The Knit McKinley

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The Super Simple, Super Bulky Hat is pretty much exactly what the name says. It’s a basic beanie pattern knit with super bulky yarn. If you’re a new knitter ready to take on knitting in the round and interested in knitting a hat, I’d give this pattern a try. If you’re a more experienced knitter looking for an under ninety-minute knitting project, this is a really fun, fast knit. 

As a bonus, if you’re a gift knitter, I also think these hats are really fun to make and they’re so fast, it’s like the potato chips of knitting. You could easily make four of these in a weekend. Or you could just knit one for yourself – there’s really no way to go wrong with this pattern.

I like to have really good-looking, easy patterns in my pattern collection because I do occasionally sell hats online (Etsy shop here) and because I like to knit hats for charity and community knitting projects. Whatever I knit to be attractive and thoughtful. Just because I want to a quick, small project doesn’t mean I don’t want it to have clear instructions and an attractive finished knit.

You may be wondering why I’m sharing this pattern right now (it is after all, a hot and sunny late spring day on the East coast!). It’s just a question of timing. I’m knitting some hats for a charity project I’ll post a round up of later this week. I wanted this pattern to be available in advance of that post so you could use this pattern if you were inspired to knit a hat for a charity.

Keep reading for all the information needed to knit your own Super Simple, Super Bulky Hat.

Pattern Specs:

• Skill level: Beginner-Intermediate
  • Skills needed: knitting and purling in the round, decreasing by k2tog.
• Size: One Size – to fit most adults
  • Circumference: 19”, stretches to fit 22” head circumference
  • Height: 7 ½”
• Gauge: 10 sts and 10 rows per 4” in stockinette stitch knit in the round on larger needles. 

Materials:

• US 11 (8 mm) 16″ circular needles, or size needed to obtain gauge.
  • Recommended needles: Clover Bamboo 16″ Circular Knitting Needle
• US 13 (9 mm) 16″ circular needles and set of double-pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge.
  • Recommended needles: Boye 16″ Circular Needle and Clover Bamboo 7″ Double-Pointed Needles
• 90 yards super bulky weight wool-blend yarn.
  • Recommended yarn: Lionbrand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (80% acrlylic, 20% wool). Samples shown in: Storm Front, Coney Island, and Slate. 
• Stitch Marker
• Yarn needle
• Scissors
• Optional: pompom.

Abbreviations:

• CO: Cast on
• k: knit
• k2tog: knit two together
• p: purl
• rnd(s): round(s)
• st(s): stitch(es)

Instructions:

Brim:

• CO 48 sts with smaller needles (US 11). Place stitch marker to mark beginning of round.
• Rnd 1: *k1, p1; repeat from * to end of rnd.
• Repeat rnd 1 seven times (8 rnds complete).

Body of Hat:

• Rnd 2: switch to larger needles (US 13) and continue; knit all sts.
• Repeat rnd 2 twelve times (hat measures approximately 6″ from cat on edge)

Crown

Switch to double-pointed needles (or preferred of knitting a small circumference in the round) when needed.

• Rnd 3: *k6, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd.
• Rnd 4: knit all sts.
• Rnd 5: *k5, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd.
• Rnd 6: knit all sts.
• Rnd 7: *k4, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd.
• Rnd 8: knit all sts.
• Rnd 9: *k3, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd.
• Rnd 10: *k2, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd.
• Rnd 11: *k1, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd.
• Rnd 12: k2tog around (6 sts remaining). 

Cut yarn, leaving a 8″ tail. Weave tail through remaining stitches, drawing the top of the hat closed. Weave in all loose ends. Lightly wet block. Optional: add pompom to top of hat. Wear.

If you knit a hat using this pattern and are on Instagram, please share a picture with me. I really enjoy seeing your projects. I’m @knitmckinley Instagram and I use the hashtag #knitmckinley for my projects and patterns.

Happy knitting,

Kara