Your step-by-step guide to knitting the most adorable baby bonnet
Hey there, stitch superstar! You’ve just unlocked the secret sauce to making your very own baby bonnet — and we’re excited to be stitching it out with you.
This guide will be your BFF through the entire journey. Whether you’re brand new to knitting or just here for a refresh, we’ll take you from “how do I hold these sticks?” to “look what I made!” — one cozy row at a time.
Let’s Start with Some Practice
Before we dive into the good stuff, let’s warm up those hands and needles. Think of this like stretching before a workout — except comfier, cuter, and way more fun.
Grab some of the yarn from your kit (just a little, you’ve got enough to spare!), and get familiar with the motions. Try out the stitches you’ll be using in this pattern. This is your time to mess it up, try again, and feel things out — no pressure, no judgement, just you and your new fave hobby.
Bonus: practising now = fewer headaches later (trust us on this one).
Here’s what you’ll need to know for this pattern — we’ve linked each tutorial so you can follow along step-by-step:
Take your time, replay the videos as many times as you need, and don’t stress if it feels a little awkward at first — every knitter starts here 💖
Time to Test Your Gauge
Once you’re feeling comfy with the stitches, it’s time to check your gauge. We know, we know — it sounds technical, but it’s really just about making sure your tension matches the pattern.
Why? Because different knitters = different stitch tightness. And we want your finished masterpiece to end up just the right size.
So grab your measuring tape, knit up a little swatch (there’s a guide for that at the link below!), and let’s make sure you’re on track before the main event begins.
THE BABY BONNET
If done correctly, your 10x10cm knitted swatch should be 16 stitches wide and 24 rows high when knitted in stockinette stitch on your 5mm needles.
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Stitch out in style.
Whether you’re deep in a knitflix binge or vibing with your needles on a Sunday arvo, we’ve curated the ultimate Spotify playlists to match your mood and your project. From mellow loops to main-character anthems, it’s the soundtrack to your next DIY moment.
Let's Knit Up A storm
Our bonnet is created in one piece. First we start by knitting a rectangle for the top of our bonnet, then we pick up stitches to create the cosy hood. We then finish up by knitting i-cord.
BONNET
STEP 1:
Using your 5mm needles cast on the correct number of stitches. Your stitches might run down onto the tube connecting your needles, that's perfectly fine.
STEP 2:
We're going to knit our bonnet in stockinette stitch. The stockinette stitch is a smooth, classic knit with neat V-shaped stitches on the front and a soft, bumpy texture on the back.
Purl your first row. Then knit the next. Repeat this sequence until you've knitted the required number of rows.
💭 One of the things we found the hardest when we were learning to knit was keeping track of our rows. Before we were able to easily identify a row of stitches we used a pen and paper to keep track. That's why we've included handy circles in our patterns - you can tick them off as you go.
STEP 3:
We're going to pick up stitches along both long sides of our rectangle. Once this step is done we'll have collected stitches from around both sides as well as the original stitches. For this step, make sure the smooth side of your stockinette stitch is facing upwards.
STEP 4:
Once you've picked up all your stitches you'll continue knitting in stockinette stitch to create the hood of your bonnet.
🎥 The video below demonstrates how to complete this step. Just note that the piece in the video is not as long as your piece will be - it's a sample for demonstration purposes 😀 Also note that you're working in stockinette stitch so your piece will be a smooth fabric, not a bumpy one like we've shown in the pictures and video.
MAKING AN i-CORD
We'll make what we call an i-cord to fasten the bonnet closed.
An i-cord is a narrow knitted tube made from just a few stitches, often used for straps, ties, edging, or decorative details on knitted pieces.
STEP 1: Pick up and knit stitches
First, pick up 3 stitches from the front left corner of your bonnet. Knit all three stitches as normal but at the end of this row, do not turn your work.
STEP 2: Slide the stitches back
Without flipping your needles around, slide the three stitches back to the start of the needle they’re on.
STEP 3: Pull the yarn snug
Bring the working yarn tightly across the back of the stitches. This is what closes the tube. Don’t strangle the stitches, just do a confident tug.
STEP 4: Knit the 3 stitches again.
STEP 5: Repeat
Repeat the process of knitting 3, sliding the stitches back, pull the yarn snug.
After a few rows, you’ll see a little round cord forming instead of a flat piece. That’s your i-cord. You’re doing it right.
Continue until your cord is 22cm long.
To finish, cut the yarn and thread the tail through the 3 stitches and pull tight to secure.
Repeat for the second cord in the right front corner.
BLOCKING
The final step in finishing a knitted piece is to block it. This step is optional and not all beginner knitters will block their work (we didn't! 🤣) but it can improve the overall shape and finish of your piece.
Blocking your knitting is a process where you wet your piece to set the finished size and even out the stitches.
STEP 1
Soak your knit in cool water. You only need to let your piece sit in the water for a few minutes and make sure the full piece is completely wet.
💡 You can also use a spray bottle and spritz the blanket with cool water if you'd prefer.
STEP 2
Remove your knit from the water and dry it off by rolling it in a towel. You want to get us much of the moisture out of the knit as possible at this point but be gentle! You don't want to stretch the blanket.
STEP 3
Transfer your damp knit to a flat surface to block it on. If you've got a blocking mat - great! otherwise a towel will work. The surface needs to be somewhere where your knit can lie flat and can stay there until it fully dries so that the shape sets properly. Make sure it's not a surface that can be easily damaged by having something wet sitting on it!
STEP 4
Arrange your piece so the right side is facing up and the shape is as you'd like it. If you've got a measuring tape you can measure and adjust the piece so it's the correct size.
STEP 5
Allow the knit to air dry - this can take a few days. You can also use a hair dryer to speed up the process, just use a light heat and don't concentrate the air in one spot.
In a bind and need a little more help?
Email us at stitchup@cardigang.com.au and we'll be able to help! Whether you're just starting out, or you've got a specific question or problem (dropped a stitch, no stress!), we're here to get you out of a bind.
WEAR, SHARE AND FLAUNT YOUR MASTERPIECE
You stitched it. You slayed it. Now it’s time to share it! 💖 Tag us @cardigang_knits so we can lose our minds over your masterpiece. Compliments guaranteed. 💅🧶
