2×2 Ribbed Beanie: A Stretchy Hat That Fits Almost Anyone

This ribbed beanie pattern uses one stitch pattern from the cast-on edge to the last few rounds: knit 2, purl 2. Because 2×2 ribbing stretches a long way and springs back, the finished hat adapts to a range of head sizes, which makes it a forgiving project when the wearer cannot be measured. There is no separate brim, no needle change and only four decrease rounds at the top.

What you need

• Yarn: worsted weight (4) wool or wool blend. For the long version with a fold-up cuff, about 170 (190, 205) yd (155 (174, 187) m); for the short version without a cuff, about 130 (145, 155) yd (119 (133, 142) m). These are estimates, so buy a little extra.
• Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm) 16-inch circular needle and a set of US 7 (4.5 mm) double-pointed needles (DPNs) for the crown.
• Notions: one stitch marker, a tapestry needle, scissors and a tape measure.

A springy wool shows ribbing at its best. Yarn with very little elasticity, such as pure cotton, makes ribs that stretch out and do not recover as well. If a long circular needle is the only one available, the options are compared in the guide to needles for knitting hats.

Gauge

20 stitches and 26 rounds = 4 in (10 cm) in 2×2 rib, lightly stretched, on US 7 (4.5 mm) needles. That is 5 stitches per inch.

“Lightly stretched” means pulling the swatch sideways just until the purl columns open and the fabric lies flat, roughly how it sits on a head. Unstretched ribbing draws in much tighter and gives a misleading number. The method is covered in the guide to swatching for hats.

Finished sizes

Size	Cast on	Finished circumference (lightly stretched)	Fits head of about	Height, short / long version
Small	88 sts	17.5 in (44.5 cm)	19.5 to 20.5 in (49.5 to 52 cm)	8 in (20.5 cm) / 10.5 in (26.5 cm)
Medium	96 sts	19.25 in (49 cm)	21 to 22 in (53.5 to 56 cm)	8.5 in (21.5 cm) / 11 in (28 cm)
Large	104 sts	20.75 in (52.5 cm)	22.5 to 23.5 in (57 to 59.5 cm)	8.5 in (21.5 cm) / 11 in (28 cm)

The circumference is simply the cast-on divided by the gauge: 96 stitches ÷ 5 stitches per inch = 19.2 in. Each size sits about 2 to 3 in (5 to 7.5 cm) smaller than the head it is meant for. The long version is worn with about 2.5 in (6.5 cm) folded up.

The pattern is written for Small with Medium and Large in parentheses: Small (Medium, Large). One number alone applies to all sizes.

Abbreviations

• CO: cast on
• k / p: knit / purl
• st, sts: stitch, stitches
• rnd: round
• pm / sm: place marker / slip marker
• BOR: beginning of round
• k2tog: knit 2 stitches together (1 stitch decreased)
• p2tog: purl 2 stitches together (1 stitch decreased)

Any other term can be checked against the Craft Yarn Council’s list of knitting abbreviations.

The pattern

Cast on and join

1. With the circular needle, CO 88 (96, 104) sts using a stretchy method such as the long-tail cast-on. Keep the stitches loose enough to slide easily.
2. Spread the stitches around the needle and check that the cast-on edge runs along the inside of the ring without spiraling over the needle. Pm for the BOR and join to work in the round. The guide to joining in the round without twisting shows what to look for.

Body

3. Rib rnd: (K2, p2) to end. The round finishes with p2, so the next round begins again with k2. The repeat fits 22 (24, 26) times.
4. Repeat the rib rnd, slipping the marker each time, until the piece measures:
   • Short version (no cuff): 7 (7.5, 7.5) in (18 (19, 19) cm) from the cast-on edge.
   • Long version (fold-up cuff): 9.5 (10, 10) in (24 (25.5, 25.5) cm) from the cast-on edge.

   Measure with the hat lying flat and unstretched lengthwise.

Crown

The decreases are worked inside each 4-stitch rib repeat, so the ribs narrow together toward the top. Change to DPNs when the stitches no longer reach comfortably around the circular needle.

5. Decrease rnd 1: (K2, p2tog) to end — 66 (72, 78) sts.
6. Next 2 rnds: (K2, p1) to end.
7. Decrease rnd 2: (K2tog, p1) to end — 44 (48, 52) sts.
8. Next rnd: (K1, p1) to end.
9. Decrease rnd 3: K2tog to end — 22 (24, 26) sts.
10. Decrease rnd 4: K2tog to end — 11 (12, 13) sts.

The crown adds about 1 in (2.5 cm) of height.

Finishing

1. Cut the yarn, leaving a tail of about 8 in (20 cm). Thread it onto the tapestry needle and pass it through all the remaining stitches, slipping them off the needles.
2. Pull the tail firmly to close the hole, take it to the inside and secure it with a few small stitches.
3. Weave in the cast-on tail along a knit column on the inside. For the long version, weave it in on the side that will be hidden when the cuff is folded up.

Ribbing needs very gentle blocking, if any. Stretching it flat while wet takes away the spring that makes it fit. More detail is in the guide on how to finish a knit hat.

Ways to adjust it

Change the size

Any multiple of 4 works with this pattern, because both the ribbing and the crown are built on the 4-stitch repeat. Multiply the wanted finished circumference by 5 stitches per inch and round to the nearest multiple of 4. For example, a 16 in (40.5 cm) hat for a small child needs 16 x 5 = 80 sts. After the four decrease rounds, 80 sts become 60, 40, 20 and 10.

Change the length

For a slouchier fit, work the body 1.5 to 2 in (4 to 5 cm) longer than the short version before starting the crown. For a deeper cuff, add the extra depth twice, since a folded cuff uses fabric on both layers.

If the hat is too loose or too tight

• Too loose: go down one needle size or cast on 8 fewer stitches.
• Tight at the cast-on edge only: the cast-on is the problem, not the size. Cast on again over a needle one or two sizes larger, then switch back.