Cuddly Cactus Hat Knitting Pattern

Don’t worry, this cute little cactus hat knitting pattern is cuddly, not sharp! Make one for your favorite succulent lover today!

Updated April, 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.

Child in gray shirt on a wood table wearing a medium green ribbed knit hat with light green yarn spikes and a pink cactus flower on top to make a cactus hat looking down at their lap

Ok, you guys, this cactus hat just seriously cracks me up, it’s SO cute! Cacti and succulents are so popular right now and rightfully so since they’re so pretty and easy to take care of! I’ve certainly done some crafting with them myself including a fun faux succulent, and a cactus ring holder, but then one day I thought about how cute a little cactus hat would be and I got to work on it the next morning. I was so excited. And it came out even better than I imagined!

Child wearing a gray shirt and a green knit cactus hat with pink flower on top looking off to the right in front of a white background

It turned out looking just like a cute little barrel cactus! And then AA insisted I add a flower on top, like a blooming cactus and there you go, adorable and cuddly cactus hat!

View from above of Child in gray shirt on a wood table wearing a medium green ribbed knit hat with light green yarn spikes and a pink cactus flower on top to make a cactus hat looking down at their lap

Cuddly Cactus 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!)

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!

Smiling child wearing a green knit cactus hat and looking down and slightly to the left

Cuddly Cactus Hat Instructions: (12 month size)

Using a long-tail cast on, cast on 72 stitches on your circular needles in your main green color. Join to knit in the round and (k1, p1) in a rib stitch for 4 rounds. Then (k6, p2) and repeat in a wider rib stitch for all rounds until the hat is about 5 inches long.

Decrease, divide between 3 double pointed needles and knit with the fourth or use magic loop:
Round 1: (k4, k2tog, p2) and repeat to the end of the round.

Round 2: (k5, p2) and repeat to the end of the round.

Round 3: (k3, k2tog, p2) and repeat to the end of the round.

Round 4: (k4, p2) and repeat to the end of the round.

Round 5: (k4, p2tog) repeat to the end of the round.

Round 6: (k4, p1) and repeat to the end of the round.

Round 7: (k2, k2tog, p1) and repeat to the end of the round.

Round 8: (k3, p1) and repeat to the end of the round.

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

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

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

Round 12: k2tog and repeat to the end of the round.

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

To add the spikes:

Cut a pile of approx. 4 inch lengths of the light green yarn. I used about 40 for the 12 month size hat. To add a spike, insert the crochet hook under one stitch in the middle of one of the knit ribs of the cactus.

Fold one of your short yarn pieces in half and pull it halfway through with the crochet hook.

Cuddly Cactus Hat Knitting Pattern for newborns, babies and toddlers! | littleredwindow.com

Then pull the two ends through the loop on the other side and pull to tighten.

Repeat, spacing your spikes evenly around the cactus hat. Trim each spike to be about 3/4 inch long.

To knit the flower:
Using straight needles and a long tail cast on, cast on 70 stitches with pink yarn.

Row 1: (k3, k2tog, k2tog, k3) repeat to the end of the row
Row 2: (p1, cast off 6 stitches using a purl cast off*) repeat to the end of the row.

Row 3: knit all stitches
Row 4: p2tog and repeat to the end of the row.

Cut the yarn leaving a long tail and thread that tail onto your yarn needle. Then thread the yarn needle through the remaining live stitches and pull to close the center of the flower. Tie a knot on the back of the flower and leave this long tail to sew the flower to the hat. Use the original cast on tail end to stitch the first and last flower petal together to keep the flower closed.

Then sew the flower to the top of the hat.

*to do a purl cast off (also known as a purl bind off), purl one stitch, then purl a second stitch and pass that second stitch over the first and off the needle. You have cast off one stitch. Continue on purling another stitch and passing the previous one over it and off the needle.

And that’s it! Enjoy your Cuddly Cactus Hat!

Child in gray shirt wearing a medium green knit cactus hat with light green yarn spikes and a pink cactus flower on top looking down at something in their hands in front of a white background

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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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