Knit Beard Hat

Use this free knitting pattern to make yourself a nifty (and warm!) bearded hat.  It's simple once you know a few tricks, and it knits up in no time.  You'll want to make one in every color for everyone you know!  No longer will you suffer from beard envy or cold chins - now you can make your own beard hat!

Step 1: Materials and Patterns

I used some leftover bulky weight yarn (super soft and fuzzy, which is good since it's going on my face!) and some large knitting needles.  This would have gone better with circular needles, but I'm a strong believer in "use what you got," so I did them on straight needles.  If you're familiar with knitting in the round, it should be no trouble for you to translate this pattern into something simpler!

Step 2: Start Simple

To boost excitement about this project (meaning: guarantee I'll actually finish it), I started with the smallest part: the mustache.  It starts with one cast on stitch that is increased every other row to make the full part of the mustache.  Then it is decreased and repeated.  Simple!

This also makes a schmancy bow tie!   I recommend wearing it while you're knitting up the rest of the hat.

Step 3: Casting on the Beard

This is the first hurdle - the provisional cast-on.   Since I haven't made a full Instructable on this just yet, I will refer you to the site I used to teach me!   The pictures are perfect and it's easy to follow.

PROVISIONAL CAST ON TUTORIAL

Try it out a couple of times until you get the hang of it.  And yes, using a different color of yarn for this part DOES help.

Now that you've got that mastered, let's start knitting us a beard!
Follow the pattern for increases and decreases (you can fiddle with this bit to make a longer or shorter beard if you prefer).   Now you've got the beard portion done and it's time to make the hat!

Step 4: Casting on the Hat

To join the two sides of the beard, we need to cast on a few more stitches.  This will be the part of the hat that goes across your face.  I use Carleyy's technique for the single cast on.

SINGLE CAST ON TUTORIAL

It's quick and easy!  Once you've done that for the allotted stitches, it's time to pick up the stitches from the other side of the beard that we made with the provisional cast on.

Pick up the stitches and knit into them, removing the provisional yarn (red in my case) as you go.  

Cast on another lot of stitches for the part of the hat that will go around the back of your head.

If you're knitting in the round, this is when you'd want to join your work and go to town!

Step 5: Finishing the Hat

Continue knitting back and forth on the hat until it's the height you want.

If you're feeling fancy, you can do some decreasing towards the top of the hat, but I didn't, and it worked out just fine!

When you're done knitting the hat, bind off all of your stitches loosely.  Leave a long tail of yarn.  Use the tail to sew together the two sides of the hat.

Take another piece of yarn and run it through the bound edge of the hat.  Cinch up the stitches and tie them all off in a tight circle.

The only thing left is to sew on your mustache!  I tried mine on to see where I wanted it, and pinned it in place.

Using the yarn tails of the mustache, sew the mustache securely to the beard hat.

That's it!  Now don't you want to make another one??  Hope you had fun!

Comments

[target022]

Yay! Welcome to the Hat with Beards club.
Someone should really make a badge.

[scoochmaroo]

Awesome!

[c-bradley]

This is great!! I got my husband the beard beanies from Beard Head (https://beardhead.com/), and he loves them so much so now I plan to knit one for my son as well. This is a great pattern to start with. Thank you!

[trailogy]

Question:do you bind off at stitch 28?

[schapman2]

Hi there - I love this hat. I’m currently writing an article about bizarre, unusual and wonderful craft projects. I would love permission to publish this image, along with some text about the beard hat, and a link back to this article.

The article will be a slideshow of photos of unusual craft projects, and it is to complement an article we have about guerrilla knitting.:
http://lifestyle.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8244625

If you could let me know by as soon as possible, that would be great.

Thanks and regards!

[scoochmaroo]

You are more than welcome to reference this project, as long as credit and linkbacks are provided. Thanks for your interest!

[ITdude]

OMG i love it ..i want one:)

[popcorn4lunch]

lol, thats great! :)

[cobrajs]

You know what this hat needs? The loop stitch! That's how I make mine. I never knit hats with them, though; I just put an elastic strap on it so I can wear it with any hat, or with my snowboard helmet.

[scoochmaroo]

That is fantastic! You should share your instructions!

[cobrajs]

I just finished my first Instructable for it! Here's the link.

[cobrajs]

Thanks! I made some vague instructions a while back, but I think I'm going to do a proper Instructable for it. That'll be my first!

[AlexandraBristow]

Plus the spokesmodel is very beautiful. I doubt the bearded hat would look quite as lovely on me.

[AlexandraBristow]

This is amazing. I love beards. And now I can love knitted beards.

[matthijs_melsen]

This is Awesome!

[Screamo]

I want a picture of you wearing it:)

[scoochmaroo]

That's me in the last picture!

[anniemagz]

this is awesome!! i just made a similar one for my brother for christmas, but it took wayyyyyy too long to ever be repeated. good thinking with the big needles :]

[jrossetti]

Hah, that's cute. Some of us already have long beards though. :P

[anniemagz]

then this would make a good beard warmer haha