Things You'll Need
Circular needles
Worsted-weight yarn
Scissors
Measuring tape
If you or a friend or family member have a little one on the way, a baby hat is one of the easiest and quickest knitting projects you can accomplish. They'll surely be thankful to have something to warm their baby's head. The process is simple and is great for a knitter on circular needles. The process will also teach you more about gauge and measurement, while still coming up with a lovely end result.
Step 1
Choose a soft yarn with a worsted weight. This will make the knitting process go faster, but if you wish to make something more detailed or flexible, you can go with a smaller size yarn. Whatever you choose, make sure to check your yarn to see what size circular needles to use.
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Step 2
Measure your baby's head using a measuring tape. Take down the circumference of the baby's head in inches, and figure out your yarn gauge by knitting a small swatch. Measure the number of stitches per inch, and multiply it by the number of inches in circumference. This will be how many stitches you will need to start. If no baby is available for measurement, you can also use a balloon or small ball for measurement.
Step 3
Round the number of stitches determined in step 2 down to an amount that is divisible by 6. Cast on that number of stitches onto your circular needles, and distribute the stitches evenly around the circular needles.
Step 4
Knit as usual. You can create a ribbed hat by knitting one stitch, and purling the next. Repeat this pattern to create a small rib. For knitting help, see the Resources below on how to cast on and create basic stitches.
Step 5
Knit about 4 inches before you begin to decrease. Join two stitches together for every six stitches. This will begin to decrease your hat. Keep stitching around and around, decreasing until you have only a few stitches left, and finish off your hat by pulling a 6-inch piece of yarn through your final four hooks with a crochet hook.
Step 6
Tie off the hat and thread, weave a few inches of it into the stitches on the underside of your hat, trim any excess yarn, and place it on your baby's head.
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