This adorable blue whale hat knitting pattern will look adorable on anyone from baby to adult. It even has a cute friendly smile, spout, tail and flippers!
Updated February, 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.
Can you believe it took me this long to make a whale hat? At some point on this hat making journey, I attempted to make a shark hat and was just not happy with how it was going. So I set it aside and I guess, in my mind just sort of rejected all sea creatures. But then I made that cute little octopus hat and realized maybe I had been too hasty. The shark hat may even make a comeback at some point (don’t hold me to it though). But in the meantime, I got a bee in my bonnet to make a cute blue whale hat.
And this one just came out great! Exactly like my sketch! I love it when that happens.
I love the cute spout of water coming from the whale’s blowhole and I’m so excited about the EASY technique I used to make that cute whale tail. Another thing I wasn’t sure about, but guess what? Totally worked!
Go on and catch your own whale hat! (Don’t worry, I won’t start making Captain Ahab jokes now…)
Whale 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
- Worsted weight yarn in tan, gray-blue, bright blue and black
- US 7 (4.5 mm) 16″ circular knitting needles
- US 7 (4.5 mm) 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!
Blue Whale Hat Knitting Pattern Instructions (12 mo. size)
Using long-tail cast on, cast on 72 stitches onto your circular needles with the tan color. Join to knit in the round and knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches in a rib stitch for 10 rounds. Then switch to the blue-gray yarn and knit all rounds until the hat is about 5 inches long.
Decrease (divide the stitches between 3 double pointed needles and knit with the 4th):
Round 1: (k6, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round
Round 2: Knit all stitches
Round 3: (k5, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round
Round 4: Knit all stitches
Round 5: (k4, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round
Round 6: Knit all stitches to the end of the round.
Round 7: (k3, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round
Round 8: Knit all stitches to the end of the round
Round 9: (k2, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round
Rounds 10: Knit all stitches
Round 11: (k1, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round
Rounds 12: Knit all stitches
Round 13: k2tog repeat to the end of the round
Cut yarn, pull through loops and close. Weave in ends.
Flippers (make 2):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 10 stitches with blue-gray yarn, leave a long tail to stitch the flippers to the hat.
Rows 1-10: knit all stitches
Row 11: k8, k2tog
Knit all stitches for even rows
Row 13: k7, k2tog
Row 15: k6, k2tog
Row 17: k5, k2tog
Cast off and weave in that end. Use the long cast on tails to stitch the flippers to the sides of the hat as shown (face the curved edge towards the front of the hat).
Spout:
Using double pointed needles, cast on 20 stitches with bright blue yarn. Distribute the stitches evenly between 3 double pointed needles (or use magic loop) and join to knit in the round.
Round 1: knit all stitches
Knit all stitches for even rounds unless otherwise specified
Round 3: (k3, k2tog) and repeat to the end of the round.
Round 5: (k2, k2tog) and repeat to the end of the round.
Round 6: k2tog all stitches
Round 7: knit all stitches
Cast off and cut yarn leaving a long tail. Use that long tail to stitch the spout to the top of the hat. Weave in the cast-on end.
Tail:
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 6 stitches with blue-gray yarn. Leave a long tail to stitch the tail to the hat.
Rows 1 – 8: knit all stitches
Row 9: kfb, k4, kfb
Knit all stitches for even rows
Row 11: kfb, k6, kfb
Row 13: kfb, k8, kfb
Row 15: kfb, k10, kfb
Row 17: kfb, kfb, k10, kfb, kfb
Row 19: kfb, kfb, k14, kfb, kfb
Cast off and cut yarn but leave a long tail. Thread this tail on a yarn needle and weave it in along the cast off edge to the halfway point. Then insert the needle in the center about 4 rows down from the cast off edge and make a tight stitch to gather the tail in the middle as shown. Knot to secure and then weave in the rest of that end.
To attach the tail, thread the long cast on tail on a yarn needle. Sew the tail to the back of the hat pointing up, but only attach it about halfway up the length of the tail so that the flukes flop back down. Make sure everything is attached securely as this is an item for babies.
Finally, thread a length of black yarn on your yarn needle. Use a backstitch to stitch a big ‘U’ shape for the mouth and two small upside-down ‘u’ shapes for the eyes.
Make sure your stitches are fairly loose so they won’t pull when the hat stretches!
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
Els says
Hi, can I use double pointed needles all the time, instead of the circular needles at the beginning? Since I don’t have circular needles…
Maria Young says
Hi I really want to make this hat but there’s no flamingo pink on the picture can you please specify which blue comes with first part? Thank you
Cassie May says
Whoops, sorry, that was a typo, cast on with the tan. I’ve fixed it. 🙂
Els says
Hi, I am from Belgium, and measure in cms. If I’m not mistaking, the hat is 36 cm (little over 14 inch) for a 1 year old, am I correct? Or am I reading the pattern wrong? Because my kid, now 1,5 years old, measures 48 cm, there’s no way this would fit him… Am I doing something wrong calculating or translating…?
Thank you for your answer! I would really like to knit this hat for him.
Greetings, Els
Cassie May says
Hi!
Knitting is very stretchy! 14.4 inches will be the finished size but it will stretch to fit. The 12 month size actually fit both my kids until they were 2 1/2. The base hat this is based off of has been purchased and tested more than a thousand times and I never get complaints about sizing. 🙂
Els says
Thanks!! <3 I’ll give it a try! Love the designs btw 🙂
Phyllis Schwab says
Another great hat, but I think you need to check the first paragraph of the instructions. While a pink and red whale might be interesting and worth making, it doesn’t go with the picture. I make lots of animal chemo hats and look forward to seeing your creations