This slouchy lace hat is a great beginner knitting pattern. I know that to be true because I designed it for and tested it on the students I teach knitting to at my local community college. The pattern teaches a few simple stitches and is worked in sections. This makes it easy for new knitters to increase their skill sets as they work through the pattern. I really enjoyed making this pattern and I hope you’ll enjoy it too!
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something from these links I may make a small commission at no cost to you. See my full disclosure policy for details.
Where to Buy the Slouchy Lace Hat Knitting Pattern
The pattern is available as a PDF online through my Etsy Shop and my Ravelry Shop. This is an instant download, so you can get started right away!
Who Is This Pattern For?
While I designed this as teaching tool for beginners, there’s no reason that an experienced knitter who just wants a cute hat can’t knit it too! This is a quick, fun project that can easily be made up using a single skein of yarn, making it a perfect carrying around project.
Yarn Requirements
This beginner knitting pattern is designed to use a soft and stretchy four ply worsted weight wool yarn. I used Malabrigo Rios in the color way 841 Tranquilo for my original sample. I love this yarn for a first project because it’s soft, easy to work with, and comes in a million colors. It’s also easy to find. Most local yarn stores will cary it or you can easily order it online from retailers like Jimmy Bean’s Wool.
If you’re thinking of substituting a different yarn, any worsted weight yarn that’s got some stretch and squish to it should work. Non superwash wools and acrylics might not drape quite as well (this pattern takes advantage of superwash’s tendency to stretch out or “grow”), but this is defiantly something to evaluate on a yarn by yarn basis.
Yarns with little squish and stretch, like this cotton from Blue Sky Fibers, will need smaller needles to hit gauge and will have a bit less drape. However, this pattern is forgiving enough that they’re still a solid option.
Tools
The tools for this project are fairly straight forward, as you can see by how short the list below is:
- One set 16-inch (40cm) circular needles and one set of double pointed needles. Recommended size is US 8 (5mm).
- One or more stitch markers
- Scissors or snips
- Tapestry needle
- Ruler or tape measure
The double pointed needles are only used for a short period of time at the end, but it’s nearly impossible to finish the last few rows of the hat without them. However, if you happen to have a set a size or two smaller than the ones you’re using for this project, feel free to use those instead. The last few rows have you decreasing the hat down to nearly nothing, so a slightly tighter gauge isn’t a bad thing.
If you don’t have a stitch marker, you can improvise one from many different materials, even a scrap of yarn. As long as you have some way of marking the start and end of your round it will be fine. You may want additional stitch markers when you hit the lace flower pattern section of the hat to mark where the pattern repeats. Just make sure that you know which stitch markers are for the pattern repeats and which shows the start of your round.
The scissors or snips don’t need to be anything extra sharp or fancy. They just need to cleanly cut your yarn at the end of the gauge swatch and your project. The same goes for your tapestry needle. As long as you can comfortably fit your yarn through the needle eye, any style of blunt tapestry needle will work for weaving your ends in. The ruler or tape measure is only used to check gauge, so any that you have on hand should would (though I do find clear rulers a bit of a pain here).
Tips for New Knitters Making this Beginner Knitting Pattern
If this is your first time knitting, this patten is definitely beginner friendly, but I do have a few additional tips. First, I recommend picking a gently variegated color way in a not-too-dark color. This will make it easier to read your stitches. Color ways like 138 Ivy, 687 Aquamarine, 289 Pisces, or 695 Peachy are all great choices.
If you do end up ordering yarn online, check to see if the retailer will wind it into a ball or “cake” for you. This is necessary for hand dyed yarns like Rios, since they come in hanks. This is a great shape for dyeing, but knitting from a hank can create a mess. Last I looked, Jimmy Bean’s will wind your yarn if you leave comment when you order, but all retailers are different.
Use a life line between sections. This is essentially a piece of yarn that serves as a failsafe if you need to unravel your work. I recommend students place a life line after finishing the ribbing, then again after finishing the first lace section. Watch a tutorial here.
Don’t rush past the gauge swatch stage. While knitting this swatch, you also should be paying attention to your tension, your posture, and all the other physical sensations involved in knitting. This is the time for you to really get to know your needles and yarn. It makes a difference in the long run!
If this is your first project, you also should consider having a “project bag” to cary around your project in. This can be anything from a free tote to a fancy case. The important thing is that you have all your supplies handy and you protect your yarn from becoming tangled.
If you make this beginner knitting pattern please let me know in the comments below, through my contact form, or over on Instagram! I’d love to see your finished projects and get any feedback you have!