One of my favorite clients at Kazoo Knits emailed me and asked if I could knit a beard hat for their grandson. These beard hats are everywhere and I honestly found them to be a little awkward. I just could not wrap my mind around an infant wearing a beard. I adore this client, so I decided to put my knitting super cape on and write a pattern that I could actually live with. What I ended up with is a beard and hat combination that I really truly love. I’m giving it to you, free of charge, so  you’re free to knit it and give it away willy nilly to all your lumber jack loving babies.
The hat itself is simple and could be modified to fit a bigger head by adding stitch multiples of eight. This hat will fit about a three month old baby.
For the hat and beard you will need cotton yarn, size 7 needles, notions, scissors, and a measuring tape.
The hat is amazingly basic. It starts by casting on 72 stitches and joining in the round. Be careful not to twist those stitches!
Next, knit 2, purl 2 all the way around your work for five rounds. This is called ribbing.
Now, knit two rounds to prepare for the eyelet rows.
Complete the eyelet rows as follows:
- K2, YO, K2tog around – stitch count remains the same
- Knit one round
- K4, YO, K2tog (K2, YO, K2tog) around, K2 – stitch count remains the same
- Knit one round
Now, move to the pattern rows.
- K1, P1 around
- Knit one round
- P1, K1 around
- Knit one round
Repeat the four pattern rows four times for a total of 16 rows.
Decrease Rows
- K1, P1 around
- Knit 6, K2tog around (63 stitches)
- P1, K1 around, P1
- Knit one round
- K1, P1 around, K1
- K5, K2tog around (54 stitches)
- P1, K1 around
- K4, K2tog around (45 stitches)
- K1, P1 around, K1
- K3, K2tog around (36 stitches)
- P1, K1 around
- K2, K2tog around (27stitches)
- K1, P1 around, K1
- K1, K2tog around (18 stitches)
- P1, K1 around
- K2tog around (9 stitches)
Cut your yarn leaving a six inch tail and thread it on a yarn needle. Drawn the yarn through the remaining stitches and sew the ends in the inside of the hat. Excellent work! Now onto the beard.
For the beard you will need to divide your hank of yarn into two cakes and hold it double. I found that knitting the hat and beard with the same yarn gave the project a more refined finish, so doubling the beard yarn was the best option.
Holding the yarn double cast on 6 stitches to the size 7 needles.
- Purl 1, knit 1 across the 6 stitches
- Create button holes to create a removable beard by knitting the next optional row
Button Hole Row: K1, K2tog, YO, K1, YO, K2tog
- Continue knitting in seed stitch back and forth for three inches. This is K1, P1 across and then P1, K1 across. Cut your yarn leaving a six inch tail and move the stitches to a holder or get out another size 7 needle.
- Repeat all of the steps from the casting on to the optional button hole, to the knitting for three inches. DO NOT CUT THE YARN.
- To create a mouth work the stitches on the needle that are attached to your yarn. Simply follow the correct stitch pattern for that row. Now, backwards loop cast on 8 stitches and then knit the stitches from the other needle that you first prepared following that stitch pattern. You should have 20 stitches total.
- K1, P1 across one row
- To create an opening for the mouth, work 7 stitches in pattern, bind off 6 stitches and then work 7 stitches.
- Still working all stitches in pattern work 7 stitches, cast on six stitches using the backward loop method, and then work the last 7 stitches.
- K1, P1 for 6 rows.
Begin the decreases for the chin:
- K1, P2tog across, k2tog – 13 stitches
- K1, P2tog across – K1 – 9 stitches
- K1, P1 across
- K1, K2tog across
- Bind off, weave in your ends and give it to the beard wearing baby of your choice.
About The Author
Nicole
Member of Team VP, knitter and Mama to Blue and Franks. Life, is bloody good.
Hi! Love this pattern, thanks so much for sharing! I see that you mentioned that these instructions fit a 3 month old. I’m looking to make it for a 6 month old and trying to figure out if you found your final product stretchy enough for multiple age groups or if I should consider increasing the number of stitches? Thanks!
Danielle if you are using cotton yarn going up a needle size may make the beard work for a six month old. As I worked this pattern from scratch, I would have to say that you could also keep the needle size the same and add stitches in amounts of two so that the initial stitch count is odd. Please let me know if you have any more questions!
Thanks! It turned out very cute.
Hi Nicole! Thank for this amazingly cute pattern!! If I want to make this for a 2 year old, should I use size 8 needles or just increase the stitch amount? I am not a very good knitter!
Ashley I’m so happy you like this pattern! For a two year old I would probably start with 8 stitches with a size 8 needle. Remember kids have tiny faces. Please let me know if you have any more questions!
Awesome! Thanks for getting back to me! I just bought some size 8 needles so I am excited to get started. Thanks again for the pattern! 🙂
Nice! Please let me know if you run into any other snags. I can always post a quick video or clarify directions!
Hey there Nicole! I’m needing to make a smaller version of this, like newborn small, for a friend who’s expecting. Could I decrease the pattern by multiples of 8 to get the appropriate size or would you recommend going down a needle size or two? Also, what weight yarn did you use? Thanks so much!
Carly this yarn came from my stash, but it is most likely . It is a worsted weight yarn at the very least! For the hat I would use 64 stitches for a newborn hat. I like to make my newborn hats about 14 inches around, on average. A preemie hat for a 5 to 6 pound tiny human I knit about 13 inches around. For the beard I would probably just go down a needle size.
Thank you so much Nicole! you just made a very lumberjacky first time dad super happy!
Carly I am so very glad it turned out! If you have a Ravelry (kazooknits) or Instagram (nvanputt) I’d love to see your work! Happy knitting 🙂
Hi Nicole thanks so much for sharing this pattern! I’m hoping to make this for a 1 year old, and the other questions hit on either side of his age. I’m guessing I would start with 88 stitches for the hat, and maybe 10 for the beard with a size 7 needle. Do you think that would work or have other suggestions? Thank you so very much!
Jessica your size and stitch ideas sound spot on. The hat might be a little big, but the ribbing will help and tiny heads always grow! As for the beard, I would start with 10 stitches and then use the hat to get a feel for sizing. Fortunately cotton yarn stretches and is super forgiving so even a beard that is just a tad too small or too big will still be fantastic. Happy knitting!
If I have increased the stitches in the hat to 88 stitches, how do I do the decreasing rows? Do I do it the same and have more stitches left? Do I decrease more each row? Do I do more decreasing rows?
Thanks
Maria, you are exactly correct! The decrease rows are done the same and you will be left with more stitches at the end. If you want, you can always do an extra knit two together around on the last row if you like the look of less stitches. Sometimes the stitches bunch a little when you bring the yarn through, but you should end up with about 11 stitches total, which should not be a problem. Please let me know if you have any problems! Happy Thanksgiving!
Oh my! The hat fits me lol. I am now making ones for the whole family so we can be silly together. Love the button on beard idea. GREAT pattern
Thank you so much for this pattern. My nephew saw the picture and asked if I would make it for his soon to be born son. I would love to make one for the baby.
Just a couple of questions about your cute pattern.
Bind off ? Is this what we call ‘cast off’ in the UK
Backwards loop ? Not easy I’m sure but could you explain how to do this to I crease stitches.
Thank you for being so generous a giving us this pattern !! X
Thanks for sharing your beautiful pattern. I have one question about the eyelet row. On the third row, do I knit 4 on the first stitches and then K2YOK2tog the rest of the round. Or do I K 4 YO, K2together the whole round. Sorry to bother you…can’t figure it out on my own.
I love your baby hat. I am having problems with the count on the beard. On the first decrease for the chin (Ihave 20 stitches)..It says K1, P2tog across, Knit 2 tog-13 stitches. By my count I would have 11 stitches. Please tell me what I am doing wrong.
Lesley! Sorry for the delay! A bind off is a cast off. To create stitches using the backwards loop method I would watch this video at Knitting Help. It is a fantastic resource for lots of different knitting questions! Again, I apologize for the delay in getting back with you. Happy knitting!
Hello Audrey! The eyelet row is a simple lace row and is completely optional. It just adds a little design into the hat. I also have problems reading lace patterns because my brain can never quite figure out what the writer of the pattern intended. On the third row you will need to knit four stitches, YO once, K2tog THEN for the rest of the round (K2, YO, K2tog) around, then knit two stitches – stitch count remains the same. I hope this helps.
Audrey I am not knitting this beard right now and I am trying to remember from my photos exactly how many stitches I had. It very well could be that your stitch count is correct! Don’t worry! A difference in two stitches is not going to make or break your beard in sizing. Just keep decreasing as the pattern says with the number of stitches that YOU have on your needles. I will re-knit the beard this coming week and fix the numbers! Thank you for bringing that to my attention. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Just wanted to thank you for sharing your beautiful pattern and for your patience in answering my questions. My bearded hat is finished and it is adorable.
Hey! I absolutely love this pattern but am having a tough time connecting the dots on the beard from the instructions and photos provided. Is there any way you would be able to post a video of knitting the pattern?
Hi is are these usa size needles or uk. Cant see where you are from.
Thanks .
These are US size needles.
Hi love this pattern.. Although I’m having issues. I’m a beginner. I’m trying to make this for a two year old and I’m having a hard time adjusting it. Can u please email me with the instructions that I need to do for A two year old.
Thank u
What do you do with the yarn that was cut the six inches tail?
Hi,
I am having problems with the beard part of the “patterned hat with beard” for babies. I adjusted the pattern for a one year old, following the directions in the conversation that you had with “Jessica” on Sep. 28, 2014. I started with 10 stitches as you suggested. Where I got into trouble was with the decrease rows for the chin. My finished product went upwards toward the mouth instead of coming straight across. Do you have any ideas what I might have done?
Thanks.
Hi Nicole, I love your pattern and the instructions look really clear. I would like to knit this for a three year old – I saw you suggested a size 8 needle for a 2 year old, should I maybe start the hat with 94 stitches? How wide should the beard cast on be do you think?
Thanks! Antonia
Hi Nicole, love your pattern! I’d like to knit this for a three year old -would you suggest starting with 94 stitches for the hat? How many stitches for the beard? Thanks for your help! Antonia
Nicole, if I increase the pattern by 16 stitches, how would I finish it off? I would have 25 stitches left at the end of the last K2tog row.
Hi! Thank you for sharing this pattern. My husband has an adult version of this that he got from Beard Head, so I’m planning to make one for my toddler and this pattern really came in handy. Thank you 🙂