Classic Ribbed Beanie Step-by-Step

On Apr 7, 2025 5 0

Imagine pulling on a wonderfully warm, snug hat that you fashioned with your own two hands! This project guides you through making the exact brown ribbed knit beanie shown in the image. It features a classic folded brim and a beautifully textured body, perfect for keeping ears toasty. Even if you’ve never picked up knitting needles before, we’ll walk through every step together. Get ready to discover the joy of transforming yarn into something wearable and wonderful.

What You’ll Need

To get started on your beanie journey, gather these essentials:

🧶 Worsted weight yarn (Weight 4) in a warm brown shade like the one pictured (approx. 150-200 yards)
🥢 US size 7 (4.5 mm) 16-inch circular knitting needles
🥢 US size 7 (4.5 mm) double-pointed needles (DPNs) – a set of 4 or 5
✂️ Scissors
📏 Tape measure or ruler
🧶 Stitch marker
🧵 Yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle)

Getting Started: Gauge and Basic Stitches

Before we dive in, let’s talk basics. The key to a good fit is gauge – how many stitches and rows fit into a certain measurement. For this beanie, aim for about 20 stitches and 26 rows in a 4×4 inch (10×10 cm) square using the rib pattern (we’ll learn that next!). Make a small test square (swatch) to check. If you have too many stitches, use larger needles; too few, use smaller needles.

Now, the only two stitches you need for this entire beanie are the Knit Stitch (K) and the Purl Stitch (P).

Knit Stitch (K): Think of it as going “in through the front door.” Insert your right needle from front to back into the first loop on your left needle. Wrap the yarn around the right needle tip counter-clockwise. Pull that wrapped yarn back through the loop. Slide the original loop off the left needle. You’ve made a knit stitch! It looks like a little ‘V’.
Purl Stitch (P): This is like going “in through the back door,” but with the yarn held in front of your work. Bring the yarn to the front. Insert your right needle from back to front into the first loop on your left needle. Wrap the yarn around the right needle tip counter-clockwise. Push the needle tip back through the loop, bringing the wrapped yarn with it. Slide the original loop off the left needle. A purl stitch looks like a little bump or bar.

We’ll be knitting in the round, meaning we work in a continuous spiral to form a tube, avoiding seams. That’s what the circular needle is for initially.

Making the Ribbed Brim

This beanie has a lovely folded brim for extra warmth around the ears. This brim is formed using a 2×2 Rib Stitch. This means you’ll alternate knitting two stitches and purling two stitches.

Cast On: Using your circular needle, we need to get stitches onto the needle. Use a stretchy cast-on method (like the long-tail cast-on). Cast on 96 stitches for an average adult head size. (Adjust by multiples of 4 if needed for size). Careful! Don’t twist your stitches when joining. Look at the bottom edge – it should be smooth all the way around.
Join in the Round: Place a stitch marker on your right needle. This marks the beginning of your round. Now, knit the first stitch you cast on. You’ve joined your work into a circle!
Work the Ribbing: Now begins the pattern.
- Round 1: *Knit 2 stitches, Purl 2 stitches* Repeat this sequence (* to *) all the way around until you reach your stitch marker.
- Repeat Round 1: Keep repeating this K2, P2 round. You’ll see vertical columns of ‘V’s (knits) and ‘bumps’ (purls) begin to appear. This is the 2×2 rib. Continue working in this rib pattern until the piece measures about 6-7 inches from the cast-on edge. This length will allow for the brim to be folded up nicely.

Shaping the Body of the Beanie

Once your ribbed section is long enough for the folded brim, we simply continue the same pattern for the main part of the hat.

Continue Ribbing: Keep working in the established K2, P2 rib pattern without changing anything. The fabric will continue to grow upwards.
Measure: Continue until the total length of the beanie, measured flat from the cast-on edge (without folding the brim yet), is about 8-9 inches.

Decreasing for the Crown

Now it’s time to shape the top of the beanie so it closes nicely, forming the gathered crown visible in the image. This involves decreasing stitches. We’ll use the Knit Two Together (K2tog) decrease – simply knit the next two stitches together as if they were one stitch. You might need to switch to your double-pointed needles (DPNs) as the circle gets smaller. Just divide the stitches evenly among 3 or 4 DPNs and use the remaining needle to knit.

Decrease Round 1: *Knit 2, Purl 2 Together (P2tog)*. Repeat from * to * all around. (P2tog is purling two stitches together as one). You’ll now have 72 stitches.
Round 2 (and all even rounds hereafter unless specified): Work the stitches as they appear (Knit the knits, Purl the purls). Maintain the rib pattern as best you can between decreases.
Decrease Round 3: *Knit 2 Together (K2tog), Purl 1*. Repeat from * to * all around. You’ll now have 48 stitches.
Decrease Round 5: *Knit 1, Purl 1*. Repeat from * to * all around. This simplifies the ribbing to 1×1.
Decrease Round 7: *Knit 2 Together (K2tog)*. Repeat from * to * all around. You’ll now have 24 stitches.
Decrease Round 9: *K2tog*. Repeat from * to * all around. You’ll now have 12 stitches.
Decrease Round 10: *K2tog*. Repeat from * to * all around. You’ll now have 6 stitches.

Finishing Touches

Almost there! Let’s close up the top.

Cut Yarn: Cut the yarn, leaving about an 8-inch tail.
Thread Needle: Thread this tail onto your yarn needle.
Secure Stitches: Pass the yarn needle through the remaining 6 stitches on your DPNs as if to knit them. Go around once or twice.
Cinch Closed: Gently but firmly pull the yarn tail. The small hole at the top will cinch closed!
Weave in Ends: Pass the yarn needle through the center hole to the inside of the beanie. Weave the tail securely into the stitches on the inside so it won’t unravel. Weave in the starting tail at the brim edge too.
Fold the Brim: Fold the bottom edge up about 3-3.5 inches to form the cozy double-layered brim seen in the photo.

Wear Your Warm Work!

And just like that, you’ve produced your very own Simple & Warm Knit Beanie! Feel the texture of those ribs, admire the neat crown, and most importantly, feel the pride of having made it yourself. It’s a wonderful feeling to wear something handmade. Pop it on, feel the warmth, and maybe even start thinking about what color you’ll choose for your next one! Don’t forget to snap a picture of your finished piece – sharing your handiwork is part of the fun!