Pom-Pom Beanie

Pom-Pom Beanie by Mary Gonzales

What is Being Made

The Pom-Pom Beanie is a newborn-sized knitted hat designed by Mary Gonzales. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a classic beanie with a decorative pom-pom topper, featuring a two-color striped design that adds visual interest to the finished garment.

Craft and Primary Technique

This project uses knitting as the primary construction method. The beanie is worked in the round using circular needles and double-pointed needles, which allows for seamless construction and a professional finish. The pattern incorporates color work through striped sections, utilizing a technique called Jogless Jogging to create clean transitions between color changes while maintaining attached yarn throughout the project.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns Used

• Ribbed Knit-Purl Pattern: Rounds 1-7 feature a *Knit 2, Purl 2* repeat, creating a classic ribbed cuff that provides stretch and helps the beanie stay securely on a newborn's head
• Stockinette Stitch: Rounds 8-21 use continuous knit rounds to create smooth, flat fabric in the main body of the hat
• Knit 2 Together (K2tog) Decreases: Strategic decreases are worked in a pattern (*Knit 6, Knit 2 together*, then *Knit 5, Knit 2 together*, continuing with decreasing intervals) to shape the crown and gradually reduce stitches toward the top
• Striped Color Work: The pattern alternates between seven-row sections of main color and contrast color, creating horizontal stripes throughout the hat while using the Jogless Jogging technique to minimize visible jogs at color transitions

Materials and Yarn

The Pom-Pom Beanie pattern calls for worsted weight yarn (aran weight), specifically Red Heart Soft in two colors: Guacamole for the main color and White for the contrast color. One skein of each color is required to complete the newborn size. The pattern is flexible and allows crafters to substitute any two colors of worsted weight yarn according to personal preference.

Needles and Tools

Construction requires Size 8 needles in two configurations: a 16-inch circular needle for working the body and cuff in the round, and Size 8 double-pointed needles for the final decrease rounds when the stitch count becomes too small for the circular needle. Additional supplies include a yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors, a tape measure for checking measurements, and either a cardboard strip or dedicated pom-pom maker for creating the decorative topper. An optional stitch marker helps identify the beginning of each round.

Construction Details

The beanie begins with a cast-on of 56 stitches using the main color on the circular needle. The ribbed cuff is worked first to create a stretchy, finished edge suitable for a newborn. The body is then constructed in stockinette stitch with the two-color striped pattern, repeating the seven-round color sequence until the piece reaches 3.5 inches in length. The crown shaping employs a series of decrease rounds that continue the stripe pattern throughout, systematically reducing stitches to create the characteristic beanie shape. The pom-pom is constructed separately using either a cardboard strip method or a pom-pom maker tool, then attached to the crown of the finished hat for a playful, decorative finish.