The Freebie hat was inspired by a beanie I owned years ago. I loved it so much. It was slouchy and cozy, made of wool, a ribbed design that wasn’t bound off at the brim, but had elastic running through the live stitches to give it a very flexible fit.

People often asked me if I had knit it myself. When I replied that I hadn’t I was met with the response “Oh”. You know the Oh- disappointed, slightly pitying because everyone involved thought that you SHOULD have knitted it. They gave the look that I was practically a fraud for wearing a knitted item that I hadn’t knit myself (maybe I’m reading into it too much). In any case, I stopped wearing the hat because I did feel like a fraud, and eventually the hat disappeared.

I miss that hat, so I made my own much cooler hat inspired by the original.

Anyone who has learned to increase and work in the round can make this hat. It’s knit from the top down in 1x1 ribbing and it isn’t bound off, elastic stretch cord is threaded through the live stitches to keep them secure and give a nice stretchy and flexible fit.

MATERIALS
Needles:
1 set US 10/6mm double pointed needles
1 set US 10.5 or 10.75/6 or 7mm double pointed needles
1 set US 11/8mm double pointed needles or 16” circular needle

Notions:

• Tapestry needle
• 0.5mm Clear Elastic Stretch Cord (you can usually find it in the jewelry section in a craft store)

Yarn:
Bulky Hand Spun Yarn- 6-7 WPI, 60-80 yards minimum, more if you wish to add a pompom. The sample was knit in a merino blend 3-ply yarn.

GAUGE On largest size needles
14 sts/16 rows = 4” in 1x1 ribbing

SIZING- Can be worked to desired size, hat has a very flexible fit.
Child:
Height: 6.5”
Width: 7” laying flat at brim, slightly cinched by elastic thread.

Adult Sample size shown:
Height: 8.5”
Width: 9” laying flat at brim, slightly cinched by elastic thread.

PATTERN NOTES

Sizing: One size fits most children/adults. Sizing can vary based on the relaxed sizing of the pattern.