Happy Hat
Our Happy Hats are the Snoopy dance of hats… Jumbo stitches, bright stripes, fluffy pom poms, all great reasons to dance it out!
We’re closing in on some important crafting deadlines right about now, so for expediency, these hats are double-pointed-needle-free. You just knit a tube, then thread your yarn through the live stitches and cinch the top closed. That definitely makes us happy.
The free pattern is sized for babies, kids, small, and large adults… Pretty much everyone, and so Happy Hats all around!
The oversize stitches, the quick knitting, the fun colors, and the super soft touch all come from our wonderful Gentle Giant merino wool. We also used our Pom Pom Maker Set for these perfectly dense and shapely fluffers at the top!
Choose your own palette of Gentle Giant colors, or pick up a Happy Hat Bundle (no longer available)! It includes enough squishy Gentle Giant for two baby- or kid-size hats, if you switch the colors of the stripes, or two adult-size hats, if you also add an extra skein of the main color.
We are pretty grateful for such a happy solution to the quick-knit quandary… Happy enough to do a little dance!
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, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoHappyHat and #PurlSohoGentleGiant. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
(NOTE: the Happy Hat Bundles are no longer available.)
- Main Color: 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Gentle Giant, 100% merino wool yarn, in Heirloom White. Each skein of this super bulky yarn is 48 yards/ 125 grams; approximately 20 (23, 30, 39) yards required.
- Color A: 1 skein of Gentle Giant; approximately 27 (32, 34, 37) yards required.
- Color B: 1 skein of Gentle Giant; approximately 3 (6, 7, 8) yards required.
NOTE: These materials will make two hats with pom poms if you swap Colors A and B. Adult sizes will also need to add an additional skein of the Main Color.
You will also need…
- US 17 (12 mm), 16-inch circular needles
- A stitch marker
- Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set, Extra Large + Jumbo
- For the pom pom: 1 skein of DMC’s Embroidery Floss. We used Blanc.
- To make two Adult-size hats: 1 more skein of the Main Color
We made our samples in the following sizes and colors, using Heirloom White as the Main Color for all of them… (NOTE: Some colors are no longer available)
BABY SIZE: Super Yellow + Parakeet Yellow; Orange Koi + Sugar Maple; Parsley Green + Mountain Hemlock
KID SIZE: Super Pink + Pink Camellia (NOTE: We knit this palette in 2 ways, first using Super Pink for Color A and Pink Camellia for Color B, and then flipping them for the second hat!)
ADULT SMALL: Periwinkle Blue + Lapis Blue; Rose Violet + Red Violet
ADULT LARGE: Cowrie Pink + Calico Pink
GAUGE
7 stitches and 10 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
SIZES
Baby (Kid, Adult Small, Adult Large)
- Finished Circumference: 14 (16, 18, 20) inches
- Finished Height: 7¾ (8¾, 9¾, 10¾) inches
PATTERN
With Color A, loosely cast on 24 (28, 31, 35) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast-On.
Place marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Round 1: Knit to end of round.
Repeat Round 1 for 4 (6, 6, 6) more rounds.
Cut Color A.
With Main Color (MC), repeat Round 1 for two rounds. Do not cut yarn.
With Color B, repeat Round 1 for 2 (3, 3, 3) rounds.
Cut Color B.
With MC, repeat Round 1 until piece measures 7¾ (8¾, 9¾, 10¾) inches from cast-on edge, unrolled.
Cut MC, leaving about a 12-inch tail.
Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle, and thread the needle through all the live stitches. Pull taut, then bring the tail to the inside of the hat to weave in.
POM POM
If you’re using Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set, use the Extra Large Pom Pom Maker with the 3-inch Trim Guide. Using Color A, follow our Pom Pom Tutorial to make a 3-inch pom pom.
ATTACH POM POM
Thread each pom pom tail separately through the top of the hat. Tie the tails into a knot, then thread the tails up through the pom pom itself and trim them flush with the pom pom.
Weave in the ends and steam block if desired.
LEARN ABOUT GENTLE GIANT + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
You can’t get more gentle or more giant than Gentle Giant! A single ply of 100% merino wool, Gentle Giant has a loose and lofty spin that puts the fiber’s softness up front and also keeps this jumbo-weight yarn from weighing you down. You knit Gentle Giant up on mega US 17 or 19 (12-15 mm) knitting needles, making it a very smart choice for last-minute gifts that don’t sacrifice a lick of beauty!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our vast collection of (mostly free!) Gentle Giant knitting patterns and cast on!
More Jumbo-Weight Yarns
- Shop our collection of jumbo-weight yarns
- 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 merino wool
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!
I love the look of this hat! Any idea how I could tweak the pattern to use Super Soft Merino instead? I have a bunch leftover from a baby blanket. Would appreciate any advice!
Hi Emily,
Thanks for writing in, and I’m so happy to hear that you’re interested in our newest pattern! You can absolutely use Super Soft Merino for this hat–all you need to do is adjust the number of cast-on stitches.
To figure out your cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by the circumference measurement of the size you want to knit and cast on the closest whole number. You also may need to adjust how many rounds you knit for each stripe, to make sure they come out the correct width.
Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I would like a hat that is simple and on no more than a size 9 needle. Nothing that calls for double point needles. If you have what I am looking for I will Happily buy the yarn 🧶 from you. Solid color is fine.
Thank you.
Hi Phyllis,
Thanks for reaching out. The Happy Hat does not use double pointed needles, and it’s actually really easy to adjust if you want to use a lighter weight yarn with smaller needles! All you need to do is adjust the number of cast-on stitches.
To figure out your cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by the circumference measurement of the size you want to knit and cast on the closest whole number. You also may need to adjust how many rounds you knit for each stripe, to make sure they come out the correct width.
Alternatively, you may be interested in our Simple Hat pattern, since it uses size US 7 needles and doesn’t need double pointed needles. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi! Can a smaller pompom be added instead (using the large or medium pompom maker)? Thank you!
Hi LH,
Thanks for your question! Absolutely, a smaller pom pom using that maker set would look lovely as well for this hat!
Have a great rest of your day!
All the best,
Cat
Hi again! Is there a tutorial for how to attach a pom pom to a hat? I am assuming the embroidery floss is not strong enough on its own. Do I use the yarn from the pom pom and tie that to the knit of the hat? Thank you!
Hi LH,
We have a few instructions for attaching the pom pom on the project page, but I’ll include them here as well:
Thread each pom pom tail separately through the top of the hat. Tie the tails into a knot, then thread the tails up through the pom pom itself and trim them flush with the pom pom.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I’m learning to use double pointed needles as I’m looking forward to making gloves, leg warmers and socks. It admittedly is a bit of a struggle.
Hi Dorie,
We’re so sorry to hear you’re having trouble getting used to double pointed needles! They’re definitely cumbersome when you first get used to them but I promise they can become fun over time! Have you had a chance to check out our tutorial for using them yet? If that isn’t helpful enough we recommend scheduling an appointment with us via our 1-On-1 Project Help so we can demonstrate in real time.
I hope that helps!
All the best,
Zha Zha
You have no 16 inch size 17 needles . Can I use 20 inch needles or will it be too tight in the round
Hi Christine,
Thanks for writing in! We’re currently out of stock of the US 17 needles in a 16-inch cable and are so sorry for the inconvenience! You could technically use a 20-inch cable for the largest size since the finished circumference of that one comes out to 20 inches, but I think it would be too tight for the others. Since you’re not called to work decreases on the crown though you won’t require double pointed needles so it would be a temporary workaround.
Please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Zha Zha
Hi-
I missed the sale, but still would like to purchase the kit. However, I need a tutorial as to how to use the thread to cinch the tube at the top so I can make sure that this is something I will be able to reproduce nicely otherwise I’m afraid the hat will flop.
Can you share some help? Thank you!
Hi Kari,
Thanks for your question! I’m afraid we don’t have a tutorial for cinching and finishing up the tops of hats, but I’d be happy to offer some tips here. I would make sure to leave a generous tail when you’re ready to cut the main color (the pattern recommends 12″), so you have plenty to work with when using your tapestry needle. Then, the pattern calls for threading the needle through all the live stitches before pulling taut and bringing the tail to the inside of the hat to weave in. When weaving in the ends, I like to do this a good number of times (as much as I can, really!) so the cinching at the top remains very secure and will not loosen at all.
I hope this helps! Have a great rest of your day!
All the best,
Cat
When cinching in the top of the hat, I go around a second time. It is relatively easy to identify the stitches to go through. It does make it quite tight.
Hi, when it says to cut Color A are you supposed to cut and merge with the next color? Then when you are working with the main color you don’t cut the yarn….how do you then add in color B? These may be simple questions but I have never done it before.
Thank you!
Hi Julie,
Thanks for writing in. You’re instructed to cut Color A at this point, since you won’t be using it again in the hat (except for the pom pom)! When working with the Main Color, you do not need to cut the yarn, since you’re going to start using it again just 2 or 3 rounds later. This reduces the number of ends you need to weave in later! Hope this helps clarify things.
All the best,
Lili
Hi! Are the 16“ circular needles used for the baby hat size as well?
Hi Aimee,
Thanks for writing in! You’ll actually need to use only DPNs (or magic loop with a longer circular needle) for the Baby size, and probably the Kid size as well. That’s because the circumference of these sizes won’t stretch all the way around the 16″ needles. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks so much Lili!! Started with the magic loop method. Such a cute pattern
How do I keep the grim from rolling up like it does for the original homestretch hat? Everybody in my house looks like an elf, no matter what I try!
Hi Monica,
Thanks for reaching out. Since both this hat and the Homestretch Hat are knit entirely in stockinette stitch, the brim will always naturally roll! That’s actually a characteristic of stockinette stitch itself, and we designed these two hats using the roll as a design feature.
Since you’re not a fan of that look though, there are certainly ways you can modify these two patterns to avoid it! Essentially, you’ll need to work a few rounds at the start of the hat in a “balanced” stitch that doesn’t roll. For example, many hats begin with some ribbing or garter stitch before moving into stockinette. Those are two great options! I personally like ribbing better for a hat brim, since it adds a bit more elasticity for a more snug fit.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I tried making this with 32 stitches and it is very small. Are the measurement right? I am using two needles 12 mm size and 6 super bulky yarn.
Hi Muna,
Thanks for reaching out. If your hat is coming out smaller than expected, then it’s likely that your gauge is too small! You’ll need to match the gauge of the pattern (7 stitches and 10 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch) in order for the sizes to be correct.
We always recommend knitting a gauge swatch before casting on your project, especially when you are substituting yarns. You may need to size up or down your needles in order to get the correct gauge! In this case, you will likely need to use larger needles in order to make the gauge larger. If you would like to learn more about this, we have a handy tutorial called All About Gauge, which you can find right here.
I hope this helps, and please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Lili
Can i use size 15 needles on this project using the gentle giant yarn?
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for reaching out! You can use size 15 needles, but you may need to cast on additional stitches in order for the hat to come out the correct size. Here’s how to figure out how many stitches you’ll need to cast on:
You will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern with the size 15 needles. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by the finished circumference of whichever size you’re making and cast on the nearest whole number. Then you can follow the pattern as written!
All the best,
Lili