Alternating Rib Hat Knitting Pattern

Easy faux cables make this Alternating Rib Hat knitting pattern a super quick knit for your anyone!

If you hade ever met me in real life, it would not be difficult to notice that this robin’s egg blue/teal is my absolute favorite color. Of course I grabbed it to use for the sample of my Alternating Rib Hat Knitting Pattern.

Obviously I love the color, but also a light colored solid yarn like this really shows off this gorgeous stitch well. This is actually a great time to chat about yarn selection. I know there are so many beautiful, fun, colorful yarns out there

A speckled or striped or otherwise “fun” yarn is great for simple knitting projects. If you’ve got a scarf knit in garter or stockinette stitch, that would be perfect! Same for a simple sweater or a cowl or a very plain hat.

But when you have a stitch like this Alternating Rib hat, if you use a busy colorful yarn, you will not be able to see the cabling very well and all your hard work will get lost.

The same principle applies if you use a very dark colored yarn. If you knit up this same hat in black yarn, it would also be hard to see the stitches. For a pattern like this you want a light to medium colored mostly solid worsted weight yarn. Something with a VERY small amount of variation like one of the solid colors of Malabrigo worsted, for example, would be ok. But anything more than that would be too distracting!

Be smart about your yarn choices, friends! They can make or break your projects!

If you want my take on what yarns I like to use for baby hats, I have a lot to say about it!

Alternating Rib Hat Knitting Pattern

Sizes included: 0-3 months, (6 months, 1-2 years, 3-6 years, Child Large/Adult Small, Adult Large) Read our sizing guidelines post for more information.

Gauge: 21 stitches = 4 inches

Alternating Rib Hat Supply List

• Worsted weight yarn
• US 7 16″ circular knitting needles
• US 7 double pointed needles
• Yarn needle

(If you need help, my favorite knitting reference book for everyone from beginners to advanced knitters is THIS ONE!)

Looking for the pattern? Here’s how it works:  This pattern is available for FREE in one size right here on my site (keep scrolling down). Or for just a few dollars, you can choose to purchase an upgraded PDF pattern that is nicely formatted and easy to print. Besides being easy to print, the PDF pattern also contains MORE SIZES with instructions for additional sizing including 0-3 months, 6 months, 1-2 years, 3-6 years, Child Large/Adult Small and Adult Large! Thank you for supporting Little Red Window!

Alternating Rib Hat Knitting Pattern Instructions (size 0-3 months)

Stitch notes:

RT = Right Twist = Skip first stitch, knit second stitch leaving it on the the left needle, knit first stitch and drop both stitches off the left needle together.

Instructions:

Using long-tail cast on, cast on 56 stitches onto your circular needles. Join to knit in the round.

(p3, k1) and repeat in a wide rib stitch for 1.5 inches to make the ribbed brim. Place stitch markers every 8 stitches to keep track of pattern repeats (optional). Then begin the alternating rib pattern as follows:

Rounds 1-2: (k3, p1, k3, p1)

Round 3: (k3, p1, k1, RT, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Round 4: (k3, p1, RT, k1, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Repeat rounds 1-4 until the hat is about 4 inches long, measured with the ribbed brim folded up. Begin the decrease after a round 2.

Decrease (divide your stitches evenly between 3 double pointed needles or use magic loop):

Round 1: (k3, p1, k1, k2tog, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Round 2: (k3, p1, k1, RT, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Round 3: (k1, k2tog, p1, k2, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Round 4: (k2, p1, k2, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Round 5: (k2tog, p1, RT, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Round 6: (k1, p1, k2, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Round 7: (k1, p1, k2tog, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Round 8: (k1, p1, k1, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Round 9: (k1, k2tog, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Round 10: (k2, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Round 11: (k2tog, p1) repeat to the end of the round

Round 12: k2tog all stitches

Cut yarn, thread through loops and pull to close. Weave in ends.

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Happy Knitting!

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Cassie May

Craft and Knitwear Designer at Little Red Window Design

Welcome to Little Red Window! I’m Cassie, a professional craft and knitwear designer working in the field for more than 10 years. I have a degree in Art History from Northwestern University and a Master's Degree in Architecture and Design from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I've designed more than 300 separate knitting patterns, hundreds of craft projects, and I love to bring joy to your crafts and knitting with well-designed, easy to understand tutorials and patterns.

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