Hockey Beanie Knitting Pattern
A Hockey Beanie to Knit for the Fair Isle Obsessed!
I don’t know about you guys, but I just go through phases where I hyper focus on a certain knitting or crochet technique. I cannot get it out of my mind and spend my days thinking of new designs to try out so that I can work with that particular technique or skill. Right now, I’m deep in a Fair Isle hat phase. I’ve literally been dreaming up designs in my sleep and scribbling them down as soon as I wake up. Since we’re a hockey family and spend what feels like most of our time at the rink, the first design I’m sharing is a simple hockey beanie knitting pattern. I’ve also had so many requests for men’s and boys’ hat patterns, so making more designs we can knit for the guys in our lives has been a big priority for me this year.
What is Fair Isle Knitting?
Fair Isle knitting is a type of colourwork where you knit with two colours in the same round to create a design. Instead of cutting the yarn every time you switch colours, you carry the unused colour along the back of the work, which creates “floats” on the inside. The image below is of the floats created on the inside of a fair isle beanie.
It can look intimidating at first, but once you get into the rhythm, it’s actually a little addictive because you see your design come to life round by round. Fair Isle is usually knit in the round so that you can work completely in stockinette stitch (no purling!). And since you’re carrying two strands of yarn, the finished fabric is super warm and cozy – which makes it awesome for hats and other winter accessories.
How to Knit a Fair Isle Pattern
Of course I have a YouTube tutorial for you guys to watch if you’re new to fair isle/stranded knitting. I’ve embedded it right here so that you can watch it on this page, but in case you want to watch it directly on YouTube or subscribe to my channel here’s the link: Fair Isle/Stranded Knitting Tutorial.
Choosing Yarn to Knit Your Hockey Beanie
I wrote this pattern for Knit Picks Wool of the Andes worsted weight 100% wool yarn. I prefer to use wool yarn for Fair Isle knitting because it’s a little more forgiving and much easier to work with when you’re carrying floats. Wool has natural elasticity and grip, which helps the stitches settle nicely and makes the colourwork look more even, especially after blocking.
That said, acrylic yarn will work too, and it can be a great budget-friendly option. When choosing yarn for Fair Isle or stranded knitting, look for something smooth with good stitch definition and similar thickness across all colours so your fabric stays consistent. I also recommend sticking with yarns from the same brand or line when possible, as they tend to behave the same way and make colourwork a lot more predictable.
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❤️ Alnaar
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Hockey Beanie Knitting Pattern
Materials:
You will need the following supplies to knit one Hockey Beanie
- Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted Weight Yarn in the following colours:
- Colour A: Icicle Heather (Approx. 75 yards for adult / 65 yards for child)
- Colour B: Cloud (Approx. 30 yards for adult / 27 yards for child)
- Size 5 (3.75 mm) circular Knitting needles (16″ cord)
- Size 8 (5 mm) circular knitting needles (16″ cord)
- Size 8 (5 mm) double pointed needles
- Scissors
- Tapestry/yarn needle
- Stitch markers
Ad Free PDF File
The free knitting pattern for this fair isle beanie is available right here on this page, as this site is sustained through ad support.
If you like things a little more streamlined, I’ve put together an ad-free, downloadable PDF version of the pattern. It’s perfect for easy printing and can be can be purchased through My Ravelry Store or by clicking the “Purchase PDF File” button to the right.
Thank you so much for your support! It means the world to me, and I’m beyond grateful to be able to share my passion with you all.
Gauge
20 stitches, 22 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch.
Sizes
- Child (head circumference 18-20 inches).
- Adult (head circumference 21-24 inches).
Abbreviations
K: Knit
P: Purl
St: Stitch
Pm: Place stitch marker
Sm: Slip stitch marker
K2tog: Knit two stitches together
Ssk: Slip 2 stitches knitwise, one at a time, then knit them together through the back loops
Special Stitches
Stockinette Stitch: Knit every stitch when working in the round.
1X1 Rib Stitch: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end of round.
Pattern Notes
This is a Fair Isle (also called stranded knitting) pattern.
The hat is knit in the round from the bottom up with a 1×1 ribbed brim followed by a Fair Isle chart for the colourwork section. If you are new to Fair Isle or stranded knitting, see the Video Links below for a tutorial on how to change colours and hold your yarn.
Because the hat is knit in the round, circular needles are required. You may switch to double-pointed needles when shaping the crown, or use the magic loop method with a long circular needle instead.
Instructions are written for both sizes as child (adult). For example, cast on 80 (96) means cast on 80 stitches for the child size and 96 stitches for the adult size.
More Free Knit Beanie Patterns from Leelee Knits!
Free Fair Isle Hockey Beanie Pattern
Using size 5 circular needles and color A, cast on 80(96) stitches. Place a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round and then join, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Work 12(14) rounds in 1X1 rib stitch for the brim of the hat.
Change to size 8 circular needles and knit the remainder of the hat in stockinette stitch, following the chart for the size you are making. Note that the child and adult charts have different row counts. Work all rows shown for the size you are making.
Hockey Beanie Knitting Charts
The charts are read from the bottom up, with each square representing one stitch. Because the hat is knit in the round, read each chart row from right to left. Each chart row corresponds to one round of knitting.
After completing the final round of the chart, place stitch markers after every 20 (24) stitches to divide the hat into four sections. You will now begin shaping the crown.
Shaping the Crown of Your Beanie
Round 1: Knit all stitches.
Round 2: *K1, k2tog, k to two stitches before the next marker, ssk, slip marker; repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until 16 stitches remain (switch to double-pointed needles or magic loop as needed when stitches become too few to comfortably fit on the circular needle).
When 16 stitches remain, cut the yarn, leaving an 8–12″ tail. Thread the tail onto a yarn needle, draw it through the remaining stitches, and pull tight to close the crown.
Bring the tail to the inside of the hat and secure it. Weave in all ends and wet block to relax the stitches. Wet blocking is highly recommended for stranded knitting, as it helps even out the stitches and makes the colourwork look tidier.
Pattern PDF File
I hope you enjoyed the free knitting pattern for my Fair Isle Hockey Beanie.
If you’d like your own copy, the Ad-Free PDF file (which will be emailed to you automatically) can be purchased through Ravelry, or by clicking the “Purchase PDF File” button to the right.
Thank you so much for your support! It means the world to me, and I’m beyond grateful to be able to share my passion with you all.
