Cream Bow Applique Beanie Free Knitting Pattern

Cream Bow Applique Beanie Free Knitting Pattern

Introduction

If you have ever wanted to knit something you can actually wear out of the house, this Cream Bow Applique Beanie is the perfect first project. It is worked in the round from the brim up, which means there is no seaming of the hat itself and only one simple stitch pattern to learn: knit two, purl two ribbing. The finished hat is soft, stretchy, and cozy, with a tidy folded brim and a gently rounded crown. The little sage green garter-stitch bow stitched to the side gives it a preppy, boutique look that makes people ask, "You made that?" This pattern is written for complete beginners, so every term is explained and every round is spelled out.

Materials Needed

• Yarn (hat): Worsted weight (CYC #4) yarn, approximately 150 yards of cream. A smooth wool-acrylic blend works beautifully.
• Yarn (bow): Worsted weight (CYC #4) yarn, approximately 25 yards of sage green.
• Main needles: US 7 (4.5 mm) 16-inch circular needle and a set of US 7 (4.5 mm) double-pointed needles (DPNs) for the crown.
• Brim needles: US 6 (4.0 mm) 16-inch circular needle.
• Stitch marker: 1, to mark the beginning of the round.
• Tapestry needle: a large blunt needle with an eye big enough for yarn, for seaming and weaving in ends.
• Scissors for cutting yarn.
• Finished size: Circumference 18 (20, 22) inches, to fit head circumference 20 (22, 24) inches with 2 inches of negative ease. Finished length about 8 (8.5, 9) inches. Sample shown in the 20-inch size.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• st / sts – stitch / stitches (one loop on your needle is one stitch).
• k – knit stitch (insert the right needle into the front of the stitch, wrap yarn around, pull a loop through, slide the old stitch off).
• p – purl stitch (insert the right needle into the front of the stitch from right to left, wrap yarn around, pull a loop through toward you, slide the old stitch off).
• k2 – knit 2 stitches, one after the other.
• p2 – purl 2 stitches, one after the other.
• k2tog – knit two stitches together (insert the needle into two stitches at once and knit them as one; this decreases by one stitch and leans to the right).
• p2tog – purl two stitches together (purl two stitches as one; this decreases by one stitch).
• k2, p2 ribbing – a repeating pattern of knit 2, purl 2 that makes the fabric stretchy.
• garter stitch – knitting every row (or every round) so the fabric is flat and bumpy on both sides.
• cast on – the very first step where you create the starting loops on your needle.
• bind off – the final step that locks the stitches so they cannot unravel.
• long-tail cast-on – a common stretchy cast-on where you make a slip knot and use two strands (a "tail" and the working yarn) to create each stitch.
• in the round – knitting in a continuous spiral on circular needles so there are no side seams.
• place marker – slipping a small ring onto your needle to mark where each round begins.
• repeat from * – go back to the asterisk and do that group of stitches again, all the way around the round.
• DPNs – double-pointed needles, short needles with points on both ends, used when too few stitches remain for a circular needle.
• block – gently washing and shaping the finished piece so the stitches even out.

Gauge

20 stitches and 26 rounds = 4 inches in k2, p2 ribbing, lightly stretched, on the larger (US 7 / 4.5 mm) needles.

Gauge is simply how big your stitches turn out. If your stitches are bigger than the pattern's, your hat will be too big; if they are smaller, the hat will be too tight. To check, cast on about 30 stitches on your US 7 needles and work in k2, p2 ribbing for about 4 inches. Lay the swatch flat, stretch it lightly (just enough to open the ribs), and count how many stitches fit across 4 inches. If you have more than 20, go up a needle size; if you have fewer, go down. It is worth the 20 minutes — a hat that fits is a hat you will wear.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use a stitch marker. Slip it from the left needle to the right at the start of every round so you always know where a round begins. Losing your place is the number one beginner frustration.
• Do not pull the yarn tight. Keep your tension relaxed, especially on the first stitch after the marker. Tight yarn makes a hat that will not stretch over a head.
• Check for twists before joining. After casting on, lay the needle down and make sure all the stitches face the same way along the inside of the circle. A twist here cannot be fixed later.
• Count your stitches at the end of every decrease round. The numbers in parentheses tell you exactly what you should have.
• Switch to DPNs early. When the hat gets too small to stretch around the circular needle, move the stitches onto three or four double-pointed needles. It feels awkward for two rounds, then it clicks.
• Keep the bow simple. The bow is two small flat rectangles — perfect practice for knit stitches before you tackle the hat.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Hat — Brim

With the smaller US 6 (4.0 mm) circular needle and cream yarn, cast on 88 (96, 104) stitches using the long-tail cast-on. Place your marker and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Brim Rounds 1–12: Work in k2, p2 ribbing (knit 2, purl 2) around. (88 (96, 104) sts)
The brim now measures about 2 inches.

Hat — Body

Change to the larger US 7 (4.5 mm) circular needle.

Body Rounds 1–40: Continue in k2, p2 ribbing as established until the hat measures about 8 (8.5, 9) inches from the cast-on edge, or about 1.5 inches less than your desired finished length. (88 (96, 104) sts)

Hat — Crown Shaping

Note: Change to double-pointed needles when the stitches no longer fit comfortably on the circular needle.

Round 1: *K2, p2tog, p2; repeat from * around. (77 (84, 91) sts)

Round 2: *K2, p2, p1; repeat from * around. (77 (84, 91) sts)

Round 3: *K2, p2tog, p1; repeat from * around. (66 (72, 78) sts)

Round 4: *K2, p2; repeat from * around. (66 (72, 78) sts)

Round 5: *K2, p2tog; repeat from * around. (55 (60, 65) sts)

Round 6: *K2, p1; repeat from * around. (55 (60, 65) sts)

Round 7: *K2tog, p1; repeat from * around. (44 (48, 52) sts)

Round 8: *K1, p1; repeat from * around. (44 (48, 52) sts)

Round 9: *K2tog; repeat from * around. (22 (24, 26) sts)

Round 10: Knit all stitches. (22 (24, 26) sts)

Round 11: *K2tog; repeat from * around. (11 (12, 13) sts)

Cut the yarn leaving a 6-inch tail. Thread the tail through the remaining stitches with your tapestry needle, pull tight, and secure on the inside. Weave in the ends.

Bow Appliqué (make 1)

With the larger US 7 (4.5 mm) needles and sage green yarn, cast on 12 stitches.

Rows 1–8: Knit every row (garter stitch). (12 sts)

Bind off all stitches knitwise. The piece measures about 2.5 inches wide by 1.5 inches tall.

Bow Center Band

With the larger US 7 (4.5 mm) needles and sage green yarn, cast on 6 stitches.

Rows 1–6: Knit every row (garter stitch). (6 sts)

Bind off knitwise. The band measures about 1.25 inches wide by 0.75 inch tall.

Assembly and Finishing

1. Block the hat. Soak the hat in cool water with a drop of wool wash for 10 minutes, press gently in a towel to remove water (do not wring), then lay it flat and shape it to the finished measurements. Let it dry completely.

2. Form the bow. Pinch the center of the 12-stitch rectangle so the two ends fold toward each other and form two loops with a pinched middle. Wrap the 6-stitch center band around that pinched middle and, using a tapestry needle and sage green yarn, stitch the band securely at the back of the bow. Take several small stitches so it holds firmly.

3. Attach the bow to the hat. Position the finished bow on the side of the hat, about 2 inches up from the brim and centered on the side. With a tapestry needle and cream yarn, stitch the bow to the hat through the back of the bow and the center band, taking small stitches so they hide in the fabric.

4. Weave in all remaining ends on the wrong side of the hat, running each tail through several stitches in two directions so it cannot work loose. Trim close to the fabric.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors. Keep the hat cream and swap the bow to blush pink, navy, or mustard for a different preppy look — or make the hat itself a color and the bow cream.
• Adjust the size. To make a larger or smaller hat, cast on in multiples of 4 stitches (the ribbing repeat) and add or remove body rounds at about 26 rounds per 4 inches. The crown decreases are written to work on any multiple of 4.
• Substitute yarn. Any worsted weight yarn works; a wool blend gives the best stretch and warmth, while a cotton blend gives a crisper, more structured brim. Always re-check your gauge with a new yarn.
• Make a removable bow. Instead of sewing the bow down, attach a small safety pin or brooch back to the center band so you can move it to a headband or bag.