Free Knitting Patterns for hats using scrap or leftover yarn. Many of the patterns are free. Update 2/16/25
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.
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Free Patterns
Keep-your-head-warm Hat
Striped stash buster beanie using easy slipped stitch colorwork to create an ombre effect. I think this would be a good first slipped stitch project. Designed for 6 colors so it's great for stash busting leftover Aran weight yarn. Designed by Julie Blauw.
Jean Beret
This stunning beret or tam hat with a stranded floral design is an updated classic pattern. Designed for 6 colors so it's great for stash busting leftover DK weight yarn. Designed by Patons Australia.
Hat On The Go
Striped hat with slipped stitch columns for interest. Designed for 5 colors so it's great for stash busting or you can buy all 5 in the suggested yarn wheel. Quick knit in Bulky weight yarn. Designed by Yarnspirations Design Studio.
Georgia Tam
Colorful hat knit with stranded colorwork. Designed for 9 colors so it's great for stash busting leftover yarn. DK weight yarn. Designed by Marie Wallin.
Magic Beanie
Fun hat knit in the round using a simple but innovative technique to join the sections that gives a perfect intarsia join between the rows. Each section has a simple textured pattern using only knit and purl stitches, but you can work the beanie in stockinette if you prefer. Designed for 7 colors so it's great for stash busting leftover yarn. Aran weight yarn. Designed by Lainie.
Nine Color Hat
Easy hat knit with a 3 round repeat of slipped stitch stripes. Designed for 9 colors so it's great for stash busting leftover yarn. Worsted weight yarn. That 70s Hat designed by Amanda Hester Smith.
Evanesce Hat
Easy hat knit with seed stitch and six different colors to create a gradient fade so it's great for stash busting. Two strands of fingering weight yarn held together. Designed by Virginia Cosgriff.
Fairisle Gradient Hat
Easy stranded hat with dotted stripes. Designed for 5 colors so it's great for stash busting. Pictured in the background is a matching fringed scarf. Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Paintbox Yarns.
Hygge Hat
Easy slouchy hat knit by marling different yarns so it's perfect for de-cluttering your stash of all those half-skeins and left overs. Pictured hat used 13 different colourways so it's great for stash busting. Rated easy by Ravelrers. Fingering weight yarn. Designed by Petra Black.
The Catbird Hat
Slouchy hat with a twisted cable rib brim with a slit in back so it nestles down over your ears. The four stripes are perfect for using up leftover novelty yarn and stashbusting. Super Bulky weight yarn. Designed by Aunt Ninny.
Easy Peasy Hat
Colorful hat knit with striped patterns in multiple colors. Designed for those new to colorwork knitting, the stranded pattern is easy to knit, only two colors in one round and no more than 3 stitches of one color pass. Versions for two-, five-, seven- and ten-colors so it's great for mini skeins, stashbusting, and using up leftover yarn. Sizes S/M [L/XL] DK weight yarn. Designed by Karolina Adamczyk. Available in English and Polish
More Free Patterns
Magpie Hat
Easy hat designed to use up those precious leftover bits of yarn to create a colorful stripe. Great for stashbusting. Rated easy by Ravelrers. Sport weight yarn. Designed by Debbie Ford.
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Werewolf of Westport Hat
This colorful beanie features garter stitch, stripes, short rows wedges and modular construction. It uses 5 colors of worsted yarn ranging in amounts from 10 meters to 42 meters so it’s perfect for scrap yarn and stash busting. Designed by Les Tricoteurs Volants. Pictured projects by designer and JulieKnitsInParis
Graphic Fair Isle Hat
This hat features a graphic design with mix of horizontal and vertical stripes. Perfect project for the beginner fair isle knitter, as it features a simple stitch repeat that is both intuitive and engaging. Designed for 5 colors, it's a great stashbuster for leftover yarn. Bulky weight yarn. Designed by Yarnspirations.
Chevron Hat
Hat with colorful chevron zigzag stripes and pompom. Designed for 5 colors, it's a great stashbuster for leftover yarn. Bulky weight yarn. Designed by Yarnspirations.
Fading Shades Hat
Hat knit with five colors with a slipped stitch design that creates an ombre look from one color to another. Designed for 5 colors, you can use one skein of the recommended yarn which has all the colors you need or knit it as a stashbuster for leftover yarn. Bulky weight yarn. Designed by Yarnspirations.
Cimarron Hat
Striped beanie hat knit with an easy texture. Designed for 5 colors, it's a perfect stashbuster for leftover yarn or mini skeins. Fingering weight yarn. Designed by Bonnie Dean. Note: For health reasons, she cannot offer support.
14 Color Slouch Hat
Easy striped slouchy beanie hat worked with just the knit stitch in the round. Designed for 14 colors, it's a perfect stashbuster for leftover yarn. Fingering weight yarn. 14 Color Woolstok Light Slouch designed by Virginia Sattler-Reimer for Blue Sky Fibers.
20 Color Slouch Hat
Easy hat knit with stripes of 2 round repeat linen stitch. Designed for 20 colors, it's a perfect stashbuster for leftover yarn. DK weight yarn. Designed by Premier Yarns.
Dovetail Hat
Colorful beanie hat knit with 4 colors. Perfect stashbuster for leftover yarn. 2 Sizes. Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Quinn Reverendo for Fairmount Fibers.
Sarah's Slouch Hat
Easy reversible hat knit by holding two strands of yarn together for a marled effect. Perfect for using up scraps of leftover yarn. 4 Sizes. Rated easy by Ravelrers. Designed by Woolly Wormhead.
Migrating Hat
Striped beanie with slipped stitch pattern inspired by migrating birds in a 14 row repeat. Great for stashbusting or mini skeins or you can also knit with solid background. Designed by Maureen Clark. Worsted weight yarn.
Dingle Hat
Inspired by a colorful Irish village named Dingle, this slouchy hat interprets the traditional Fair Isle in a geometric pattern that uses only two colors per round. Designed by Sabrina Schumacher. Perfect for stashbusting or mini skeins.
Patterns for Purchase
Hearthside Hat
This stash buster hat features a mix of elongated, flaming zigzags and diamonds twinkling above them inspired by cozy nights by the fire. Great for stash busting DK yarn. Designed by flynnknit (Courtney Flynn). A kit is also available.
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.
Scrap Keeper Hat
Stash buster hat in sizes from baby to adult, designed to use leftover balls or yarn. Or you can use three balls of self-striping yarn. Sizes infant, baby, child, woman, man Designed by Cynthia Spencer.
Scrap Lat Hat
Fun hat with wedges of color separated by Latvian braids. Use up favorite scraps of your stash or a mini-skein set. Or use a solid color. Designed by Sharon H.
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.
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
The Art of Knitting Hats: 30 Easy-to-Follow Patterns to Create Your Own Colorwork Masterpieces
These vibrant colorwork hat knitting projects offer the perfect introduction for knitters new to colorwork with photo tutorials, while the variety and versatility of each design will inspire even the most experienced knitter. Pair bold motifs such as stripes, zig zags, hearts and falling snow with daring colors to create one-of-a-kind gifts and cherished handmade accessories. Great for stashbusting and scrap leftover yarn. Designed by Courtney Flynn.
Double-up Hat and Headband
Knit a strip of garter stitch stripes in 24 colors and then either turn into the brim of a hat or headband. Perfect stashbuster for leftover scraps of DK weight yarn. 3 sizes Small, medium, large. Designed by Lauren Rose.
Larch Hat
Easy slouchy hat knit in seed stitch. Sizes child (adult S/M, adult L/XL). Rated easy by Ravelrers. Designed for four colors, this squishy, textured hat is the perfect stash-buster project! Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Knox Mountain Knit Co.
Dazzle Hat
Knitted using fun, easy garter stitch short row stripes, this hat offers many options to play with color and works up super fast. Great for stash and leftover yarn. Designed by Katy Osterwald
Easy Bubble Beanie Hat
Easy beanie knit in stripes using the fun bubble stitch. You could also use gradient yarn. The designer also includes a video tutorial. Great stashbuster! Rated easy by Ravelrers. Bulky weight yarn. Designed by Kristen McDonnell for Studio Knit,
