Garter Stitch Hat: Knit Every Row, Seam, Gather
A hat made from one flat rectangle of knit stitches, seamed up the side and gathered at the top. Three sizes, no purling and no circular needles.
Tutorial at a glance
Materials
- Worsted weight (4) wool or wool-blend yarn, about 150 (180, 210) yd / 137 (165, 192) m, plus a little extra
- US 8 (5 mm) straight needles, at least 12 in (30 cm) long
- Tapestry needle
- Removable stitch marker or safety pin
- Scissors and tape measure
A garter stitch hat needs one stitch and almost no shaping: knit every row to make a flat rectangle, sew the two short sides together, and gather the top closed. There is no purling, no ribbing and no circular needle. The fabric is thick, stretchy and looks the same on both sides, which makes this one of the most forgiving hats a new knitter can make. If this is your very first project, the beginner’s roadmap to knitting a hat explains where it fits.
How the hat is built
The rectangle is knit from the bottom edge of the hat to the top. Its width becomes the circumference and its length becomes the height. One quick decrease row at the very end halves the stitches so the top gathers neatly instead of bunching.
What you need
- Yarn: worsted weight (4) wool or wool blend, about 150 (180, 210) yd / 137 (165, 192) m. Garter stitch uses more yarn than smooth fabrics, and these figures are estimates, so buy a little extra. Weight categories are explained in the Craft Yarn Council’s standard yarn weight system.
- Needles: US 8 (5 mm) straight needles, at least 12 in (30 cm) long so the stitches are not crowded.
- Notions: tapestry needle, scissors, tape measure, and a removable marker or safety pin.
Gauge and finished sizes
Gauge: 16 stitches and 32 rows (16 ridges) = 4 in (10 cm) in garter stitch on US 8 (5 mm) needles. That is 4 stitches and 8 rows per inch. Garter stitch is wider and shorter than stockinette on the same needles, so measure a garter swatch, not a stockinette one. Lay the swatch flat without stretching it; garter pulls out of shape easily.
Sizes are given as small (medium, large).
| Small | Medium | Large | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cast on | 72 sts | 80 sts | 88 sts |
| Rectangle width | 18 in (45.5 cm) | 20 in (51 cm) | 22 in (56 cm) |
| Finished circumference | About 17.5 in (44.5 cm) | About 19.5 in (49.5 cm) | About 21.5 in (54.5 cm) |
| Height before gathering | 8 in (20.5 cm) | 9 in (23 cm) | 9.5 in (24 cm) |
| Fits head of about | 19 to 20.5 in (48 to 52 cm) | 21 to 22.5 in (53 to 57 cm) | 23 to 24 in (58.5 to 61 cm) |
The rectangle width is the cast-on number divided by 4. The seam takes up roughly one stitch at each edge, about half an inch in all, which gives the finished circumference. Each size has about 1.5 to 3 in (4 to 7.5 cm) of negative ease. The head ranges are typical; measure the wearer, and see the knit hat size chart for other ages.
A gathered top uses up some length, so this hat is knit a little taller than one with a shaped crown.
Abbreviations
- CO: cast on
- k: knit
- k2tog: knit 2 stitches together (1 stitch decreased)
- st/sts: stitch/stitches
- RS: right side, the outside of the finished hat
- WS: wrong side, the inside
The pattern
- Cast on. CO 72 (80, 88) sts loosely, leaving a tail of about 6 in (15 cm). A tight cast-on makes a brim that will not stretch, so keep the loops relaxed or cast on over a needle one or two sizes larger.
- Row 1 (RS): Knit all stitches. Clip the marker to the side facing you. Both sides look alike, so the marker is the only way to tell them apart later.
- Row 2 (WS): Knit all stitches.
- Keep knitting. Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until the piece measures 8 (9, 9.5) in / 20.5 (23, 24) cm from the cast-on edge, ending after a Row 2. At the stated gauge this is about 64 (72, 76) rows, or 32 (36, 38) ridges counted on the right side.
- Decrease row (RS): (K2tog) 36 (40, 44) times — 36 (40, 44) sts.
- Do not bind off. Cut the yarn, leaving a tail of about 30 in (75 cm) for gathering and seaming.
Tip
Counting ridges is faster than counting rows. Each raised ridge on the right side equals two rows, so 36 ridges is 72 rows.
Finishing
Gather the top
Thread the long tail onto the tapestry needle. Pass it through all 36 (40, 44) stitches on the knitting needle, starting with the stitch farthest from the tail, then slide the knitting needle out. Pull the tail firmly so the top edge draws into a tight circle. Take one small stitch into the fabric to hold the gather in place.
Sew the side seam
Fold the rectangle so the two side edges meet, right side facing out. With the same tail, work from the gathered top down to the cast-on edge:
- On one edge, find the small bump at the end of a ridge and pass the needle under it.
- On the other edge, pass the needle under the bump at the end of the matching ridge.
- Continue back and forth, one ridge at a time, pulling the yarn just enough to bring the edges together.
Matching ridge to ridge lets the lines run unbroken around the hat. Fasten off at the cast-on edge and weave both tails along a ridge on the inside. More on closing tops and hiding ends is in how to finish a knit hat.
Watch out
Do not stretch a garter stitch hat lengthwise while it is wet or hang it up to dry. Garter fabric lengthens easily. Dry it flat, patted to its measurements.
If something looks wrong
| If this happens | Do this |
|---|---|
| The stitch count keeps growing | The first stitch of a row has been pulled over the needle and knit as two loops. Hold the yarn below and behind the needle before the first stitch. |
| The top will not close completely | Run the tail through the gathered stitches a second time and pull again, then stitch across the small hole on the inside. |
| The hat is too wide | Garter is very elastic, so it may still fit. If not, reknit one size down; removing 8 stitches takes away 2 in (5 cm). |
| The cast-on edge is tighter than the fabric | Cast on again more loosely. A firm bottom edge is the one thing garter stitch cannot stretch around. |
Ways to adjust it
- Add a fold-up cuff. Knit an extra 2.5 in (6.5 cm), about 20 rows, before the decrease row and turn the bottom edge up. Garter stitch has no wrong side, so the cuff looks right without any planning. Allow roughly 40 yd (37 m) more yarn.
- Resize by the numbers. Any even cast-on works, because the only requirement is that the decrease row pairs every stitch. Each 4 stitches added or removed changes the circumference by 1 in (2.5 cm).
- Top it off. A gathered top is a natural base for a pom-pom; see how to make a pom-pom for a hat.
Ready for knit and purl together? The easy flat-knit hat on straight needles uses the same needles and adds a ribbed brim and a shaped crown.
Frequently asked questions
Can I knit a hat using only the knit stitch?
Yes. Knitting every row on straight needles makes garter stitch. A garter rectangle seamed along the side and gathered at the top becomes a hat, with a single knit-two-together row at the end to reduce bulk.
Does a garter stitch hat need a ribbed brim?
No. Garter stitch is naturally stretchy across its width and does not curl, so the fabric grips the head without ribbing. A loose cast-on matters more than a separate brim.
Why is this hat knit taller than other hat patterns?
The top is gathered rather than shaped with gradual decreases, and gathering uses up some of the length. The extra height lets the hat still cover the ears once the top is drawn closed.
