Knit a pom-pom beanie, easy enough for a beginner

Quick and cosy

This cute beanie pattern is easy to follow and quick to make, even if youʼre just a beginner. Itʼs an ideal project to knit and donate to a charity to spread some love and warmth during the cold months ahead.

project LOUISA HOLST photo HENK VENTER

DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: about six hours

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS Width: 54cm circumference Length: 24cm

YOU WILL NEED ♥ 1 x 100g balls of chunky yarn in each colour (we used Elle Gold Chunky, colour Mist, as the main colour, and

Elle Gold Chunky, colour Ivory, as the second colour) ♥ a pair of 5,5mm knitting needles ♥ darning needle ♥ cardboard to make the pom-pom

TENSION 13 sts x 17 rows = 10 x 10cm using 5,5mm needles and working in stocking stitch

ABBREVIATIONS k ‒ knit k2tog ‒ knit two stitches together knitwise p ‒ purl rep ‒ repeat RS ‒ right side st(s) ‒ stitch(es) WS ‒ wrong side

TO KNIT Cast on 80 sts using the main colour yarn. Row 1: k to end. Row 2: p to end. Row 3: Join the second colour yarn to the beginning of the row, k 1 st using the main colour, and then 1 st using the second colour, rep to end of row. Row 4: Keeping the sts in the same colours as the previous row, p to end. Row 5-17: Rep k and p rows in the two colours until the work measures 11cm, ending on a p row. The remaining rows will be knitted in stocking stitch using your main colour. Rows 18-45: Use the main colour yarn and k 1 row, p 1 row until the work measures 25cm. Row 46: k1, k2tog, rep to end of row. Row 47: p to end of row. Row 48: k2tog, rep to end of row. Row 49: p to end of row. Row 50: k2tog, rep to end of row. Row 51: p to end of row. Row 52: You should have 14 sts remaining. Cut the yarn, leaving a 20cm length. Thread a darning needle with the length of yarn and thread through the remaining sts. Remove the knitting needle. Pull the yarn up tight and tie in a knot.

FINISHING Sew the edges together. With the WS facing outwards, fold the bottom edge of the beanie over to form a 6cm border. Pin in place. Use the main colour yarn to sew the edge of the beanie to the inside, being careful not to work the sts through to the RS of the knitting. Using the darning needle, sew any loose yarn ends away on the WS.

STRIPED BEANIE If you are a beginner and not comfortable with using two different colours at the same time (stranded knitting) you can knit an option with simple stripes. To do this, simply begin the beanie by knitting one row in one colour, the next row in another colour, and a third row in a third colour (work one row k, one row p). Rep these 3 rows 8 times and then change to the colour that you will be using as the main colour to knit the remainder of the beanie. Fold over and sew in the same way as described in the main pattern.

POM-POM 1 Cut two 9cm circles out of cardboard to use as your template. Cut a slit to get to the centre of the circle and cut a hole of the same size out of each one. Hold the two circles together, use the second colour yarn and wrap the yarn around the cardboard ring. Work your way around the entire ring, until it is full and you have filled the smaller circle in the middle. 2 Use sharp scissors to cut through the yarn along the outer edge of the circle all around, placing the scissors between the two circles of cardboard. Tie a piece of yarn around the middle of the pompom between the two cardboard circles. Pull tight and tie a knot to secure the pieces of yarn in place. Leave the ends of the piece of yarn longish so you can use these to attach the pom-pom to your beanie. 3 Remove the cardboard template. Use the scissors to neaten and trim the pompom into an even, round shape. 4 Insert the long yarn ends through the small hole at the top of the beanie. Turn the beanie inside out and sew the yarn ends into the top of the inside of the hat to hold the pom-pom in place. Sew any loose yarn ends away.