Emily

Emily Knit Hat by Taiga Hilliard Designs

What Is Being Made

Emily is a quick-to-knit beanie hat designed for the entire family. This seamless, round knit hat features a ribbed brim and stockinette body, available in three sizes: Kid (18 ½" head circumference), Medium Adult (22" head circumference), and X-Large Adult (25" head circumference). The design is perfect for crafters seeking a fast, satisfying project that requires minimal yardage.

Knitting Techniques Used

This hat is knit entirely in the round using the brim-up construction method, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a seamless finished garment. The pattern employs the jogless stripes technique when changing colors, which helps eliminate the visible jog that typically occurs when working stripes in circular knitting. The crown is shaped using strategic decreases worked at regular intervals to gradually taper the hat to its closure.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

Emily uses fundamental knitting stitches suitable for beginners:

• Knit (K) – the primary stitch forming the stockinette body
• Purl (P) – used in the ribbed brim section
• Knit Two Together (K2tog) – a right-leaning decrease used throughout the crown shaping section to reduce stitches and form the hat's tapered top

The brim begins with a 2x2 ribbed pattern (knit 2, purl 2 repeat) worked for seven rounds, which creates elasticity and helps the hat sit securely on the head. Following the ribbed brim, the body transitions to stockinette stitch (knit every round) until the desired length is reached. The decreasing section systematically reduces stitches using K2tog decreases spaced at decreasing intervals, creating a smooth crown closure.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

This project requires super bulky weight yarn, specifically Madelinetosh ASAP, with minimal yardage requirements: 70 yards for the Kid size, 80 yards for Medium Adult, and 90 yards for X-Large Adult. The pattern calls for US Size 11 (8.0 mm) needles, though crafters should adjust needle size as needed to achieve the specified gauge. The gauge is 9.0 stitches by 14 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch, making this an ideal stash-busting project that uses just one skein of yarn.

Difficulty Level

Emily is rated as a beginner-friendly pattern, making it an excellent choice for new knitters or those returning to the craft. The pattern uses only basic stitches and straightforward shaping, with clear instructions for joining in the round and working decreases.