Granny squares and cat ears were always going to end up together.
There's something about the patchwork look that feels playful and handmade in the best way. Like a quilt you wear on your head.
This beanie uses eight granny squares seamed into a rectangular shape. When you put it on, the top corners naturally poke upward into cat ears. No shaping. No special stitches. Just squares and seams.
The granny squares themselves use the no-twist method I covered in the previous pattern, so they sit flat and true without any spiraling.
You can make this in two colors like the version shown here, or go full scrap-buster and use a different color for every square. The construction doesn't care.
Why You'll Love This Granny Square Beanie
The assembly is genuinely straightforward.
Lay out eight squares in a two-by-four grid. Seam them together flat. Fold and seam the sides. That's the hat body. A single crochet border finishes the brim and hides any uneven edges.
If you've ever assembled granny squares into a blanket, you already know every skill this project requires. No new techniques. No hat-specific shaping.
The ear shape is automatic.
When you put the rectangular hat on, the corners naturally stand up because the flat fabric has to bend around a curved head. The squares at the top corners form points. No stuffing. No wire. No separate ear pieces to attach.
I made my first one in cream and sage green for a friend who wanted something cute but not cartoonish. She sent me a photo of herself wearing it at a pumpkin patch, and the ears were perfectly perky without any fussing.
The modular nature means you can customize size easily. Make squares larger or smaller. Use six squares instead of eight. Add a brim or skip it. Every choice is just arithmetic.
Materials Needed
- 120 grams / 220 yards of medium weight (#4) yarn total (split between two colors, or assorted scraps)
- 5.5 mm (I-9) crochet hook
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle
For the two-color version shown here, Red Heart Super Saver in Aran (cream) and Green Apple (sage) are the shades used. Each skein is about $4.49 for 364 yards. You'll use roughly a third of each skein.
If you're making the no-brim version with six squares, you only need about 75 grams of yarn total. That's well within scrap-stash territory.
The hook size is the same as the granny squares. Consistency between your squares and your assembly keeps everything uniform.
Best Yarn Choices for a Granny Square Beanie
Worsted weight acrylic is the practical choice.
You'll be handling these squares a lot during assembly. Seaming, folding, lining up edges. Acrylic tolerates the handling without fuzzing or splitting, and it's machine washable when your beanie inevitably picks up makeup or hair product.
Red Heart Super Saver is the budget baseline. Their Soft line or With Love line feel gentler against forehead skin if you're sensitive to texture.
Cotton blends give crisper stitch definition and a slightly stiffer drape, which can actually make the ear points stand up better. Lion Brand Comfy Cotton Blend in contrasting colors creates squares that look almost quilted.
For a genuinely luxurious version, use a superwash merino like Cascade 220 Superwash. At $11 per 220 yards, you'd need about two skeins for the eight-square version. The warmth and softness justify the cost for a hat you'll wear all winter.
If you're pulling from scraps, this is a perfect stash-buster. The only requirement is that all your squares use the same weight yarn so their sizes match.
Gauge, Size Guide & Must-Have Tools
Each granny square should be slightly less than one quarter of your head circumference.
For an average 21-inch head, that means each square should be about 5 inches across. Five rounds of worsted weight granny square with a 5.5 mm hook typically gives you a 5-inch square.
Measure your head. Divide by four. If the result is close to 5 inches, you're right on track. If your head is larger, add rounds to each square until they reach the correct width.
Finished dimensions:
- Each square: about 5 inches
- Overall beanie (with brim folded): about 10.25 inches wide x 8 inches tall
- Fits head circumference: about 20–22 inches
For the six-square version (no brim), squares should be slightly larger, about 5.5 inches each.
Must-have tools:
- 5.5 mm hook: Your granny square hook and assembly hook should match.
- Tapestry needle: For seaming squares together and weaving ends.
- Stitch markers: Helpful for aligning squares during seaming.
Pattern Notes & Tips Before You Start
Make all your granny squares first, then assemble.
This seems obvious, but it's genuinely better to batch-process. Crochet all eight (or six) squares. Weave in their ends. Block them if you're a perfectionist. Then move into assembly with a clean stack of finished squares.
The granny square pattern used here is the reversible no-twist version. Each square is worked in turned rounds to prevent spiraling, and color changes are hidden in the turning chain.
If you already have a favorite granny square pattern, you can use it instead. Just make sure all your squares are the same size and have the same number of rounds.
Seam with the right sides facing up for the flat slip stitch method described below. This creates a visible but tidy seam line that adds to the patchwork aesthetic rather than hiding from it.
The brim border hides the lower edge and gives the hat a finished look. Don't skip this step, even if you're not folding a brim. One round of single crochet around the opening makes the difference between "I made this" and "I made this well."
Abbreviations Explained
- ch – chain: Yarn over, pull through loop.
- sc – single crochet: Insert hook, yarn over, pull up loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
- sl st – slip stitch: Insert hook, yarn over, pull through stitch and loop. Used for flat seaming.
Step-by-Step Patchwork Cat Ear Beanie
Making the Granny Squares
Make 8 granny squares using the reversible no-twist method.
Each square should have 5 rounds and measure approximately 5 inches across. Use two alternating colors, or make each square unique.
Weave in ends on all squares before assembly begins. Trying to weave ends after squares are seamed together is significantly more frustrating.
Laying Out the Squares
Arrange your squares in a 2 by 4 grid: two squares tall, four squares wide. All right sides should face up.
Play with the arrangement before seaming. Rotate squares so colors alternate pleasingly. Step back and look at the full layout. This is much easier to adjust now than after seaming.
Flat Slip Stitch Seaming
Attach yarn at the middle of the right edge of the grid, between the first and second columns.
Hold two squares with right sides facing up, edges aligned. Working through the back loop of the front square and the front loop of the back square simultaneously, slip stitch across the shared edge.
At each chain-1 space along the edge, chain 1 and skip the space. At each chain-2 corner space, slip stitch into one chain only. When you reach the end of a square and begin the next, chain 1 and continue.
Seam the vertical center line first. Then seam the horizontal center line. Fasten off after each seam.
Folding and Closing the Hat
Flip the seamed rectangle over so the wrong side faces up. Fold it in half to bring the short ends together, forming a square shape.
Using the same flat slip stitch method, seam up the right side, across the top, and down the left side. Fasten off.
Your hat now has three closed edges. The bottom remains open for your head.
Brim Border
Attach yarn at any point along the bottom opening, on the inside of the hat if you plan to fold the brim up.
Chain 1. Work single crochet evenly around the entire opening: one sc in each stitch, one sc in each chain-1 space, and chain 1 when crossing a seam between squares. Slip stitch to the first sc to close.
This border neatens the edge, hides any unevenness where squares meet, and provides a clean base for the folded brim.
Finishing
Weave in all remaining ends. Fold up the brim about 1.5 to 2 inches. The single crochet border should face outward when the brim is folded.
Try the beanie on. The top corners should naturally form soft triangular ears. If they look a little rounded, gently pinch them from the inside to sharpen the points.
Easy Variations & Custom Ideas
Six-square version (no brim): Make 6 squares instead of 8. Arrange in a 2 by 3 grid. Assemble the same way, but skip the brim fold. This version sits closer to the head and has a sleeker profile.
Scrap-buster edition: Use a different color for every square. Pull partial skeins from your stash. The patchwork effect becomes more pronounced, and each hat is genuinely one of a kind.
Longer ear points: Make the top two squares one round larger than the rest. The extra fabric creates taller, more dramatic ears when the hat is worn.
Lined version: Sew a fleece or jersey fabric lining to the inside for extra warmth. Hand-stitch the lining to the brim border so it doesn't shift.
Common Troubleshooting and Fixes
Squares don't align neatly during seaming: Count your stitches along each square edge. All squares should have the same number of stitches per side. If one is off, the mismatch compounds across the seam.
Ears are uneven: The top squares may not be identical sizes. Lay them flat and measure before assembly. A quarter-inch difference at the square level becomes noticeable at the ear point.
Hat is too tight or too loose: Adjust the number of rounds per square. Adding one round to every square increases the circumference by about an inch. Removing one round decreases it similarly.
Brim won't stay folded: The border may be too loose or too tight. A relaxed tension on the brim border allows the fold to sit naturally without curling back up.
Final Thoughts
There's something satisfying about wearing a hat made from granny squares.
It's visible patchwork. People can see exactly how it was constructed, and that transparency is part of the charm. No one mistakes it for a store-bought hat, and that's the point.
Make one in your favorite color pairing and wear it through fall markets, bonfires, and crisp morning walks.
Tag me when you finish. I love seeing how people arrange their squares. Every layout tells a different color story.
