Bear Ears Hat Free Knitting Pattern: A Step-by-Step Guide for All Skill Levels
If you’ve been searching for the perfect bear ears hat free knitting pattern, you’ve landed in exactly the right place. This adorable hat has become one of the most beloved projects in the knitting community, and for good reason. Whether you’re making it for a newborn, a toddler, or even an adult who loves a little whimsy, this pattern is warm, charming, and surprisingly simple to knit. Below you’ll find everything you need — materials, gauge information, sizing, step-by-step instructions, and plenty of tips to help you finish with a hat you’ll be proud to gift or wear.
Why the Bear Ears Hat Is Worth Your Time
Before we dive into the pattern itself, let’s talk about why so many knitters keep coming back to this project. First, it’s practical. A good beanie covers the ears, stays on little heads, and keeps out the cold. Add a pair of rounded bear ears on top, and suddenly you’ve transformed a basic hat into something that makes people smile every time they see it. Second, this style photographs beautifully, which makes it an ideal handmade gift for baby showers, birthdays, or the holiday season. And third, the construction itself is a fantastic learning project. If you’re just past the beginner stage, working bear ears teaches you how to pick up stitches, create three-dimensional shapes from flat knitting, and finish a project neatly.
This bear ears hat free knitting pattern is written for four sizes: newborn (0–3 months), baby (3–12 months), toddler (1–3 years), and child/adult small. Instructions for each size are included throughout, separated by commas or brackets where they differ.
Materials You’ll Need
Getting your materials together before you start is one of the best habits you can build as a knitter. For this pattern, you won’t need anything unusual or expensive.
Yarn: Approximately 80 (100, 120, 150) yards of worsted weight yarn (also labeled as #4 medium weight). A yarn with some elasticity works best for hats — wool or a wool blend is ideal because it holds its shape and has natural warmth, but acrylic works wonderfully too, especially for machine-washable baby items. Brown, tan, gray, cream, and caramel are classic bear colors, but feel free to go with whatever calls to you. A polar bear hat in white or a panda-inspired black version is just as charming.
Needles: US size 7 (4.5 mm) double-pointed needles (DPNs) or a 16-inch circular needle. You’ll also want a set of DPNs for the crown decreases if you use a circular needle for the body.
Notions: A tapestry needle for weaving in ends, stitch markers (at least one), scissors, and a ruler or measuring tape.
Optional: A pompom maker if you’d like to add a pompom to the top instead of bear ears, though most people making this pattern are specifically here for the ears.
Gauge
Gauge matters more in hats than people often expect. Because the hat needs to fit a specific circumference, even a small difference in gauge can result in a hat that is noticeably too big or too small.
The target gauge for this pattern is 18 stitches and 24 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch on US size 7 needles. Always knit a gauge swatch before beginning, especially if you’re making this hat as a gift and won’t be able to try it on the recipient.
If your swatch comes out too loose (fewer stitches per inch than called for), try going down one needle size. If your swatch comes out too tight (more stitches per inch), go up one needle size.
Finished Measurements
Newborn: approximately 12 inches circumference, 6 inches tall (before ears)
Baby: approximately 14 inches circumference, 7 inches tall (before ears)
Toddler: approximately 16 inches circumference, 7.5 inches tall (before ears)
Child/Adult Small: approximately 18 inches circumference, 8 inches tall (before ears)
Knitted hats are typically worked to measure about 1–2 inches smaller than the actual head circumference because knit fabric stretches. The measurements above reflect the finished knitted circumference, which will comfortably fit a head that is 1 to 2 inches larger.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
CO — cast on
K — knit
P — purl
K2tog — knit two stitches together (a right-leaning decrease)
SSK — slip, slip, knit (a left-leaning decrease)
PM — place marker
SM — slip marker
BOR — beginning of round
St(s) — stitch(es)
Rnd(s) — round(s)
BO — bind off
The Pattern
Casting On and the Brim
Using your preferred cast-on method, CO 54 (63, 72, 81) sts. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist, and PM to mark the BOR.
The long-tail cast on is recommended here because it creates a neat, slightly elastic edge that lies flat and doesn’t dig into the forehead.
Work in 1×1 ribbing (K1, P1) for every stitch around for 1 (1, 1.25, 1.5) inches. This ribbing forms the brim and gives the hat a tidy, fitted edge. If you prefer a folded brim, you can work the ribbing for twice the intended length and then fold it up when the hat is finished — this creates a double layer of warmth at the forehead.
The Body
After completing the brim, switch to stockinette stitch (knit every stitch every round when working in the round). Continue working in stockinette until the hat measures 4.5 (5, 5.5, 6) inches from the cast-on edge, or until the body of the hat reaches approximately 1 inch less than the desired total height before decreasing. This leaves enough room for the crown shaping.
At this point your hat should look like a simple tube. The fabric will curl slightly at the brim if you haven’t added ribbing, which is perfectly normal with stockinette. The ribbing you already worked should keep the bottom edge neat.
Crown Decreases
The crown shaping creates the rounded top of the hat. This section uses a combination of K2tog and SSK decreases worked at regular intervals to taper the top evenly.
Setup Round: Divide your stitches into 9 (9, 9, 9) equal sections by placing markers every 6 (7, 8, 9) stitches. You should have 9 sections of 6 (7, 8, 9) stitches each.
Decrease Round: K to 2 sts before marker, K2tog, SM, SSK; repeat from to end of round. This removes 2 stitches per section, or 18 stitches total per decrease round.
Even Round: Knit all stitches with no decreases.
Alternate the Decrease Round and Even Round until you have approximately 18–27 stitches remaining. At that point, work Decrease Rounds every round (skipping the Even Round) until approximately 9 stitches remain.
Cut the yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail. Thread the tail onto your tapestry needle and draw it through all remaining stitches. Pull snug to close the top of the hat and weave in the end on the inside. Your basic hat is now complete.
Knitting the Bear Ears
This is the part everyone looks forward to, and it’s simpler than it looks. Each ear is worked flat, picking up stitches directly from the hat body.
Placing the Ears
With the hat held right side out and the crown facing up, identify where you’d like the ears to sit. Typically ears are placed about 1.5 to 2 inches down from the crown seam and centered on either side of the hat. Mark these positions with stitch markers or small safety pins before you begin picking up stitches.
Each ear will be worked over 10 (10, 12, 12) stitches picked up from the hat surface.
Outer Ear (Make Two)
Using a DPN or short straight needle, pick up and knit 10 (10, 12, 12) stitches along the hat surface in your chosen ear location. Try to keep your pickup stitches evenly spaced so the base of the ear doesn’t bunch.
Row 1 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 2 (RS): K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. (2 sts decreased)
Row 3: Purl all stitches.
Row 4: K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. (2 sts decreased)
Row 5: Purl all stitches.
You should now have 6 (6, 8, 8) stitches remaining.
Row 6: K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
Row 7: Purl all stitches.
Row 8 (for toddler and child sizes only): K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
Row 9 (for toddler and child sizes only): Purl all stitches.
For all sizes, you should have 4 stitches remaining. Cut yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail, and thread through all 4 stitches. Pull tight to close the top of the ear and weave in the end.
Repeat for the second ear.
Inner Ear (Optional but Recommended)
Many knitters like to add a contrasting inner ear in a lighter color — cream, pink, or tan — to give the hat extra dimension and make it look even more like a real bear. To do this, use a contrasting color yarn and pick up 6 (6, 8, 8) stitches centered within the outer ear pickup area, slightly above the base.
Row 1 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 2 (RS): K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
Row 3: Purl all stitches.
Row 4: K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
For smaller sizes, you’ll have 2 stitches remaining. For larger sizes, bind off the remaining stitches and sew the inner ear piece to the center of the outer ear using your tapestry needle, or simply leave it as a slightly raised patch.
Weave in all ends carefully on the inside of the hat, and use the tapestry needle to tack the sides of each ear down if they’re standing up more than you’d like.
Finishing Touches
Once both ears are attached and all ends are woven in, give your hat a quick blocking if you’re working with natural fiber yarn. For wool, simply wet the hat in cool water, gently squeeze out the moisture without wringing, reshape it, and lay it flat to dry. Blocking evens out the stitches, softens the fabric, and gives the ears a cleaner shape.
If you’re working with acrylic yarn, blocking with steam (held above the fabric without touching it directly) can help smooth out any uneven stitches, though it isn’t strictly necessary.
At this stage you can also add embellishments if you’d like. A simple embroidered nose using a small oval of satin stitch in black or brown yarn at the center of the hat’s front panel is a sweet touch, though many knitters leave the hat plain and let the ears do all the talking.
Tips for Knitting Success
Picking up stitches evenly makes a significant difference in how the ears look. Before you pick up, use a ruler and stitch markers to mark out the pickup area so both ears are the same size and sit at the same height on the hat.
If your ears are flopping forward or backward after finishing, a few small mattress stitches at the base of each ear (on the inside of the hat) will stabilize them. Thread your tapestry needle with a short length of matching yarn, anchor it at the base of the ear, and take a few small stitches into the hat fabric.
For a newborn hat especially, double-check that all ends are thoroughly woven in and that there are no loose strands on the inside that could become a hazard. Weave each end in at least two directions and trim close but not flush.
If you’re new to working in the round and the ladder of loose stitches between DPNs is giving you trouble, try tightening the first stitch on each new needle slightly as you go. Alternatively, try the magic loop method with a long circular needle — many knitters find it easier for small circumference projects.
Yarn Substitutions and Color Ideas
One of the joys of a free pattern is the freedom to experiment with different materials. Here are a few yarn options that work beautifully for this hat.
For baby and newborn sizes, look for yarns labeled as baby soft or superwash merino. These are gentle against delicate skin, machine washable, and come in an enormous range of colors. Lion Brand Pound of Love, Paintbox Simply DK (held double), and Cascade 220 Superwash are all popular choices.
For toddler and child sizes, almost any good-quality worsted weight yarn will serve you well. Malabrigo Rios, Cascade 220, and KnitPicks Wool of the Andes are all affordable, widely available, and a pleasure to work with.
As for colors, consider classic teddy bear shades like cinnamon brown, honey, mushroom gray, or oatmeal. For something more playful, a bright teal or red hat with contrasting cream ears takes the design in a completely different direction while keeping the overall silhouette. Variegated or self-striping yarns add interest to the hat body without requiring any extra effort.
Gifting and Packaging Ideas
A bear ears hat makes one of the most appreciated handmade gifts in any knitter’s repertoire. For a baby shower, pair the hat with a matching set of mittens or booties in the same yarn, wrap everything in tissue paper in a simple kraft box, and tie it with a ribbon. For a toddler, fold the hat over a simple card with a bear illustration on it. The personal care and time that goes into a hand-knit item communicates something that a store-bought gift simply cannot, and recipients feel it.
If you knit multiples to sell or give away, keeping a small notebook with your yarn brand, colorway, needle size, and which size you made for each hat will save you a great deal of guesswork when you want to reproduce a favorite version.
Adapting This Pattern to Crochet
If you know both knitting and crochet and would like to adapt this design, the hat body translates easily into single crochet worked in the round. The ears in crochet are typically worked as two small circles that are then sewn onto the hat surface rather than picked up from the body. If you search for a bear ears beanie crochet pattern alongside this knitting pattern, you’ll find that the two techniques produce very similar results with slightly different textures.
A Few Words on Sizing
Hat sizing for young children can feel tricky because heads grow quickly. As a general rule, it’s always better to knit a size up rather than a size down when you’re uncertain. A hat that’s slightly large will still fit, especially with a ribbed brim that cinches in, whereas a hat that’s too small is essentially unwearable. If you know the child’s actual head circumference, compare it against the finished measurements listed above and add 1 to 2 inches for ease.
For adults, the child/adult small size in this pattern fits most women’s heads. For a larger adult head, you can simply add one more repeat of 9 stitches to your cast-on number and continue working the pattern as written. The math stays the same.
Final Thoughts
This bear ears hat free knitting pattern is the kind of project that earns a permanent spot in your project queue. It’s quick enough to finish in a few evenings, satisfying enough to keep you engaged, and versatile enough to knit in dozens of color combinations without ever feeling repetitive. Whether you’re making one for a new baby, knitting a batch as holiday gifts, or treating yourself to a playful winter accessory, the process is enjoyable from the first cast-on stitch to the last woven-in end.
Save this pattern, share it with your knitting friends, and don’t be afraid to make it your own. Change the yarn, adjust the sizing, add embroid
