Knit up an adorable trusty turtle hat with this easy baby hat knitting pattern, perfect for your turtle-loving little one!
I have been designing animal hat knitting patterns for a quite a while now. I have honestly, got most of the popular animals covered. I’ve got everything from an owl to a unicorn to a bunny to a whale. I even have some less popular (but still cute) ones, like an octopus! But what I don’t have, but keep getting asked about…is a turtle hat!
I just couldn’t decide what exactly what I wanted my turtle hat to look like. I kept starting it and thinking it wasn’t quite right and setting it aside. But then one day I was editing picture of my honeycomb hat and had an epiphany and decided I could use that same technique on a turtle. And it turned out so cute!
This one would obviously be especially cute on a crawling baby, don’t you think? A tiny turtle crawling around?
This adorable pattern includes instuctions for four sizes and is knit in the round with worsted weight yarn. If you knit a turtle hat, I’d love it if you’d share it with me!
Turtle Hat Knitting Pattern
(includes Sizes 0-3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 2T+)
Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches
Turtle Hat Knitting Pattern Supply List
(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, 12 months and 2T+! Thank you for supporting Little Red Window!
Turtle Hat Knitting Pattern Instructions
Size 0-3 months
Stitch notes:
sl1 = slip one stitch purlwise with yarn in back
Instructions:
Using long-tail cast on, cast on 56 stitches onto your circular needles with kelly green yarn. Join to knit in the round. K1, p1 in a rib stitch for 5 rounds.
For the rest of this hat, the lime green accent rounds are highlighted in bold, use lime green yarn for those rounds only, use olive green yarn for the rest.
Round 1: knit all stitches
Round 2: purl all stitches
Rounds 3 – 7: (k7, sl1) repeat to the end of the round
Round 8: (k7, sl1) repeat to the end of the round
Round 9: purl all stitches
Rounds 10-14: (k3, sl1, k4) repeat to the end of the round
Round 15: (k3, sl1, k4) repeat to the end of the round
Round 16: purl all stitches
Repeat rounds 3-16 until the hat is about 4 (4 1/2, 5, 5 1/2) inches long. Start the decrease after a round 9 or a round 16 using the corresponding decrease instructions
Decrease if you stop after a round 9:
(divide your stitches between 3 double pointed needles or use magic loop)
Round 1: (k3, sl1, ssk, k2) repeat to the end of the round
Round 2: (k3, sl1, k3) repeat to the end of the round
Round 3: (k3, sl1, ssk, k1) repeat to the end of the round
Round 4: (k3, sl1, k2) repeat to the end of the round
Round 5: (k3. sl1, ssk) repeat to the end of the round
Round 6: purl all stitches
Round 7: (k3, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round
Round 8: knit all stitches
Round 9: (k2, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round
Round 10: knit all stitches
Round 11: (k1, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round
Round 12: k2tog and repeat to the end of the round
Cut yarn, thread through loops and pull to close. Weave in ends.
Decrease if you stop after a round 16:
(divide your stitches between 3 double
pointed needles or use magic loop)
Round 1: (k5, k2tog, sl1) repeat to the end of the round
Round 2: (k6, sl1) repeat to the end of the round
Round 3: (k4, k2tog, sl1) repeat to the end of the round
Round 4: (k4, sl1) repeat to the end of the round
Round 5: (k3, k2tog, sl1) repeat to the end of the round
Round 6: purl all stitches
Round 7: (k3, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round
Round 8: knit all stitches
Round 9: (k2, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round
Round 10: knit all stitches
Round 11: (k1, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round
Round 12: k2tog and repeat to the end of the round
Cut yarn, thread through loops and pull to close. Weave in ends.
To knit the turtle legs (make 4):
Using kelly green yarn and double pointed knitting needles as straight needles, cast on 5 stitches. Leave a long cast on tail to sew the legs to the hat.
Rows 1-5: knit all stitches
Row 6: ssk, k1, k2tog (3 stitches)
Cast off and weave in this end.
To knit the turtle head:
Using kelly green yarn and double pointed knitting needles as straight needles, cast on 4 stitches. Leave a long cast on tail to sew the head to the hat.
Row 1: kfb, k2, kfb (6 stitches)
Row 2: purl all stitches
Row 3: kfb, k4, kfb (8 stitches)
Rows 4-8: knit all odd rows and purl all even rows
Row 9: ssk, k4, k2tog (6 stitches)
Row 10: purl all stitches
Row 11: ssk, k2, k2tog (4 stitches)
Cast off and weave in this end.
To assemble the hat:
It may help to lay the hat out and pin the legs in place around the hat first . Space them even as show in the photos, you will be sewing them to the hat between rounds 5 and 6 where the kelly green ribbing ends and the turtle shell pattern begins.
Thread the long cast on tail from one leg on your yarn needle and use it stitch the leg securely to the hat. Repeat with the other three legs.
Thread the long cast on tail from the head on your yarn needle and use it to stitch the head to the front of the hat as shown. Then thread a length of olive green (or brown) yarn on your yarn needle and use it to make two small stitches for the turtle’s eyes. Weave in ends inside the hat.
Happy Knitting!
If you liked this, you may also like some of my other posts…
- Easy DIY Knit Halloween Costumes (Just Add Pajamas) - October 10, 2024
- Witchy Black Cat Hat Knitting Pattern - October 7, 2024
- Big Squishy Pumpkin Knitting Pattern - October 2, 2024
Judith Stewart says
I need size 2+. Is it available for the turtle and the koala?
Thank you.
Cassie May says
Hi!
Scroll down and when you click through to purchase the pdf pattern on either Ravelry or Etsy, it includes instructions for all 4 size options!
Erin says
So excited for your turtle hat!! I’ve lost track of how many of your hat patterns I’ve made. What brand of yarn do you typically use for your hats? In case you are looking for future animal recommendations, I suggest lemurs! https://lemur.duke.edu/
Thanks for all of the great patterns!!
Cassie May says
Oo, I just put lemurs on my list last week! Good one, thank you for the suggestion! I love Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice (I believe the turtle is Kelly green, Olive & lemon pepper(I could be wrong about this one)), I sometimes use Loops & Thread Impeccable worsted if I’m shopping at Michaels and have recently started loving Paintbox Simply Aran for the huge range of really good colors. It’s a teeny bit thinner but it’s still working for me. Hope that helps!