This super simple spring-inspired preemie baby hat is a great way to eat up leftover sock yarn. I was inspired to make this, of course, during the Knit Along as I played around with some test patterns and love its little sprouty top. This hat is super perfect for newborns coming home from the hospital!
I hope my onion model makes you smile, by the way! You’ll have to excuse it subbing in for a real baby, since I don’t have one of those lying around to use for photos. I think onion baby is so cute, and the only crying I have to worry about is if I cook with it. ;)
Shh! Onion baby rolled over to get some sleep!
Supplies
size 2 knitting needles
Shibui’s Sock or Staccato yarn
scissors
yarn needle
The Pattern
CO – cast on
sts – stitches
k – knit
rnd – round
pm – place marker
k2tog – knit 2 together
ssk – slip (one as if to knit) slip (one as if to purl) knit the 2 together
k to m – knit to marker
sm – slip marker
rep – repeat
(Note: this a preemie-sized hat as written. You can cast on any multiple of 4 sts if you’re hoping to size up. See this comment for more information on sizing up.)
CO 64 sts and join into a round.
k around for 1.5-2 inches.
the cap decrease
rnd 1. pm, k 13, k2tog, pm, k2, pm, ssk, k 26, k2tog, pm, k2, pm, ssk, k 13. (60 sts)
rnd 2. k all sts.
rnd 3. sm, k to 2 sts before m, k2tog, sm, k2, sm, ssk, k to 2 sts before m, k2tog, sm, k2, sm, ssk, k to m.Rep rnds 2 and 3 until 32 sts remain. Continue working just rnd 3 until 4 sts remain.
the sprout
k around the 4 remaining sts until it’s as long as you’d like the sprout to be. Break yarn, draw tail through and weave in ends to finish.
In case you’re looking for something to pin, this pic’s got a label saying it’s a pattern and not just a random picture of a sleeping onion.
oh my gosh I love onion baby and his hat!
Hello heidi, i want to make this for newborn but i am having difficulty at understanding this. Please help me. If i use straight needles than what would be the pattern? Can you explain it thoroughly?
Hi Luna,
Are you knitting on double pointed knitting needles? If so, the pattern is as written. If you’re hoping to knit this on straight, single-pointed needles it would be a completely different pattern, worked flat and then seamed. I can recommend these alternative baby hats if you’d like to knit a newborn hat on straight, single-point needles:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dozen-baby-hats-knit-flat
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knit-flat-baby-hat
Best,
Heidi
Hi Heidi, I want to size this hat up for an older baby, how many stitches should I cast on? I was trying to figure out the math, but I’m a bit stumped. Thanks for writing this awesome simple pattern! Usually I can’t get from parent because I don’t understand them.
You’re in luck, June! This one is pretty easy to size up since the decreases are placed at the sides. All you need to do is find your gauge (here’s a tutorial on how to do that), and cast on a multiple of 4 more stitches. Then you’ll need to alter round 1 in the pattern: rnd 1. k 13, k2tog, k2, ssk, k 26, k2tog, k2, ssk, k 13. You’ll need to add the extra stitches you cast on to the k13, k13 and k26 from the round. If you cast on 68 sts instead of 64, for example, round 1 will be: k 14, k2tog, k2, ssk, k 28, k2tog, k2, ssk, k 14. One extra stitch was added to each of the k 13s, and two were added to the k26. This was done to evenly distribute the extra stitches. Let me know if you have any questions.
Very cute picture. However the decreases do not result in the numbers making the cute ‘seam’ not to line up. Any advice would be appreciated.
They line up. Round 1 reads:
The two k13’s at the beginning and end of the round are equal in number to the k26 in the middle of the round. And the two “k2tog, k2, ssk” sets are worked over 6 stitches apiece, so 13+13+26+6+6=64 sts, the number of sts cast on initially. Every decrease round results in 4 fewer stitches.
Can I do this with circular needles
Is there a video show how to get the sprout
You can use circular needles, but do to the small circumference of the hat, you’ll need to employ the magic loop technique. I haven’t done a video on the sprout.
I’m trying to do a better job of following patterns exactly and I think I understand the decrease from the comment above. The first one I made was a hot mess because I got confused and did my own thing. Place markers are a big pain in the butt for me – explain why I should give them a try! I love!the tail and the onion photo is genius :) thanks in advance, Kate
Stitch markers are a great tool to help you keep track of where you are in the pattern! They can help you have to count less and take fewer notes as well. :)
Okay I’ll give it a try!
What are size 2 needles. Most designers list mm size
2.75 mm 😊 Here’s a useful conversion chart: Knitting Needle Sizes & A Handy Conversion Chart
Hi I’m working the pattern and the decreases are not lining up for me. Round one and two were fine. However, round three when I got to my st markers there are only four stitches between. Which doesn’t work for k2tog k2 ssk SM. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Cara,
First off, apologies for the delay in getting back to your comment. I was down with the big, bad C-bug the past two weeks, and I appreciate your patience.
Now, let’s get to it. You aren’t doing anything wrong, this early pattern of mine was incorrect. The markers should be immediately to the right and left of the k2s on each edge of the sock. I’ve just updated the pattern in the above post to correct the error in rounds 1 & 3.
Warmly,
Heidi
P.S. Since there was a delay, I’ll also send you an email in a moment including a pattern from the Hands Occupied Pattern Shop to thank you for your patience. :)
I would LOVE to have a video tutorial on how to make this using circular needles! I’m a very rusty and newish knitter and DPNs frighten me. I’m trying to make hats for my two granddaughters for the fall/winter. I’ve only made one hat before, and that was about 20 years ago, so I’m truly inexperienced
While I don’t have a video on this topic myself, I can refer you to a couple videos that could be of help.
Here’s a tutorial on knitting a similar hat with DPNs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q26epbKKSq4
And another tutorial on knitting a basic baby hat in the round on circular needles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_wfCTKM704