Free Knit Hat Pattern on Circular Needles (Show Off Special Yarn!)

For a fast and fashionable knitted accessory, try this free knit hat pattern on circular needles! With just a few materials and some basic knitting skills, you’ll have a fabulous handmade hat to use up scraps or show off your favorite indie-dyed yarns!

A Unisex Hat Pattern Made For Wearing and Giving

With its classic design and hidden ribbed brim, this unisex beanie makes the perfect garment to keep you and your loved ones warm!

That hidden double brim adds extra warmth and makes it a great fit for many head sizes—meaning this a great project for charity knitting as well!

Whether it’s a gift for someone special or a project to show off a unique skein of indie-dyed yarns, this free knit hat pattern on circular needles lets you create something totally unique and totally you!

Note: The yarn for this pattern was provided for me at no charge by the yarn company. Yarn support allows designers, like me, to continue to provide you with gorgeous patterns while we grow!

Why Circular Needles Make Hat Knitting Easy

Small circular needles are ideal for knitting hats since they create seamless tubes quickly!

This means you don’t have to stop at the end to seam or sew the pieces. And you can knit up stockinette in the round real fast!

This free knit hat pattern on circular needles is an easy project for beginner knitters, with a slight twist to stretch and grow your skills!

What Does Beginner Plus Mean For this Free Hat Pattern on Circular Needles?

Beginner plus projects can be great for new knitters! They’re a way to practice familiar skills like basic increasing, decreasing and ribbing while working on circular needles. But the “plus” comes in by adding one new skill to the mix!

The “plus” comes in on this free knit hat pattern on circular needles in the form of a provisional cast on! This type of cast on provides you with a live edge of stitches. Not sure what that means? No worries! I’ve got a in-depth tutorial on 4 different types of provisional cast ons so you can find one that’s comfortable for you!

Still not sure? Let me assure you, you can do it! The pattern is written in easy to understand language and step-by-step instructions making it an accessible project even for those new to the craft.

Customize the Free Hat Pattern on Circular Needles to Make It Your Own

I love the basic lines of this free hat pattern on circular needles, but what I love even more is that it’s a blank slate for you to play on!

Gather up all your scraps of fingering weight yarn and hold them together to make a scrappy marled fade.

Knit an extra 3-6” to make this beanie a slouchie.

Add texture to the design with purl stitches or knit in an interesting 4-stitch stitch pattern.

You can even make this hat extra special by adding a pompom or stitching on a fun message patch.

Have fun and feel free to be creative when customizing your hat!

Cowgirl Blues Merino DK: The Ultimate in Indie Dyed Yarn

I loved using Cowgirl Blues Merino DK for this free knit hat pattern on circular needles. I ran into this particular skein at Vogue Knitting Live and was so enamored I literally couldn’t put it down.

This colorway is called Cher. And I adore the shades of teal and turquoise mixed with flecks of orange and red. It’s to dye for!

Pony up to their range of vibrant hues and give your hat a lift with this beautifully hand-dyed, variegated yarn.

Composed of 100% superfine merino wool from South Africa, this luxurious 4-ply blend is sure to keep you warm and looking stylish all season long. Ideal for knitters of all skill levels and perfect for adding some color to any basic design – don’t miss out on their amazing variety of indie-dyes!

Materials Needed for this Free Hat Pattern on Circular Needles

Size:

Circumference: 14 (16, 18, 20, 22)”/35 (40, 45, 50, 55) cm

Height: 6 (7.25, 8, 8.5, 9.25)”/15 (18.5, 20, 21.5, 23.5) cm

Yarn:

160 (220, 280, 330, 390) yds/150 (200, 260, 300, 360) m of fingering weight in total when knitted with two strands held double – 80 (110, 140, 165, 195) yds/75 (100, 130, 150, 180) m of each strand of fingering weight yarn 

OR 

80 (110, 140, 165, 195) yds/75 (100, 130, 150, 180) m of DK weight yarn

Suggested Yarn for this Free Hat Pattern on Circular Needles:

Cowgirl Blues Merino DK (100% Wool) 186 yds/170m, 100 g – 1 (1, 1, 1, 2) skein

Purl Soho’s Linen Quill (50% fine highland wool, 35% alpaca, 15% linen) 439yds/410m, 100g/3.5oz in Dark Denim – 1 skein

Suggested Needles:

US 6/4.00 mm & US 7/4.50 mm, 16”/40 cm circulars and DPNs or Magic Loop for small circumference knitting (or needles needed to obtain gauge!)

Waste yarn, crochet hook, third needle in US 6/4.00 mm or smaller, tapestry needle

Notions:

Waste yarn, crochet hook, third needle in US 6/4.00 mm or smaller, tapestry needle

Techniques to Indulge In:

Provisional Cast On

1×1 Ribbing

Stockinette stitch

K2tog & SSK

Glossary

• CO – cast on
• k – knit
• k2tog – knit 2 stitches together
• p – purl
• sl – slip stitch purlwise
• st(s) – stitch(es) 
• ssk – slip, slip knit

Special Techniques for Free Hat Pattern on Circular Needles

Provisional Cast On 

The Provisional Cast On allows you to main live stitches at the CO edge. This is perfect for creating double thick brims! 

For a great tutorial on how to create the Provisional Cast On, check out my photo guide on my blog post: Ultimate Guide to Provisional Cast On: 4 Easy Methods on here NurtureKnitwear.com.

Midnight Frost: The Knitting Pattern

Brim

Using smaller needles and a Provisional Cast On, CO 60 (70, 80, 90, 100) sts. Pm and join in the round, being careful not to twist your CO edge.

Round 1: * K1, p1, rep from * to end.

Repeat Round 1 for 12 (12, 20, 20, 20) more rounds. Switch to larger needles. 

Round 2: P around.

Round 3: K around.

Repeat Round 3 for 13 (13, 21, 21, 21) more rounds.

Return Provisional Cast On edge to needles. Fold your knitting in half to form the brim of the hat with the ribbing inside. Knit one stitch from the front needle (stockinette side) and one stitch from the back needle (ribbed side) together. Rep around. 

Body

Round 1: K around.

Repeat Round 1 for another 4 (5, 5.5, 5.75, 6)”/10 (12.5, 14, 14.5, 15) cm from the purl row, or until 2 (2.25, 2.5, 2.75, 3.25)”/5 (6, 6, 7, 8.5) cm from desired length. 

Crown

Sizes 14 (-, 18, -, 22)”/ ONLY

Set Up Round: * Ssk, k10 (-, 15, – 25), k2tog, k1, pm, rep from * around — 52 (-, 72, -, 92) sts.

Sizes – (16, -, 20, -)”/ ONLY

Set Up Round: * Ssk, k- (12, -, 17, -), k2tog, k1, pm, ssk, k- (13, -, 18, -), k2tog, k1, pm, rep from * around — – (62 -, 82, -) sts.

Round 1: K around

Round 2: * Ssk, k to 3 sts before m, k2tog, k1, sm rep from * around — 44 (54, 64, 74, 84) sts.

Repeat Rounds 1-2 an additional 4 (5, 6, 7, 8) times — 12 (14, 12, 14, 12) sts remain. Remove all markers as you come to them. 

Round 3: * Ssk, k2tog, rep from * around — 6 (7, 6, 7, 6) sts.

Cut yarn. Using a tapestry needle, thread the yarn through the live stitches. Pull closed and thread through a second time. Pull tight. Weave in ends and enjoy!  

If you share photos of your Nurture Knitwear projects, please be sure to tag me @nurtureknitwear and use the hashtags #nurtureknitwear and #midnightfrosthat.

Rock On! Cast On This Free Knit Hat Pattern!

Knitters of all skill levels can easily rock this free knit hat pattern on circular needles. As long as you are comfortable casting on and knitting in the round, you can make a stylish hat with this simple and straightforward pattern. Furthermore, this pattern is a great starting point for newer knitters to practice and expand their skills.

Through this pattern, we have seen that circular needles are a great tool for beginners and experienced knitters alike, and can help everyone make a warm and cozy hat for every gender and age! So sign up below to get all sizes and cast on!