Little Garter Hat + Booties
Knit an incredibly special gift for a baby that’s near and dear to your heart with our free Little Garter Hat + Booties pattern. In our 100% cashmere Nigh Fine, this sweet set is as soft as the baby who will wear it!

Based on our super popular Garter Ear Flap Hat pattern in worsted-weight Plenty, this gorgeous cashmere version is knit at a finer sport-weight gauge. After you cast on and work a rolled stockinette brim, you’ll work some simple short rows (so easy in garter stitch) to shape the ear flaps, then decrease to a gentle peak, and top it all off with a winsome little tassel!

For the adorable booties, you start working the sole flat and end up knitting in the round. Along the way, you’ll encounter the same design details and techniques as the hat: short row shaping, centered double decreases against a garter stitch background, and a stockinette rolled cuff.

All in Nigh Fine’s exceptional feel-it-to-believe-it highest-grade Mongolian cashmere… This yarn comes from the downy undercoat of cashmere goats, which keeps them warm and insulated without weighing them down and will do the same for baby!

Holding fingering-weight Nigh Fine double makes for a quicker knit and a substantial fabric that will keep babies toasty warm, while staying marvelously light and pliable. These generous skeins are 448 yards each, so even holding the yarn double, you only need one skein to make a set of hat and booties in any size… Amazing!

Pick from a palette of 18 beautiful heathered colors, from delicate, baby-friendly classics like Pink Crepe and Cloud Blue to earthy neutrals like Soft Rosewood.

Both patterns come in sizes for newborns and babies, and there’s an extra hat size for toddlers, as well. Cast on with Nigh Fine for an heirloom set of Little Garter Hat + Booties, sure to be treasured and passed on with love!
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, Hiromi Glover. See even more of Hiromi’s work on her Instagram!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoLittleGarterHatAndBooties, and #PurlSohoNighFine. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials

HAT
- 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Nigh Fine, 100% cashmere yarn. Each skein of this lace- to fingering-weight yarn is 448 yards/ 55 grams; approximately 150 (190, 235) total yards required. We used the colors Soft Rosewood, Cloud Blue, and Pink Crepe.
- US 5 (3.75 mm), 12- or 16-inch circular knitting needles, depending on size you are making
- US 4 (3.5 mm), 12- or 16-inch circular knitting needles, depending on size you are making
- A set of four or five US 4 double pointed needles
- Removable stitch markers, including 1 unique
BOOTIES
- 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Nigh Fine, 100% cashmere yarn. Each skein of this lace- to fingering-weight yarn is 448 yards/ 55 grams; approximately 125 (145) total yards required. We used the colors Soft Rosewood, Cloud Blue, and Pink Crepe.
- A set of four US 4 (3.5 mm) double pointed needles
- A small crochet hook and scrap yarn (for Provisional Cast On)
- Removable stitch markers, including 1 unique
NOTE: Want to make both pieces? You’ll need just 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Nigh Fine to make a Little Garter Hat + Bootie set in any combination of sizes!
GAUGE
26 stitches and 50 rows/rounds = 4 inches in garter stitch, with yarn held double (see Notes)
SIZES
HAT
Newborn (Baby, Toddler)
- Finished Circumference: 12¼ (14¼, 16) inches, comfortably stretching 1–2 inches
- Finished Height: 6½ (7¼, 8) inches, from bottom of ear flap to top of hat (not including tassel)
BOOTIES
Newborn (Baby)
- Finished Foot Circumference: 4¼ inches
- Finished Leg Circumference: 4½ (5) inches
- Finished Foot Length: 3½ (4) inches
- Finished Height from Heel to Top of Cuff: 4 inches
Samples: We knit all of our samples in the Baby size.
NOTES
YARN DOUBLED
For both projects, you will hold two strands of yarn together throughout. We recommend winding your yarn into a ball and pulling one strand from the inside and one strand from the outside.
PROVISIONAL CAST ON
For assistance, including how to put live stitches back onto needles, please visit our Provisional Cast-On: One-Step Method Tutorial.
SHORT ROW SHAPING: WRP-T (WRAP + TURN)
On both right and wrong sides: Keeping yarn in back, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to front. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Turn work so other side is facing you.
See this technique in action in our Short Row Tutorial at 0:30 seconds, except do not bring the yarn to the back before you turn. Also, because you’ll be working in garter stitch, there’s no need to pick up the wraps when you get to them. Just knit the wrapped stitches as usual!
S2KP (SLIP 2, KNIT 1, PSSO)
Slip 2 stitches together knitwise with yarn in back, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over knit stitch and off right needle. [2 stitches decreased]
For additional help, please visit our S2kp Tutorial.
HAT PATTERN
BEGIN
With larger circular needles and yarn held double (see Notes), cast on 80 (92, 104) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Place unique marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Knit 2 rounds even.
Change to smaller circular needles.
Next Round: K4 (5, 5), place marker (pm) for Left Ear Flap, k72 (82, 94) for Front, pm for Right Ear Flap, k4 (5, 5).
SHAPE LEFT EAR FLAP
NOTE: For both Ear Flaps, you will work back and forth in short rows, turning the work partway through each round, rather than continuing to the end of the needles. See Notes for more help.
Short Row 1 (right side): Knit to first (Left Ear Flap) marker, slip marker (sm), k12 (13, 15), wrp-t (see Notes).
Short Row 2 (wrong side): K2, wrp-t.
Short Row 3: Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch (no need to knit wrap, see Notes), wrp-t.
Repeat Short Row 3 seventeen (19, 23) more times, until you have wrapped the stitch next to the Left Ear Flap marker, ending with a wrong-side row. [10 (11, 13) garter ridges total]
SHAPE RIGHT EAR FLAP
Short Row 1 (right side): Knit to 10 (11, 13) stitches before Right Ear Flap marker, wrp-t.
Short Row 2 (wrong side): K2, wrp-t.
Short Row 3: Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch (again, no need to knit the wrap), wrp-t.
Repeat Short Row 3 sixteen (18, 22) more times, until you have wrapped the stitch next to the Right Ear Flap marker, ending with a right-side row.
Repeat Short Row 3 one more time. [10 (11, 13) garter ridges total]
Partial Row (right side): Knit to end of round.
WORK BODY OF HAT
Now working in the round…
Round 1: Purl to end of round, removing stitch markers except end-of-round marker.
Round 2: Knit to end of round.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until piece measures 3½ (3¾, 4) inches from the rolled edge at the center of an Ear Flap, or until approximately 3 (3½, 4) inches shy of desired finished height, ending with Round 2.
CROWN
NOTE: Switch to double pointed needles when necessary.
Set-Up Round: P9 (11, 12), k1, place removable stitch marker on previous stitch, [p19 (22, 25), k1, place removable marker on previous stitch] 3 times, purl to end of round.
Round 1 (Decrease Round): [Knit to one stitch before next marked stitch, remove marker, s2kp (see Notes), place removable stitch marker on resulting stitch] 4 times, knit to end of round. [8 stitches decreased]
Round 2: [Purl to next marked stitch, k1] 4 times, purl to end of round.
Round 3: Knit to end of round.
Round 4: Repeat Round 2.
Repeat Rounds 1–4 seven (9, 10) more times. [16 (12, 16) stitches remain]
Next Round: Repeat Round 1. [8 (4, 8) stitches remain]
SIZES NEWBORN AND TODDLER ONLY
Next Round: Repeat Round 2.
Next Round: [Knit 2 together] 4 times. [4 stitches remain]
ALL SIZES
Next Round: Knit to end of round.
FINISHING
Cut yarn leaving a 24-inch tail, thread onto tapestry needle, and pull through remaining stitches. Follow our Tiny Attached Tassel Tutorial for a cute topper!
Weave in the ends and gently wet block.
BOOTIE PATTERN
SOLE
NOTE: For this section, you will work back and forth in short rows, turning the work partway through each round, rather than continuing to the end of the needles. See Notes for more help.
With crochet hook and scrap yarn, use a Provisional Cast On (see Notes) to cast 23 (26) stitches onto one double pointed needle.
With yarn held double (see Notes) and beginning to work in Short Rows…
Row 1 (right side): Knit to end of row.
Short Row 2 (wrong side): Knit to last 6 stitches, wrp-t (See Notes).
Short Row 3: Repeat Row 1.
Short Row 4: Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch (no need to knit wrap, see Notes), wrp-t.
Short Row 5: Knit to last 4 stitches, wrp-t.
Short Rows 6–10: Repeat Row 4 five more times. [5 ridges with right side facing you]
Short Row 11 (right side): Knit to end of row.
Rows 12–15: Knit to end of row.
Short Row 16 (wrong side): Knit to last 2 stitches, wrp-t. [8 ridges with right side facing you]
Short Row 17: Repeat Row 16.
Short Row 18: Knit to 1 stitch before wrapped stitch, wrp-t.
Short Rows 19–22: Repeat Row 18 four more times. [11 ridges with right side facing you]
Short Row 23: Knit to end of row.
Short Row 24: Repeat Row 18.
At this point you have 6 stitches on the right needle and 17 (20) stitches on the left needle, with right side facing you.
FOOT
Carefully remove scrap yarn from Provisional Cast On, slipping stitches onto a spare needle as you go.
NOTE: For help with picking up stitches, please visit our Picking Up Stitches Tutorial and scroll down to the Along A Vertical Edge: Garter Stitch, Between Ridges video.
Set-Up Round 1 (right side): With working needle, k11 (13) from left needle; with an empty needle, k6 (7) from left needle, with same needle, pick up and knit 5 stitches between garter ridges for Toe, with same needle, k6 (7) cast-on stitches from spare needle; with another empty needle, k17 (19) cast-on stitches from spare needle. [51 (57) total stitches: 17 (19) stitches on each needle]
Place unique marker and join for working in the round.
Set-Up Round 2: P25 (28), k1, place removable stitch marker on previous stitch, purl to end of round.
Round 1 (Decrease Round): Knit to one stitch before marked stitch, remove marker, s2kp (see Notes), place removable stitch marker on resulting stitch, knit to end of round. [2 stitches decreased]
Round 2: Purl to marked stitch, k1, purl to end of round.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 nine (10) more times, redistributing stitches on needles as needed. [31 (35) stitches remain]
Repeat Round 1 one more time. [29 (33) stitches remain]
LEG
Set-Up Round: Purl to marked stitch, remove marker from stitch, place marker on needle, k1, purl to end of round.
Round 1: Knit to end of row.
Round 2: Purl to marker, slip marker, k1, purl to end of round.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 five more times, or until piece measures approximately 3¾ inches from bottom of Sole, ending with Round 2 and removing marker on last round.
CUFF
Knit 6 rounds even.
Loosely bind off knitwise, going up a needle size, if necessary, so the edge isn’t tight.
FINISHING
Weave in all ends and make another bootie. Gently wet block your finished pair!


Learn About Nigh Fine + All Our Beautiful Yarns
Our exquisite Nigh Fine makes this project an heirloom to treasure! Soft as can be, unbelievably light, and toasty warm, this 100% Mongolian cashmere is spun into a 2-ply fingering-weight yarn that feels amazing to knit. It blooms into a feather-light fabric that seems to float on air, with a soft halo that is the hallmark of fine cashmere. With 448 yards per 55-gram skein, you won’t need many to create something truly extraordinary!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our collection of (mostly free!) Nigh Fine knitting patterns and cast on!
More Fingering-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of fingering-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 Fiber
- Shop cashmere 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!
As usual, the baby hat and booties pattern is a lovely, well presented project.
*Can the booties be knit with circular needles?
*if so, what length?
* could the “booties” be made larger for, say, 7 year old twins (for fun and Christmas morning) ?????
I know there are other patterns out there. But they are not Purl SoHo.
Hi Harley,
We’re so glad to hear you love these new patterns! In answer to your questions, the circumference of the booties is far too small to be knit on circular needles. However, you could use longer circular needles (40-inch needles work great) and do magic loop to make it possible. And I’m afraid that we’ve only designed this pattern in baby sizes, but I’ll absolutely pass along your interest in seeing larger sizes to our design team!
All the best,
Lili
The hat does not show ear flaps. Why you have directions for making them I don’t understand how to do this hat I like the hat I would like make it.
Hi Rhetta,
I’m so sorry to hear that you’re finding this pattern difficult to understand! The ear flaps are created using short rows near the beginning of the instructions for the hat. You can find these directions in the SHAPE LEFT EAR FLAP and the SHAPE RIGHT EAR FLAP section.
I hope this helps clarify things, but please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Lili
Can you please elaborate on “gently wet block” should I soak this for a certain amount of time? Agitate it at all? Squeeze it dry after and then lay flat to dry?
Thanks!! I’m almost done and so excited to gift this to my friend with a newborn.
-Kat
Hi Kat,
To gently wet block you project, first let it soak in cold water for a few minutes (I usually do 15-30 minutes to make sure it absorbs the water thoroughly). Then, carefully take the project out of the water and use a towel to gently press the excess water out of the yarn. It’s important to not wring the water out at all, since that will agitate and felt the yarn! Then just lay it to dry on a flat surface. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks so much!!
In the set up row for the crown of the hat, it says to purl x, k1, place removable maker on previous stitch… Is the previous stitch the one I just knit or the purl stitch right before it?
Hi Leila,
The previous stitch is the one you just knit!
All the best,
Lili
I knitted these up quickly. The hat is great but I was concerned about the booties staying on so I used an alternate pattern. I had enough left to make the mom a matching headband.
Just to clarify, to create garter stitch in the round, one knits a round and purls a round. Here, we are knitting two rounds at the beginning (making stockinette stitch), then working back and forth on the ear flaps (making garter stitch), then working the body of the hat alternating knit and purl rows to create the garter stitch. Right?
Hi Judi,
Yes, that’s entirely correct! This pattern begins with a small section of stockinette before switching to garter stitch.
All the best,
Lili
hi there! i’m confused about the placement of the right earflap – it says knit 72 st after placing marker for left earflap, but wouldnt that just take you back to where you started at the left earflap?
thanks!
Hi Leila,
Thanks for writing in! The stitch marker you place for the right ear flap should be 4 stitches from the end of the round. These stitch markers mark the back-most point of each ear flap, so they are pretty close together! The ear flaps both extend forward around the brim of the hat from there though, so they won’t overlap. Hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Hello,
I just cast on and am excited to start this project! I’m knitting a newborn size. I am at shaping the left ear flap and have completed the first short row (k to first sm, k12, wrp-t). Short row 2 says to k2, wrp-t again. When I turn my work for short row 2, do I knit 2 back,(10 stitches from marker) wrap again, and knit two back to the first wrapped stitch? So I’m just working the short rows with 2 stitches? Thanks!
Hi Keely,
Thanks for writing in! On Short Row 2, all you do is knit 2 stitches and then work a wrap + turn. Then you’re ready to start Short Row 3!
All the best,
Lili
I also have question about row 3- am I knitting back to wrapped stitch from row 2? So the short rows 3-16 are k2, k wrapped stitch then wrap and turn?
Hi Kayla,
Yes, on Short Row 3, you knit to the wrapped stitch, knit the wrapped stitch, and then work a wrap + turn. You repeat this for the following short rows, but it’s not always knitting 2 stitches since each short row gets longer as you go.
All the best,
Lili
I’m very confused on the foot section on the booties! None of it makes sense to me. Do I use completely different needles from the sole part! Do I use double thread on the foot part?
Hi Lydia,
Thanks for asking! You will hold your yarn doubled and will start off by casting on with a single DPN needle and then work flat as you complete your short rows. I hope this helps clairfy but please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi, I love the hat! I have knit the left ear flap but could you please clarify how I start the right ear flap please – do I knit or pearl to the start of the right ear flap or do I break yarn and re attach? Thanks Emma
Hi Emma,
Thanks for writing in! Short Row 1 of SHAPE RIGHT EAR FLAP brings you over to the right ear flap automatically. As long as you just follow the instructions as written, you’ll end up in the correct spot!
All the best,
Lili
Where the instructions say “Repeat Short Row 3 seventeen (19, 23) more times”, it should say to repeat alternating short rows 17 more times. Short Row 3 will in reality only repeat 9 times. I had to knit this twice to understand the mistake in the language of the instructions. (Same principle applies to the second war flap.)
Hi Maria,
Thanks for writing in! I took a look over the pattern and can confirm that it’s correct as written. You’ll be working the instructions in Short Row 3 for both the short rows on the right side of your work as well as the short rows on the wrong side of your work. The same exact instructions apply to both directions, so no need to alternate!
All the best,
Lili