When children are involved, it’s hard to contain your inner DIYer. Am I right? The options are limitless! Anne and I recently met our friends’ near-two-year-old, and I was inspired to bring along something knit for her. She opened the gift, said, “Hat!” on repeat, and flung it over her curly hair. She wore it to bed. I was happy as a clam.

When it came to actually knitting the pom-pom hat, I was a bit stumped as to the size it should be. I followed this size chart that proved to work quite well. Ultimately, I erred on the loose side so that she could grow into it in future seasons.

This project is easy and quick to knit up. If you’re new to knitting, or want to trying working in the round, I would give this project a try! (Find my adult version here.) I include video links to several of the steps below because they do a great job of clearly demonstrating how each step is completed.

Toddler’s Pom-Pom Hat

The Materials:

• 1 skein of yarn
• Contrasting color yarn for the pom-pom
• Size US 8 circular needles (16″)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

How-To:

1. Cast on 75 stitches
2. Knit 3 / purl 2 (repeat this until the hat rim is one and a half inches tall)
3. Stockinette stitch until the hat is 8 inches tall
4. Decrease on circular needles until too few stitches are left to knit (learn how here)
5. Close hat (learn how here)
6. Set your finished hat aside and make your pom-pom (learn how here)
7. Attach and secure the pom-pom to your hat using a tapestry needle (skip to 12:05 and learn how here)
8. Weave in any ends of yarn

This hat would make a great gift for any child. It is sure to be something they come back to for a few seasons to come!

As much as I want to believe that spring is around the corner, it most certainly is not.  Every year I think that post-Valentine’s Day = post-winter, and that the long days of hibernation are over.  False.  There are probably many more cold and snowy days to come (like this morning in Philly), and one must be extra ready for this blustering wind!  (Okay, it isn’t actually blustering.) Anyway, here is a hat that I recently finished making.  I’ve never knit a hat before (let alone anything on circular needles), so I was very excited to work on this project.

I picked up my knitting supplies for this hat at Rosie’s Yarn Cellar in Philadelphia.  The woman working at Rosie’s was kind enough to educate and guide me through the process of starting my project.  Later on, I decided to add a pom-pom for a more playful look, and I couldn’t be happier with the results!

The Materials:

• 1 skein of Manos del Uruguay merino wool
• 1 skein of a contrasting color for the pom-pom
• Size 8 circular needles (16″)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Note: I did not end up using the size 8 double pointed needles pictured below.

How-To:

1. Cast on 87 stitches (use this hat size chart to find your size)
2. Seed stitch for 1 1/2 inches
3. Stockinette stitch until the hat is a total of 7 inches tall
4. Begin decreasing on circular needles (learn how here)
5. Set aside the finished hat (!!!) to begin making the pom-pom
6. Use either the same yarn or a contrasting color to make the pom-pom (learn how here)
7. Secure the pom-pom to the top of the hat using a tapestry needle

While I do hope that winter sees itself out sooner rather than later, this hat is sure to keep me warm in the meantime.  This pattern used about half the skein of Manos del Uruguay yarn, so I may use the other half for another project in the near future.  I love the subtle striation in the color.

Remember that it is never too late to start knitting.  I recently read an interesting article called “Don’t Stop Knitting! It Keeps You Healthy!”  Take this late-winter opportunity to start something new.  Peek into a local knitting store and see what they have to offer.  As my psychotherapy teacher said today, “The way to change your future is to change your present.”

Note: Photos by Victoria Vitale & Anne Kenealy.