5 Free Knitting Patterns for Hats Men & Boys Will Love

These hat knitting patterns are cool enough even for the Y chromosome!

It is a truth universally acknowledged that knitters love to make hats, and the young males of our species love to refuse to wear them.

I grew up with a sister, not a brother, and I raised girls, not boys. But I know this struggle second-hand. I’ve watched many friends and relatives wrestle with their young chaps to get them to keep hats atop their heads.

And in my teenage years, I saw many contemporaries with very red ears and necks coming inside from out of the biting Ohio air with bare heads.

Men do get better about this as they get older (and their hair starts going gray or going bye-bye). Of course, then they just get plain picky.

So how do you get past this?

What you need is the right yarn and the right pattern.

The right yarn is easier, if more annoying, at least for the knitter who loves bright color. The darker the better tends to be the rule. Go with dark or muted blue, gray, brown, dark green, gray, black.

You can use them in combination as long as it’s not too over-the-top.

(If you can’t bear the thought of giving up the bright colors, go find out his favorite sports team. Voila — you’ll have instant permission to use the bright colors of his team!)

As for the patterns? They should be unfussy and simple, like the patterns in this collection. (The one exception is the first one, meant mostly for young boys anyway.)

And when I say simple, I mean simple. Even stripes should be approached with caution (unless it’s the aforementioned sports team-themed hat).

Camo is probably the sole exception to this – it’s the one pattern that boys and men seem to find irresistible.

Now that you’re primed for the challenge, read on. You’ll find 5 perfect hat knitting patterns that even the boys and men in your life will love!

Five Fantastic Free Hat Knitting Patterns for Men and Boys

1. We Call Them Pirates This pirate-themed hat is perfect for young lads who dream of sailing the seven seas. Certain older boys may enjoy this as well. But I can’t imagine a little guy not falling in love with all the skulls and crossbones.

2. Camo Hat Nothing says “manly” like camouflage! This hat knitting pattern is perfect for hunters, veterans, or any guy hooked on camo.

3. Toni Ribbed Hat Ignore the “Toni” spelled with an “i” and the sample knitted in pink. Instead, check out the design. It’s a simple ribbed hat. Knit it in a masculine color (or, again, stripes featuring a favorite sports team’s colors) and he’ll love it.

4. Ribbed Hat This ribbed hat is a bit simpler than the Toni. If your boys love simplicity or find your knitting too “frou-frou,” this hat will make them smile.

5. Men’s Cap The name says it all with this simple, easy to knit hat. Those of you who prefer knitting flat (rather than in the round) will love this one!

So while it may be a truth universally acknowledged that males are notoriously difficult to knit for, it’s not hopeless! Try one of these hat knitting patterns like the ones above, and you can keep your boys and men warm this winter.