Classic Baby Hats
One thing about babies is that they always steal the show. Just try talking about anything else! Our Classic Baby Hats play the perfect second banana to everyone’s favorite star with their simple design and quiet beauty.
Sized for newborns and slightly older babies, too, the Classic Baby Hats include a trio of timeless styles: roll brim, striped, and garter brim, each finished its own way: with a bitty pom pom, a simple cinch, or a looped I-cord. A little stack of all three is certainly a wonderful gift!
Although the baby is the whole point, can we also mention what we think makes these hats so very special? That would be our brand new Santolina! A blend of 70% organically grown cotton, 20% rayon from bamboo, and 10% hemp, Santolina is a heathery beauty, soft enough even for a tiny baby!
Named for the feathery silver leaves of the Santolina plant, this yarn would be right at home in a Mediterranean garden with its palette of sun-bleached colors, from sweet Blossom Pink to gentle Winter Green. Santolina is a fingering weight, best knit on US 2 or 3 (3 or 3.25 mm) needles, and it is machine wash- and dry-able. One skein has 328 yards and two are enough to make an entire set of Classic Baby Hats! Okay, sorry for the interruption. Back to babies…
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.
Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoClassicBabyHats, and #PurlSohoSantolina. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
To make all three hats, you’ll need…
- 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Santolina, 70% organically grown cotton, 20% bamboo, and 10% hemp. Each skein of this fingering weight yarn is 328 yards/ 100 grams.
- Color A: 1 (1) skein; approximately 200 (220) yards required. We used Peach Lily.
- Color B: 1 (1) skein; approximately 171 (188) yards required. We used Well Water.
- A set of US 2 or 2.5 (3mm) double pointed needles
- A stitch marker
- Optional: A pom pom maker. We used Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set in Small + Large to make a 1-inch pom pom for the Roll Brim Hat.
NOTE: One hat in one color without a pom pom requires approximately 124 (136) yards.
Gauge
32 stitches and 40 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
Sizes
Newborn (Baby)
- Finished Circumference: 13½ (15) inches
- Finished Height: approximately 6½ (7) inches
Patterns
Roll Brim Hat
Body
With Color A, cast on 108 (120) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Knit every round until the piece measures 5 3/8 (5 7/8) inches from the unrolled cast-on edge.
Crown
Round 1: *K7 (8), k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [96 (108) stitches remain]
Round 2: Knit to end of round.
Round 3: *K6 (7), k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [84 (96) stitches remain]
Round 4: Knit to end of round.
Round 5: *K5 (6), k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [72 (84) stitches remain]
Round 6: Knit to end of round.
Round 7: *K4 (5), k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [60 (72) stitches remain]
Round 8: Knit to end of round.
Round 9: *K3 (4), k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [48 (60) stitches remain]
Round 10: Knit to end of round.
Round 11: *K2 (3), k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [36 (48) stitches remain]
Round 12: Knit to end of round.
Round 13: *K1 (2), k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [24 (36) stitches remain]
Round 14: *K0 (1), k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [12 (24) stitches remain]
Round 15: K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [6 (12) stitches remain]
Round 16: Repeat Round 15 zero (1) more time(s). [6 (6) stitches remain]
Cut yarn, leaving an 8-inch tail. Thread tail on tapestry needle and draw through remaining stitches twice. Pull tight and bring needle to inside of hat.
Weave in the ends and wet block before attaching the pom pom.
Pom Pom
With Color B, make a 1-inch pom pom. If you’re using Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set, use the Small Pom Pom Maker and the 1-inch Trim Guide. Follow along with our Pom Pom Tutorial for all the how-tos!
Attach Pom Pom
Thread each pom pom tail separately through the top of the crown to the inside of the hat. Tie the tails into a knot, then thread the tails up through the pom pom and trim them flush with the pom pom. All done!
Striped Hat
Body
NOTE: For help with knitting stripes, check out the Knitting Stripes in the Round Tutorial.
With Color A, cast on 108 (120) stitches.
Place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to 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 5 (5½) inches from the cast-on edge, ending with the first round of either color.
Crown
Maintaining the stripe pattern, work the Crown section of the Roll Brim Hat (above.
Garter Brim Hat
Body
With Color A, cast on 108 (120) stitches.
Place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Round 1: Purl to end of round.
Round 2: Knit to end of round.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 four more times.
Next Round: Purl to end of round.
Cut Color A.
With Color B, knit every round until the piece measures 5 (5½) inches from the cast-on edge.
Crown
Work the Crown section of the Roll Brim Hat (above) until 6 stitches remain.
Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [3 (3) stitches remain]
Arrange the remaining 3 stitches onto one needle.
Knit a 2-inch I-cord.
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 wet block.
LEARN ABOUT SANTOLINA + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
A wonderfully wild mix of 70% organically grown cotton, 20% bamboo, and 10% hemp, lovely Santolina brings its hearty character and lustrous finish to this knit. A machine washable, two-ply fingering-weight yarn with a super soft touch, try Santolina… You’ll love it!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our collection of (mostly free!) Santolina knitting patterns and cast on!
More Fingering-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of fingering-weight yarn
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial!
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop cotton yarn
- Shop bamboo yarn
- Shop hemp yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
Just ordered this yarn and so excited to get it! These hat patterns are adorable. Now could Whitney…..or someone at Purl, design a sweater to match???? Hope so.
Hi Ann,
Thanks for writing in and for your kind words! I will be sure to pass this along to the rest of the team!
Warmly,
Gianna
Thank you so much for providing this pattern, and for all the community-minded, maker-encouraging shares & sales events!
Is the color Well Water a charcoal color or more of a dark blue?
Hi Jane,
Thanks for reaching out! Well Water is a dark blue shade! For a closer look, you can check out Well Water on the Santolina product page!
I hope this helps!
Gianna
Can this pattern be knit on straight needles instead? I live in the UK and don’t know how to knit in a round but would love to knit this for my new nephew.
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for reaching out! We only offer this pattern with instructions to work in the round, but if you would like to take on a bit of a challenge you could certainly try to knit this flat. Just be sure to keep in mind that since this pattern is worked in the round there are only right side rows written in the pattern and if you knit the hat flat you will need to take into consideration the wrong side rows!
I hope this helps and please let us know how this turns out!
Gianna
Do you have any other color combo suggestions?
Thanks!
Hi Ellen,
Thanks for writing in! I would love to suggest some different combinations! Do you have colors in mind that you are interested in using? Like a yellow palette or pink palette?
Looking forward to your response!
Gianna
Thank you Gianna – how about a purplish palette?
Hi Ellen,
Thanks for your response! For a purple palette, I would suggest using Purple Moor as the main color and then either Red Smoke, Ice Pond, or Gray Owl for the contrasting color!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
That sounds great! Will order them. Thank you!
Hi Ellen,
Wonderful! Please let us know how they turn out!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
Oh my goodness, that is an adorable hat on an adorable baby! Just makes me smile looking at the pictures. I don’t have a baby in the family to do it for but I make a lot of hats for the NICU at a two local hospitals. I’m ordering this yarn now and doing that trio for sure! Thank you for such a great pattern with terrific variations. Looking forward to trying that yarn.😄
Hi! The pattern calls for US 2 (3mm) double pointed needles. However, you don’t seem to have these needles available on your website. You have ones close, but not exactly US 2. Can you please let me know which needles you used to make these hats? Thanks!!
Hi Janet,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately, there are many discrepancies with the US needle sizes because they are not based on an actual unit of measurement. When in doubt I always recommend sticking to the mm size, which will be the most consistent across the board but be sure to keep in mind that really the most important aspect is to use whatever needle size that helps you achieve the correct gauge! So in that case, I would recommend using a 3mm needle!
We have the 3mm size available in both the Crystal Palace Double Pointed Bamboo Knitting Needles and the LYKKE Driftwood Double Pointed Knitting Needles!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
Hi,
These hats are delightful but are they only for newborns? Magnus will be a year by the time the weather turns to winter.
Many thanks,
Milou
Hi Milou,
Thanks for reaching out! Currently, the Classic Baby Hats come sized for Newborns and (Babies) with finished circumferences of 13½ (15) inches and finished heights of approximately 6½ (7) inches. I think the Baby size might work very well for a 1 year old!
If you’re looking for a hat pattern that offers a wider range of sizes, I’d recommend our Basic Hats For Everyone, The Merry Ear Flap Hat, or our Inside Out Hat patterns, to name a few! You can also browse all of our hat patterns right here.
Warmly,
Kelsey
How much stretch or spring does this yarn have? I love the colors but those fibers don’t seem to have much give which would be good for hats. Also is this yarn splitty like the Burnish yarn?
Hi Chantal,
Thanks for reaching out! This yarn is soft and squishy and has a very decent amount of stretch and spring to it! There may be a bit of splitting, which is common in plant-based fibers but it should be pretty easy to avoid that!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
I love these patterns and the wool. Could you offer a couple of more size guides for 9 months and 2 years?
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for writing in! At this time, we only offer the pattern for newborn and baby sizes, but thank you for expressing your interest in more sizes! I will be sure to pass this along to the rest of the team!
Warmly,
Gianna
I am trying to meet the gauge requirement. Using US size 2 needles, I got 28 stitches to 4 inches. Using US size 1 needles, I got 29 stitches to 4 inches. Using US size 0 needles, I got 30 stitches to 4 inches, I need to be at 32 stitches.
Hi Betty,
Thanks for writing in! Typically for our patterns, we acquire our gauge post blocking! Have you blocked your swatch yet? I would recommend doing so if you haven’t, you will likely be able to get your gauge to 32 stitches for 4″ that way! I would also recommend checking out our All About Guage tutorial, it is an excellent resource to use!
I hope this helps!
Gianna
Hi! I bought the yarn and started knitting the hat. I feel I’m even the smallest size maybe too big for my baby’s head. Is there smaller number than 108 that I can cast? Thanks
Hi Charisma,
Thanks for writing in! Did you work a gauge swatch prior to beginning to ensure you are consistent with the gauge of the pattern? The finished circumference of the newborn size (smallest size) is 13½”, which should fit most newborn babies! If your gauge is off, you can adjust your needle size to get the correct stitches per inch. I would recommend checking out our tutorial All About Gauge, it is an excellent resource to use!
If your gauge is accurate with the pattern but you are still finding that the hat is too big you could adjust the cast on, making sure to keep an even number of stitches. Also, be sure to keep in mind that this will change the number of stitches between markers for the crown shaping, so depending on how many stitches you cast on you can adjust those numbers.
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Good morning! Getting ready to start on this fun project today I’m wondering if the dark colors need to be re-set to avoid bleeding.
Thanks for your help,
Jane
Hi Jane,
Thanks for reaching out! We haven’t heard of Santolina bleeding at all, so you should be able to go ahead without re-setting! However, if you want to be safe, you can soak the skeins in a bath with cold water and white vinegar!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
This baby is a sibling of the other baby, in the pinwheel romper? Because this baby is slightly younger and just as adorable…. How can we not love babies!
Hi Cassandra,
This is actually the same baby that was featured in our Pinwheel Baby Romper and most recently our Seashell Baby Shirt + Dress! And we agree, she’s pretty adoreable!
Warmly,
Kelsey
Hi there
Can I use circular needles for the first 5 inches or so of this hat? or is it just too small and I need to use DP needles from the get-go?
thanks
Cynthia
Hi Cynthia,
Thanks for reaching out! For this hat, you will need to use the DPNs from the beginning since the circumference is too small for circular needles!
I hope this clears things up!
Gianna
I am about to knit the baby hat and wondered if Magic Loop is a better technique to use than dpn – both are new to me.
Thanks!
Hi Laure,
Thanks for reaching out! Either method is totally fine, it is a personal preference, some find magic loop easier and some prefer dpns! For example, I prefer magic loop for smaller projects like socks or baby hats, but if I am making an adult-sized hat I will use a 16″ circular needle and then use the dpns to finish the top.
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions, I am happy to help!
Gianna
I’m confused about needles for knitting these hats. The list of materials says 4 double-pointed needles, yet the instructions read as if it’s a circular needle, with yarn joined.
One comment said the hat is too small for a circular needle to work. So — confused! (I’d prefer to knit in the round, if possible.)
Thanks!
Hi Elaine,
Thanks for reaching out! You can use either double pointed needles or a circular needle for this pattern, though as has been mentioned, the small circumference could make working on a shorter circular needle challenging. If you would prefer not to use DPNs, then I’d suggest you use a longer circular needle (probably 32″ or 40″) and work the Magic Loop technique instead! If you’ve never tried it, it’s a fantastic way to work those small-circumference projects without needing to bother with multiple needles. We have a great tutorial that you can check out here.
I hope this helps!
Warmly,
Kelsey
Thank you, Kelsey! Very helpful … love your shop and your way of doing business. Your fan, Elaine
I’ve just received Santorini for the first time, and it’s gorgeous!and now I’ve seen Burnished and Buttercup Cotton and wondering if they would work also. I’m sooo in love with your yarns, and it’s worth every cent to post it to to me in Australia!
Silly spell check gave me Santorini instead of Santolina
Hi Susan,
Thanks for your kind words! I think that the Classic Baby Hats would work really nicely in either of these yarns. As always, we recommend making a gauge swatch before starting a project to be sure you’re working with the right needles, especially if you’re substituting yarns. If this is daunting, I’d recommend checking out a tutorial called All About Gauge, which covers some incredibly helpful information!
All the best,
Lili
Hi-
So can you recommend a color combo for a little boy? I love the smoke grey and pink on the adorable model but wouldn’t want to make pink for a boy. Also , if this baby I’m making it for is 2-3 months old already would you still do newborn or go to baby size thanks
Hi Ann,
Thanks for writing in! I think that pink would be a wonderful color for a baby boy, but it seems like you’re more interested in blues and greens. Your ideas to use Well Water with Ice Pond or Winter Green are really nice, and I think you can’t go wrong either way. However, I would hesitate to bring Juniper Berry into the mix, since it’s right in the middle in terms of lightness/darkness, and it wouldn’t create as much of a contrast as with another colors.
As for the size, I would definitely make the baby size, rather than the newborn size. That way, they could grow into the hat and be able to wear it for a much longer time!
All the best,
Lili
What about Well Water and Ice Pond or Winter green or maybe Juniper Berry for main and complimentary lighter brim color?.
Thanks Lili
Hello
Should the DPNs be 6″ or 8″.
I’m always confused by this.
Thank you.
Hi Laurie,
Thanks for reaching out. The length of the DPNs is up to you, it just depends on how much spare room you’re comfortable with on the needles! For a hat, since you’ll have a significant number of stitches on the needles, I would go with the 8″ DPNs so that you’re not worried that stitches will fall off. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi there!
I am doing the Garter Brim Hat (2 colors shown on your sample) and I finished my first part with color A.. I am getting a little confused about how to add color B.
You’re mentioning cutting A- I am also confused about that 🙁
Thank you for all your help!
Hi Tali,
Thanks for writing in. For this hat, you’ll need to change the color you’re working with after you knit the brim! All that means is that you stop knitting with Color A and begin knitting with Color B. Since you’re not going to use Color A again, that’s why you cut it. I’d recommend taking a look at our Adding a Ball of Yarn tutorial, which shows you exactly how to make this switch! I hope this helps clarify things.
All the best,
Lili
Amazing! Thank you so much.
I realized as I was getting further along, I had another question about decreasing.
When do we start decreasing knitting 2 together?
And how many normal knits until we k2t?
Ohhh I am so sorry, I think I got it now. Are we referring back to the other hat directions for the decreases part? So with the firs, we will k2tog every 7 “normal” knits.
Hi Tali,
Yes, you got it! You’ll need to follow the instructions for knitting the crown of the Roll Brim Hat until you have 6 stitches left. For the first round in this section, you’ll knit 7 stitches, then knit 2 together, and then repeat that for the remainder of the round!
All the best,
Lili
I finished the hat, but noticed I was having some trouble after the I-Cord.
How do we end without creating a hole in the top? And is there a tutorial for the wet block?
Hi Tali,
Once you’re done knitting the i-cord and have bound off all three stitches, just pull the yarn through the top of the hat (at the base of the i-cord)! The stitches are naturally pliable, so you’ll just need to wiggle them around a bit to create a space large enough to bring the tip of the i-cord through. And we do have a wonderful tutorial on blocking! You can find it right here. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi I got two yarn balls of this and have a lot of it left after knitting. What other free hat pattern can I use this yarns? Thanks
Hi Charisma!
Thank you for your question! You can browse all of our free fingering-weight hat patterns right here. Some of my favorites are the High Point Hat and the Boyfriend Hat!
I hope this helps inspire your next project!
All the best,
Margaret
Can you please give me some color recommendations for a baby girl? I’m thinking pink, but would love alternative recommendations as well.
Hi Stormie,
Thank you for writing in! For a baby girl’s hat, I would recommend Santolina in Blossom Pink, Peach Lily, Red Smoke, Purple Moor, or Heirloom White for the Roll-Brim hat pattern. For the Garter Brim and Striped Hats, I would suggest pairing Red Smoke and Peach Lily; Green Valley or Emerald Green and Blossom Pink; or any color and Heirloom White.
I hope this helps with your hat project planning, and happy knitting!
All the best,
Margaret
Thanks!!
Could you recommend color combinations in blues or greys? For a boy.
Hi Sheila,
Thanks for reaching out. Blue and gray will look lovely together (some of my favorite colors!), and Santolina has some wonderful shades of both. Here are some combinations I’d recommend:
Gray Owl + Stormy Sea
Teal Tide + Sea Turtle
Well Water + Ice Pond
I hope this helps you plan your project!
All the best,
Lili
I love these patterns. I just finished the striped one and am about to start the Garter Brim one.
My finished hat is too wide and too short. Should I use smaller needles? I frequently knit like this. Thanks for your help.
Hi Ellen,
I’m so glad to hear that you’re a fan of the Classic Baby Hats! It sounds like your gauge is a bit too large, so I would recommend swatching with smaller needles next time. That way, you can determine exactly what needles will allow you to achieve the correct gauge (and therefore dimensions) for the hat! Since you’re also finding that the hat is too short, I’d recommend knitting for more rounds before beginning the decreases for the crown.
All the best,
Lili
Hello I got two balls of the santolini for my baby and now my baby is a toddler. Is there a free hat pattern I can use to knit her a hat to use up the yarn?
Hi Charisma,
Yes, absolutely! We have a number of free hat patterns that are designed for fingering weight yarn like Santolina. You can browse through them all here, but I think that the Tiny Stripes Hat and the Colorblock Timeless Hat are great choices in particular. Alternatively, if you’re still interested in making one of the Classic Baby Hats, but in a toddler size, I’d be happy to help you modify this design!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you Lili , please share how I can use the pattern for a toddler!
Hi Charisma,
To make one of these hats in a toddler size (or any size, really!), you’ll need to adjust the number of stitches you cast on, so that the hat is larger. First, measure the head circumference of your toddler and subtract about an inch or two, since hats fit best with negative ease. Then, multiply this number by the number of stitches per inch, based on the gauge of the pattern (this would be 8 stitches per inch). Finally, round this number to the nearest multiple of 12 and cast on that number.
From this point, you can essentially follow the pattern as written, with just a few more modifications! First, you’ll want to make the hat taller to fit a toddler. The best way to do this is to have your toddler try it on as you knit. Once the hat is able to cover their ears, then you can move onto the CROWN section. Then, here’s how to work Round 1 of CROWN with any multiple of 12 stitch count:
Round 1: *K(cast-on/12 – 2), k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [(cast-on – 12) stitches remain]
Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you!!!
Just ordered the yarn. What is the best way to download/print the pattern. I’ve had trouble with this in the past. Thanks.
I plan to make all three hats for triplets: two boys and a girl. I ordered three colors and am excited to begin.
Hi Patricia,
Thanks for reaching out! If you’re on your computer, you’ll find a “print” icon in the right column just below the “Save To Favorites” button. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find the “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Click on this button, and a window will pop up where you can delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print. When you hover over any image or a text block, it will be highlighted in yellow and a “trash” icon will appear. Just click on this icon to delete anything that’s not necessary to the pattern! For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. Then, click on the “PDF” button in the upper left-hand corner of the pop-up window. Once your PDF has finished downloading, just click the “Download PDF” button, and it will be saved to your computer! (You can also click the “Print” button if you’d like to print the pattern.)
Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I hope no one has already asked this! But why the double pointed needles? Looks like the pattern has you just knitting in the round? What am I missing?! Thank you so much
Hi Linda,
Thanks for writing in! For this hat, you will need to use the DPNs from the beginning since the circumference is too small for circular needles!
I hope this clears things up!
All the best,
Lili
Do you have a tutorial on double pointed needles? I gave never used them and would like to know how!
Thank you
Yes, we do have a tutorial on DPNs! You can find it right here.
All the best,
Lili
Hi! Can I use the santolina for making socks? If so, can you please help me located a purl soho sock pattern I can use to knit socks for my toddler? Thanks
Hi Charisma,
I wouldn’t recommend using Santolina for socks as cotton has a tendency to grow over time. I’d recommend checking out our Perfect Fit Socks or Baby Socks pattern for some great options for smaller feet! I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella