Jolly Giraffe Hat Knitting Pattern

This cute little giraffe hat knitting pattern is a fun and easy knitting project for babies and toddlers!

I’ve been wanting to make a giraffe hat forever and I recently finally got around to it. It turned out even cuter than I imagined!  I know it probably looks like making the spots will be difficult but it’s actually only three different shapes that you rotate and mix to make the pattern. I call it the chicken nugget theory, you know how if you get chicken nuggets they actually only come in  four shapes (the bell, the bow-tie, the ball and the boot)? But if they’re all mixed up and rotated in a container, you don’t notice the repetition? Same thing for giraffe spots! So don’t let that scare you off! They’re the kind of thing you can crank out quickly while watching something good on netflix! Scroll on down for my cute giraffe hat pattern!

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!

Jolly Giraffe Hat Knitting Pattern

(12 mo. size, see PDF for additional sizes)

Gauge: 20 st. = 4 inches

Jolly Giraffe Hat Knitting Pattern Supply List

• Worsted weight yarn in tan, rust orange and brown
• 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!)

Jolly Giraffe Hat Knitting Pattern Instructions

Using long-tail cast on, cast on 72 stitches onto your circular needles with the tan yarn color. Join to knit in the round and knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch in a rib stitch for 5 rounds. Then 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.

Outer Ears (make 2):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 10 stitches with tan yarn, leave a long tail to stitch the ears to the hat.

Rows 1-10: knit all odd rows, purl all even rows

Row11: k2tog, k6, ssk

Row 12: purl all even rows unless otherwise noted

Row 13: k2tog, k4, ssk

Row 15: k2tog, k2, ssk

Row 17: k2tog, ssk

Row 16: p2tog

Cut yarn, pull through loop to close and weave in that end.

Inner Ears (make 2):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 8 stitches with brown yarn, leave a long tail to stitch the ears to the hat.

Rows 1-10: knit all odd rows, purl all even rows

Row11: k2tog, k4, ssk

Row 12: purl all even rows unless otherwise noted

Row 13: k2tog, k2, ssk

Row 15: k2tog, ssk

Row 17: p2tog

Cut yarn, pull through loop to close and weave in that end.

Horns (make 2):
Using DPNs, cast on 8 stitches with tan yarn, leaving a long cast on tail to stitch the horns to the hat. Distribute across 3 needles and join to knit in the round. Knit all stitches for 6 rounds. Switch to brown yarn and knit all stitches for 2 rounds. Cut yarn, thread on yarn needle and pull through loops to close. Weave in that end, stuff your horn with yarn scraps.

Spot shape A (for the 12 month size, I made 6):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 3 stitches with orange yarn, leave a long tail to stitch the spots to the hat.

Row 1: kfb, k1, kfb

Row 2: p2tog, p2, pfb

Row 3: kfb, k4

Row 4: p2tog, p4

Row 5: knit all stitches

Row 6: purl all stitches

Row 7: k2tog, k2, kfb

Bind off and weave in that end 

Spot shape B (for the 12 month size, I made 4):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 6 stitches with orange yarn, leave a long tail to stitch the spots to the hat.

Row 1: kfb, k5

Row 2: purl all even rows unless otherwise noted

Row 3: kfb, k6

Row 5: kfb, k7

Row 7: knit all stitches

Row 9: k2tog, k7

Row 11: k2tog, k6

Row 13: k2tog, k3, ssk

Row 15: k2tog, k1, ssk

Row 16: p2tog, p1

Row 17: k2tog

Cut yarn, pull through loop to close and weave in that end

Spot shape C (for the 12 month size, I made 6):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 8 stitches with orange yarn, leave a long tail to stitch the spots to the hat.

Row 1: knit all stitches

Row 2: purl all stitches

Row 3: k2tog, k5, kfb

Row 4: purl all stitches

Row 5: k6, ssk

Row 6: p2tog, p5

Row 7: k4, ssk

Row 8: p2tog, p3

Row 9: k2, ssk

Bind off and weave in that end 

Assembling the giraffe hat:
To make the ears, lay one brown inner ear, wrong (purl) sides together on top of one tan outer ear. Use the long brown cast on tail of the inner ear to stitch them together. Be sure your stitches only catch purl loops on the tan outer ear and do not show through to the back of the ear.

Then pinch the ear at the base and use the tan cast on tail to put one stitch through the bottom to help it hold its shape.

Next, still using that same cast on tail, stitch each ear securely to the giraffe hat. Then use the long cast on tails to stitch each horn to the top of the hat between the ears. Finally, using the cast on tail for each spot, stitch them to the hat all the way around, being sure to rotate and mix them so the pattern looks random.

And that’s it! If you want a super easy to print pdf giraffe hat pattern that includes sizes 0-3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 2T+

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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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