Knit up an adorable fish hat for your small fry with this easy knitting pattern for newborns, babies and toddlers!
How cute is this Fish Hat?! So despite all the animal hats I’ve designed, the only pet I’ve ever really had of my own was a goldfish. (Isn’t it surprising it too me this long to write a fish hat knitting pattern?) And it was one of those crazy goldfish that you win at the fair by tossing ping pong balls into fish bowls. It lived forEVER! Not really, but it lived for years and years. But the funny thing is, while I was responsible for it and cleaned its water and fed it and everything, I’ve never really liked fish all that much…until now!
If pet fish were as adorable as Baby V in this cute little fish hat, then I would have a whole tank full! Thankfully this adorable fish hat knitting pattern requires no tank cleaning.
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!
Small Fry Fish Hat Knitting Pattern
(12 mo. size, see PDF upgrade for other sizes)
Gauge: 20 st. = 4 inches
Small Fry Fish Hat Knitting Pattern Supply List:
- Worsted weight yarn in teal and dark blue
- 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!)
Small Fry Fish Hat Knitting Pattern Instructions:
Using long-tail cast on, cast on 72 stitches onto your circular needles with the teal yarn color. Join to knit in the round and knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch in a rib stitch for 4 rounds. Then knit all rows until the hat is about 5 inches long.
Decrease (distribute your stitches evenly among 3 double pointed needles or use magic loop):
Round 1: (k6, k2tog) and repeat to the end of the round for a total of 9 repeats.
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: Knit all stitches
Round 7: (k3, k2tog) and repeat to the end of the round.
Round 8: Knit all stitches
Round 9: (k2, k2tog) and repeat to the end of the round.
Round 10: Knit all stitches
Round 11: (k1, k2tog) and repeat to the end of the round.
Round 12: Knit all stitches
Round 13: k2tog and repeat to the end of the round.
Cut yarn, pull through loops and close. Weave in ends.
Tail (make 2):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 11 stitches with the dark blue yarn, leave a long tail to stitch the tail pieces together and to the hat.
Row 1: k2, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k2
Row 2: k1, p1, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p1, k1
Row 3: k1, kfb, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, kfb, k1
Row 4: (k1, p2) and repeat to the last stitch, k1
Row 5: k1, kfb, k1, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k1, kfb, k1 (15 stitches)
Row 6: k1, p3, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p3, k1
Row 7: k4, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k4
Row 8: k1, p3, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p3, k1
Row 9: Repeat row 7
Cast off and weave in that end.
Place the two tail pieces wrong sides together and use one of the cast on tails to stitch them together along the edges. Then use the other cast on tail to stitch the tail securely to the back of the hat along the cast on edge.
Top Fin (make 2):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 11 stitches with the dark blue yarn, leave a long tail to stitch the fin pieces together and to the hat.
Row 1: k2, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k2
Row 2: k1, p1, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p1, k1
Row 3: k1, kfb, p1, k1, kfb, p1, kfb, k1, p1, kfb, k1
Row 4: k1, p2, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p2, k1
Cast off and weave in that end.
Place the two fin pieces wrong sides together and use one of the cast on tails to stitch them together along the edges. Then use the other cast on tail to stitch the fin securely to the top of the hat along the cast on edge.
Side Fins (make 2):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 6 stitches with the dark blue yarn, leave a long tail to stitch the fins to the hat.
Rows 1 – 2: knit all stitches
Row 3: kfb, k4, kfb
Rows 4 – 5: knit all stitches
Row 6: kfb, k6, kfb
Rows 7 – 13: knit all stitches
Row 14: k2tog, k6, ssk
Cast off and weave in that end. Use each cast on tail to stitch the fins securely to the sides of the hat as shown.
To finish the fish hat:
To make the eyes and mouth, thread a length of dark blue yarn on your yarn needle, use a backstitch to make the slightly curved mouth. Then use short backstitches to make two little upside down ‘u’ shapes for the eyes. With all of these stitches make sure that they are loose enough that they won’t pull when the hat stretches.
And that’s it! If you want a super easy to print pdf baby fish hat pattern that includes sizes 0-3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 2T+:
If you liked this, you may also like some of my other posts…
- Scalloped Garland Knitting Pattern - February 11, 2025
- 30+ Best Valentine’s Day Knitting Patterns - February 6, 2025
- Valentine Heart Wreath Knitting Pattern - February 5, 2025
Leave a Reply