When you look at a complete hat, it seems like a complicated job to knit. However, it is not as hard as you imagine. You can learn the easy steps and be on your to making your first hat. All you need is our guide on how to knit a beanie. 

How To Knit A Beanie For Beginners

Knitting can be intimidating when you look at the finished products. But when you pick up the needles and gather the right materials, the craft becomes second nature. If you are not having it easy from the onset, we did this project with you in mind. 

Before you get started, here are things you should keep in mind;

·         Have sustainability on top of your mind when choosing your materials. Use local wool or organic yarn from the likes of bamboo, Tencel, or cotton from red heart yarn. 

·         Use circular needles as opposed to conventional knitting needles. The former is easy to handle for a beginner. 

Materials

If you are knitting an adult-size beanie, here are the materials you require for one piece;

·         A pair of scissors.

·         A darning needle.

·         100g of organic wool (6-15 gauge).

·         Measuring tape.

·         Circular knitting needle (6-15 gauge).

Pro Tip: The circular needle is newbie friendly. Ensure that your wool is thick. It is easy to handle, and you can finish your hat in record time. Besides, thick wool will give your beanie a fuller and softer look. 

Steps On How To Knit A Beanie

If this is your first time knitting a beanie, you should begin by knowing what differentiates a purl stitch from a knit stitch. Basically, they mirror each other and make bumps. However, the purl’s bump is at the front, while on the knit it is made at the back. 

With that out of our way, it is time to get the show started.

Step #1: Gauging Your Yarn

This helps in knowing the number of stitches you have to make for the hat to fit your head. Here is how to do it perfectly;

1. Place your gauge on a flat surface and measure its width in centimeters.
2. Your objective here is to know the number of stitches in a centimeter.
3. Now divide your total number of stitches by the length of your swatch. 
4. Measure the circumference of your head or that of whoever you are making the hat for. Subtract 10cm from the circumference to ensure that the beanie will fit snugly on the head. 
5. Do the math for the stitches you will need for the final circumference.
6. Now you know the exact size of your beanie. 

Step #2: Casting On The Stitches

Now that the measurements are done, it is time to start knitting. First, cast the number of stitches you calculated in the first step. Ensure to have one extra stitch to allow for circular stitching. 

Your cast should be divided into two sections on the needle: the front and the back. The swatch nearest to the needle will always have an extra stitch than the end farthest from the needle. 

Step #3: Circular Knitting

Remember, we said you would be using a circular needle. It comes in handy at this stage;

1. Carefully transfer the end with an extra stitch to the front end of your needle. 
2. Place your working yarn on the front of the needle. You are now creating purl stitches. 
3. Connect both ends of the swatch by pulling out the rear needle and driving it in through the center of the first and second stitches of your front needle. 

Step #4: Knitting The Hat’s Brim

The brim comes from the first 3 rows made up of purl and knit stitches. Most importantly, ensure that the first row has adequate tension. It is the one that will hold the beanie on top of your head. You will notice that the tension tends to make it a little challenging to move your needles. 

Here is a breakdown of how to knit the brim:

·         Make purl stitches for the first row. Once you reach the front needle’s end, flip the swatch so that the back needle becomes the front one. Follow the rear needle to purl the second side of the first row. 

·         Knit your second row.

·         The third and final row should be purled. 

Step #5: Knit The Body

When the rim is done, you now get into the body of the hat. You should relax the tension on your yarn. The body has to be soft and relaxed for the hat to feel comfortable on your head. You will be using knit stitches for the body. Keep knitting until you get to a 20-centimeter height. You can adjust the height depending on the size of the head. 

Step #6 Closing Your Beanie

Now that you have the right height for the body, it is time to close your hat. You will continue using knit stitches. However, you have to reduce the number of stitches per row. 

Follow these steps;

1. For the first closing row, knit the first two stitches tightly together. Knot two normal stitches. Do two tight stitches and follow them with two normal ones. Follow the pattern until you complete the row. 
2. In the second row, generally known as the “break” row, do normal stitches only. 
3. For the final row, alternate the stitches regularly between two tight stitches followed by two normal stitches. 

Step #7 Finishing Your Hat

1. Leave a 30-centimeter slack and cut your working yarn.
2. Now thread the cut working yarn on to your darning needle.
3. With the darning needle, pass the yarn in and out of every stitch on your final row. Repeat this one more time. 
4. Thread the yarn through the beanie’s inner side while pulling the stitches together to leave no gap. Hide the yarn on the inner side and cut off the excess yarn.
5. Conceal the beginning of the yarn among the stitches near it. 
6. Voila! Your Beanie is ready to wear.