Double-Brim Winter Hat: Extra Warmth Over the Ears
A worsted-weight winter hat with a ribbed brim that is folded to the inside and joined as you knit, giving two warm layers over the ears with no sewing. Three sizes.
Tutorial at a glance
Materials
- Worsted weight (4) wool or wool blend, about 220 yd (201 m) for the medium size, plus a little extra
- US 6 (4 mm) 16-inch circular needle
- US 8 (5 mm) 16-inch circular needle
- US 8 (5 mm) double-pointed needles
- 1 stitch marker and 4 locking stitch markers
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors and tape measure
A double brim puts two layers of ribbed fabric over the ears and forehead, exactly where a winter hat needs them. In this pattern the brim is knit twice as deep as it will finish, folded to the inside and joined to the body in a single round, so the fold is permanent and there is nothing to sew. Everything else is a plain stockinette beanie worked in the round.
What you need
- Yarn: worsted weight (4) wool or wool blend, about 190 (220, 250) yd, or 174 (201, 229) m. These are estimates; buy a little extra.
- Needles: US 6 (4 mm) 16-inch circular for the brim; US 8 (5 mm) 16-inch circular and a set of US 8 (5 mm) double-pointed needles (DPNs) for the body and crown.
- Notions: 1 stitch marker for the beginning of the round, 4 locking stitch markers, a tapestry needle, scissors and a tape measure.
Wool is the natural choice here because it is warm and elastic, which helps a doubled brim spring back.
Gauge
18 stitches and 24 rounds = 4 in (10 cm) in stockinette stitch on US 8 (5 mm) needles, measured after washing. That is 4.5 stitches per inch. Check it with a gauge swatch before casting on and change needle size if needed.
Finished sizes
| Size | Cast on | Hat circumference | Hat height | Fits head of about |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (child / small adult) | 80 sts | 17.75 in (45 cm) | About 8 in (20.5 cm) | 19.5 to 20.5 in (49.5 to 52 cm) |
| Medium (adult) | 88 sts | 19.5 in (49.5 cm) | About 8.5 in (21.5 cm) | 21 to 22.5 in (53.5 to 57 cm) |
| Large (adult) | 96 sts | 21.25 in (54 cm) | About 8.75 in (22 cm) | 23 to 24 in (58.5 to 61 cm) |
Height is measured from the folded edge to the top of the crown. Instructions give the small size first, with medium and large in parentheses: 80 (88, 96). Where only one number appears, it applies to all sizes. The head sizes are typical ranges; compare a real measurement with the knit hat size chart if you can.
Abbreviations
- CO: cast on
- k: knit
- p: purl
- k2tog: knit 2 stitches together (1 stitch decreased)
- pm: place marker
- BOR: beginning of round
- st / sts: stitch / stitches
- rnd: round
These follow the Craft Yarn Council list of knitting abbreviations.
The pattern
Brim
- With the US 6 (4 mm) circular needle, CO 80 (88, 96) sts using a long-tail cast-on. Keep it loose and even; these loops will be picked up later.
- Pm for the BOR and join to work in the round, making sure the cast-on edge is not twisted around the needle. See joining in the round without twisting if this step is unfamiliar.
- Rib rnd: (K2, p2) to the end of the rnd. Each repeat uses 4 sts, so it is worked 20 (22, 24) times.
- Repeat the rib rnd until the piece measures 5 in (12.5 cm) from the cast-on edge.
Folding and joining the brim
Fold the cast-on edge up to the inside of the work until it sits just behind the stitches on the needle. The ribbing is now doubled and measures 2.5 in (6.5 cm) deep.
Before joining, line the two layers up. Find the cast-on loop directly below the first stitch of the round and clip it to the fabric just under the needle with a locking marker. Do the same at three more points, every 20 (22, 24) sts. These four markers stop the layers from drifting sideways as you work.
- Joining rnd: change to the US 8 (5 mm) circular needle by knitting onto it. Insert the right needle tip into the cast-on loop directly below the next stitch, lift that loop onto the left needle, then knit it together with the next stitch. Repeat for every stitch of the rnd, removing the locking markers as you reach them. You still have 80 (88, 96) sts.
Watch out
Pick up one cast-on loop for each stitch and do not skip any. If a locking marker arrives early or late, the layers have slipped; undo back to the previous marker and realign. A brim joined off-line twists around the head.
Body
- Knit every rnd until the hat measures 5.75 (6, 6) in, or 14.5 (15, 15) cm, from the folded edge.
Crown
The crown has 8 decrease sections. Change to the DPNs when the stitches no longer reach comfortably around the circular needle.
Size large only, set-up: (K10, k2tog) 8 times — 88 sts. Knit 1 rnd. Then work rnds 1 to 15.
Size small only: skip rnds 1 and 2 and begin at rnd 3 with your 80 sts.
Size medium: begin at rnd 1.
- Rnd 1: (K9, k2tog) 8 times — 80 sts.
- Rnd 2: knit.
- Rnd 3: (K8, k2tog) 8 times — 72 sts.
- Rnd 4: knit.
- Rnd 5: (K7, k2tog) 8 times — 64 sts.
- Rnd 6: knit.
- Rnd 7: (K6, k2tog) 8 times — 56 sts.
- Rnd 8: knit.
- Rnd 9: (K5, k2tog) 8 times — 48 sts.
- Rnd 10: knit.
- Rnd 11: (K4, k2tog) 8 times — 40 sts.
- Rnd 12: (K3, k2tog) 8 times — 32 sts.
- Rnd 13: (K2, k2tog) 8 times — 24 sts.
- Rnd 14: (K1, k2tog) 8 times — 16 sts.
- Rnd 15: k2tog 8 times — 8 sts.
Finishing
- Cut the yarn, leaving a tail of about 8 in (20 cm). Thread it onto the tapestry needle, pass it through the remaining 8 sts twice and pull firmly to close the top.
- Take the tail to the inside and weave it in. Weave the cast-on tail into the inner layer of the brim, where it will never show.
- Wash the hat gently in cool water, press out the water in a towel and lay it flat to dry. Woolmark’s wool care guidance is a good reference for washing wool, and the yarn label has the final word.
For closing the crown and hiding ends, see how to finish a knit hat.
Ways to adjust it
A sewn brim instead of a joined one
If the joining round feels like too much, leave it out. After the 5 in (12.5 cm) of ribbing, change to the larger needle and simply knit the body, measuring 3.25 (3.5, 3.5) in, or 8.5 (9, 9) cm, of stockinette above the ribbing before the crown. When the hat is finished, fold the ribbing to the inside and sew the cast-on edge to the first stockinette round with loose whipstitches, catching one loop of the edge for each stitch.
A deeper or shallower brim
The ribbing is always knit to twice the finished depth. For a 3 in (7.5 cm) brim, work 6 in (15 cm) of ribbing; for a 2 in (5 cm) brim, work 4 in (10 cm). Keep measuring the body from the folded edge and the finished height stays the same.
To compare this brim with other edges, see hat brim styles.
Frequently asked questions
Is a double brim hard to knit?
The brim itself is ordinary k2, p2 ribbing. The only new step is the joining round, where each stitch is knit together with one loop of the cast-on edge. It is slow rather than difficult, and it can be replaced by sewing the edge down at the end.
How long do I knit the ribbing for a double brim?
Twice the depth you want the finished brim to be. This pattern works 5 in (12.5 cm) of ribbing, which folds to a 2.5 in (6.5 cm) brim.
Does a double brim make the hat tighter?
Two layers of ribbing feel a little firmer than one, but the stitch count is the same as a single-brim hat. If you are between sizes and prefer a relaxed fit, choose the larger size.
How much extra yarn does a double brim use?
Roughly the amount needed for another 2.5 in (6.5 cm) of ribbing around the hat. As an estimate, allow about 30 to 40 yd (27 to 37 m) more than for a single-brim hat of the same size.
