Free Knitting Pattern…Baby Bunny Newborn or Preemie Hat!

Baby Bunny Newborn or Preemie Hat

By Jennifer Dickerson

Knitted in celebration of spring babies who are arriving this season, this hat is quick to knit with simple construction. For bunnies due later in the spring, cotton makes a lovely warm weather choice. Instructions included for both preemie and newborn sizes.

Materials:

  • Worsted weight yarn in color of your choice

  • US 10.5 Straight needles

  • Tapestry Needle

Gauge:

  • 14 stitches and 19 rows = 4 inches

Sizing:

  • Preemie and Newborn

Abbreviations:

  • CO: Cast on

  • BO: Bind off

  • K2tog: Knit two stitches together

  • P2tog: Purl two together

  • St st: Stockinette stitch

  • RS: Right side

  • WS: Wrong side

  • KFB: Knit front and back of stitch

  • SKP: Slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over

Instructions for Hat (knitted flat):

CO 40 sts for preemie or 48 sts for newborn, leaving a long tail for seaming up later.

Work in st st until hat measures 6” (both sizes) from CO edge, ending on a WS row.

Decrease (both preemie and newborn):

Row 1: *K2, K2tog, rpt from * to end of row

Row 2: Purl (note: if working in the round, knit this round)

Row 3: *K1, K2tog, rpt from * to end of row

Row 4: Purl (note: if working in the round, knit this round)

Row 5: K2tog across row

Using tapestry needle, break yarn leaving a long tail. Thread through remaining stitches and pull tightly. Seam up the back of hat and weave in ends.

Instructions for Ears (make two):

CO 4 sts

Row 1: K1, KFB, KFB, K1 (6 sts)

Row 2: Purl

Row 3: K2, KFB, KFB, K2 (8 sts)

Row 4: Purl

Row 5: K3, KFB, KFB, K3 (10 sts)

Row 6: Purl

Work 6 more rows of st st, ending on a WS row.

Ear Decrease:

Row 1: K2tog, K6, SKP (8 sts)

Row 2: Purl

Row 3: K2tog, K4, SKP (6 sts)

Row 4: Purl

Row 5: K2tog, K2, SKP (4 sts)

Row 6: Purl

Row 7: K2tog, SKP

Row 8: P2tog

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Finishing:

Stitch both ears to top of hat with RS facing front and tie a knot a base of ear where it meets hat.

© Jennifer Dickerson 2013

Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only. In addition, if you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog (including other languages). Thank you!

 

Print Friendly and PDF

Related Posts

38 thoughts on “Free Knitting Pattern…Baby Bunny Newborn or Preemie Hat!

  1. Thanks for this pattern! I used it for my first knitting project… for my little one, making his or her debut next February!

  2. I love this hat. I haven't knitted since I was 10 and that was a small blanket that I didn't even start or finish (I did the middle stitches) my cousin CO and BO for me. I am now pregnant with baby #5 and want to learn how to do this hat. Do you think it would be easy for me? I have been watching the tutorials on Knittinghelp.com website.

  3. Hi Mrs. Incredible (love that name by the way!)

    Yes,I absolutely think this is an easy pattern for someone picking up the needles again, and isn't knittinghelp.com wonderful? I have learned a great deal from that site too!!!

    Have fun knitting this hat and keep me posted, and congratulations to you and your baby on the way super mom!!!

    PS No elf hat, but what a cute idea! Might have to cook something up!! 🙂

    1. How old is the child? An older baby could wear this hat, it is very stretchy…but you'd probably have to cast on more for a child older than that. Check out my pattern (under the "free knitting patterns" tab) called "Baby Bear for the Rest of Us" That pattern is knit with the same size needles and would give you some idea as to how many stitches to cast on for sizes beyond a baby size. Happy knitting to you!

    1. Sure I don't have a toddler size for this one but…in the "free knitting patterns" tab, look for the pattern called "Baby Bear for the Rest of Us" The basic hat is similar to this one…there is a toddler/child size hat that you could use…you could try making it without the bear ears and use the bunny ears from this pattern:)

  4. Hi, I love this pattern and just started it but have a question for the decreasing rows – what do you mean by the term "around" K2tog around. Help!

    1. Sure! K2tog around just means to knit two stitches together, then repeat this step for the whole row. So, knit two stitches together, knit two stitches together, knit two stitches together, and so on until you have reached the end.

      PS Thank you for pointing that out to me…the is kind of confusing for a hat that is knitted flat, it wouldn't be "around" it would be "to the end of the row" Thanks! I fixed it…

  5. I run a non-profit that makes beanies and scarves for children fighting cancer and your patterns have helped us immensely. Thank you so much for this treasure trove of ideas that benefit our children. <3

    1. You are so welcome! What a wonderful things you are doing, it warms my heart to know that the patterns are being used for a good cause, keep up the amazing work! 🙂

  6. When I start decreasing, do I knit 1 knit2tog and then start at the beginning or just keep knitting 2 together across the row?

    1. You're right, that was a bit confusing…I tweaked the wording above in the pattern. Hope that helps…please let me know if you have any other questions. 🙂

    1. I checked out your hat and i think it is super cute! I don't see anything wrong with it, I think you did a wonderful job!

  7. Hi thereto there! I was hoping you could give me a stitch count for dk weight wool. I would like to make some hats for the first born babies at Easter as I am a midwife at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust in the U.k. Thank you. Bx

    1. Sure! I'll play around with it and I'll get back to you. If you're pressed for time, you could try making a gauge swatch with your yarn and check it that way, I pasted the gauge from above in case you need it:

      14 stitches and 19 rows = 4 inches

      Thanks!

  8. cant find the print button on the pattern and picture page. Can you help me….? the surrounding fields are willing to print, but not this adorable pattern? Am on a mac with latest os. Yahoo email address? help a great knitter can help me with the techy stuff to get this pattern ….. or can someone send to me the pattern and instructions? [email protected] thanks a bunch want to make for a baby shower gift…

    1. Thanks for your question! I am totally unfamiliar with a mac, but the easiest way to do it on any computer is to select needed text and paste it to a word processing document (whatever the mac's equivalent of Word would be) that way you'll have only what you need and you can print a copy for yourself to have while working on your project. Plus you can save on your computer for later. 🙂

  9. I am getting ready to start this project and I was looking at other knitters pictures and I noticed that some have bigger ears. How would I do that? I am not the most experienced, still in the learning stages. Thank you
    PS. I think the hat is just adorable!! Want to make one for my 4 year old for Easter!

    1. To make the ears longer, I would work more rows of the stockinette stitch section (after the increase and before the decrease). That way the taper will stay the same, but just be longer.

  10. Hi Jennifer
    My daughter is expecting twins later this summer and I've knitted your super easy hat for my new 2 grandchildren. I know they will be adorable in it. My question is how to knot the ears like in the picture. Do I have to knit them longer, I'm not sure. Please help.

    1. Congratulations! I was able to get the knot in them at that length, however, you could try tying the knot before stitching them on if that helps. You could always make them slightly longer too, or you could give them a gentle tug before attempting to tie them to stretch them out a bit, then reshape them after tying.

  11. Just finished knitting this for my very first niece of nephew and I would love to knit some matching mittens or something, do you have a similarly easy pattern? I loved knitting this and was so surprised at how quick it was to knit up, thank you!

  12. Thank you so much for your helpful videos and patterns! 'm at the tapestry needle part and unsure how to proceed. Do you have any tutorials for that part by any chance? Thank you! 🙂

  13. Thank you so much for your helpful videos and patterns! 'm at the tapestry needle part and unsure how to proceed. Do you have any tutorials for that part by any chance? Thank you! 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *