Knit a very tough Tiny Tiger Hat with this adorable knitting pattern!
Oh you guys, every hat I make immediately becomes my new favorite. For a while, I was SURE my fave was the Koala hat but, boy, is this little tiger hat cute! Orange is definitely not usually my first choice of colors for much of anything, but I love it for this fierce little tiger hat! Ok, maybe fierce is kind of stretching it. Let’s see Baby V’s toughest tiger ROAR face…
Ok, maybe still not exactly scary, but she sure is adorable! Or am I just biased? Anyway, this cute tiger hat is an easy knit and another good choice for boys or if you want to go gender neutral! Scroll on down to get the free knitting 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!
Tiny Tiger Hat Knitting Pattern
(6 month size, see PDF version for other sizes)
Worsted weight yarn in orange and black
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!)
Gauge: 20 st. = 4 inches
Tiny Tiger Hat Knitting Pattern Instructions
Using long-tail cast on, cast on 64 stitches with the orange yarn onto your circular needles. Join to knit in the round and knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches in a rib stitch for 3 rounds. Switch to black yarn and knit 2 rounds. Switch back to orange yarn and knit for 3 rounds. Continue on in this stripe pattern (3 rounds orange, 2 rounds black) until the hat is about 4 1/2 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.
To knit the outer ears (make 2):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 10 stitches with black yarn, leaving a long tail to stitch the ears to the hat.
Row 1 (black): knit all stitches
Rows 2-4 (orange): purl odd rows, knit even rows
Row 5 (black): k2tog, k6, ssk
Row 6 (black): purl all stitches
Row 7 (orange: k2tog, k4, ssk
Row 8 (orange): purl all stitches
Row 9 (orange): k2tog, k2, ssk
Row 10 (black): purl all stitches
Row 11 (black): k2tog, ssk
Row 12 (black): p2tog
Cut yarn, pull through loop and weave in that end.
To knit the inner ears (make 2):
Using double pointed needles as straight needles, cast on 8 stitches with orange yarn, leaving a long tail to stitch the inner ear to the outer ear.
Row 1-3: purl all odd rows, knit all even rows
Row 4: k2tog, k4, ssk
Row 5: purl all stitches
Row 6: k2tog, k2, ssk
Row 7: purl all stitches
Row 8: k2tog, ssk
Row 9: p2tog
Cut yarn, pull through loop and weave in that end.
To assemble the hat:
First use the long tail on one orange inner ear to whipstitch it wrong (purl) sides together to one striped outer ear. Make sure your stitches don’t show through to the other side of the outer ear. Knot the yarn and weave in the end. Repeat with the other ear.
Then use the long cast on tail from the striped outer ear to attach the entire ear securely to the top of the tiger hat on either side. Make sure to attach it well, babies pull on things! The PDF printable also contains instructions for sizes 0-3, 12 months and 2T+!
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Julie Sheehy says
Thanks it worked just have to assemble the ears
Julie Sheehy says
I tried to cast on 64 stitches on size 7 16″ circular needles and it was impossible to stretch the stitches to even join the round. I was using debbie bliss baby cashmerino yarn.
Cassie May says
Hi!
This pattern calls for worsted weight yarn and Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino is light dk or maybe sport. So your gauge will be off. That’s why they stitches won’t fit. You will need to adjust either the number of stitches and/or the needles to get the right gauge for the hat to turn out the correct size 🙂
Best, Cassie