Little Bits Beanie - free size
(The above 4 photos show a hat with textured stripes in different colors. The hats are in a variety of sizes from baby to adult, and also in a variety of yarn weights.)
Little Bits Beanie is perfect for those tiny scraps of beloved yarns you just can’t bear to part with, but can’t really use in anything bigger. Pair bright, variegated stripes with a neutral main color to tone them down, or add solid stripes to a variegated main color for a sophisticated look.
This is a Sizing With Spreadsheets pattern, which means this version of the pattern has no upper or lower size limits. It can also be worked in ANY weight of yarn from fingering to bulky weight.
Because of that, this pattern is endlessly adaptable depending on the yarn you have on hand and the person you’re knitting for! Let this be your go-to gift hat pattern.
This pattern is not traditionally formatted - you will need to make a copy of the Google Docs spreadsheet and enter three pieces of information: your head circumference, your stitch gauge, and your round gauge. From there, the pattern will calculate all the stitch counts you need and automatically update the instructions for your unique measurements. If you’re knitting a gift hat and don’t have precise measurements, or if you’re not sure what needle size to start with for your yarn weight, there are links to the Craft Yarn Council head size chart and recommended needle sizes by yarn weight.
If you’d prefer the sister pattern, which gives instructions for traditionally-graded sizes and is only for fingering/sport weight, please see Little Bits Beanie.
Yarn
This pattern will work with anything from light fingering to bulky weight yarn. Recommended fibers are wool, a wool blend, or other fiber with good stretch and memory; avoid fiber that grows when worn or is particularly slinky or drapey.
Construction
This hat is knit from the brim up, with a choose-your-own-adventure brim and stitch pattern incorporating multiple colors, and incorporates quick decreases at the top to create a flatter crown. Contrast colors are joined and broken in stripes, and the main color is used throughout. The lengths given in pattern are for a slouchy hat, but you can easily omit pattern repeats to get a closer fitting hat.
Gauge
With the yarn you’ll use for the hat and a needle size that will produce a fabric you like, knit a stockinette swatch on the larger of your 2 needle sizes to find your stitch and round gauge for 4 inches / 10 cm. Divide that by 4 to get your gauge per 1 inch / 2.5 cm and enter that into the spreadsheet. If you’re not sure where to start with needle size, check this chart from the Craft Yarn Council.
Needles
-Needle size you’ll use for the body of the hat
-A needle size two sizes smaller than the one for the body, for the ribbing
You will need a 16 in / 40.5 cm circular for the body of the hat (adult sizes) and DPNs or a longer circular for child sizes and small-circumference knitting at the crown (all sizes).
If doing the folded brim, you will need two 16 in / 40.5 cm circulars or another set of DPNs of the smaller size for the joining round.
Notions
crochet hook (optional, for provisional cast-on)
embroidery needle
stitch markers