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.

Classic Baby Hats | Purl Soho

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!

Classic Baby Hats | Purl Soho

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!

Classic Baby Hats | Purl Soho

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…

Classic Baby Hats | Purl Soho

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

Classic Baby Hats | Purl Soho

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 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.

Classic Baby Hats | Purl Soho
Classic Baby Hats | Purl Soho