Free Knitting Pattern! Rock Candy Hat

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Updated with more sizes!  Please follow this link for new & updated pattern

Rock Candy is a funky, adorable little hat that knits up quickly. It is perfect for your little ones who won’t keep a hat on. Feel free to customize hat with multitude of colors, or knit in a favorite solid color.

Finished Size:

3-9 months, 16” circumference

**Update: Gauge is 24 stitches and 17 rows = 4 inches**

Materials:

  • Any worsted weight yarn in 3 of your favorite colors

  • 1 US 8 16” Circular Needles

  • 1 set US 8 DPNs

  • Tapestry Needle

  • Stitch Markers

Abbreviations:

CO: Cast on

K2tog: Knit two stitches together

P2tog: Purl two stitches together

St st: Stockinette Stitch

PM: Place marker

RS: Right side

WS: Wrong side

 

Hat:

CO 70 sts using color A, PM.

Join in the round, being careful not to twist.

Begin working in st st (knit all rounds) in striped color pattern as follows:

4 rounds color A

2 rounds color B

4 rounds color C

4 rounds color A

2 rounds color B

4 rounds color C

4 rounds color A

2 rounds color B

Decrease Crown:

(Note: Change to double pointed needles when needed)

At next round with color C begin decrease:

Round 1: Knit

Round 2: K2tog across

Round 3: Knit

Round 4: K2tog to last st, K1

Round 5: Knit

Using tapestry needle, break yarn leaving a long tail. Thread through remaining stitches and pull tightly. Weave in ends. (Hat will probably begin curling because of stockinette edge, but earflaps will help straighten it out)

Earflaps:

Using color A, fold hat in half to determine placement (I placed a stitch marker on either side to mark the spot), pick up and knit 14 sts and work in st st for 4 rows, ending on WS row.

Earflap decrease:

Row 1: k2tog, k10, k2tog

Row 2: p2tog, p8, p2tog

Row 3: k2tog, k6, k2tog

Row 4: p2tog, p4, p2tog

Row 5: k2tog, k2, k2tog

Row 6: p2tog, p2tog (two sts remain on needle)

Ties:

With remaining 2 stitches, work i-cord for 12” inches (this creates enough length for a bow to be tied comfortably under chin). BO 2 sts and repeat again for the other ear flap. Weave in any remaining ends.

Pom Pom:

Add pom pom if desired and fasten to top of hat.

© Jennifer Dickerson 2011

Pattern is for personal and non-profit use only.

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23 thoughts on “Free Knitting Pattern! Rock Candy Hat

  1. I love this hat!! Can you modify the pattern for me so that it will fit my 4, 3, and 2 year old?

  2. Thanks Sandra! I have had some other folks ask for this hat in more sizes…I'm fiddling with the pattern and sizing now and plan to update it in the near future…thanks for the suggestion!

  3. I love the colors you've used! And how simple! I always wondered where to place the ear flaps on this kind of hat. Never knew you could just fold it in half. Thank you!

  4. I would LOVE to make this hat for my two sons. One is a newborn and the other is 2. I can't wait for the updated sizes for this pattern!

  5. really love this pattern. would really like alterations for older children and adults. Thanks!

  6. I love your designs they are beautiful. I'm expecting and so are my two sisters-in-laws so having these lovely patterns to knit is perfect. I am however a beginner and haven't yet tried knitting in the round. Is there any way you could explain to me how you can adapt/modify pattern for falt knitting. Thank you and please keep posting your fabulous knits for all Gemxx

    1. Thank you so much for your sweet words! Congratulations to you and your family! Sounds like it will be baby central! 🙂 Lots of knitting to be done!

      To make it flat, instead of knitting all rounds, just alternate knit, purl, knit, purl, etc. (on the decrease section as well) and when you are finished, just seam up the back with a tapestry needle. The earflaps would be the same, they are knit flat in the instructions.

      Please let me know if you have any other questions, and happy knitting to you!

  7. I will cast on 40-50 stitches to make newborn/premie hats for the hospital. Cute pattern, thank you 🙂

  8. Is the gauge listed correctly? I wonder if it should say 17 rows and 24 stitches. I can't get it to come out right and my other baby hat patterns have more stitches than rows listed in the gauge.

    1. Sure! Before you're ready to switch colors, if knitting flat, be sure you do it on the right side of your work (if knitting in the round, you'll always be on the right side)

      At the beginning of a new row, you can do it one of two ways:

      *Simply drop one color and pick up a new color, it will look a little loopy and loose, but give it a few gentle tugs as you go and it will straighten out.

      *You could cut the yarn and and then tie on a new color.

      If you want to get fancier, check out knittinghelp.com for several more ways to change colors and/or join new yarn to your project.

      When you're all finished, weave in any ends.

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