Knit up this quick easy and adorable Cozy Penguin Hat with my new knitting pattern!
This penguin hat was inspired by O’s recent discovery of audiobooks. We can check them out from our local library online and then I put them on an old ipod and he walks around the house with headphones on playing and listening and I get to enjoy a few moments of near silence (seriously, that kid NEVER stops talking!) One of the first books I checked out for him was Mr. Popper’s Penguins which I remembered fondly from my own childhood. And he loved it. He must have listened to it 5 times in a row. But of course it made me put a penguin hat on the top of my list! And how cute did this one turn out?! I’m so happy to share it with you today so you can make your own cozy little penguin hat for your little 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, 12 months and 2T+! Thank you for supporting Little Red Window!
Cozy Penguin Hat Knitting Pattern
(6 mo. size, see PDF upgrade for other sizes)
This pattern is copyright Little Red Window Design 2017 and is intended for personal use. You may not not distribute, reproduce or sell this pattern either physically or digitally.Gauge: 20 st. = 4 inches
Worsted weight yarn in black, white and orange
US 7 16″ circular knitting needles
(If you need help, my favorite knitting reference book for everyone from beginners to advanced knitters is THIS ONE!)
Cozy Penguin Hat Knitting Pattern Instructions
Using long-tail cast on, cast on 64 stitches onto your circular needles with the black yarn. 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 (24 stitches, 24 stitches, 16 stitches) and knit with the 4th):
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.
To knit the face:
Using your straight needles, cast on 24 stitches with white yarn .
Rows 1- 26: knit odd rows, purl even rows
To make the top of the face you will work with only 12 stitches at a time, transfer the second 12 stitches to a stitch holder or extra double pointed needle.
Row 27: using only the first 12 stitches on the needles, k2tog, k8, ssk (10 stitches remaining)
Row 28: purl all stitches
Row 29: k2tog, k6, ssk (8 stitches remaining)
Row 30: purl all stitches
Row 31: k2tog, k4, ssk (6 stitches remaining)
Bind off and weave in that end.
Now holding your work right side up, join in new yarn and repeat rows 27 – 31 with the remaining 12 stitches from the stitch holder. Bind off and weave in that end.
To make the beak:
Using straight needles, cast on 10 stitches with orange yarn. Leave a long tail to stitch the beak to the hat.
Row 1: knit all stitches
Purl all even rows unless otherwise noted
Row 3: k2tog, k6, ssk
Row 5: k2tog, k4, ssk
Row 7: k2tog, k2, ssk
Row 9: k2tog, ssk
Row 10: p2tog
Cut yarn and pull through loop to close. Weave in that end.
To assemble the hat:
Thread your yarn needle with length of white yarn and use it to stitch the face to the front center of the hat. Stitch it securely but not too tightly that the yarn will pull when the hat stretches.
Then use the long orange beak cast on tail to stitch the beak to the face. Finally, thread a length of black yarn on your yarn needle. To make each eye, make a short horizontal stitch but leave it loose so it can curve upwards in a U shape. Anchor the U shape by making three short eyelash stitches that catch the eye stitch and go upwards as shown.
Don’t forget that the optional PDF upgraded pattern has lots more size options!
If you liked this, you may also like some of my other posts…
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