Free Easy Peasy Leftover Sock Newborn Hat

I have knitted many a umbilical cord hat over the years for gifts using my own pattern but wanted to tweak it to use up all of my many (many!) sock yarn leftovers so I re-ran the numbers and the decreases and here we are! I think it turned out really cute (and is uber decadent in MCN Julie Spins yarn). I sewed a matching gnomey onesie and burp cloth as a gift for a friend in my birth class.

If you'd like to make one too - the pattern is super simple. 

Leftover Sock Newborn Hat (queue it up on ravelry here)

Difficulty Level: Easy peasy!

Gauge: 7sts/inch

Materials:

Leftover sock yarn (I used .6oz of merino cashmere nylon Julie Spins Yarn)

3mm needles or size appropriate for gauge (you can use 12inch circulars, magic loop, dpn's, 2 circs, etc, whatever your favorite method is to knit a small circumference.  Since the hat is too tiny, 16 inch circulars won't do, they'll have to be smaller than that.)  **Note- if you use 12 inch circulars, you will need to switch to dpn's when the head decreases make the circumference too small.  **

Darning Needle & Stitch Marker

Sizing:  Please note, the sizes of newborn heads vary greatly.  If you'd like to upsize or downsize the pattern, use the gauge to calculate the size you want, and make sure that it's a multiple of 10 and put that number in the directions.  Easy Peasy!

Here is a fantastic (!) link to a size chart for baby heads, to better allow you to estimate sizes.

In this case, I wanted a newborn size so I want a finished size that fits a 13"-14" head, you'll want a bit of negative ease in there for a good fit, so subtract one inch from the final size.  That leaves us with a knitted size of 12-13".  Based on our gauge, 90 stitches will give us a good number to CO for that final size. 

Directions:

Cast-on 90 stitches.  Join in round and placemarker.

Knit 3.5 inches plain stockinette

Start the head decreases:

Knit 8, K2tog all the way around

Knit 1 round plain

Knit 7, K2tog all the way around

Knit 1 round plain

Continue decreasing in this manner until you are down to Knit 1, K2tog

The next round, K2tog all the way around.

Slip1, K2tog PSSO, 3 stitches remain.

The 3 stitches remaining will become the i-cord umbilical cord.  Start a 3 stitch icord and continue for 2.5 inches.  Slip 1, k2tog PSSO to bind off.  Weave in ends.  Tie the top in a knot and voila!  Easy Peasy Newborn Hat!

Happy Newborn Knitting!  If you run into any questions or issues with the pattern please feel free to contact me, my info is in the sidebar.  

Comments

[Katie K]

Thanks! It's lovely!

[caitlyn]

Very very cute! Thank you for posting the pattern!

[Kathleen]

So sweet! Thanks for sharing.

[Hilary]

Oh my goodness, what a cute little hat! And what a perfect baby gift! I will definitely be making some of these -- thank you so much for the pattern.

[Angelika]

Imagine all the things I miss when I'm out of the blogging loop. Hope all goes well for you in your new place and with the baby. Enjoy her.

[Becky]

Oh, my! That hat is so cute I can hardly stand it! Thanks for sharing.

[Jordan Hydro]

Your post are so good, I suggest that you can add some videos or something like that!

[Jordan Hydro]

Your post are so good, I suggest that you can add some videos or something like that!

[Karina]

I am a complete novice at knitting and after some smalltime practice this was the first real project I cast on... and it came out perfect! Thanks for the clear instructions and for keeping me excited about knitting :)

[kmckiernan]

Thanks so much! :) I'm so glad you like it and I'm happy it came out!

[Mary]

Thanks for sharing your well written pattern- simple, circular and fingering weight yarn was exactly what I was looking for. I'm on my second one already, complete with stripes so cute!

[janis]

If I want this more for a 1 month to 3 month how many stitches should I cast on and then how do I figure the dec rounds? Kinda new knitter, thanks!

[Johanna]

Any idea how many stitches to cast on if you wanted to make a hat like this for an American girl doll?

[kmckiernan]

From what I can tell american doll heads are approximately 11.25 - 11.5 inches around. With the gauge (7 stitches per inch) minus an inch for ease I would cast on 70.

Happy knitting!

[Lisa Citron]

Are the decreases the same as the 90 stitches CO for newborn? I cast on 100 stitches for 6 month-1 year size. Thanks for your help! -Lisa

[kmckiernan]

Yep that's correct.  Happy knitting! :)