Cat Hat Knitting Patterns

Ears, faces and cat motifs on a knitted hat

There are really only three kinds of cat hat, and this collection has all of them. The first is structural: a plain beanie with two triangular ears knitted separately or shaped into the crown decreases. The second is decorative: a face added afterwards in duplicate stitch, embroidery and a few whiskers of contrast yarn. The third is colourwork: an intarsia or stranded cat silhouette carried across the body of the hat. Tabby, tiger or ginger tom, the shaping is much the same; only the shade card changes.

How the ears are made

Knitted-in ears come from the crown shaping, so the hat decreases into two points rather than one gathered top. That looks tidy but locks the ear position to the pattern. Applied ears are two small triangles, worked flat, folded and sewn on, which lets you place them wherever they look right on the head; stuff them very lightly or leave them flat, and sew through both layers so they stand upright. Chunky yarn holds an ear shape far better than 4 ply, which is why so many of these designs are chunky weight.

Adding a face without ruining the hat

• Duplicate stitch: trace over existing stitches in contrast yarn. Fully reversible if you dislike the result, and no floats to catch fingers.
• Embroidery: satin stitch for a nose, straight stitches for whiskers, French knots for eyes. Use a blunt tapestry needle so you split no yarn.
• Intarsia: a separate small ball for the motif, twisting yarns at each colour change. Neat on the front, plenty of ends on the back.
• Stranded knitting: best for repeated small motifs; keep the floats under five stitches or catch them in behind.

Yarn, size and fit

Chunky and super chunky yarns knit a hat in a couple of hours and give the ears the stiffness they need. DK gives finer detail for embroidered faces and suits babies better. Sizing a hat is simple: measure around the head above the ears and aim for a finished circumference around 2 to 4cm smaller, because ribbing stretches and a hat that measures the same as the head will creep upwards all day. A typical adult beanie in chunky takes one 100g ball; a child's takes well under that, and leftovers make the ears.

Gifts and quick makes

Cat hats are close to perfect for gift knitting: small, cheap in yarn, immediately recognisable, and unlikely to need a fitting. They also make good charity knitting and school fair stock. If you are knitting several, work them all to the crown first, then do the ears and faces in one batch; changing task once rather than eight times saves a surprising amount of time. Knit a matching cat bed or toy from the same leftovers for a set.

Washing and keeping the shape

Acrylic and washable wool blends suit children's hats, and both survive frequent machine washes at a low temperature. Wash embroidered hats inside a mesh bag so the whiskers do not snag, dry flat rather than over a radiator, and reshape the ears while damp. If the crown stretches over time, a short soak and flat dry usually brings it back.

Cat hat questions

Are these patterns suitable for beginners? Many are. A chunky beanie with sewn-on ears needs only knit, purl and simple decreases.

How much yarn does a cat hat take? Usually one ball, with a small amount of contrast yarn for the face and ears.

Can I knit one on straight needles? Yes. Flat patterns are seamed up the back; the seam disappears under the ear placement.

Will the ears flop? Not if you use a chunky yarn or a firm tension, and sew the base of each ear across its full width rather than at the corners.

What size should I make for a child? Measure the head and take 2cm off for negative ease; children's sizes are usually given by age as well.