Knit Kitty Style Hat Pattern

Knit kitty hat size:

Head circumference: 54-55 cm

Number of stitches: 84

Garter stitch edge: 2.5 cm

Stockinette stitch part: 5.5 cm

Place stitch markers as follows: 30-24-30

Number of increases: 8

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette 

Common abbreviations of knitting stitches:

k – knit

k2tog – knit two together

Sl – slip

Sl 1k – slip one stitch knitwise

Sl 1p – slip one purlwise

p – purl

p2tog – purl two together

sel s – selvage stitch: always slip the first stitch knitwise, work to the last stitch, purl the last stitch

M1L – make one left increase: pick up the bar between the current and next stitch bringing the left-hand needle from the front to the back, then knit the bar through the back loop.

M1R – make one right increase: pick up the bar between the current and next stitch bringing the left-hand needle from the back to the front, then knit the bar through the front loop.

st(s) – stitch(es)

LHN – left-hand needle

RHN – right-hand needle

pm – place stitch marker

skpo – Slip, Knit, Pass Over: Slip one stitch to the right needle knitwise, knit in the next stitch and drop this stitch off the left needle, insert the left needle into the slipped stitch, pass it over the knit stitch and it’s done.

WS – wrong side

Kitty-style hat knitting pattern:

Cast on

Cast on 84 sts, or the number of stitches given in the table for your head circumference.

Rows 1-8: sel s, knit all stitches, sel s. This part should measure about 2.5 or 3 cm (1 in).

Row 9: sel s, knit all stitches, sel s.

Row 10: sel s, purl all stitches, sel s.

Repeat Rows 9-10 until the stockinette stitch section measures 5.5 cm (2¼ in).

Shaping cat’s ears:

Place stitch markers as follows: 30 sts, pm, 24 sts, pm, 30 sts.

Place two more stitch markers to mark the central stitch of each ear: 30 sts, pm, 1 st, pm, 22 sts, pm, 1 st, pm, 30 sts.

Row 1: sel s, k29, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k22, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k29, sel s. (88)

Row 2: sel s, purl all stitches, sel s. Purl the slipped stitches from the previous row as well. 

Row 3: sel s, k30, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k24, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k30, sel s. (92)

Row 4: sel s, purl all stitches, sel s.

Row 5: sel s, k31, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k26, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k31, sel s. (96)

Row 6: sel s, purl all stitches, sel s.

Row 7: sel s, k32, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k28, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k32, sel s. (100)

Row 8: sel s, purl all stitches, sel s.

Row 9: sel s, k33, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k30, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k33, sel s. (104)

Row 10: sel s, purl all stitches, sel s.

Row 11: sel s, k34, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k32, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k34, sel s. (108)

Row 12: sel s, purl all stitches, sel s.

Row 13: sel s, k35, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k34, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k35, sel s. (112)

Row 14: sel s, purl all stitches, sel s.

Row 15: sel s, k36, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k36, M1R, sl 1 (central st), M1L, k36, sel s. (116 sts)

Row 16: sel s, purl all stitches, sel s. 

A total of 8 increases have been worked.

Count 8 sts to the right of the first stitch marker and 8 sts to the left of the second stitch marker, then place stitch markers. Repeat this step by counting 8 sts to the right of the 3rd stitch marker and 8 sts to the left of the 4th stitch marker, then place stitch markers. Because 8 increases were made, count 8 sts from each stitch marker.

Shaping the first cat’s ear:

Row 1: sel s, k39 (remove 2 central stitch markers). Now we need to swap the last 2 knitted stitches so the central stitch becomes the last.

With the tip of the LHN, pick up the second (central) stitch from the front, drop the last stitch, then place it back on the LHN, followed by the central stitch.

Slip both stitches back to the RHN and turn your work.

Row 2: p3tog, turn.

Rows 3,5,7,9,11,13,15: slip 1 (central), k1, swap the last 2 stitches. Slip both stitches back to the RHN and turn your work.

Rows 4,6,8,10,12,14,16: p3tog, turn.

Shaping the second cat’s ear:

Row 1: slip 1(central), k32. Now we need to swap the last 2 knitted stitches so the central stitch becomes the last.

With the tip of the LHN, pick up the second (central) stitch from the front, drop the last stitch, then place it back on the LHN, followed by the central stitch.

Slip both stitches back to the RHN and turn your work.

Row 2: p3tog, turn.

Repeat Row 3 -16 as for the 1st ear.

Finish row: slip 1 (centra), k29, sel s.

WS row: sel s, purl all sts, sel s. (84)

Shaping the back of the hat:

Divide the right side of the hat (before the center ear stitch) into 2 equal parts and place a stitch marker between them. For my size, this is 30 sts total: 15 sts on each side. If you have an odd number of stitches, divide them as evenly as possible, placing the stitch marker after the smaller group of sts and leaving the larger group on the other side of the marker. Repeat symmetrically for the left side of the hat.

Row 1: sl1k , k52, skpo, turn.

Row 2: sl 1p, p22, p2tog, turn.

Row 3: sl1k , k22, skpo, turn.

Row 4: sl 1p, p22, p2tog, turn.

Repeat Rows 3–4 until you come to the 2 stitch markers just placed.

For simplicity, row numbering starts again from Row 1.

Row 1: sl1k , skpo, k18, k2tog, skpo, turn.

Row 2: sl1p, p20, p2tog, turn.

Row 3: sl1k , k20, skpo, turn.

Row 4: sl 1p, p20, p2tog, turn.

Row 5: sl1k , skpo, k16, k2tog, skpo, turn.

Row 6: sl1p, p18, p2tog, turn.

Row 7: sl1k , k18, skpo, turn.

Row 8: sl 1p, p18, p2tog, turn.

Row 9: sl1k , skpo, k14, k2tog, skpo, turn.

Row 10: sl1p, p16, p2tog, turn.

Row 11: sl1k , k16, skpo, turn.

Row 12: sl 1p, p16, p2tog, turn.

Row 13: sl1k , skpo, k12, k2tog, skpo, turn.

Row 14: sl1p, p14, p2tog, turn.

Row 15: sl1k , k14, skpo, turn.

Row 16: sl 1p, p14, p2tog, turn.

Row 17: sl1k , skpo, k10, k2tog, skpo, turn.

Row 18: sl1p, p12, p2tog, turn.

Row 19: sl1k , k12, skpo, turn.

Row 20: sl 1p, p12, p2tog, turn.

Row 21: sl1k , skpo, k8, k2tog, skpo, turn.

Row 22: sl1p, p10, p2tog, turn.

Row 23: sl1k , k10, skpo, turn.

Row 24: sl 1p, p10, p2tog, turn.

Row 25: sl1k , skpo, k6, k2tog, skpo, turn.

Row 26: sl1p, p8, p2tog, turn.

Row 27: sl1k , k8, skpo, turn.

Row 28: sl 1p, p8, p2tog, turn. (12 sts)

Bind off all stitches.

Knitting the ties:

Using 2 DPN, cast on 3 sts. Knit an i-cord: K3, slide all stitches to the other end of the needle. Working yarn from the left side. K3. Slide stitches again to the other end and repeat previous steps. Knit until the length of the cord reaches at least 34-35 cm (22 in).

Next, we will knit an i-cord along the bottom edge of the hat.
With the front of the hat facing you and the hat upside down, pick up and knit the first stitch with the I-cord needle.
Slide the 4 stitches to the other end of the needle, k2, k2tog.

*Pick up and knit the next stitch along the hat’s edge, slide the 4 stitches to the other end of the needle, k2, k2tog. Repeat from * until you reach the other corner of the hat.

Knit an additional 3 stitches of i-cord, matching the length worked at the beginning. Weave in all ends.