The beanie is one term used for a fitted hat that also goes by the following names: watch caps, skullies and wooley hats to name a few.http://www.apparelsearch.com/Definitions/Headwear_Hats/beanie_hat.htm Although they were originally popular with the military and working class, they have become popular with many teenagers all over society today. The variety of styles for these hats is vast. They can hang low over the ears with rolled edges or come just to the forehead as well as have any number of decorative designs. This article shows you how to knit a beanie in various ways.

Any knitter should be able to complete this how to with a little patience. Since this is a unisex hat, this tutorial will demonstrate how to make a male and female version of the beanie. The female version of the beanie does include many color changes. However, the Andean technique used to swap colors is pretty straightforward and can be learned with a short amount of practice.

You need the following supplies: a size 7 circular needle, size 7 double pointed needles, yarn needle and stitch marker. The male version needs 2 skeins of worsted weight yarn in grey, and the female one needs a skein of cream, pink and green. It should take 4 to 5 hours to complete the whole beanie.

Note: The shaping elements of this pattern were adapted from the London Beanie pattern created by Mark Thrailkill.http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/hats/london-beanie.htm

• Slip Knot:

1. Create a loop with the yarn and hold the tail end behind it.
2. Place the hook in the loop on the right side. Take it up under the bar made by the tail. Pull it through the loop on the left side.
3. Pull the tail and tighten the knot. Leave a 6 inch tail.

• Cable Cast On:

1. Make a slip knot on your needle.
2. Insert the second needle through the loop on the left needle. Now, make a knit stitch like you normally would.
3. Move the loop from the right needle to the left needle.
4. Push the right needle into the center of the two loops on the left needle.
5. Wrap the yarn over and pull up a loop.
6. Transfer this new loop to the left knitting needle.

• Knit Stitch:

1. With the yarn behind the knitting needles, hold the right needle on the left side of the first loop.
2. Drag it down and behind through the loop on the left needle. The right needle is behind the left needle now.
3. Yarn over the right needle and slide the needle up taking up a new loop on the right needle.
4. Push off the old loop from the left needle by dragging the right needle to the right.

• Purl Stitch:

1. With the working yarn in front of the needles, hold the right needle on the right side of the first loop.
2. Insert the right needle from right to left through the loop on the left needle. At this point, the right needle is in front of the left one.
3. Yarn over the right needle. Bring the needle down and behind taking up a new loop on the right needle.
4. Push off the old loop from the left needle. A purl stitch has been made.

• Make 1 Increase:

1. Using the left needle, hook the tip under the top horizontal strand of the yarn stretched between the stitches on the needles. Be sure to hook it from front to back.
2. Knit in the back of this new loop. Slide the old loop off the left needle.

• Knit 2 Together:

1. Insert your right needle through the next 2 stitches from left to right.
2. Make a knit stitch.

• Weaving in Ends:

Weave in the tail with the yarn needle by working yarn in and out of the purl bumps on the inside of the beanie.

First, you need to make an accurate gauge for the pattern. The gauge dimensions are 4 inches wide by 4 inches tall. A size G needle and worsted weight yarn were used to create the gauge. Use the circular needle to make the gauge.

• Gauge:
• Make a chain with 20 loops.
• Row 1- 27: Knit 20.

• Instructions:
• Note: Once the stitches get too hard to work on the circular needles, transfer them to the double pointed needles. Be careful and make the transition slowly so that you don't drop stitches.
• Cast on 72 stitches.
• Round 1 - 9: Sequence: Knit 2 then purl 2. Repeat the sequence across the round. This creates rows of 2 by 2 ribbing.
• Round 10: Sequence: Knit 6 stitches then make 1 increase. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 11: Sequence: Purl 5, knit 1, purl 5 then knit 1 stitch. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 12: Sequence: Knit 1, purl 3, knit 1, purl 1, knit 1, purl 3, knit 1 then purl 1 stitch. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 13: Sequence: Purl 1, knit 1, purl 1, knit 1, purl 3, knit 1, purl 1, knit 1 then purl 2 stitches. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 14: Sequence: Purl 2, knit 1, purl 5, knit 1 then purl 3 stitches. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 15: Repeat round 13.
• Round 16: Repeat round 12.
• Round 17: Repeat round 11.
• Round 18 - 41: Repeat rounds 11 through 17.
• Round 42: Sequence: Knit 6 then knit 2 together. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 43: Sequence: Knit 5 then knit 2 together. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 44: Sequence: Knit 4 then knit 2 together. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 45: Sequence: Knit 3 then knit 2 together. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 46: Sequence: Knit 2 together. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 47: Knit across the row.

To finish off the top, cut an 8 inch tail and thread it through a yarn needle. Carefully work the yarn needle through the loops and remove the knitting needles. Pull the yarn tight to close the hole. Push the needle to the inside and weave in the ends.

In this pattern, you use the Andean color change weaving technique to add different colored stitches to your fabric. To do the weaving, you insert your needle as if to stitch then twist the unused color towards you trapping the old color. Yarn over as usual and make the knit stitch. On your next stitch, make the twist away from you. By using this process, the unused yarn is always neatly weaved in the back of the fabric without floats.

• Instructions:
• Cast on 72 stitches in the cream color.
• Round 1 - 9: Sequence: Knit 2 then purl 2. Repeat the sequence across the round. This creates rows of 2 by 2 ribbing.
• Round 10 - 13: Knit across in the green yarn.
• Round 14: Knit across in the cream yarn.
• Round 15 - 18: Knit across in the pink yarn.
• Round 19 - 20: Knit across in the cream yarn.
• Round 21: Knit across in the green yarn.
• Round 22: Sequence: Knit 2 green, 3 pink, 1 green, 3 pink and 3 green. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 23: Sequence: Knit 1 green, 1 pink, 3 green, 1 pink, 3 green, 1 pink and 2 green. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 24: Sequence: Knit 1 pink, 2 green, 1 pink, 1 green, 1 pink, 1 green, 1 pink, 2 green, 1 pink and 1 green. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 25: Sequence: Knit 1 pink, 1 green, 1 pink, 2 green, 1 pink, 2 green, 1 pink, 1 green, 1 pink and 1 green. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 26: Sequence: Knit 1 pink, 3 green, 1 pink, 1 green, 1 pink, 3 green, 1 pink and 1 green. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 27: Sequence: Knit 1 green, 3 pink, 3 green, 3 pink and 2 green. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 28: Sequence: Knit 1 pink, 3 green, 1 pink, 1 green, 1 pink, 3 green, 1 pink and 1 green. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 29: Repeat round 27.
• Round 30: Repeat round 26.
• Round 31: Repeat round 25.
• Round 32: Repeat round 24.
• Round 33: Repeat round 23.
• Round 34: Repeat round 22.
• Round 35: Repeat round 21.
• Round 36 - 37: Knit across in the cream yarn.
• Round 38 - 41: Knit across in the pink yarn.
• Round 42: Knit across in the cream yarn.
• Round 43 - 46: Knit across in the green yarn.
• Round 47: Sequence: Knit 6 then knit 2 together. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 48: Sequence: Knit 5 then knit 2 together. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 49: Sequence: Knit 4 then knit 2 together. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 50: Sequence: Knit 3 then knit 2 together. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 51: Sequence: Knit 2 together. Repeat the sequence across the round.
• Round 52: Knit across the row.

Use the same finish as the male version.