B5 Basic Hat from Measurements - Knitting Pattern for Babies, Kids and Adults in Valley Yarns Northampton

B5 Basic Hat From Measurements – Knitting Pattern for Babies, Kids, and Adults in Valley Yarns Northampton

About This Pattern

The B5 Basic Hat From Measurements is a knitting pattern designed by Kirsten Hipsky that teaches knitters how to construct a well-fitting hat for any head size using any yarn weight. Rather than following a single fixed size, this pattern guides you through a measurement-based approach, making it one of the most versatile hat patterns available. It is suitable for infants, children, and adults, covering head circumferences from approximately 15–17 inches (infant) up to 21–23 inches (adult). Because the finished fabric and fit depend entirely on your personal gauge swatch and the wearer's measurements, every hat made from this pattern is custom-fitted by design.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a classic knitted hat worked from the brim upward. The sample shown in the pattern is knitted in an adult size using Valley Yarns Northampton in the colorway Merlot Heather, finished with a ribbed trim. The construction method is bottom-up and seamless, meaning the hat is worked entirely in the round with no seaming required at the end.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: The hat begins at the brim and is worked upward toward the crown, a logical and beginner-friendly approach that allows easy length adjustments as you go.
• Seamless, worked in the round: The entire hat is knitted in the round, eliminating the need for any sewing or seaming and producing a smooth, professional finish on the inside and outside.
• Gauge swatching: A critical technique emphasized in this pattern. Knitters cast on 30 stitches across 3 or 4 double-pointed needles, work in stockinette stitch for 4 inches in the round, then measure stitches per inch. This gauge number drives all subsequent calculations.
• Measurement-based sizing: Rather than choosing a size from a chart, knitters measure the wearer's head circumference and earlobe-to-earlobe height, then use a simple formula to calculate the exact cast-on count and hat height. This makes the pattern adaptable to any head and any yarn.
• Ribbed trim: The pattern includes a ribbed edge option, which requires a cast-on stitch count that is a multiple of 2. Ribbing is a classic stretchy edging technique that helps the hat grip the head securely.
• Crown shaping with stitch markers: Four stitch markers are used during crown decreases to keep the shaping symmetrical and evenly distributed around the hat.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch: The primary stitch used for the body of the hat and for the gauge swatch. When worked in the round, stockinette produces a smooth knit fabric on the right side.
• Ribbing: Used as one of the available trim options at the brim. Ribbing typically alternates knit and purl stitches in a regular pattern (such as 1x1 or 2x2) and creates a stretchy, form-fitting edge.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern sample is worked in Valley Yarns Northampton, a 100% wool yarn that comes in 247 yards per skein. The sample colorway is Merlot Heather, knitted at a gauge of 5 stitches per inch. Because this is a measurement-based pattern, it is compatible with a wide range of yarn weights, from 4-ply and sport weight through DK, worsted, and chunky weights. Yardage requirements vary based on gauge and head size:

• 3 sts/inch: 50 yds (infant) / 90 yds (child) / 140 yds (adult)
• 4 sts/inch: 70 yds (infant) / 125 yds (child) / 190 yds (adult)
• 5 sts/inch: 90 yds (infant) / 160 yds (child) / 240 yds (