My friend Laura asked me to make her new little one a tiny football hat. I was definitely up to the challenge. I was surprised how few knitted patterns there were floating around Pinterest. Most of the patterns are crochet, which can be made very quickly, but for a football hat I think knit has more room for detail.
This hat is so cute and teeny! It’s based on a tiny Steelers hat I made Laura’s second child a couple of years ago.
Materials:
Red Heart Brand worsted yarn in white and brown
size 8 double pointed needles
darning needle
Abbreviations:
k1, p1 = knit one, purl one ribbing
k2tog = knit two stitches together
Directions:
With your double pointed needles, cast on 56 stitches (14 stitches per needle) in brown. Join your work, being sure the stitches aren’t twisted and k1, p1 rib for three rounds.
Knit two rounds regularly and switch to the white. No need to cut the brown yarn. Knit two rounds in white and cut leaving an 8-inch tail. Bring up the brown and knit 15 rounds. Knit two rounds white without cutting the brown. Cut the white leaving an 8-inch tail and knit one round in brown.
Decrease as follows:
*k2tog, k6* Repeat * until end of round
K one round
*K2tog, k5*, repeat * until end of round
K one round
*K2tog, k4*, repeat * until end of round
K one round
*K2tog, k 3*, repeat * until end of round
K one round
*K2tog, k 2*, repeat * until end of round
K one round
*K2tog, k1*, repeat * until end of round
*K2tog*, repeat * until end of round.
Cut yarn leaving an 8-inch tail. Using a darning needle, weave in all ends.
For the football stitches, thread a darning needle with a 24-inch length of white yarn. On the front of the hat, whipstitch the vertical line using short diagonal stitches stacked on top of one another. Then run three wide stitches perpendicular to the vertical line. Tie off the yarn and weave in the end.
To make this hat for a newborn-3 month size, cast on 64 stitches and follow the same pattern.
Natasha was born and raised in Anchorage. She has always had a passion for making useful things, whether they are knit, crocheted, sewn or randomly glued and assembled. She received her bachelor’s degree in French and journalism from the University of Alaska Anchorage and spent six fulfilling years working at Skinny Raven Sports. She is currently Program Associate at Spirit of Youth and also does voice over work around town. If you're awake at 3 a.m. and tune into KLEF 98.1 you might hear Natasha delivering public service announcements. She lives in Anchorage with her husband, Stephen, and young son, Jack.
