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How to Knit a Beanie? (Step-By-Step Guide)

knit a beanie

Article By :- Gaurav Dhakal

Beanie is a woolen hat, also called “Topi” in Nepali. So, wearing a wool knit beanie is cool. Isn’t it? It also keeps your head warm during the winter season. And, if the beanie is something you have made yourself, it gives you inner joy while wearing it. But how to knit a beanie? Do you know? 

Well, don’t worry, even if you don’t. Stay with this article till the end, and you’ll find it for yourself. Knitting a beanie seems hard at times, but it isn’t. Even if this is your first time knitting anything and were looking for how to knit beanies for beginners, this article is still for you. 

It will guide you step-by-step on how to knit a beanie for a man or a woman; it doesn’t matter. Just learn how to knit a beanie from this article and make it for yourself. 

So, let’s get started. 

What is a Wool Knit Beanie?

A wool knit beanie is a piece of headwear hand knitted with wool and usually keeps your head warm in the winter. The shape of a beanie is usually tapered at the top, but other variants also do exist. 

These hats have their local names in different countries. The name “Beanie” refers to the woolen hats in America, whereas it is called “Toque or Tuque” in Canada. In Nepal, they are called “Topi”. 

Knitted wool beanies were seen in the 15th century for the first time. Being produced in the Welsh town Monmouth, they were famous as Monmouth hats. After the 18th century, wool knit hats became a common headwear for people working outdoors like fishermen, hunters and seamen. They are still used widely in the colder regions of Asia, North America and Europe.

Check Out The Best Wool Knit Beanies By Woolmandu!

Materials Required To Knit a Beanie

Various materials are required before you start knitting a beanie for yourself. Below is a list of all those materials. 

  1. Wool Yarn 

If possible, get organic wool to knit. You will need 100 grams of wool. Make sure the gauge of the wool lies between 6 to 15. Select thicker wool, as it will be easier for beginners to handle the wool. Also, it will make your beanie soft. 

  1. Knitting Needle

Make sure to get a circular needle as it is earlier to knit beanies with them. Also, ensure the gauge of the needle matches the gauge of the wool. So, a circular needle with a gauge between 6 to 15 is required. Also, thicker needles make it faster while knitting a beanie. 

  1. Measuring Tape
  1. Scissors
  1. Darning Needle

Step-By-Step Guide On How to Knit a Beanie 

This portion of the article consists of the step-by-step guide on knitting a beanie. This guide makes knitting a beanie easy for first-timers.  

But before you start, the first thing you need to know before starting knitting anything is the types of stitches. “Knit Stitch” and “Purl Stitch” are widely used.

Watch This Video to Learn How to Do Them:

Step-1: Gauge Your Yarn

A tension sample or a stitch test is a must before starting to knit a beanie. It helps you find the number of stitches required for the beanie to fit in your head. 

For this, you must cast ten stitches first and then knit ten rows to form a small square. Do not pull your stitches too hard on the yarn. Do this in a relaxed way. 

Watch This Video to Know How to Make a Tension Sample: 

 

Step-2: Cast Stitches

After knowing how many stitches are required to knit a beanie, you need to cast the stitches now. Start stitching your beanie by casting on the calculated number of stitches with one extra stitch for circular knitting. 

For this, thread the cast on stitches onto the needles by dividing them into two parts. Keep the needles in front of one another. The rear needle swatch requires one more stitch than the front needle swatch. Hold the yarn with your finger after inserting it in the middle between the two needles.  

Watch This Video to Learn How to Cast Stitches:

Step-3: Knit in Circle

The third step while knitting a beanie is to knit in a circle. For this, you need to transfer the swatch having an extra stitch from the rear needle to the front needle. 

Then create purl stitches by laying the yarn over the front needle. Connect the swatch in a circle by pulling the rear needle in front and piercing it on the first two stitches of the front needle. 

Watch This Video to Learn Knitting in Circle: 

Step-4: Kit the Rim

The rim of the beanie can be made by three rows of knit and purl stitches, out of which two rows are of purl stitch, whereas one row is of the knit stitch. To make the rim tight enough, allow more tension on the yarn in the first row. This makes your beanie comfortable to wear. With such tension, moving the needles can be a little difficult. 

However, purl the first row, turn the swatch around, and thread onto the front row after purling on the rear needle. Purl the second side with the rear needle. Then, knit the second row after finishing the second row, and purl the remaining row. 

Step-5: Knit the Body

The next step after knitting the beanie’s rim is to knit its main body. Only use a knit stitch for this. Create a smooth transition from the rim to the beanie’s body by slowly releasing the tension on the yarn after knitting the first three rows. This will make your beanie soft and look relaxed. Keep knitting your beanie until you get the required height of the beanie as per the head size.

Step-6: Close the Beanie

After getting the required height for the beanie, you have to close it. So, in this step, you need to close the beanie in the final two rows by reducing the number of stitches. This will make the rows narrower. Use only knit stitches in this step.  

Step-7: Finishing the Beanie

In this step, you’ll finish making your beanie. For this, leave almost 30 cm of yarn and cut it. Use the darning needle to thread the yarn. Thread the beginning piece and hide it. This will complete making your beanie fully. 

Conclusion 

In this article, we learned about the woolen beanie and the process to hand make it. As a circular needle is easier to handle, it is recommended instead of knitting needles. 

As knitting is a great skill and also trains your motor skills, learning to knit a beanie is worth learning. Knowing the process of making a beanie also helps you keep it clean

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