Watermelon Hat in Spud & Chloe - Downloadable PDF

Watermelon Hat – Free Knitting Pattern by Susan B. Anderson for Spud & Chloë

The Watermelon Hat is a charming, colorful knitted hat designed by Susan B. Anderson and offered as a free downloadable PDF through Spud & Chloë. Worked in the round from the brim to a playful I-cord top, this hat is styled to resemble a watermelon slice, making it an irresistible accessory for babies and young children. With its straightforward construction and beginner-friendly techniques, it is an ideal project for knitters who are new to working in the round or exploring colorwork for the first time.

Sizes and Fit

The pattern is written in five sizes to cover a wide range of young wearers:

• Newborn
• 0–6 months
• 6–12 months
• 1–2 years
• Small child

Cast-on stitch counts range from 56 to 88 stitches, and the body of the hat is worked until it measures between 4 and 6 inches from the cast-on edge, depending on the size. This makes it easy to customize fit as the child grows.

What Is Being Made

This is a knitted beanie-style hat worked entirely in the round, featuring a ribbed brim, bold color-blocked stripes that mimic the rind and flesh of a watermelon, and a whimsical I-cord stem at the crown. The finished hat is both functional as cold-weather headwear and delightfully decorative as a novelty gift or photo prop for infants and toddlers.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round – The entire hat is worked circularly, first on a 16-inch circular needle and then transferred to double-pointed needles as stitches decrease toward the crown.
• Colorwork / stripe knitting – Three colors are introduced at specific rounds to create the layered watermelon effect: the rind, the white inner rind, and the pink or red flesh.
• Ribbing – A 1×1 rib (knit 1, purl 1) is worked for the first three rounds to create a neat, stretchy brim that stays in place.
• Crown decreases – A structured series of decrease rounds using k2tog (knit two together) gradually tapers the hat from the body to the crown, shaping the top smoothly over multiple rounds.
• I-cord – After the crown is fully decreased, the remaining stitches are worked as a 3-stitch I-cord on two double-pointed needles for approximately 2 inches, forming the stem of the watermelon. The cord is finished with a knot and the tail is hidden neatly inside the hat.
• Weaving in ends – All color-change ends are woven to the wrong side of the hat for a clean finish.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (K) – The primary stitch used throughout the body of the hat, worked in stockinette stitch in the round.
• Purl stitch (P) – Used in combination with the knit stitch during the ribbed brim section.
• K2tog (knit two together) – The sole decrease stitch used to shape the crown, worked in a series of structured decrease rounds that reduce the stitch count evenly.
• I-cord – A narrow tube of knitting worked back and forth on two double-pointed needles without turning, creating a rounded cord that serves as the stem detail.

Gauge

The pattern calls for a gauge of 5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch. Achieving correct gauge is especially important for sizing accuracy, as the hat is sized for young children and infants where fit matters for both comfort and warmth.

Materials

• Yarn: