If you’re new to sewing with stretchy fabrics, beanie hats are beginner-friendly projects. And they make excellent gifts for the kids and adults in your life. Today I’m sharing 18 of the best beanie patterns I found, including 8 free ones!
Contents list:
Cuffed:
“Delia” knit beanie with cuff and optional appliqué
Buy now from Named Clothing – €5 (approx. $6)
- Sizes: One size. Head circumference: 18.5” (47cm).
- Design: Oversized, knit beanie. Turned up cuff. Center back seam. Optional appliqué.
- Fabric: Medium to heavy weight knit fabric with 40-60% stretch, wool and wool blends are recommended.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. I think this would be a great pattern for someone wanting to advance their skills in sewing with knits. There are minimal pattern pieces and shaping involved. A beanie is a great way to practice sewing with stretchy knit fabrics since they are easy to fit.
“Ullvie” slouchy beanie with optional turn-up cuff
Buy now from The Last Stitch – £7 (approx. $9)
- Sizes: 3 sizes: small, medium, and large. Head circumferences:
- Small: 21” (53 cm)
- Medium: 22” (56 cm)
- Large: 23.5” (60 cm)
- Design: Slightly slouchy beanie. Can be turned up with a cuff. Centre back seam. Shaped at the crown. Additional tutorials are available to include a pom pom or a lining.
- Fabric: Medium weight knit fabrics with at least 50% stretch. Fleece, sweater knits and rib knits are suggested. Old sweaters can also be used.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. This is a super simple beanie pattern with minimal sewing involved. The instructions are clearly illustrated with technical drawings to show exactly where to sew. Using a stable knit fabric such as a sweater knit would make the sewing process easier.
“Harald” close-fitting beanie with cuff
Buy now from Melilot – 60 kr (approx. $5.50)
- Sizes: 3 sizes: Mini (kids), Midi (teen/small adult), and Maxi (large adult).
- Design: Close-fitting jersey beanie. Center back seam. Turned up cuff. Optional animal ears.
- Fabric: Medium weight knit fabric. Jersey scraps and old sweaters are suggested.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes.
- Instructions: Illustrated instructions are included, and a free video tutorial is available here.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. This beanie has a simple shape with one center seam and minimal shaping. The instructions are written in a beginner-friendly way. Using a stable knit fabric will make the project easier to sew.
Baby beanie with optional animal ears
Buy now from Oh Me Oh My Sewing – $4.50
- Sizes: 10 sizes ranging from 0-3 months to 5-6 years. Head circumference: 15.5” – 20” (39 – 51 cm).
- Design: Jersey beanie for babies and children. Shaped Crown. Bottom band that can be turned up. Options for bunny, cat, or bear ear add-ons.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabrics. For example, jersey, rib knit, and waffle knit
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think an adventurous beginner with a bit of sewing experience would be able to sew this pattern. A complete beginner might struggle with attaching the bottom band and sewing the ear decorations, but the ears can be left off for an easier sew.
Baby beanie with optional contrasting cuff
Download now from Coral and Co – FREE
- Sizes: 5 sizes: Premature baby to 24 months.
- Design: Jersey knit baby hat. Shaped Crown. Turn-up bottom band.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabrics, such as cotton or bamboo jersey.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. I think some sewing experience would be helpful for attaching the bottom band, but this is a super simple beanie hat with minimal shaping and pattern pieces. Scraps of jersey can be used and this project would be perfect for someone wanting to advance their skills with knits.
“The Fireside Beanie” with turned-up cuff
Buy now from I See Fabric – $6
- Sizes: Newborn – Adult man.
- Design: Oversized, slouchy beanie hat. Side seams and crown shaping. Large, turn-up cuff.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabrics with at least 75% stretch. 1×1 or 2×2 rib knits, or waffle knits are suggested.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes, and in A0 copyshop size. Projector files are available. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think an adventurous beginner could sew this beanie hat. Some sewing experience may be helpful for handling the rib fabrics that are recommended as they are very stretchy.
Beanie hat with large turned-up cuff
Buy now from Made for Mermaids – FREE
- Sizes: 5 sizes: Youth XS – Adult 2XL. Head circumference: 16” – 24” (40.5 – 61 cm).
- Design: Oversized beanie hat. Side seams and crown shaping. Large, turn-up cuff.
- Fabric: Medium weight knit fabrics like wool knits, rib knits, fleece, sweater knits or medium weight jersey. Old sweaters could also be used.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Projector files are included.
- Instructions: Illustrated instructions are included in a separate blog post here.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think a confident beginner could sew this pattern. The shape is simple and the instructions are detailed.
Ribbed beanie for children with optional pom pom trim and animal ears
Download now from Delia Creates – FREE
- Sizes: 6 sizes: Newborn – 10 years.
- Design: Lined beanie hat with gentle crown shaping and side seams. Ribbed bottom band. Optional pom poms or animal ears.
- Fabric: Old sweaters are suggested. Scraps of jersey or knit fabrics could also be used. For example, rib knit, fleece or sweater knits.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes available here. Instructions are included on the blog post.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think this would be a great pattern for a beginner to sew. The hat pattern is a simple shape and since old sweaters can be used this is a good way to practice sewing with knits without having to buy new fabric. Some sewing experience might be helpful for sewing the bottom band in the round, but the instructions are clear with photo illustrations so the construction should be manageable for a confident beginner.
Uses sweater knit fabric:
“Brisa” fitted sweater knit beanie hat
Buy now from The Last Stitch – $8
- Sizes: 3 sizes: Small, medium, and large. Head circumferences:
- Small: 21” (53 cm)
- Medium: 22” (56 cm)
- Large: 23.5” (60 cm)
- Design: Classic fitted beanie. Wide, turn-up cuff. Tutorials are available for adding a pom pom or a lining.
- Fabric: Sweater or rib knit fabrics with at least 70% stretch are suggested. Old sweaters can also be used with the ribbing as the cuff.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think this pattern would suit a confident beginner with some sewing experience. Hats are always a simple make so if you’re feeling confident, this pattern could be a great way to advance your skills sewing with knit and jersey fabrics.
“Atlas Tuque” beanie hat with pom pom
Buy now from Victory Patterns – $9
- Sizes: 6 sizes: XS-2XL. Head circumference: 21” – 24 ¾” (53 – 63 cm).
- Design: Sweater knit beanie hat. Relaxed fit with ribbed cuff. Pom pom decoration.
- Fabric: Sewn from recycled sweaters with the rib of the sweater used for the cuff. The pom pom can be made from recycled faux fur.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes, and in A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. I think this pattern would suit a confident beginner. Some sewing experience might be helpful for managing thick sweater fabrics but as the hat is simple in style and construction it would be a great pattern to practice on. Using recycled sweater fabrics is a good way to keep sewing practice sustainable too without buying new fabric.
Slouchy
Oversized slouchy jersey beanie
Buy now from Brindle and Twig – $4.50
- Sizes: Premature – 6T. Head circumference: 13 ¾” – 21” (35 – 53 cm).
- Design: Oversized, slouchy beanie hat. Shaping at the crown. Side seams. Fully lined.
- Fabric: Lightweight jersey knit fabric with some drape, such as viscose, rayon, bamboo, or Tencel jersey.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes, and in A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think this would be a good pattern for a confident beginner to try and a great way to practice sewing with jersey fabric. Some previous experience sewing with knit fabric would be helpful for sewing with the drapey jersey, which can stretch out of shape easily.
Oversized slouchy beanie with bottom band
Download now from Heidi and Finn – FREE
- Sizes: 3 sizes: 6 months – 6 years.
- Design: Oversized, slouchy beanie hat. Bottom band. Center back seam. Shaping at the crown. Unlined.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabric like jersey. Old clothing items like tshirts and sweatshirts can be repurposed into this beanie.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. This is a simple pattern to sew and a stable knit can be used if it has the right amount of stretch. Since the pattern can be sewn from recycled clothing, this would be a great pattern for a beginner to practice their skills sewing with knit fabrics.
Reversible / self-lined:
Reversible, double layer jersey beanie hat
Buy now from Wardrobe by Me – $6
- Sizes: 7 sizes: XS – 3XL. Head circumference: 20.5 – 25 ¼” (52 – 64 cm).
- Design: Slouchy beanie hat. Double layered and reversible. The bottom can be folded up for a more fitted look.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight jersey fabric with stretch.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think a beginner with some sewing experience could sew this pattern. Some experience sewing with knit fabrics would be helpful for sewing the contoured shape and the lining, but since this hat is sewn from a single pattern piece, it would be an easy one to master with practice. Use a stable knit fabric such as a double knit rather than anything too drapey like bamboo jersey to make the sewing process easier.
Simple reversible beanie hat
Download now from Bernina – FREE
- Sizes: 8 sizes: Newborn – Adult man. Head circumference: 12 ½” – 23” (32 – 58 cm).
- Design: Simple slouchy beanie. Fully lined and reversible. Shaped crown. Self drafted pattern.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabric with stretch. For example, double knit; cotton, rayon, bamboo or Tencel jersey; sweater knits or thin fleece.
- Format: Instructions for drafting your own pattern and how to sew the beanie are included on the blog post.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think a confident beginner with some sewing experience could sew this pattern. Experience in sewing with knit fabric would be helpful but not essential since the hat is a simple style. This simple pattern would be a great introduction to drafting your own hat pattern and a great way to practice sewing with knit fabrics.
Fleece
Easy fleece beanie with fold-up cuff
Download now from Bombshell Bling – FREE
- Sizes: One size, suitable for teens and adults.
- Design: Simple fitted fleece beanie. Turn-up bottom band. Contoured shaping. Unlined.
- Fabric: Fleece fabric is suggested. For example, polar, minky or sherpa fleece.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think an adventurous beginner with some sewing experience could make this pattern. The hat is simple in design but sewing with the thick fleece fabric could be tricky, so some previous experience would be helpful, especially for sewing the bottom band.
Simple unlined fleece beanie
Download now from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mum – FREE
- Sizes: 4 sizes: Age 3 – Large Adult. Head circumference: 20” – 24 ½” (51 – 62 cm).
- Design: Simple fleece beanie. Shaped at the crown. Unlined. Hemmed bottom.
- Fabric: Fleece fabric is suggested. For example, polar, minky, or sherpa fleece.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. The style of this hat is super simple and doesn’t include a cuff or bottom band, it would be a great first hat pattern and a good way to practice sewing with stretch fabrics. The hat is unlined and sewn from a single pattern piece. An experienced sewist would sew this up very quickly.
Pom pom beanies
“Blitzen” Simple jersey beanie with faux fur pom pom
Buy now from The Simple Life Company – $5 or FREE with Facebook group coupon code
- Sizes: 2T – Adult.
- Design: Simple jersey beanie. Shaped at the crown. Fully lined. Pom pom decoration at the top.
- Fabric: Knit fabric with stretch. For example, jersey, fleece or sweater knits. The inside can be lined with a polar fleece for added warmth.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think a confident beginner would enjoy sewing this pattern. The style of the hat is very simple with minimal sewing and shaping. Use a stable knit jersey or sweater knit to make the sewing process easier.
Simple “Brighton” beanie with two style options and pom pom trim
Buy now from Peekaboo Pattern Shop – $6.50
- Sizes: 10 sizes: Newborn – Large Adult. Head circumference: 15” – 24” (38 – 64 cm).
- Design: Simple jersey beanie with optional pom pom. Options for standard or slouchy fit. Optional turn-up cuff.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabrics, such as cotton jersey, rib knit, thin fleece, or sweater knit. Fabrics with some drape are suggested for the slouchy fit, such as viscose, rayon, or bamboo jersey.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think a confident beginner could sew this pattern since the style is simple and a stable fabric like cotton jersey can be used. Some previous experience sewing with knits might be helpful for sewing with more drapey jerseys but the hat would provide a great opportunity to practice.
Quick Q&A’s:
Can you sew a beanie?
Yes. Hats are traditionally thought of as hand or machine knitted, but they can also be sewn from knit fabrics. Sewing a beanie hat is a great project for a beginner since most patterns often involve only one or two pattern pieces with minimal seaming and shaping.
How much fabric do I need to make a beanie?
Depending on the size of the person you are sewing the hat for, beanie hats can be sewn from as little as scraps of fabric. If you’re sewing a beanie for an adult, it will usually use between a quarter of a yard to a full yard depending on the style and if it’s lined.
What is the best fabric for sewing beanies?
Beanies are best sewn from a knit fabric with stretch. Most patterns recommend between a 40-75% stretch to snugly fit around the head. You can choose from a lightweight knit like a jersey to a heavier weight knit like a polar fleece depending on the level of warmth you want to achieve.
What is the best beanie material for warmth?
Fleece, wool, and sweater knit fabrics are best for keeping out the cold. Jersey beanies can be lined with a micro fleece or similar to increase warmth in lightweight fabrics.
What measurements do you need for a beanie?
The most important measurement for a beanie is the head circumference. This is the measurement around the forehead. The length of the beanie may also be required and this will be the length from where the beanie will sit on the forehead to the crown of the head.
How do you sew a lining in a beanie?
Lined beanies are often sewn using the “bagging out” lining method. This means that the outer layer and the lining are assembled separately, and then both parts are sewn together with right sides facing around the bottom opening. The hat will then be turned right side out through a gap that’s left in the lining.
What to read next?
- 23 Glove & Mitten Sewing Patterns (11 FREE!)
- How to Make Twisted Turban Headbands: PRO Way + Free Pattern
- How to Make Wide Stretchy Headbands + Free Pattern (8 Sizes)
- 24 Best Headband Sewing Patterns & Tutorials (All Free!)
This article was written by Sally Gauntlett, and edited by Nisan Aktürk. It was originally published on 28 May 2023 and has since been updated.
Sally Gauntlett (author)
Sally started sewing as a child. In 2008, she started a handmade business selling personalized gifts and homeware. She then became a sewing content creator, sharing her makes on Youtube and Instagram. Read more…