Knitting a Beanie on a Loom, Super Easy!

Using a loom is a great way to get started and knit this super easy beanie for your first time. It's nothing fancy but the simplicity is what makes this the perfect project for beginners.

-Loom

-Loom Hook

-Yarn

-Scissors

Amazon's recommended kit <- this includes some different sized looms and a hook

This step will determine if your hat is going to fit or not!

If you get one of the kits with different sizes the smallest size is usually for infants. As an example here's my cat wearing one from the smallest loom.

The only sizes I could find were the 7.5 inch and the 9.5 inch

Since I have a fairly small head and for the sake of speed I'm going to be using the smaller size. If you prefer a looser fit or if you have a large head you should probably use the bigger one.

For this first step hold the loom in your nondominant hand and use your nondominant thumb to hold the end of the yarn under the loom with your thumb.

Next, using your dominant hand, wrap the yarn clockwise around the outside peg.

Then pull the yarn directly behind the first upright peg to the right of the outside peg.

Continue moving clockwise around the loom until all the upright pegs are wrapped and you reach the outside peg

When the entire loom is wrapped and you're back at the outside peg where you started wrap the end clockwise around the outside peg twice to hold in place so it doesn't unravel.

Use your hook to push all of the loops down to the base of the pegs toward the bottom of the loom.

Unwrap the outside peg counter clockwise until there is no yarn around it.

Put the yarn behind the first upright peg to the right and continue wrapping it counterclockwise.

Wrap each upright peg clockwise until you return to the outside peg then wrap the yarn clockwise around the outside peg.

Starting with the last upright peg you wrapped to the left of the outside peg, using your hook put the sharp pointy part at the base of the groove in the peg. Then push it under the bottom loop, pull the bottom loop over the top of the peg leaving the top loop on.

Push the top loop down to the base of the peg toward the bottom of the loom.

Continue moving to the right one peg at a time doing this to each one until there is only one loop on each peg and they are all at the base.

Repeat this step over and over again until your hat is the desired length.

Remember that if it's too long you can roll it up but if it's too short it'll probably look silly, not stay on your head, and might not get used. I always think it's better to do a little longer than what you think you need since the bottom will naturally curl up and it'll be shorter when you put it on.

When you reached your desired length and have only 1 loop at the base of each peg then you can begin "casting off".

To cast off wrap the first peg to the right of the outside peg and using the hook move the bottom loop over the top of the peg like normal.

Then using the hook take that loop off of it's peg and loop it over the next peg to the right of it.

Move the bottom loop of that peg over the new loop you just place.

Once there is only one loop on that peg again then wrap the yarn clockwise around that peg and using your hook move the bottom loop over the top of the peg.

Then remove that loop from it's peg and place it on the peg to the right of it.

Repeat this process until the loom is empty. You should be left with one single loop at the end.

Cut the yarn with a few extra inches of a tail and put that tail through the last loop and pull tight so it doesn't unravel.

Your beanie should now look like a knit tube.

Now that you have a knitted tube with a few inch tail, string that tail though a hole in the perimeter of the same end but opposite side.

Pull the tail tight and keep stringing it through holes in the top rim that stick out, keep going from one side to the other pulling opposite sides together with the tail pulled tight between each one.

When the top rim is all closed up pull as tight as possible and tie the tail to the last stitch that you looped through.

If you want to add the optional pompom move on to the next step.

If having a fluffy thing on top is not your style then make sure to double knot the tail so it doesn't come undone. Then push the tail through as close to the center as possible so the excess is inside the hat. Next use your scissors to trim the excess yarn and you are done!

Note: If you cut the tail too short it might stick up, best to leave it a little longer and hide it inside.

If you want one of those fluffy balls on top you can either use the same yarn or a different color if you want it to stand out.

Cut a 6 inch length of yarn.

Make the "live long and prosper" sign (index and middle finger together, middle and ring finger separated, and ring finger and pinky together) with your nondominant hand.

Place the center of your 6 inch length of yarn in between your middle and ring fingers in the base of the V.

Wrap the end of the spool of yarn around your nondominant thumb to anchor before you start wrapping so it doesn't unravel.

Keeping your hand in the "live long and prosper" position, wrap the yarn around the outside of your fingers from index to pinky repeatedly. The more you wrap your hand the denser the pompom will be. I recommend 20-30 wraps minimum, less than that looks pretty sad (depending on what type of yarn you're using and how big your hands are).

Once you've reached your desired density (how every many wraps you want) take the ends of the 6 inch length of yarn and wrap them around the center of the yarn ball you've created on your fingers. Slide your hand out and tie the ends of the 6 inch length of yarn together and pull as tightly as you can to cinch the center of the ball together. Then tie a knot to keep it from untying.

You should have a little puff with lots of loops on the top and bottom (kind of resembles a patty).

Slide one blade of your scissors inside the top loops and cut them all open.

Repeat this step on the bottom.

Your pompom should now have some uneven lengths of straggly yarn.

Using your scissors trim up the edges until they are rounded and roughly the same length.

The tail of yarn at the top of the beanie can be used to tie your pompom to the top of your hat.

You now have the finished product. Congratulations on completing your first loom knit beanie!