Hello Baby Hat. Photo © The Serial Hobbyist Girl
The Hello Baby Hat by Susan B. Anderson is a sweet little newborn hat designed to coordinate with the designer's Hello Baby Cardigan. It is equally charming on its own and makes a quick handmade gift for a new baby.
Worked in worsted-weight yarn with simple stockinette fabric, the hat is sized for approximately newborn to 3 months. An optional tiny strawberry charm can be added to the top for an especially playful finishing touch.
Best of all, the Hello Baby Hat is still available as a free knitting pattern from its original publishing source.
Hello Baby Hat Pattern Details
- Designer: Susan B. Anderson
- Originally published: March 2011
- Original publication: Spud & Chloë / Spud Says!
- Craft: Knitting
- Category: Baby hat
- Size: Newborn to 3 months
- Yarn weight: Worsted
- Suggested yarn: Blue Sky Fibers Sweater Worsted
- Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm)
- Gauge: 5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch
- Construction: Worked in the round
- Optional detail: Strawberry charm
- Language: English
- Current availability: Free
A Sweet Newborn Baby Hat
Hello Baby Hat was designed specifically for the earliest months, with the original pattern listing the size as newborn to 3 months.
Its uncomplicated shape and smooth stockinette fabric make it a classic little baby hat rather than a highly decorative design. The personality comes from the finishing details, particularly the I-cord at the crown and optional strawberry charm.
Designed to Match the Hello Baby Cardigan
Susan B. Anderson originally created the hat to coordinate with her Hello Baby Cardigan.
This makes the two patterns a natural handmade baby set, although the hat was deliberately designed to work perfectly well as a standalone project too.
Both patterns remain available free, so knitters who enjoy the hat can also make the coordinating cardigan.
Yarn for the Hello Baby Hat
The original hat uses Spud & Chloë Sweater, which is now listed as Blue Sky Fibers Sweater Worsted.
This worsted-weight yarn is a blend of 55% superwash wool and 45% organic cotton and contains approximately 160 yards per 100 grams.
The original sample uses the color Igloo for the main hat, with a small amount of Toast for the I-cord detail.
A Great Use for Leftover Yarn
The designer originally made the hat using yarn left over from the coordinating Hello Baby Cardigan.
That makes this an especially useful companion project if you are knitting the complete baby set.
If you are making only the hat, check the pattern and your gauge before purchasing yarn so you can plan your yardage appropriately.
Choosing Substitute Yarn
If you do not have the original yarn, look for a smooth worsted-weight yarn that can achieve the specified gauge while producing a soft fabric suitable for a baby.
Washability is also worth considering for newborn knits. A machine-washable wool blend, cotton blend or another soft easy-care yarn can make the finished hat more practical for everyday use.
Always compare gauge rather than relying only on the yarn-weight label when making a substitution.
Needles and Gauge
The main hat calls for US 7 (4.5 mm) needles. The original instructions specify a 16-inch circular needle together with a set of double-pointed needles, or the needle size needed to obtain gauge.
The specified gauge is:
5 stitches per inch
in stockinette stitch
Because this is a small fitted baby accessory, checking gauge is worthwhile. A seemingly small difference in stitch gauge can have a noticeable effect on the finished circumference.
Working a Small Hat in the Round
Hello Baby Hat is worked in the round, which means there is no traditional seam running up the back of the finished hat.
The designer notes that the 56 stitches can fit around a 16-inch circular needle for some knitters. If that feels too tight or awkward, double-pointed needles or a shorter circular needle can be used instead.
Choose the small-circumference knitting method that feels most comfortable to you.
Stockinette Stitch
Most of the visual simplicity of Hello Baby Hat comes from stockinette stitch.
When stockinette is worked in the round, the smooth fabric is created primarily by knitting each round. This makes the main body of the hat relatively straightforward once the stitches are joined.
The clean fabric also provides a nice background for the decorative details at the crown.
The I-Cord Top
Rather than finishing as a completely plain beanie, Hello Baby Hat has a small I-cord detail at the top.
A contrasting yarn can be used here, giving you an easy way to add another color without introducing full colorwork into the hat.
It is a small detail, but it contributes much of the personality of the finished design.
The Optional Strawberry Charm
One of the most recognizable features of the original Hello Baby Hat is the tiny strawberry charm.
The strawberry is optional, so you can make a clean and simple hat without it or add the charm when you want a more whimsical version.
The charm uses only small amounts of contrasting yarn, making it a useful opportunity to use tiny leftovers from your stash.
Materials for the Strawberry
The original strawberry charm uses small amounts of Spud & Chloë Fine in red and green shades.
The designer specifies US 1 double-pointed needles for this small decorative piece.
Because the charm uses so little yarn, scraps in suitable colors may be enough as long as their weight and behavior work for the small knitted detail.
Make It With or Without the Strawberry
Leaving off the strawberry changes the character of the hat without changing its usefulness.
A plain version in a neutral color can create a simple unisex baby accessory, while a contrasting I-cord or strawberry can make the finished hat more playful.
This flexibility also makes the pattern useful for knitting several baby gifts from the same basic design.
Skills Used in the Hello Baby Hat
Useful skills for this project include:
- Casting on
- Joining to work in the round
- Knitting stockinette in the round
- Decreasing
- Working a small circumference
- Using double-pointed needles if needed
- Making I-cord
- Basic finishing
- Small-scale knitting for the optional strawberry charm
Is the Hello Baby Hat Beginner Friendly?
The design is quite approachable for a knitter who already knows the basic knit stitch and is ready to practice knitting in the round.
The main hat is much simpler than the optional strawberry detail, so newer knitters can always make the hat first and leave the charm for another project.
It can also be a useful introduction to working with double-pointed needles as the crown becomes smaller.
A Quick Handmade Baby Gift
Small newborn hats are useful projects when you want to make a thoughtful handmade gift without committing to a full baby blanket or sweater.
Hello Baby Hat is particularly appealing because it can be knitted on its own or paired with the coordinating cardigan for a more substantial handmade set.
Choose a soft washable yarn and a color that works with the baby's wardrobe for a practical gift that can be worn regularly.
Check the Fit for a Newborn
Babies vary considerably in size, even at the same age, so use the pattern's newborn-to-3-month sizing as a guide rather than relying only on age.
Gauge and yarn choice can also affect the final dimensions.
If you are knitting the hat as a gift before the baby is born, keeping the intended season in mind can help you decide whether this size will be useful when the weather is cool enough to wear it.
Baby Hat Safety
Handmade baby hats should be used with normal adult supervision and should fit comfortably without being excessively loose.
If you add the optional strawberry or any other decorative element, attach it securely and inspect it regularly.
Remove hats and other loose accessories when appropriate for sleep and follow current infant safe-sleep recommendations.
Why Knit the Hello Baby Hat?
Hello Baby Hat combines a classic newborn shape with just enough playful detail to make the project memorable.
The worsted-weight yarn keeps the project manageable, the stockinette body is straightforward, and the optional strawberry lets you decide how decorative you want the finished hat to be.
It is also especially useful for our upcoming baby hats and booties collection because it offers something different from textured, lace and traditional bonnet-style baby patterns.
Get the Free Hello Baby Hat Pattern
Hello Baby Hat by Susan B. Anderson is still available as a free knitting pattern through the original Spud & Chloë / Blue Sky Fibers source.
Get the Free Hello Baby Hat Pattern →
Pattern availability was checked when this article was updated. Amazing Knitting does not reproduce or distribute the designer's copyrighted pattern instructions. Please use the official source above for the complete free pattern.