a Hat in the Round Pattern you will need…
- 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Worsted Twist, 100% merino wool. Choose from six colors: Heirloom White, Yellow Yellow, Pink Grapefruit, Desert Blue, Oyster Gray or Toasted Charcoal.
- US 8, 16-inch bamboo circular needles
- A set of five US 8 bamboo double pointed needles
- A stitch marker
- A tapestry needle
- A copy of the full-color instructional booklet
This is enough yarn to make two Toddler hats; or one Kid or Adult hat.
Sizes
Toddler (Kid, Adult Small, Adult Large)
Finished Circumference: Approximately 15 (16¾, 18½, 20½) inches
Designed to fit a head circumference of 17 (19, 21, 23) inches
Gauge
18 stitches x 24 rows = 4 x 4 inches in stockinette stitch
P.S. First-time knitter? Try our kits for beginners first. Our Learn to Knit Kit and our Hat + Hand Warmers for Beginners Kit are both designed for the uninitiated and will set you up to try this Learn to Knit a Hat in the Round Kit next!
PRINT
I would like to “Learn to knit in the round’, is it available to download?
Thanks Pauline
Hi Pauline-
The pattern and instructions are available as a download here: https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/9823
Thanks for getting in touch!
Molly
Hello again Molly:
The download does not ‘download’.
Thanks, Pauline
Hi Pauline-
I’m so sorry to hear that you’re having trouble buying this pattern! Someone from the customer service department at Purl Soho will get in touch with you shortly!
Thanks!
Molly
Thank you for a wonderful tip
I’m working on my first hat after purchasing the kit and I keep running into trouble with the second round. The first round of K2P2 goes fine, but when I get to round 2 it seems as though the first round creates an extra loop when I go to purl. I’m not sure whether to purl this extra loop or just slip it off the needle? It seems like it’s not an actual cast on stitch?
Hi Karrie,
When you join to work in the round, there is a strand of yarn connecting the beginning and the end of the round that starts out pretty loose (it later resolves itself). It sounds like you make have looped this strand around the needles.
So, first, I would count your actual cast-on stitches and make sure you have the right number. If you don’t, I’d start over.
But if you do have the correct number of stitches, I would slip this extra loop off the needle and double/ triple check that the stitches are not twisted around the needle. If there is a twist, this very moment before you start your second round is your last chance to fix it without having to start over!
I hope this helps! Thank you so much for asking and please let us know if you have any more questions!
Whitney
Thank you Whitney! I figured out my problem, I wasn’t moving the yarn to the correct position it needed to be for each switch between knit and purl on the ribbing. I was starting with the yarn in back for purls and yarn in front for knits so it was a mess…just didn’t realize I had to actually move the yarn back to the proper position each time. But, I fixed it and my hat is almost done and looks so beautiful.
I am so thankful you had this kit, because now I feel ready to knit some of your other more difficult patterns for in the round!
Thanks again,
Karrie
Hello Karrie!
You’ve figured out the key to ribbing! Keep up the good work and thanks for writing in! -Alyson
I would like to get this pattern but it won’t download.
Hello Suzanne!
The pattern is available for purchase here: https://www.purlsoho.com/purl-soho-goods/purl-soho-kits/learn-to-knit-a-hat-in-the-round-kit.html If you have already tried purchasing it, but it didn’t download, try checking your Downloads folder–sometimes it sneaks right in and doesn’t notify you! If you’re still having trouble, please don’t hesitate to write in again! Thank you! -Alyson
Is there a modification I can do to this for infant size? Newborn especially!
Hello, Laura!
Thank you for writing in! Sorry for the delayed response! We have some wonderful and free hat patterns that are simple and have baby sizes:
Monogramed hats: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2015/12/12/monogrammed-hats-for-everyone/
(You can skip the monogram part, if you’d like)
Classic Cuffed Hats: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2014/10/22/classic-cuffed-hat/
Super Simple Super Soft Merino Baby Hat:https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2012/12/11/mollys-sketchbook-super-simple-super-soft-merino-baby-hat/
(This one is perfect for newborns!)
Please let us know if you have further questions!
Best wishes,
Kumeko
Hi there!
I just got this kit for Christmas and am almost done with my hat, but wanted to clarify one part when you close the crown. When you slip stitches onto the tapestry needle, do you then keep them on the tapestry needle until you slip all the stitches off the DPNs or slip them off the tapestry needle one at a time?
Also, if it’s the latter, do you slip each individually off the tip of the tapestry needle or off the back?
I’m a total novice so I apologize if this is really simple!!
Hi, Andrea!
Thank you so much for writing in! Sorry about the delayed response, you may have already figured this out! I usually just slide the tapestry needle through all the stitches on the DPNs then pull the DPNs out. Please let us know if you have further questions! Again, thank you for your comment!
Best,
Kumeko
I’m having trouble with laddering between the DPNs. The tip that’s included with the pattern doesn’t seem to be working. Is there anything else I can try? Thanks!
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for writing in! Mastering double points can be hard and sometimes but there are some tricks. After you have freed up a needle, instead of using the free needle to knit the following needle, you will instead use the needle with the working yarn to knit the first stitch on the following needle. I hope this makes sense! It’s rather confusing to write out. You can also increase your tension on the first stitch of every needle by pulling up on the working yarn. This will eliminate a bar (hopefully). I myself gave up double points long ago and now use magic loop for small circumference knitting. You should check it out on YouTube!
Best,
Adam
Thanks, Adam — I’ll give both of your tips a try. I haven’t done magic loop yet…guess I have something to research this weekend! 😀
Hi there! I finished one hat already in the 19 inch fit for small children and it worked great. I’m trying the 17 inch for toddler and I’m having issues with it being too taught around the needles. Should I try a 12 inch size 8 circular or do dpns? Should I cast on more loosely?
Hi Evie,
Thanks for reaching out! I am so glad to hear that you had success with the first hat! For the toddler size if it is too tight over a 16″ needles I would recommend going straight into the DPNs or trying a 12″ circular needle!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Hi. I just finished the hat and love the design! I had some challenges with the DPN and am considering trying the Magic Loop for the decreases next time.
My head is 23” in circumference so I made the adult large. The ribbing was just a bit loose. I am planning on making a second hat and was wondering if you think I should use size 7 circular needles for the ribbing feel a bit more secure, then switch to size 8 for the body or if it will ruin the overall shape intended for the design of the hat.
I was also considering trying to make the Burrow Hat using the Worsted twist yarn. Are the two hats similar in shape, except for the obvious doubled over ribbing on the Burrow Hat? The decreases in the instructions for the Burrow hat also seem less complicated than the hat in the round pattern.
Thank you so much.
Best regards, R
Hi again,
I posted a few questions last night regarding the hat in the round and as a new knitter, I left out what is probably really important information regarding the ribbing that was a bit too big in the finished hat. I used an inexpensive acrylic yarn, made for a size 8 needle to knit my first “practice hat” while awaiting my Purlsoho, worsted twist yarn to arrive in the mail. I realized that this yarn might be stretchier and have less stiffness than the beautiful dense worsted twist yarn I received from Purl Soho. Will the problem possibly be resolved just by knitting my second hat in the round with the right wool for the project? I’m very excited to start the next hat and plan on making a few as gifts. I already made a scarf with the Purl kit for beginners and love the design, materials and easy to understand instructions from Purl Soho. It has made learning to knit a pleasure. Thank you. R.
Hi R,
Thanks for reaching out and for your kind words! I am happy to help with this! The quality of the yarn can define have a big impact on the finished product, whenever you use a yarn different than what the pattern uses I always recommend working a gauge swatch first to insure you are consistent with the pattern prior to beginning (even though a yarn may be labeled as a worsted weight it could be very different than our for example and could result in a larger or smaller finished piece.) So I definitely recommend working a swatch before you start the hat with Worsted Twist! Our All About Gauge tutorial is an excellent resource to use! Typically when a hat pattern has ribbing we recommend going down in needle size for that section of the pattern, so using a US 7 would help a lot keeping the ribbing taut.
In response to your previous post, using Magic Loop is certainly an option instead of DPNs, some people find it much easier! You could also certainly use Worsted Twist for the Burrow Hat! These two hats have a similar overall shape but in my personal opinion I prefer the Burrow Hat! I love the folded rib cuff and the decreases are extremely easy to follow!
I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out with any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Thank you so much Gianna!