Knit a sweet little bunny hat for your favorite bunny fanatic with this easy bunny hat knitting pattern in six sizes from baby to kid to adult!
Updated March, 2024
This pattern has been updated to include additional child and adult sizes. For more information on the changes, what’s included and many other questions, click here.
Spring is coming! I mean, eventually, spring is coming! It seemed only fitting to knit up a sweet little baby bunny hat with cute floppy ears for springtime.
Actually, what seems like a thousand years ago, O’s very first Halloween costume was a baby bunny. We gave him a real carrot to hold and it was adorable. I kinda wish I’d had this hat then, it would have been a lot easier!
Anyway, that post contains one of my favorite stories ever about the year Aa, as a little kid, looked out the window on Easter morning and saw an actual bunny in the yard and was 100% convinced for years that he’d seen the actual Easter bunny. So sweet.
O is a little more pragmatic than that. After we took him to an egg hunt last year, he said, “Mom, it’s kind of strange, that Easter bunny can’t open his mouth!” Which just made me laugh. Like he kinda realized that obviously the giant stuffed bunny costume was not the real thing but it also didn’t bother him. So cute.
Anyway, this bunny hat is adorable and perfect for spring. If you knit one, please share it with me! (And keep scrolling all the way down for the free pattern…)
Easy Bunny 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: 19 stitches = 4 inches
(If you need help, my favorite knitting reference book for everyone from beginners to advanced knitters is THIS ONE!)
Worsted weight yarn in white, pink and gray
US 7 (4.5mm) 16″ circular knitting needles
US 7 (4.5mm) double pointed knitting needles
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!
Baby Bunny Hat Knitting Pattern Instructions
(6 mo. size, see PDF upgrade for other sizes)
Using long-tail cast on, cast on 64 stitches onto your circular needles with the white yarn color. Join to knit in the round and k1, p1 in a rib stitch for 5 rounds.
Knit all rows until the hat is about 4 1/2 inches long.
Decrease (divide your stitches evenly between 3 double pointed needles and knit with the fourth.
Round 1: (k6, k2tog) and repeat to the end of the round.
Round 2: Knit all stitches
Round 3: (k5, k2tog) and repeat to the end of the round.
Round 4: Knit all stitches
Round 5: (k4, k2tog) and repeat to the end of the round.
Round 6: Use the fourth double pointed needle to knit all stitches to the end of the round.
Round 7: (k3, k2tog) and repeat to the end of the round.
Round 8: Knit all stitches to the end of the round
Round 9: (k2, k2tog) and repeat to the end of the round.
Round 10: Knit all stitches to the end of the round
Round 11: (k1, k2tog) and repeat to the end of the round.
Round 12: Knit all stitches to the end of the round
Round 13: k2tog and repeat to the end of the round.
Cut yarn, pull through loops and close. Weave in ends.
Outer Ears (make 2):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 12 stitches using the white yarn. Leave a long tail to stitch the ears to the hat.
Rows 1-16: knit odd rows, purl even rows
Row 17: k2tog, k8, ssk
Row 18: purl all stitches
Row 19: k2tog, k6, ssk
Row 20: purl all stitches
Row 21: k2tog, k4, ssk
Row 22: purl all stitches
Row 23: k2tog, k2, ssk
Row 24: purl all stitches
Row 25: k2tog, ssk
Row 26: p2tog
Cut yarn, pull through remaining stitch to close, weave in that end. Tags
Inner ears (make 2):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 10 stitches using the pink yarn. Leave a long tail to stitch the inner ears to the outer ears.
Rows 1-16: knit odd rows, purl even rows
Row 17: k2tog, k6, ssk
Row 18: purl all stitches
Row 19: k2tog, k4, ssk
Row 20: purl all stitches
Row 21: k2tog, k2, ssk
Row 22: purl all stitches
Row 23: k2tog, ssk
Row 24: p2tog
Cut yarn, pull through remaining stitch to close, weave in that end.
To assemble the ears:
Lay one white outer ear down wrong (purl) side up and lay one pink inner ear wrong (purl) side down on top. Use the long cast-on tail from the pink inner ear to stitch the inner ear to the outer ear. Be careful to only catch the purl loops on the white outer ear so your stitches don’t show through to the other side. (Optional: don’t weave in the cast-off end of one pink inner ear and instead, after you assemble that ear, use that cast-off tail to fold the ear down and stitch it in place with one stitch so the ear looks floppy. )To attach the ears:
Pinch one assembled ear at its base and use the white cast-on tail to make one stitch so it holds its shape. Then stitch the ear to the top of the hat. Repeat with other ear. To make the face:
Use a length of pink yarn to make three stitches in descending length to make the nose. Then use a length of gray yarn to stitch three whiskers on either side of the nose. Make sure you leave the whiskers pretty loose so they won’t pull when the hat stretches around baby’s head. Weave in all ends.
The PDF printable also contains instructions for sizes 0-3, 12 months and 2T+!
If you liked this, you may also like some of my other posts…
- Easy DIY Knit Halloween Costumes (Just Add Pajamas) - October 10, 2024
- Witchy Black Cat Hat Knitting Pattern - October 7, 2024
- Big Squishy Pumpkin Knitting Pattern - October 2, 2024
Aurelia Mendez Longobardi says
cias por enseñarme hacer estos hermosos gorritos
Ladell says
I have been looking for a long time for the information. You have gave thank you
Sally Allen says
Looking forward to making this cute bunny hat for my baby granddaughter due in April. Very happy to find your lovely site, with clear instructions and lots of photos to guide us. Thank you!
Cassie May says
wonderful! Thanks for visiting!
Aurelie says
Thank you for your amazing patterns. I started knitting when I made the koala hat for a friend’s baby and I enjoyed it so much I then did the panda hat. I am now considering making this cute bunny for my niece. She happens to be 5 too so I was wondering if the pattern was also available in this size? Or should I just cast on extra stitches (i was thinking 90 or 92) and base my work on size 2T+? Thank you again for your great job!
Patricia Carolan Byrne says
Thank you will be making two for my twin grandchildren Donnacha and Sheenagh.
Trisha says
My 5 years old daughter love this. Thanks for sharing.