Free Knitting Pattern - Apple Cider Beanie

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Now that we’re in August, Autumn in right around the corner. I know, crazy right? Where did the summer go? But that means it’s almost time for apple picking, and my favorite: apple cider donuts. Yum. As a native New Englander, apple picking was a major part of my fall. I commemorate those family memories in this hat.

Apple Cider Beanie was born of years of a decade of making and selling photo props. I would get dozens of orders for apple hats weekly from August through October. And after years of making apple after apple after apple, I perfected a design that was both classic yet realistic.

I prefered to use a dark heathered red, not a true red. It gave it a more vintage feel, and is also easier for photographers to shoot. Reds can be quite hard to master. They blow out on camera more easily, especially for canon users but you can use any color you like, even greens and yellows look cute for those golden delicious and granny smith apples.

I use either Cascade 220 Merino (you can buy it here) or Knitpicks Swis h (You can buy it here) because they are nice and soft for a sensitive baby’s head. They’re both also machine washable so that’s a bonus too.

To check out all of our other free photo prop patterns check out the free pattern directory here.

I also wanted to add that you have my full permission to sell what you make from this pattern. I encourage it actually! But if people ask where you got the pattern, I would appreciate it if you would send them back to this link.

Materials and Info

Materials needed: 55-150yds of worsted weight yarn in main color and a few yards for the stem and leaf, size 8 dpn (or circular for magic loop method or larger sizes) a yarn needle

Sizes (head circumference) [finished measurements] –newborn (13ins)[5x5ins], infant (14.5ins)[5.75×5.75ins], sitter (16ins)[6.5×6.5ins], toddler (17ins)[7x7ins], child (19ins)[7.5×7.5ins]

Gauge – 4sts/1in in stockinette st – ~Gauge is very important!~

Apple Cider Beanie Pattern

NEWBORN
With red cast on 54sts. Join in the round.
K1P1 around for 5 rounds.
Work in stockinette st until your work measures 3.5ins from cast on edge.
DECREASES
Round 1 – [k2tog, k4] around (45sts)
Round 2-3 – knit around
Round 4 – [k2tog, k3] around (36sts)
Round 5 – knit around
Round 6 – [k2tog, k2] around (27sts)
Round 7 – knit around
Round 8 – [k2tog, k1] around (18sts)
Round 9 – knit around
Cut red and join brown
Round 10 – [k2tog] around (9sts)
Round 11 – [k2tog, k1] around (6sts)
Knit 5 more rounds in stockinette sts. Bind off.

LEAF
Cast on 3sts in green.
Row 1 – purl across
Row 2 – k1, yo, k1, yo, k1 (5sts)
Row 3 – purl across
Row 4 – k2, yo, k1, yo, k2 (7sts)
Row 5 – purl across
Row 6 – k3, yo, k1, yo, k3 (9sts)
Row 7 – purl across
Row 8 – k4, yo, k1, yo, k4 (11sts)
Row 9 – purl across
Row 10 – knit across
Row 11 – purl across
Row 12 – k4, vdd, k4 (9sts)
Row 13 – purl across
Row 14 – k3, vdd, k3 (7sts)
Row 15 – purl across
Row 16 – k2, vdd, k2 (5sts)
Row 17 – purl across
Row 18 – k1, vdd, k1 (3sts)
Row 19 – P3tog (1st)
Do not bind off. Cut yarn and pull through remain stitch. Weave in this end. Use the cast on tail to tack your leaf unto the hat near the base of the stem.

INFANT
With red cast on 60sts. Join in the round.
K1P1 around for 5 rounds.
Work in stockinette st until your work measures 4.25ins from cast on edge.
DECREASES
Round 1 – [k2tog, k4] around (50sts)
Round 2-3 – knit around
Round 4 – [k2tog, k3] around (40sts)
Round 5 – knit around
Round 6 – [k2tog, k2] around (30sts)
Round 7 – knit around
Round 8 – [k2tog, k1] around (20sts)
Round 9 – knit around
Cut red and join brown
Round 10 – [k2tog] around (10sts)
Round 11 – [k2tog, k1] repeat [to] around to last st, k1(7sts)
Knit 5 more rounds in stockinette sts. Bind off.

LEAF
Cast on 3sts in green.
Row 1 – purl across
Row 2 – k1, yo, k1, yo, k1 (5sts)
Row 3 – purl across
Row 4 – k2, yo, k1, yo, k2 (7sts)
Row 5 – purl across
Row 6 – k3, yo, k1, yo, k3 (9sts)
Row 7 – purl across
Row 8 – k4, yo, k1, yo, k4 (11sts)
Row 9 – purl across
Row 10 – knit across
Row 11 – purl across
Row 12 – k4, vdd, k4 (9sts)
Row 13 – purl across
Row 14 – k3, vdd, k3 (7sts)
Row 15 – purl across
Row 16 – k2, vdd, k2 (5sts)
Row 17 – purl across
Row 18 – k1, vdd, k1 (3sts)
Row 19 – P3tog (1st)
Do not bind off. Cut yarn and pull through remain stitch. Weave in this end. Use the cast on tail to tack your leaf unto the hat near the base of the stem.

SITTER
With red cast on 66sts. Join in the round.
K1P1 around for 5 rounds.
Work in stockinette st until your work measures 5ins from cast on edge.
DECREASES
Round 1 – [k2tog, k4] around (55sts)
Round 2-3 – knit around
Round 4 – [k2tog, k3] around (44sts)
Round 5 – knit around
Round 6 – [k2tog, k2] around (33sts)
Round 7 – knit around
Round 8 – [k2tog, k1] around (22sts)
Round 9 – knit around
Cut red and join brown
Round 10 – [k2tog] around (11sts)
Round 11 – [k2tog, k1] repeat [to] around to last 2sts, k2tog (7sts)
Knit 5 more rounds in stockinette sts. Bind off.

LEAF
Cast on 3sts in green.
Row 1 – purl across
Row 2 – k1, yo, k1, yo, k1 (5sts)
Row 3 – purl across
Row 4 – k2, yo, k1, yo, k2 (7sts)
Row 5 – purl across
Row 6 – k3, yo, k1, yo, k3 (9sts)
Row 7 – purl across
Row 8 – k4, yo, k1, yo, k4 (11sts)
Row 9 – purl across
Row 10 – knit across
Row 11 – purl across
Row 12 – k4, vdd, k4 (9sts)
Row 13 – purl across
Row 14 – k3, vdd, k3 (7sts)
Row 15 – purl across
Row 16 – k2, vdd, k2 (5sts)
Row 17 – purl across
Row 18 – k1, vdd, k1 (3sts)
Row 19 – P3tog (1st)
Do not bind off. Cut yarn and pull through remain stitch. Weave in this end. Use the cast on tail to tack your leaf unto the hat near the base of the stem.

TODDLER
With red cast on 72sts. Join in the round.
K1P1 around for 5 rounds.
Work in stockinette st until your work measures 5.5ins from cast on edge.
DECREASES
Round 1 – [k2tog, k4] around (60sts)
Round 2-3 – knit around
Round 4 – [k2tog, k3] around (48sts)
Round 5 – knit around
Round 6 – [k2tog, k2] around (36sts)
Round 7 – knit around
Round 8 – [k2tog, k1] around (24sts)
Round 9 – knit around
Cut red and join brown
Round 10 – [k2tog] around (12sts)
Round 11 – [k2tog, k1] repeat [to] around (8sts)
Knit 5 more rounds in stockinette sts. Bind off.

LEAF
Cast on 3sts in green.
Row 1 – purl across
Row 2 – k1, yo, k1, yo, k1 (5sts)
Row 3 – purl across
Row 4 – k2, yo, k1, yo, k2 (7sts)
Row 5 – purl across
Row 6 – k3, yo, k1, yo, k3 (9sts)
Row 7 – purl across
Row 8 – k4, yo, k1, yo, k4 (11sts)
Row 9 – purl across
Row 10 – knit across
Row 11 – purl across
Row 12 – k4, vdd, k4 (9sts)
Row 13 – purl across
Row 14 – k3, vdd, k3 (7sts)
Row 15 – purl across
Row 16 – k2, vdd, k2 (5sts)
Row 17 – purl across
Row 18 – k1, vdd, k1 (3sts)
Row 19 – P3tog (1st)
Do not bind off. Cut yarn and pull through remain stitch. Weave in this end. Use the cast on tail to tack your leaf unto the hat near the base of the stem.

CHILD
With red cast on 78sts. Join in the round.
K1P1 around for 5 rounds.
Work in stockinette st until your work measures 7ins from cast on edge.
DECREASES
Round 1 – [k2tog, k4] around (65sts)
Round 2-3 – knit around
Round 4 – [k2tog, k3] around (52sts)
Round 5 – knit around
Round 6 – [k2tog, k2] around (39sts)
Round 7 – knit around
Round 8 – [k2tog, k1] around (26sts)
Round 9 – knit around
Cut red and join brown
Round 10 – [k2tog] around (13sts)
Round 11 – [k2tog, k1] repeat [to] around to last st, k1 (9sts)
Knit 5 more rounds in stockinette sts. Bind off.

Abbreviations

K – knit

P – purl

k2tog – knit 2 together

p3tog – purl 3 together

vdd – vertical double decrease – Insert right needle through the first 2 sts on the
left needle as if to knit and slip both together to the right hand needle. Knit the next
stitch. Insert the left hand needle through the front of the 2 slipped stitches and pull
the slipped stitches over the knitted stitch

Download Apple Cider Beanie PDF

apple-cider-beanie Download

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