Knitting Patterns for hats knit with checkerboard designs in color, textures, plaid, basketweave, and more. Many of the patterns are free. Updated 10/18/26
To get the knitting patterns, scroll down the page to the individual pattern you want and click on the link to that pattern.
These patterns are not my designs but links to other designers who have generously shared their patterns. If you have questions about how to knit a specific pattern, please contact the designer directly.
All links on this site are for informational purposes, but please note that some links are to affiliate sellers that pay me a small commission on purchases.
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Free Patterns
The Wildwood Beanie
Hat knit in a waffle texture in an 8 round repeat. 2 Sizes. Worsted weight yarn. Designed by GabeRoseKnits.
Coastie Hat
Beanie in sizes for the whole family with a checked stripes on the crown. Sizes Newborn to Adult Large. DK weight yarn. Designed by Vanessa Ewing.
Delvin Hood
Hood knit flat with lace and garter stitch block pattern that forms a checkerboard texture. 3 sizes. Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Ciara Doyle.
Ten Stitch Hats
Hat knit flat in a garter stitch spiral from the top down that is joined as you go. You achieve a checkerboard look either by using leftover scraps of yarn or using self-striping yarn. Three sizes: Adult in DK weight yarn, 2 Baby sizes in Fingering weight. Designed by Frankie Brown.
Broken Stripes Hat and Cowl
Matching beanie and neckwarmer knit with a three color checkerboard pattern. DK weight yarn. Designed by Alison Manning.
Highland Hat
Tartan inspired hat knit flat with a plaid design. Hat is first knit in horizontal stripes and vertical stripes are woven in. Pattern includes detailed instructions. Quick knit in Super Bulky weight yarn. Designed by Wool and the Gang. Available in English and German
Kids' Dice Check Balaclava
Child sized hood with cowl neck knit with a three color checkerboard pattern. Sizes Toddler and Youth. Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Gretchen Tracy.
Chess Caro Hat
May only be free for a limited time. Beanie with turned up brim knit with a checkerboard design in stranded colorwork. Aran weight yarn. Designed by nadjagri. Available in English and German
Hat in Textured Pattern
Quick hat with pompom bobble knit with an easy checkerboard texture. Quick knit in bulky weight yarn. Rated easy by Ravelrers. Designed by Schachenmayr. Available in English, Dutch, French, German
Slip Stitch Boxes Hat and Scarf
Matching beanie and scarf knit with a checkerboard grid created with slipped stitch stripes knit with a 6 row repeat. Bulky weight yarn. Designed by Tori Gurbisz Chapel.
Prospero Hat
Gansey sampler hat knit with different textures including basketweave, diagonal, broken rib, and moss stitch. Uses one skein for DK weight yarn. Designed by Kate Gagnon Osborn.
1 Across Beanie
Crossword puzzle inspired hat includes grids for both American-style and British-style crosswords, and two color options: black brim, white crown; white brim, black crown. Create a message on the grid with beads or embroidered letters. DK weight yarn. Designed by Denise Sutherland for Knitty.
More Free Patterns
Shilling
This unisex beanie features alternating garter/stockinette stitch squares and purl-sandwiched cables that look like knitted plaid. Sizes: Child small, child medium, child large, adult small, adult medium, adult large. Designed by Christine Terramane. Worsted weight yarn.
Plaid Toque
Hat knit with a stranded plaid design in sizes for the whole family. Sizes Baby/Toddler, Ladies/Small, Large/Men. Designed by Lisa Overby. DK weight yarn. Web version is free.
Mix It Up Beanie
Slouchy hat with sampler style sections including basketweave and other textures that remind me of gansey sweaters. DK weight yarn. Designed by Alicja Michalak.
Barry Bonnie Buffalo Plaid Set
Matching slouchy hat and hand warmers with a stranded plaid design. DK weight yarn. Designed by Wendy Prager Goeckner.
Checkered Hat
Stocking cap in sizes from toddler to adult with a colorful checked brim and pompom bobble. Aran weight yarn. Designed by Caron.
Tweedy Plaid Beanie
Hat with plaid pattern in stranded colorwork. Designed by Kathy North. Pictured projects by designer and dbkn5. Worsted weight yarn.
Dathan Hat
One skein hat in sizes for the whole family knit with a checkerboard woven-look texture. Sizes newborn to adult large. Uses one skein of Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Amanda Morse.
Cozy Plaid Hat
This pattern uses stranded colorwork to produce a plaid design over the entire hat. Designed by Amber Armstrong
Dawnland Hat
Basketweave stitch beanie uses 1 skein - 90 - 95 yards (82 - 87 m)) - of Bulky weight yarn. Rated easy by Ravelrers. Designed by Becky Robbins.
I’m Glad It’s Plaid Hat
Slouchy hat with stranded and striped colorwork forming a plaid design. Designed by Jane Roberts. Pictured project by rebekafish
Natasha Hood
Quick hood knit in baskeweave and stockinette. Quick knit in Super Bulky weight yarn. Designed by Margaux Hufnagel for Berroco.
Check Mate Hat
Fair isle beanie in a plaid look from Patons.
Checkered Hat
Easy beanie knit in a basketweave checkered texture. It uses only one skein of Aran weight yarn. Man Thing designed by Justyna Lorkowska.
Patterns for Purchase
Atlantic DK Hat
Colorful hat featuring check within a check square motifs. Great stash buster for DK weight yarn. Designed by Lucy Neatby
Basketweave Ponytail Hat
Versatile hat knit with a button band so you can wear your ponytail high, low, or in between by undoing the button you want. Or undo two buttons for a messy bun. Knitted flat in one piece on straight needles, with no seaming or picking up stitches. 4 different head circumferences and 2 different hat heights. Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Lena Mathisson
Basketweave Accessory Set
Set of 4 hats and one cowl featuring different variations of checkerboard or woven look texture. DK weight yarn. Hats and Snood in King Cole Merino Blend DK (5859).
Potluck Hat
Colorful hat designed to use up leftover yarn stash in an eye-catching slipped stitch grid pattern. Fingering weight yarn. Designed by Elizabeth Ravenwood. Available in English and German
Modicum Hat
Fun, stash buster, slouchy striped hat is also a great introduction to stranded knitting and the pattern is very easy to memorize! Perfect for leftover bits of DK weight yarn in your stash because each stripe requires approximately 7 yards, and there are a total of 22 stripes. Designed by Rachel Roden.
Bingpot Beanie Hat
Slouchy, comfy, and colorful hat that’s easy to knit for the whole family. The dashed stripes only use one color per round – making it no harder than a basic stripe. Options for super slouchy or slightly slouchy fit. Sizes 0-6m, 6-12m, 1-3y, 4-10y, teen/small adult, large adult. Great for stash busting leftover yarn. Designed by Jacki Badger.
