Simple Roll Brim Hat for a Child
Designed by YaYa Lovestoknit There are many existing patterns for this type of hat. This version is just my reminder notes for how I knit hats for the annual hat project. The hat project is sponsored and coordinated by my favorite locall yarn shop. More than 500 hats are provided to a selected area elementary school so every student at the school receives one. Some years, the selected school has been a combination elementary and middle school. The selected school organizes a special hat day event in the fall, and the kids get to choose their hats. The knitters have the pleasure of creating these special hats and the kids get a lovingly crafted hand-knit gift. Warm hearts and warm heads ... smiles all around! Yarn: Worsted weight yarn. The sample hat was knit in the small size using half a skein of Red Heart Gumdrop yarn in Apple (4oz/113g, 204yds/187m per skein).
Needles:
16" Us 5 (3.75 mm) circular needles 16" US 8 (5 mm) circular needles US 8 double-pointed needles Other tools: stitch marker, darning needle Size: Circumference of the hat is 16" but stretchable. Suitable for a child in kindergarten or first grade. Size of hat is easily adjusted for larger sizes by adding cast-on stitches in multiples of 8, and knitting additional rows in the body of the hat and adjusting the decreases for the crown of the hat. See notes at end of pattern. Gauge: Not significant for this pattern, but the gauge for the sample hat was 20 stitches x 23 rows for a 4" square.
Abbreviations used:
k- knit k2tog - knit two stitches together p- purl With US 5 needles, cast on 72 stitches. Place marker to indicate beginning of round and join to begin knitting in the round, taking care not to twist stitches. Knit each round until 1 inch from cast-on, or more if you wish to have a thicker roll brim. Next 6 rounds: K1, P1 ribbing Knit one round. Change to Us 8 circular needles to knit the body of the hat, and continue to knit each round until 5" from beginning of rib section. Knit more rounds if you wish a slouchier hat. Begin decreases to form crown of hat: 1. [K6, K2tog] around 2.Knit 3. [K5, K2tog] around 4. Knit 5. [K4, K2tog] around 6. Knit 7. [K3, k2tog] around 8. Knit 9. [K2, K2tog] around 10. Knit 11. [K1, K2tog] around 12. Knit 13. [K2tog] around 14. Knit
At this point, you will have 9 stitches remaining on your needles. Cut your yarn leaving 12". Using the darning needle, thread the yarn through the remaining, cinch firmly and anchor the yarn. Finishing: Weave in this yarn end and the one at the beginning of the hat. Steam or block the hat if desired.
NOTES:
The ribbing section of the hat provides a snugger fit for the hat. If you wish to have a looser fit, substitute stockinette for the ribbing section. Or knit the hat completely using the US 08 needles only. Suggested guidelines for making larger sizes:
| Cast-on stitches | Body of hat | Begin decreases with |
| 80 | 5-1/2" | [K8, k2tog] |
| 88 | 6" | [K9, k2tog] |
| 96 | 6-1/2" | [K10, k2tog] |
