Needlecrafts Knitting

How to Knit a Striped Stocking Hat

Striped stocking hat pattern on a mannequin head.

Sarah E. White

This free knitting pattern for a striped Santa stocking hat can make you think of Santa's hat, only a bit more fun. You could, of course, knit it in any two colors you like, or even in a solid color, if you don't want the Christmas feel.

If you're looking for a straight-up Santa hat pattern, try knitting the ribbing in white and the rest of the hat in red. Add a white pom-pom and you're done.

Whether you knit this one as a holiday hat or not, it's still an easy hat that you'll love to wear.

Materials

  • 95 yards each of red and white medium-weight acrylic (or wool) yarn (this example uses Red Heart Super Saver)
  • One size 8 US circular needle with a 16-inch cable, plus a set of four size-8 US double-pointed needles
  • Scissors
  • Yarn needle
  • Optional: A piece of cardboard to make a pom-pom

Watch Now: How to Make Perfect Pom-Poms

Gauge

17.5 stitches and 28 rows (a little more than four stitches and seven rows per inch) in Stockinette Stitch in the round.

Size

The finished hat is 20 inches at the base and 24 inches long without the pom-pom. It should fit a teenager or small adult.

Instructions for Striped Stocking Hat

  1. Using the circular needle, cast on 84 stitches in red. Join in round, being careful not to twist stitches. Place a stitch marker if desired.
  2. Work in knit 2, purl 2 ribbing for 1 inch. Switch to white yarn and knit in Stockinette Stitch for eight rows.
  3. Switch back to red and knit 8 rows. Repeat in white and in red.
  4. Switch back to white. *Knit 5, knit 2 together. Repeat from * around (72 stitches remain). Knit 7 more rows in white.
  5. Switch to red. *Knit 4, knit 2 together. Repeat from * around (60). On the next row, *knit 3, knit 2 together. Repeat from * around (48). Knit six more rows in red.

Shaping the Stocking Hat

  1. Change back to white. *Knit 2, knit 2 together. Repeat from * around (36 stitches). Knit seven more rows in white.
  2. Knit a stripe in red, one in white, another in red and another in white, all without further decreasing.
  3. On the next red strip, *knit 1, knit 2 together. Repeat from * across (26). Knit the rest of the stripe.
  4. Knit straight in white, red, white, and red.
  5. On the next white row, *knit 2 together. Repeat from * around (13). Finish white stripe.
  6. In red, knit 1, *knit 2 together. Repeat from * around (7). Finish red stripe, cut yarn and thread it onto a yarn needle.
  7. Thread stitches onto a yarn needle and pull tight.

Finishing the Hat

To finish the hat, weave in the ends. If desired you can add a pom-pom to the end, either in red or white. Use another piece of thread to sew the pom-pom to the end of the hat.

If you want to make this pattern your own, you can change the colors or use a single color, or slow down or speed up the rate of decreasing, depending on how long you want the hat to be.