Looking for a fun costume idea or a great gift for a fan? Or a way to cheer someone who has lost their hair? Try these knitting patterns for novelty hats. Most Patterns are free. Updated 5/16/23
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
Ice Cream Cone Hat
Brain Freeze Hat designed with an ice cream scoop hat and cone on top is perfect for Halloween, birthday parties, or for any ice cream lover. I think this might need a little support to keep the cone upright. Designed by Mary Beth Temple for I Like Knitting.
Shoo Fly
May only be free for a limited time. Looking for a last-minute Halloween costume? Fly eyes created with a slipped stitch honeycomb pattern. Antennae can be made with giant pipe cleaners or by wrapping fuzzy yarn around wire. Designed by Ariane Gallizzi.
Kraken Mask
Balaclava mask with knit tentacles to dress as octopus, squid, Cthulhu or Davy Jones. Easy costume idea for Halloween! Designed by Segolene Roudot. Bulky weight yarn. Available in English and French
Moose Hat
Fun hat featuring a stuffed moose head with antlers and legs. Easy costume idea for Halloween! Designed by Emily R. Snyder. DK weight yarn.
Silly Billy Goat Ear Warmers
A simple headband with majestic horns and floppy ears to bring out the wild thing in all of us! Easy costume idea for Halloween! Designed by Faserkind. Aran weight yarn. Designer allows sale of finished projects with credit.
Braineater Hat
This colorwork hat wraps you in tentacles that you can imagine as those of cephalopods like an octopus or a monster like a mindflayer. Designed by Vi Caughran for Knitty. Worsted weight yarn.
Dolly Wig Hat
Costume hat is all knit. The cap is worked circularly from lower edge to crown, then embellished with knit i-cord curls, a knitted bow, and bangs. Rock on! Designed by Mary Scott Huff. Aran weight yarn.
Alien Hat
This hat is out of this world, featuring a cable design down the centre of the head, and embroidered details to enhance the glistening gaze of the bug-eyed alien. Designed by Vanessa Mooncie, excerpted from Monster Hats: 15 Scary Head-Warmers to Knit. Bulky weight yarn.
- Get the free knitting pattern
- See the Ravelry page
Get Monster Hats: 15 Scary Head-Warmers to Knit at Amazon
Belle Wig
Beautiful fairy tale wig hat with curls perfect for costumes. Designed by Laurie Mackay. Pictured projects by the designer and BamaHarriet
Live Long and Keep Warm Hat
- Get the free knitting pattern designed by Becca Sundel (designer is not affiliated with Star Trek or Paramount)
- See more Star Trek Knitting Patterns
Knight Helmet
This helmet balaclava features bobble rivets and a visor that can be worn up or down. Designed by Maggie van der Stok
Hallowig
Who needs to buy a wig when you can knit one using this awesome hat pattern designed by Megan Reardon for Knitty.com.
More Free Patterns
Mummy Hat
Shark Hat
Adult and child sizes are available for this fierce hat designed by Allison Mcalister.
Transformers Hat
This hat pattern comes with Autobot and Decepticon charts to choose from or knit both! Designed by Lori Magnus. Pictured project by gbina
- Get the free knitting pattern
- See the Ravelry page
- Get Tranformers toys, movies, and costumes at Amazon
Knitted Elvis Wig
- Get the free knitting pattern designed by Simon Thackray
Mountain Man Bearded Hat
Designed by Kate Agner, this classic bearded hat has variations from well-groomed to Robinson Crusoe! Pictured project by ladyokami
Brain Hat Thinking Cap
This hat is perfect for the brains you know!
Shrek – Ogre My Ogre Hat
Gunilla Leavitt’s cute hat is a fast knit in bulky yarn.
Crown
Bronislava Slagle created this knitting pattern for a crown, one version for baby and one for larger heads, one for fingering yarn and the other for worsted. The link below leads to a blog post with links within the post for written instructions and a video tutorial.
Tasmanian Devil Hat
Beanie with colorwork of favorite cartoon character. Designed by Knitty Emma
Knight’s Helmet
Urban fantasy author Devon Monk created this knit version of medieval knight’s armor.
- Get the free knitting pattern
- Learn more about Devon Monk’s urban fantasy fiction
- Get Devon Monk’s books at Alibris
Viking Hat
Designed by Becky Veverka of Chile Con Yarne.
R2D2 Beanie
Designed by Carissa Browning. Be sure to take a look at the projects — some people have even added lights to their hats.
Fish Hat
Great project for stash yarn. Replace the X in the fish eye with a dot for a pupil and you can revive your fish hat!
Bokaclava
Anne-Marie Dunbar was inspired by Bok, the gargoyle/demon in a classic Doctor Who story called ‘The Daemons’.
Giant Squid Hat
Designed by Matie Trewe
Cupcake Hat
- Get the free knitting pattern designed by FunkyMoeKnits
My Mohawk Hat
Jackie Jaquette designed this novel variation on the earflap hat with a mohawk made from unraveled strands of bulky yarn.
Birthday Hat
Traditional celebration hat in knit form by Carey Huffman. Crochet version also available.
Patterns for Purchase
ROFL Fish Hat
Full fish balaclava that can be worn as costume or for fun. Your face peeks out of the fish's mouth. 3 sizes. Bulky weight yarn. Designed by Linda Schmidt.
Royal Beanie
Crown hat knitting pattern for a quick-knit fun beanie for your little prince or princess. Worked flat on straight needles and embellished with sew-on jewels. 4 sizes, from toddler to adult. DK weight yarn. Designed by LittleImaginKnits.
Hemisphere Hat
Transform your head into a globe of the earth with this 2 color, double knit hat. Aran weight yarn. Designed by Lynnette Hulse.
Crayon and Pencil Hats
Adorable baby hats perfect for your budding artist or scholar. Sizes 0-3 months, 6 months, 12 months and 2T+. Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Cassie at Little Red Window.
- Get the CRAYON HAT knitting pattern
- Get the PENCIL HAT knitting pattern
- See more Baby Hat Knitting Patterns
T-Rex beanie Hat
Dinosaur hat featuring 2 big Tyrannosaurus Rex skeletons with 2 baby dinosaur skeletons, and flying dinosaur skeletons as filllers in stranded colorwork. Even the top is knit with a bone design. Designed by Sandra Jäger.
Princess Leia Hat
Doubles as wig for a Leia costume and a funny earflap hat!
See more Star Wars inspired knitting patterns
Charlotte’s Web
Adult and child sizes! Knit a lace hat with Charlotte the spider sitting on top. Perfect for Halloween too! Size: Infant (Toddler, Child/Adult Woman, Adult Man)
See more pics and get the knitting pattern on Etsy
Police Box Slouchy Hat
A well-designed, very finished looking pattern inspired by the Doctor Who Tardis with a lot of style.
See more Doctor Who inspired knitting patterns, many free patterns
Minion Ear Flap Hats
Instructions are written for toddler, children and adult sizes.
See more Minion inspired patterns, many free patterns
Gladiator Helmet Hat
The pattern covers sizes XS,S, M & L so can be made for anyone from babies to adults.
Get the knitting pattern at Etsy
Duck Hat
The duck hat is an ear-flap hat with integrated legs and feet. The duck feet just make me chuckle.
There She Blows Hat
This whale of a beanie can be made in 5 sizes ie XS,S,M,L & XL which covers anyone with a head circumference between 16-26 inches.
Giraffe Hat
3 sizes, Baby (13”-15” circm.),Toddler (16”-18” circm.), Adult (20”-22” circm.)
Get the knitting pattern for $10.00
Dalek Hat
Dr. Who inspired hat.
See more Doctor Who inspired knitting patterns, many free patterns
Snowball Fight Hat
A simple classic fitted beanie with a neat folded brim, and a fun playful motif of a snowball splat which is eye-catching but not complicated to make.Requires DK or light worsted weight yarn, in 2 colors. Designed by handmade by SMINÉ
