Knitting Patterns for Colorwork Hats – Cozy Beanies to Try

There are so many great hat knitting patterns out there, but as I start thinking about knitting for winter (which is the only time I really wear hats) I want my hats to be as colorful as possible. And of course there are new colorwork hat knitting patterns being released all the time, but here are some that have caught my eye.

You couldn’t ask for more color than is found in the Ridged Stripe Hat knitting pattern from Yarnspirations. This one uses a multicolored yarn to make the stripes easy, and slipped stitches to make those elongated stitches that move the colors around. It also has a foldover ribbed brim for plenty of warmth, and comes in one size to fit an adult. It’s a free pattern.

Speaking of slipped stitches, they’re the key to mosaic knitting, which is how the Fold in the Cheese hat is done (shoutout to the Schitt’s Creek fans!). This one is worked in two colors of a DK or light worsted weight yarn, and using a multicolored yarn makes it look more interesting without any more work. It comes in three sizes and you can knit it as a beanie or slouchy if you prefer. You can find this pattern from Mary Annarella on Ravelry.

The color is subtle on Carrie McKie’s Surprise Hat (a free download from Ravelry) but it wouldn’t have to be. I wanted to include this one because I like the idea of it, having a colorwork pattern that looks good on either side so you can reverse the hat when you want to change up the look. This one also uses slipped stitches, and it’s fun to see how you can get different looks with such a simple technique.

The simplest way to add color to a project, apart from stripes, is by adding little stitches of color. A single knit stitch in a contrasting color looks like a heart, which is where the Loving Hat gets its name. This is super simple stranded colorwork done in bulky yarn, and the free pattern from Garter Stitch Witch includes sizing for babies through adults.

If you’re ready for more detailed Fair Isle knitting, check out A Foray into Fair Isle from Little Blue Pedal Car on Etsy. This colorful hat knitting pattern would be a great stash buster because you can change colors with every band of colorwork. It uses worsted weight yarn and looks adult sized.

Take stranded knitting in a totally different direction with the Bad Medicine Beanie from A Lil Loopy. This bold hat features large skulls all around the hat that are worked in a multicolored, super bulky yarn. The hat has one adult size and looks like it would be a lot of fun to knit.

Bands of Colorwork Add Direction to This Sweater [Knitting]

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This swirly square stitch knitting pattern from Studio Knit is a lot of fun, and it looks kind of complicated without being difficult at all.

The swirly nature of the block comes from regularly placed increases, as the pattern is worked in rounds from the center out. Switching between sections of all knit stitches and all purl stitches (which gives you stockinette and reverse stockinette respectively when worked in the round) adds to the off-kilter flair but makes it really easy to knit.

You can work it in a single color or change colors regularly. This isn’t really a change colors randomly kind of pattern just because it looks better if you work a full repeat in a single color, but you know there are no rules so you can do whatever you want.

You can also make it any size you like, and indeed use any yarn you want. This one is blanket sized and used five colors of worsted weight yarn, but you can use any yarn and corresponding needles (you’ll need double pointed needles and circulars of various lengths, depending on how big you want to make your square).

For a start, why not grab some cotton yarn and stitch up a swirly washcloth? You could still use a couple of colors if you want, jsut for fun.

Once you try that, you’ll probably want to make a bigger version, and you could definitely use more colors than Kristen did (or just one color if you prefer), you just need to make sure you change colors at the beginning of the pattern repeat to keep everything looking good.

If you’re ready to start (and I know I am!) you can grab the free pattern and check out a video to help you get started at Studio Knit.

[Photo: Studio Knit]

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