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Giving Hat
Quick and easy to knit, wonderfully soft, and toasty warm… Our Giving Hat pattern truly checks all the (gift) boxes! Cast on with our beautiful, bountiful Andean highland wool Till, a truly generous yarn for an equally generous hat.
Lickety-split to knit, you’ll move from a 2×2 ribbed cuff to a stockinette body to a crown formed by decreases in four neat spokes that align perfectly with the folded cuff’s knit columns. With sizes for babies all the way up and undeniable universal appeal, the Giving Hat is a pattern you’ll want to knit again and again—“for you, and you, and you!”
Till is a natural favorite for gift knitting, a big-hearted yarn with a timeless sensibility. This worsted- to chunky-weight yarn is 100% Andean highland wool and is thick but not too thick, easy to knit with, and affordably priced in a ton of amazing heathered colors. It even comes in a big, ready-to-knit ball with no winding required to cast on!
Pick from a gorgeous rainbow of colors that will make everyone happy, from the zing of Fresh Grapefruit to the calm complexity of Giant Sequoia. And since you only need one or two balls of Till for a Giving Hat, don’t be surprised if one turns into two… then three… then five. Good thing there are plenty of people to give them to!
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!
Pattern designed and written by Purl Soho designer, Gianna Mueller. See even more of Gianna’s work on her Instagram!
Story written by Andrea Lotz for Purl Soho.
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, 1, 2, 2) ball(s) of Purl Soho’s Till, 100% Andean highland wool yarn. Each ball of this worsted- to chunky-weight yarn is 136 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 100 (115, 136, 165, 195) total yards required. We used the colors Fresh Grapefruit, Lemongrass Yellow, Giant Sequoia, Wine Berry, and Green Thicket.
- US 7 (4.5 mm), 12 or 16-inch circular knitting needles, depending on size you are making OR US 7, 32-inch circular needles for Magic Loop
- If using short circular needles: A set of US 7 double pointed needles
- Stitch markers, including one unique
GAUGE
17½ stitches and 25 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
SIZES
For help choosing a hat size, check out our complete guide on How to Knit the Right Hat Size!
Baby (Toddler, Kid, Adult Small/Medium, Adult Medium/Large)
To fit actual head circumference of 14–16 (16–18, 18–20, 20–22, 22–24) inches
- Finished Circumference: 13¾ (15½, 17½, 19¼, 21) inches
- Finished Height: 10 (10½, 11½, 12¼, 13¼) inches, uncuffed
SAMPLE: The Fresh Grapefruit hat is the Baby size, the Lemongrass Yellow hat is the Kid size, the Giant Sequoia and Wine Berry hats are the Adult Small/Medium size, and the Green Thicket hat is the Adult Medium/Large size.
PATTERN
BRIM
Cast 60 (68, 76, 84, 92) stitches onto 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.
Round 1: *P2, k2, repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat Round 1 until piece measures 3½ (4, 4½, 5, 5) inches from cast-on edge.
BODY
Knit every round until piece measures 8 (8, 8¾, 9¼, 10) inches from cast-on edge.
CROWN
NOTE: If using short circular needles, change to double pointed needles when necessary.
Set-Up Round: Remove unique marker, k3, place unique marker for new end of round, [k15 (17, 19, 21, 23), place marker] 3 times, knit to end of round. [4 total stitch markers, including unique end-of-round marker]
Decrease Round: [Slip slip knit, 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 5 (6, 7, 8, 9) more times. [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 block as desired.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Learn About Till + All Our Beautiful Yarns
Everything you make with Till is destined to become an instant classic, and that’s why we chose it for this pattern! With a vintage sensibility and a timeless appeal, this 100% Andean highland wool yarn is toasty warm and soft to the touch. The bouncy 4-ply spin gives excellent stitch definition to everything from stockinette and garter stitch to cables, and it knits up beautifully at either a worsted weight or a chunky weight. With a stunning rainbow of 37 vibrant heathered colors to choose from, pick up all the Till you need for this project!
More Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our collection of (mostly free!) Till knitting patterns and cast on!
More Worsted- and Chunky-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of worsted/aran-weight yarn (What does worsted-weight yarn mean, really? Our guide to worsted-weight yarn will answer your questions and more!)
- Shop our entire collection of chunky/bulky-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 and our Yarn Substitution article for lots of helpful information.
More Yarns With Similar Fiber
- Shop wool yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our knitting patterns (including tons of 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!
Nice pattern but I don’t use circular needles.
Hi Vicky!
Thank you for writing in! You can absolutely knit this hat on straight needles. After the ribbed cuff, simply work stockinette flat by knitting one row and purling the next, and make sure to work the crown decreases on the right-side rows. When you’re finished, you’ll just seam it up!
If you run into any questions along the way, we’re always here to help.
Warmly,
Megan
Doesn’t she need to add two stitches to allow for the seaming that is required when using straight needles?
Hi Janey!
Great catch! Yes, you’re absolutely right. If knitting this flat on straight needles, adding 2 extra stitches (one on each edge) is a smart idea. That extra fabric makes seaming much easier and gives a cleaner finish. Thanks so much for pointing that out! It’s a really helpful detail for anyone working the pattern flat!
Warmly,
Megan
Perfect hat pattern with varying sizes.
I’m so pleased 😀
Hi Raksha!
Thank you for your comment! We’re so glad to hear that!
Happy Knitting,
Megan
Can I download this pattern asi don’t have a printer?
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for reaching out! You can download a copy of the pattern by clicking the print button and then choosing the PDF icon in the top left of the window that opens.
I hope this helps! Please let us know if you have other questions!
Warmly,
Andrea
Love your patterns and videos.
Hi Janice!
Thank you so much! We’re so glad you’re enjoying them.
Happy Knitting,
Megan
What size hat is the model wearing, please?
Hi Laurie,
The model is wearing size Adult Small/Medium. And just so you know for next time, we always say our sample sizes in the Size section at the beginning of the pattern.
Please feel free to reach out with any other questions… We’re happy to help!
Best,
Whitney
I don’t know how to knit in the round. Can any of your hats be made with straight needles or knitted flat?
Hi Shirley!
Thanks so much for your question! Yes, many of our hat patterns can be adapted to knit flat if you’re not comfortable knitting in the round yet. After the ribbing, you would simply work the body of the hat in stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl the next) and work any shaping on the right-side rows, then seam it up when you’re finished.
If there’s a specific hat pattern you have in mind, feel free to let us know — we’d be happy to walk you through how to adapt that particular design.
Warmly,
Megan
Just what I was looking for. I have seen quite a few but none of them were exactly what I wanted.
Thank you.
Hi Melody!
Thank you for your comment! We’re so glad you’re pleased with the pattern!
Happy Knitting,
Megan
Love the colour range
Hi Narelle!
Thank you for your comment! We’re so glad you love the color range!
Warmly,
Megan
A beautiful hat, but could you please clarify the length of the body.
The pattern says to knit the brim “3½ (4, 4½, 5, 5) inches wide from cast-on edge”, and to knit the body “until piece measures 8 (8, 8¾, 9¼, 10) inches from cast-on edge”.
That would make the body roughly the same length as the brim. Is it possible that the body should be measured from the end of the brim, not from the cast-on edge?
Hi Andrea,
Thanks for reaching out about this! For both the brim and the body length, you’ll be measuring from the cast-on edge. We know it might seem odd that the brim and body of the hat are roughly the same length, but that’s because this hat has a double brim. The brim section will be folded in half when the hat is worn, so the final proportions will look quite different.
We hope this helps! Let us now if you have any questions.
Kindly,
Allison
Can you recommend a yarn with some alpaca in it for this hat? I’m looking for a super soft hat for a sensitive head. Thanks
Hi Evelyn,
We have some very wonderful and soft alternatives for this hat!
Plenty is one great idea. It is the softest extra fine merino ever and knits up into a very smooth fabric.
Another is Nigh Aran, which is 100% cashmere and of course very, very soft.
Paintbrush Mohair would also be an amazing yarn to use. It has a cotton core surrounded by incredibly downy mohair, which would give a very different look and would certainly be very soft.
And finally, if you’re sold on alpaca, Yonder is our 50% alpaca and 50% highland wool yarn with a lovely drape and soft touch. However, following the pattern as written, Yonder would not knit up quite as densely as Till because it’s a bit thinner, so that’s something to keep in mind.
In all cases, it’s a great idea to do a gauge swatch to make sure you end up with a hat that fits. Our All About Gauge Tutorial will steer you in the right direction if you need help with that step. We’re also here to help whatever other questions you have, so please feel free to reach out anytime!
Happy knitting!
Best,
Whitney
Please help me learn to make yarn hats.
Hi Anam!
Thank you for your comment! If you’re just starting out with knitting hats, I’d recommend checking out our Learn to Knit a Hat in the Round pattern. It’s a great step-by-step guide to help you build confidence and skills as you go!
Happy knitting!
Megan
Can this hat be knit on straight needles?
Hi Kathy,
Sure! After the ribbed cuff, you’ll just need to knit 1 row, purl 1 row in order to get stockinette stitch, and be sure to decrease on right-side rows for the crown. And then, of course, you’ll need to seam up your hat when you’re done… No problem!
Please let us know if you run into any obstacles along the way. We’re here to help!
Best,
Whitney
I would like to make this hat using Daily Wool yarn, can you give any guidance on needle size and number of stitches to cast on?
Hi Lela,
Thanks for asking! You have a couple options. The easier one is to follow our Classic Cuffed Hat in Daily Wool pattern instead. It’s very similar, and it’s already knit in the yarn you want to use! If you’d prefer the 2×2 ribbing of the Giving Hat, all of the cast-on numbers for the Classic Cuffed Hat would work, so a very simple modification.
If you’d still prefer the Giving Hat pattern, then it gets a bit more complicated. You’ll need to knit a gauge swatch, then multiply the number of stitches per inch you’re getting by the circumference hat you want. The resulting number is roughly what your cast-on number should be, but the little trick is that your exact cast-on number must be a multiple of four.
For example:
If your gauge is 5 stitches per inch and you want a 21-inch hat, 5 × 21 = 105, which is not divisible by 4, so you’d cast on 104, which is.
Once you’ve found a cast-on number, the rest is fairly simple. Just follow the pattern as written. For the crown section, place your stitch markers so you’re dividing your stitches in four equal sections (every 21 stitches in our example).
Please let us know if we can help you along the way. We’d be very happy to clarify any step to make sure you get the hat you’re dreaming of!
Best,
Whitney
Thank you so much for your detailed response and how to adapt the pattern. Your instructions are clear and easy to follow. Somehow I missed seeing the pattern for classic cuffed hat. My daughter wants me to guide her through making her first hat and both patterns seem beginner-friendly.
Hi Lela,
You’re so welcome! And what a joy to pass knitting on to your daughter… I’m not sure who’s luckier!
Best,
Whitney
Love your post!
I am doing the toddler size hat and I believe the number of stitches is incorrect. The last 17 are short 4 stitches. I think the stitches between the markers should be 16 to make this work.
I did the kid size first and those numbers worked.
Hi Daryl!
Thank you for writing in! The toddler size uses 68 stitches total, and the setup should break naturally into four sections of 17 stitches each. After you shift the beginning-of-round marker as instructed, you’ll knit 17 stitches and place a marker three times, and the remaining stitches before the beginning-of-round marker should also be 17 (17 × 4 = 68).
If your count is still coming up short, it may just be a stitch that slipped during the marker moves (that happens to all of us!), and we’re happy to help you sort it out if you’d like to send a photo to [email protected].
Warmly,
Megan
Hi,
I have Super Soft Merino and would like to use it to make this hat. Can you tell me how to adjust the pattern?
Thank you!
Hi Kari,
Thank you for your question! Using Super Soft Merino for this hat is definitely doable. Since it’s a chunkier yarn than the original, the main adjustment is simply sizing up your needles so you can match the pattern gauge of 17.5 stitches per 4 inches. The pattern calls for a US 7, so I’d recommend trying a US 9 first and seeing if that gets you close.
If your swatch matches the gauge, you can follow the pattern exactly as written. And if you need help fine-tuning the needle size or checking gauge, feel free to reach out. We’re happy to help!
Warmly,
Megan
Hi there, I am currently working on the Giving hat. My question is on the crown area and decrease. You say to remove the marker, knit 3 then place a marker for the new round, (I would knit 23, I casted on 92) then I would place a marker every 23 stitches, BUT what happens to the 3 knit stitches in the beginning when I start the set up round & decrease? then the decrease where do I do the Slip slip Knit? I hope this makes sense . I am sure I am just missing something. Please help me understand this. Thank you so much!
Hi Anna!
Thank you for your question! Those 3 knit stitches at the beginning don’t disappear, they simply become the last 3 stitches of the round once you move the beginning-of-round marker. Shifting the marker is just redefining where the round starts, not changing the stitch count or order. After you’ve repositioned the marker and placed markers every 23 stitches, your round is evenly divided. When you begin the Decrease Round, the instructions apply the same way in each section:
You’ll work an ssk right after a marker (that’s where the slip slip knit happens), then knit across the section, and work a k2tog just before the next marker. So each marked section gets one ssk and one k2tog, for a total of 8 stitches decreased per round.
You’re not missing anything! This is just one of those steps that’s much clearer once you realize the marker move changes where the round begins. You’ve got this!
Warmly,
Megan
I am using two circular needles for this hat instead of DPN’s.
I’ve completed two of the 2 round decrease rounds (four rows total).
Now I have an issue…there is a split 2 stitches before the unique marker.
How do I do a SSK when the first two stitches are split on two different needles?!?
Should I switch to one needle for magic loop? Or put the stitches onto DPNs (not my favorite way!)?
Help!! 😊
Hi Margaret!
Great question and you’re definitely not alone here! This can happen when using two circulars for crown decreases. You don’t need to switch to DPNs unless you want to. The easiest fix is simply to rearrange the stitches. Before you get to the SSK, just slip the stitches from one needle onto the other so that the two stitches you need for the SSK are sitting next to each other on the same needle. Slipping stitches doesn’t change anything structurally. You can also switch to Magic Loop at this point if that feels more comfortable, but it’s absolutely optional. Two circulars work just fine as long as you slide stitches around as needed. You’re doing everything right. This is just one of those practical logistics moments with crown decreases. You’ve got this!
Happy knitting,
Megan
Thank you so much for this truly great hat pattern. It is simple and straightforward, and produces a really great fitting hat. I have made 2 already and plan to continue on for all hat gifting. I love the way the decreases look!