Things You'll Need
Worsted weight yarn
16-inch U.S. size 6 circular needles
16-inch U.S. size 7 circular needles
set of four, U.S. size 7 double-pointed needles
Yarn needles
If you want a knitted winter hat that doesn't resemble ubiquitous round-topped beanies, try creating a hat with a flat top. Flat top hats feature nearly the same construction as knitted beanies with rounded crowns, but slight differences in the pattern create an entirely different look. Flat top hats are easy to kit, and you only need one 100-gram hank of worsted weight yarn to create an adult-sized hat. As long as you know how to knit and purl, you can work up your own flat-top cap in just a few hours.
Step 1
Cast on 72 stitches with smaller needles and slide a stitch marker onto the right-hand needle once you've cast on the final stitch.
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Step 2
Join for working in the round. First, position the stitches on the needle so the cast-on edge runs along the underside of the needle. Then knit into the first stitch you cast on and pull tight to close the gap between the new stitch and the last stitch you cast on. As you knit this first round, make sure the cast-on edge remains along the bottom of the needles; this will prevent your work from twisting.
Step 3
Knit the first round. When you get to the end of the round, slip the stitch marker from the left-hand needle to the right-hand needle and purl the next round.
Step 4
Continue knitting in the established pattern, alternating between knit and purl rounds to create a garter stitch hat band.
Step 5
Switch to knitting stockinette stitch with your larger needles when the knitting measures 1 1/2 inches from the cast-on edge. Continue knitting stockinette stitch for 4 inches, stopping once your work measures 6 inches from the cast-on edge.
Step 6
Purl the next row, and knit one round before you begin decreasing for the crown of the hat.
Step 7
Begin decreasing in the next round. Knit seven stitches, knit two stitches together and repeat until you reach the end of the round. Knit the following round without making decreases.
Step 8
Continue decreasing every other round. For each subsequent decrease round, knit one fewer stitch between knit-two-together decreases.
Step 9
Change to double pointed needles when you no longer have enough stitches to comfortably knit around on the circular needles. Distribute the stitches evenly onto three double pointed needles and use a fourth empty needle as your right-hand needle when you begin knitting the next round.
Step 10
Break your yarn when eight stitches remain; leave a tail that measures at least 6 inches in length. Thread the tail through a yarn needle and draw the needle through the remaining eight stitches. Remove the stitches from your double pointed knitting needles and pull the yarn tail taut to close the hole at the top of the hat.
Step 11
Weave in remaining yarn ends, wash and block the hat, being careful not to stretch the top of the hat into a rounded shape when you block it.
Tip
If you want to add texture to your flat-top hat, use a simple stitch pattern such as seed stitch (knit one, purl one and repeat to the end of every row) to knit the sides of the hat.
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