Free Moss Stitch Knitted Hat Pattern

This stretchy and textured beanie is knitted in the round and knits up FAST! Takes about 1-2 hours to knit. Body of the hat is very stretchy.

This pattern is a great one for a variety of needs. If you are looking for a fast pattern that can be easily modified for a variety of sizes, look no further! I love using this pattern when knitting hats for the homeless ministry in my area because I can make a bunch of hats in a short time. They are thick and warm, while also being stretchy.

My Favorite Yarns:

My favorite budget-friendly yarn for this pattern is Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick N Quick. It’s thick and warm due to the wool and acrylic blend. Wool can make my head itchy, but this yarn doesn’t bother me at all. I also love that it is machine washable.

For a luxury “splurge” yarn, my favorite is Malabrigo Rasta. It’s absolutely beautiful and so squishy. The colors are gorgeous! It’s 100% wool and super duper warm. I love to wear my hat made with Malabrigo when the weather is frigid, especially anything nearing 10 degrees or colder, which is most of January and February where I live.

To Pom or not to Pom:

Well, you all know I love a cute faux fur pom pom! The red hat shown is with my “coyote” faux fur pom pom. I love the neutral color. However, if I’m knitting for the homeless ministry or for men in general, I won’t put a pom on the hat. While some men might like a pom, I know it would be more versatile for men if it didn’t have a pom pom.

Sizing:

I have written this pattern with 2 sizes, a women’s average and a women’s XL/men’s medium. However, it is easy to modify the size, since it’s a multiple of 4.

I hope you enjoy knitting the Moss Stitch Hat!!

More FAST Knitting Patterns:

Fair Isle Little Hearts Hat Pattern

Ava Knitted Hat

Simple Color Change-Easy Hat

Moss Stitch Knitted Hat

This stretchy and textured beanie is knitted in the round and knits up FAST! About an hour to knit. The body of the hat is very stretchy.
2 sizes: Women’s Average and Women’s XL size/Men’s Medium
Skill Level: Beginner/Advanced Beginner

Materials

US Size 9 and 11 circular needles 16 inches long, or size needed to obtain gauge.
About 75 yards of Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick or any super bulky yarn (6 weight)
1 Stitch marker
Darning needle for finishing
Faux fur pom pom (optional)
Custom Tag, if using.
Gauge: 9 st and 13 rows = 4 inches in Stockinette st

Tools

Tips and Skills to know:
This hat is worked in the round on circular knitting needles.
Skills and terms you will need to know: knit (K) purl (P), knit1 through the back loop (K1TBL) Knit 2 stitches together (K2TOG) and Purl 2 stitches together (P2TOG).
Casting on: When you cast on, make sure you do not pull the yarn too tightly, just relaxed yet even tension.
Decreasing Rounds: You can switch to double pointed needles when you begin decreasing your stitches, but I find the magic loop method works well.
Fit of finished hat: I design my hats to keep your ears warm, so the ribbing is tighter and less likely to stretch out over time (thanks to the twisted rib stitch at the bottom of the hat. I like when a hat covers my ears and hugs my head. However, if you like a looser fit, you can go up a needle size, or .you may find that after a few wears the yarn will relax a bit.
This is an easy pattern to modify for different sizes, simply cast on a multiple of 4 number stitches and knit it as tall as you would like in the pattern. Just allowing for about an inch of decreasing rows.

Instructions

The Pattern: 2 sizes- Women’s XL/Men’s medium size is noted in ( ).

Cast on 40 (44) stitches with even tension, but NOT tightly.

Join in the round, careful not to twist the yarn. Place stitch marker between first and last stitch, slip your stitch marker between each round.

Round 1: *K1, P1*, repeat from * to * around

Rounds 2-8: Work the Twisted rib stitch: *K1TBL (knit 1 through the back loop), P1*, repeat from * to * around.

Begin Pattern repeat:

Switch to US size 11 (16 inch circular) needles by knitting Round 9 onto the bigger needles.

Round 9 and 10: *K2, P2*, repeat from * to * around.

Round 11 and 12: *P2, K2*, repeat from * to * around.

Repeat Rounds 9 - 12 until hat measures 8 (8.5) inches tall when stretched.

Decreasing rounds: (switch to double pointed needles if desired or use magic loop method, like me.)
Round 1: *K2TOG, P2* repeat from * to * around.
Round 2: *K1, P2TOG * repeat from * to* around.
Round 3: Knit all stitches around
Round 4: K2TOG around.
Finishing:
Cut yarn, leaving a 8-10 inches tail for finishing. Using your darning needle, thread end through remaining stitches being careful to go through the middle of each stitch . Pull knitting needle off of stitches. Pull yarn tightly and secure. Weave in any loose ends. Attach your faux fur pom pom or tags, if using.

If the ribbing section of the hat feels a bit snug, it will relax after a few wears or you can put your hands in it and firmly shape it so the yarn will relax.