Casey Hat & Collar - Knitting Pattern for Kids in MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino

Casey Hat & Collar Knitting Pattern for Kids – MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino

The Casey Hat & Collar is a charming children's accessories knitting pattern designed by MillaMia, offering two coordinating pieces that work beautifully together as a gift set or as individual wardrobe staples. The pattern includes instructions for a classic children's hat in one size and a collar sized to fit ages 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, and 7–8 years, making it a versatile project that can grow alongside a child's wardrobe.

What You Will Make

This pattern produces two distinct accessories:

• Casey Hat: A one-size children's hat designed for a neat, comfortable fit. Its compact construction makes it a quick and satisfying knit.
• Casey Collar: A shaped collar available in four sizes, with finished measurements ranging from 21 cm to 25 cm in width and a back length to shoulder of 16 cm to 19 cm depending on the size knitted. The collar is described as highly versatile and is noted as an ideal handmade gift for parents of young children.

Techniques and Construction

The Casey Hat & Collar pattern is rated as intermediate in difficulty, making it well suited to knitters who are comfortable with the basics and ready to develop their skills further. Both pieces are constructed using a seamed, worked flat method, meaning the fabric is knitted back and forth in rows on straight needles and then joined with seams to create the finished three-dimensional shape. This traditional approach to construction gives knitters full control over tension and stitch definition, and produces neat, durable seams that hold their shape through regular wear and washing.

Working flat is a foundational knitting technique where the knitter turns the work at the end of each row, alternating between right-side and wrong-side rows. This method is particularly well suited to accessories like hats and collars where shaping can be introduced gradually and precisely. Seaming the finished pieces adds a professional finish and is a valuable skill for any intermediate knitter to practise.

Stitches Used

The pattern is worked over a stitch pattern with a tension of 28 stitches and 36 rows to a 10 cm / 4 in square using 3.25 mm needles, indicating a relatively fine, structured fabric. The stitch pattern referenced in the tension swatch is described simply as patt, suggesting a defined textural or decorative stitch sequence forms the main fabric of the accessories. Knitters should always work a tension swatch before beginning to ensure accurate sizing, particularly for the collar where fit across multiple children's sizes is important.

Materials: Yarn, Needles, and Colours

The Casey Hat & Collar is designed specifically for MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino, a sport weight yarn celebrated for its softness and suitability for children's garments. The yarn is available in 50 g / 1¾ oz balls, and the pattern calls for:

• 3 balls of MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino in the main colourway Petal (122)

Two needle sizes are required:

• 2.75 mm (US 2) knitting needles – typically used for ribbing, borders, or tighter sections
• 3.25 mm (US 3) knitting needles – used for the main pattern fabric

MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino is a premium merino wool yarn known for its gentle feel against sensitive children's skin, its excellent stitch definition, and its wide range of carefully curated colours. The sport weight construction means the finished accessories are lightweight yet warm, making them practical for everyday use across the seasons.

Alternative Colourways

MillaMia offers a range of inspiring alternative colourways for this pattern, allowing knitters to personalise their finished accessories:

• Forget me not (120)
• Daisy Yellow (142)
• Lilac Blossom (123)
• Sea Green (170)

Each colourway gives the Casey Hat & Collar a completely different character, from soft pastels to brighter