Free witches hat knitting pattern for dolls.

This free Halloween witch’s hat knitting pattern fits 18 inch dolls such as American Girl, Gotz Precious Day, Our Generation, and other similar dolls.

The hat is knitted top down, in the round, with a decorative line of eyelet holes down each side — perfect for threading with ribbon. The double-thickness brim holds its shape beautifully, with an optional cardboard insert for extra structure.

The pattern can be viewed for free here, or for added convenience, buy a PDF download, with standard print and large print options.

Why you’ll love this pattern:

Measurements. Size of witches hat knitting pattern for dolls.

The finished hat opening measures 10 cm / 4 inches in diameter, 32 cm / 12 ½ inches in circumference. The hat stands 10 cm / 4 inches tall.The brim of the hat is 5 cm / 2 inches wide.

This pattern creates a hat which fits most 18 inch dolls, such as American Girl. It is designed to be worn with slight positive ease, so that it can easily be worn by a variety of 18 inch dolls, including those with hair in pigtails or pony tails. To avoid the hat falling off during play, it can be secured with hair clips if necessary.

This hat is designed to sit on the crown of the head, perched like a classic witch’s hat, rather than pulled down like a beanie. Because it rests above the widest part of the head, the 32 cm / 12½ in opening fits most 18 inch dolls comfortably.

Yarn and materials:

Yarn required: any worsted weight yarn, also called ‘yarn weight C’, ‘Medium’ yarn. The best yarn for this pattern is any that recommends 5mm knitting needles and has a suggested tension of 17 stitches to 10 cm / 4 inches, according to the ball band.
A robust wool or cotton yarn will work best. If the yarn has too much drape, the hat and brim will flop over.

Samples shown is knitted in:
Drops Alaska. 100% wool. 50g, 75 meters (77 yards) per ball.

Quantities required: 2 balls.

Note, one ball (75 meters) will knit the body of the hat and the top of the brim. If planning a contrasting colour to make the most of single balls in your stash, you could plan either the top, or the underside of the brim in a contrasting colour.

Needle size: 5 mm needles, or as required to match tension.

Needle type: circular needles recommended, to knit with magic loop method.
Double Pointed Needles (DPNs) could be used if preferred.
Instructions reference markers (BOR/MOR), with needle positions noted for magic loop knitters, so pattern can be followed by either.

Colour recommendations:

Black is the colour most associated with witches hats. But it can be hard to knit with, as it’s harder to see the stitches. Grey, in my opinion, looks just as Halloween themed, is much easier to knit with, and if you want to show off your work, is easier to photograph. Orange and purple will also evoke a Halloween vibe. Or go rogue and knit a unicorn witches hat in pastel shades.

Notions:

Stitch markers (7)

Cardboard ring for brim (optional, to help hold brim in shape)

Lengths of ribbon for decorating (optional). Approx 1 meter (39 ½ inches)

Darning needle: for weaving in ends.

Construction:

The hat is knit top down in the round. The brim is knitted in two layers, the upper side is knitted, then the lower brim is knitted and stitched in place. A cardboard ring can be inserted, if desired, to hold the brim stiff.

Tension/gauge:

Stitch gauge: 17 stitches in stocking stitch = 10 cm / 4 inches

Round gauge: 24 rounds = 10 cm / 4 inches

Stitches used and their standard abbreviations:

– BOR – Beginning of Round

– k – knit

– k2tog – knit 2 stitches together

– k2tog tbl – knit 2 stitches together through the back loop

– kfb – knit into front and back of the same stitch (increase)

– m – marker

– MOR – Middle of Round

– pm – place marker

– sl m – slip marker

– st / sts – stitch / stitches

– yo – yarn over

Cailleach witches hat knitting pattern starts

Part 1. Top of hat with increases.

Set up Round: cast on 8 stitches using a closed cast on, as for sock toes or a Musselburgh hat.
(Note, if you are not familiar with a closed cast on, you can cast on 8, then join to work in the round without twisting. This is more fiddly, and will leave a tiny hole at the top of the hat. You can hide the hole with a ribbon.)

Part 2: top of hat without increases.

As the hat is now wide enough, but not yet long enough, 10 rounds are worked without increases. To do this, the yarn over eyelets are still worked, but each one has 2 stitches worked together beside it, to keep the stitch count the same.

Part 3: Upper Brim

Part 4. Lower brim.

Finishing:

Depending on your yarn, and the amount of structure/drape it has, you may wish to add lollipop sticks to hold the hat up, and / or a cardboard ring inside the brim.
Place the hat on the doll’s head for an hour before sewing closed the brim, and see if it keeps its shape.

Finishing the easy way (no extra structure).

Sew the underside of the brim in place, stitching the cast off edge to the bottom round of the hat body. Proceed to decorate the hat section below.

Adding structure to the brim.

If the hat brim flops more than you like, insert a cardboard circle for structure before sewing closed.
You can use a mini cardboard craft wreath as shown in the photo. Available from Baker Ross, Amazon, craft shops and some bargain shops.
Alternatively, place the hat on a piece of cardboard, and trace around it. Cut out, and trim down (it needs to be slightly smaller, to fit inside).
Note that with a cardboard inset, the hat can’t be washed. So you may wish to stitch closed loosely, so you can remove the insert for washing. However, a toy hat for a doll probably won’t need washing often, and can be sponge cleaned if necessary.
Once the insert is in place, stitch closed as detailed above.

Adding structure to the hat body

If the top of the hat flops over, add a wooden lollipop stick on each side. Secure with the decorating ribbon as detailed below. If you don’t wish to add a ribbon, use yarn in the main colour as the hat, and follow the same steps.

As with the hat brim, the lollipop sticks shouldn’t go in the washing machine, but will slide out and back in easily.

Decorating the hat with ribbon.

Using a 1 meter length of ribbon threaded on a darning needle, insert through the top 2 eyelets on your preferred side. Weave through all eyelets. If you are adding a lollipop stick, make sure to catch the stick securely with the ribbon.
Tie a bow at the bottom.

Blocking:

The hat should not require blocking, in most yarns.

If you must block, cut a plastic drinks bottle to the height of the hat. Place the hat over the bottle, with the brim flat on a blocking mat or other appropriate surface. Lightly spray with water, pat into shape, and leave to dry.

Thanks and acknowledgements:

This pattern was Tech Edited and formatted as a PDF by Dara Addams, my thanks as always. Any errors that remain are my own.

Copyright:

This pattern, including the wording and the pictures, are my work and copyright. Please do not distribute them in any way except by using the link to this blog post. You may not copy in any way, including by making your own videos, if they are directly based on my work.
This blog is not intended for commercial use. You may sell finished items based on this pattern only if you have made them in your own home, with your own hands. However, selling your own makes from this pattern, especially for charity, is strongly encouraged. I would love to hear about your event, and how it went.

What to knit next for your doll

Why not try the Babog socks, the Damhsa Dress, or the Súgradh cardigan?