Simply Hemmed Hat
Sometimes a gem shines brightest in the simplest setting, and that’s the philosophy we took with our free Simply Hemmed Hat pattern. This easy, quick topper is knit all in smooth stockinette to let you admire the beautiful 100% yak fiber of our Simply Yak yarn, now available in a brand-new undyed color: Natural Taupe!
Yarn made from yak fiber is a truly special experience to knit with and to wear. Most closely akin to cashmere, both fibers are grown by animals adapted to the very coldest conditions, both produce yarns with amazing softness, breathtaking lightness, and a delicate halo… But yak fiber is even more breathable and more durable, too!
Yak fiber relaxes a lot with blocking and wear, which makes it very soft and very lovely but requires thoughtful design. Our Simply Hemmed Hat pattern has a few tricks that are anything but tricky to help your hat keep its shape, like starting with a long-tail (instead of provisional) cast on for structure and using needles a size smaller for the inner hem.
If you’re worried about that hem detail, let us put your mind at ease! It’s an easy technique, and we have a tutorial to walk you through every step. After the hem, it’s all simple stockinette with a beautiful yarn (what’s better than that?) up to the top of the hat, which is shaped with straightforward decreases forming four spokes.
100% undyed yak, combed from the downy, toasty warm undercoat of free-roaming yaks, this light worsted/DK-weight yarn celebrates all that unadulterated goodness with a lofty 2-ply spin that lets the fiber bloom. Both colors of Simply Yak, new Natural Taupe and original Natural Brown, are undyed, just as nature made them… Simply gorgeous.
You only need a skein or two to make a Simply Hemmed Hat, so cast on for yourself or someone really special… We made the pattern with sizes from baby to adult and everything in between, so everyone can experience the wonder that is Simply Yak!
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. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!
Materials
- 1 (1, 2, 2, 2) skein(s) of Purl Soho’s Simply Yak, 100% yak yarn. Each skein of this light worsted/dk-weight yarn is 109 yards/ 50 grams; approximately 75 (95, 135, 170, 200) total yards required. We used Natural Taupe and Natural Brown.
- US 5 (3.75 mm), 12- or 16-inch circular knitting needles, depending on size you’re making OR US 5, 32-inch circular needles for Magic Loop
- US 4 (3.5 mm), 12- or 16-inch circular needles, depending on size you’re making OR US 4, 32-inch circular needles for Magic Loop
- If using short circular needles: A set of US 5 double pointed needles
- Stitch markers, including one unique
GAUGE
21 stitches and 32 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch on larger needles
SIZE
Baby (Toddler, Kid, Adult Small, Adult Large)
To fit actual head circumference of 14–16 (16–18, 18–20, 20–22, 22–24) inches
- Finished Circumference: 13 (14½, 16¾, 18¼, 20½) inches
- Finished Height: 5½ (6½, 7¾, 8¾, 9½) inches
SAMPLE: Our samples are the Adult Small size.
For help choosing a hat size, check out our complete guide on How to Knit the Right Hat Size!
PATTERN
CUFF
Loosely cast 68 (76, 88, 96, 108) stitches onto larger circular needles. 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.
WORK INNER CUFF
Switching to smaller circular needles, knit every round until piece measures 1½ (1½, 2, 2½, 2½) inches from cast-on edge (unrolled).
WORK OUTER CUFF
Switching to larger circular needles, knit every round until piece measures 3 (3, 4, 5, 5) inches from cast-on edge (unrolled).
HEM CUFF
NOTE: For additional help with this section, please visit our Knit Hem Tutorial.
Fold cast-on edge up inside of Cuff, aligning cast-on stitches with working stitches.
Next Round: *Slip tip of left needle under purl bump right under cast-on edge in same column as next stitch, knit next stitch and picked-up stitch together, repeat from * to end of round.
BODY
Still with larger circular needles, knit every round until piece measures 3¾ (4½, 5¼, 6, 6½) inches from folded edge of Cuff.
SHAPE CROWN
NOTE: Change to double pointed needles when necessary.
Set-Up Round: [K17 (19, 22, 24, 27), place marker] 3 times, knit to end of round. [3 additional stitch markers placed]
Decrease Round: [Slip slip knit (ssk), knit to 2 stitches before next marker, knit 2 together, slip marker] 4 times. [8 stitches decreased]
Next Round: Knit to end of round.
Repeat last two rounds 6 (7, 9, 10, 11) more times. [12 (12, 8, 8, 12) stitches remain]
Cut yarn and thread tail onto a tapestry needle. Sew tail through remaining stitches. Pull taut and bring tail to inside of hat to weave in.
FINISHING
Weave in ends and gently block.
Learn About Simply Yak + All Our Beautiful Yarns
The beauty of Simply Yak is so sublime that the simpler the project, the more it can speak for itself. A 100% yak yarn available in two fascinating undyed colors, Simply Yak comes from the soft and insulating undercoat of free-roaming, majestic yaks, and as you can imagine, it is incredibly soft and toasty with a lovely halo glowing off its surface… Cast on with this light worsted/DK-weight yarn and discover the special pleasure of Simply Yak!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our free Simply Yak knitting patterns and cast on!
More Light Worsted/ DK-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of light worsted/DK-weight yarns (What does DK-weight yarn mean, really? Our guide to DK yarn will answer your questions and demystify.)
- 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 yak 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!
For the baby size do you need to switch needle size or can you just stay with the 4?
Hi Amy,
Thank you for writing in! We used the same size needles for each size of the pattern so we would suggest switching yours as well. I hope this helps clarify but please let me know if you have any questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
All the best,
Gavriella
Would this hat be suitable for men? Thank you.
Hi Jeanne,
Thank you for writing in! This pattern would make a great hat for men, women and children!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
This is different, I realy like it.
Would this pattern work with other DK yarns?
Hi Ann,
Absolutely! This pattern would be lovely in a different DK weight yarn as well. I’d just 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! If you would like to learn more about this, we have a handy tutorial called All About Gauge.
All the best,
Lili
can you use magic loop instead of the DPNs?
Hi Judy,
Yes, absolutely! Magic loop is a wonderful alternative to DPNs.
All the best,
Lili
Great directions, beautiful hat and most important it feels fabulous.
I found it impossible to pick up the stitches for this yarn. In my hands, anyway, the yarn immediately fuzzed such that the cast on stitches were undetectable. My question is: if I make this hat again, can I use something like a provisional cast on instead of the longtail cast on to preserve the stitches? I have never made a hemmed hat before and don’t know if that would work. Thanks.
Hi Kim,
You can absolutely use a provisional cast-on to begin this hat! Our Far + Wide Hat and our Picot Hat provide instructions on how to do the knit hem that way. You’d just have a different stitch count, but otherwise it works exactly the same way!
All the best,
Lili
I followed the pattern with the correct gauge and gently wet blocked it, but my hat grew/stretched out far beyond its original measurements after only two wears. This yarn is too beautiful to waste on a hat that I can’t wear, so I’m probably going to rip it out and try again. Any tips for helping keep its shape for the second attempt? I made the Adult Small size.
Hi Kathryn,
I’m so sorry that your first hat grew in size during blocking, and I’m glad that you’re up for trying again! The first thing I’d recommend doing is blocking your gauge swatch, if you didn’t do that the first time. Many yarns grow and bloom when wet blocked, which can change the gauge measurements significantly. So if you plan on blocking your finished project, we always recommend blocking your gauge swatch for the most accurate measurements. Then you can size down you needles if necessary!
All the best,
Lili
Hi I’m a beginner and love to attempt to make this hat. Will it work out if I stuck to the same size needle instead of switching from 4 to 5 size needle when working the cuff? Since I’m just starting out I don’t know how to switch needles. Or do you have a simpler beanie pattern I can follow that has a round top instead of a pointy one?
Thanks so much!
Hi Carmie,
You can absolutely just stick with the same needle size if you want–it only makes a very slight difference! But if you want to give switching needles a try, all you need to do is start knitting with the new needles, and by the end of the round, all the stitches will be transferred automatically as you knit. You’ll get the hang of it super fast!
All the best,
Lili