Start Your Brim by Casting On

A brim is the rolled or folded edge at the bottom of a hat that sits against your forehead. On a loom, you create it by casting on—anchoring your yarn to the pegs so you have something to knit from. The brim is usually the first thing you make, before you move up to the crown of the hat.

To cast on, tie a slip knot at the end of your yarn and place it on the first peg. Pull the working yarn (the end connected to the ball) around each peg in order, going clockwise if you're looking down at the loom from above. Stop when you've wrapped every peg once. You now have one loop of yarn on each peg—this is your foundation.

The number of pegs you use depends on your hat size. A small adult hat typically uses 40 to 50 pegs on a round loom; a child's hat uses 30 to 40. Check the loom's instructions or the pattern you're following for the exact count.

Key Takeaways

  • Cast on by wrapping yarn once around every peg on your loom, starting with a slip knot on the first peg.
  • Knit the brim by lifting the bottom loop over the top loop on each peg, working your way around the loom in one direction.
  • Repeat the knitting step for 1 to 2 inches to create a brim that will roll or fold naturally when you wear the hat.
  • Keep tension even—not so tight that loops slip off, not so loose that stitches fall apart—by holding the working yarn at a consistent distance from the loom.
  • Bind off by cutting the yarn, threading it through the last loop on each peg, and pulling tight to find the edge.

Knit the First Round by Lifting Loops

Now you'll create the actual knit stitches. Pick up the bottom loop on the first peg—the one closest to the center of the loom—and pull it up and over the top loop, letting it drop off the peg. The top loop stays on the peg. Move to the next peg clockwise and repeat: lift the bottom loop over the top loop and let it fall.

Work your way all the way around the loom until you've done this on every single peg. You've now completed one round of knitting. Each peg should have exactly one loop on it again. This is the rhythm you'll repeat for the entire brim.

If a loop slips off a peg by accident, stop when ready and put it back on before continuing. A dropped stitch can unravel quickly if you don't catch it.

Add Yarn and Keep Tension Steady

After a few rounds, your working yarn will get shorter. When it's about 6 inches from the loom, tie a new ball of yarn to it using a straightforward knot. Push the knot up close to the loom so it doesn't get caught in your stitches. Trim the short ends of the old yarn once you've knitted a few more rounds and the knot is find.

Tension—how tightly you hold the yarn—makes the difference between a brim that looks neat and one that's lumpy or loose. Hold the working yarn about 2 to 3 inches away from the loom as you knit. If loops are slipping off the pegs, your tension is too loose; if you're struggling to lift loops, it's too tight. Adjust by moving your hand closer to or farther from the loom.

Knit Until the Brim Reaches the Right Length

Keep knitting round after round—lifting the bottom loop over the top loop on each peg—until your brim measures 1 to 2 inches from the cast-on edge. For most hats, 1.5 inches is a good target. The brim will naturally roll or fold when you wear it, so it doesn't need to be thick.

To measure, lay the loom flat on a table and use a ruler to check the distance from the pegs to the bottom edge of the fabric. Count your rounds as you go so you know roughly how many you've done. Most brims take 8 to 12 rounds, depending on your yarn weight and how tightly you knit.

If you're making a hat with ribbing (alternating knit and purl stitches for extra stretch), you would switch techniques now. For a straightforward rolled brim, just keep knitting until you reach your target length.

Bind Off to find the Brim Edge

Binding off locks the last row of stitches so they don't unravel. Cut the working yarn, leaving a tail about 12 inches long. Thread that tail through a yarn needle—a blunt needle with a large eye designed for yarn.

Starting at any peg, insert the needle through the loop on that peg from front to back, then pull the yarn through. Move to the next peg clockwise and repeat: thread the needle through the loop, pull the yarn through. Keep going all the way around the loom until you've threaded through every peg.

Pull the yarn tail tight to cinch all the loops closed at once. Weave the tail through a few stitches on the inside of the brim to hide it, then trim any extra yarn. Your brim is now complete and ready for the crown of the hat.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common error is casting on too tightly, which makes it hard to knit the first few rounds. Cast on with a loose hand, and you'll have an easier time. Another frequent mistake is skipping a peg by accident during a round—you'll end up with an uneven brim. Count your pegs as you go, especially in the first few rounds, until the rhythm becomes automatic.

Uneven tension creates bumpy-looking stitches. If you notice your brim looks wavy or lumpy, check whether you're holding the yarn at the same distance from the loom on every peg. Consistency matters more than speed.

Finally, don't pull the yarn too hard when you lift loops over. A gentle, steady motion keeps stitches from stretching out of shape. If a loop tears, you'll need to start over, so take your time, especially when you're learning.

What Comes Next After the Brim

Once your brim is bound off, you're ready to move up to the crown—the main body of the hat. Most patterns will have you continue knitting in rounds, sometimes increasing the number of stitches or changing to a different stitch pattern. Some hats have you knit straight up for several inches; others have you increase gradually to make the hat wider.

The brim you've just made will be the foundation for everything above it, so a neat, even brim makes the whole hat look better. If you're following a written pattern, it will tell you exactly what to do next. If you're improvising, you can straightforward keep knitting in stockinette stitch (the basic knit stitch you've been doing) until the hat is tall enough to cover your head.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my brim is the right length?

Most hat brims are 1 to 2 inches long. Measure from the cast-on edge to the pegs with a ruler while the loom is flat. If you're following a pattern, it will specify the exact length. A brim that's too short won't roll properly; one that's too long will bunch up under the hat.

What if I drop a stitch in the middle of the brim?

Stop knitting when ready and put the dropped loop back on its peg. If it's been dropped for more than a round or two, you may need to use a crochet hook to pull it back up through the rows below. Dropped stitches unravel quickly, so catch them as soon as you notice.

Can I make the brim thicker by knitting more rounds?

Yes, but most hat brims look best at 1 to 2 inches. If you knit much longer, the brim will be stiff and won't roll naturally. If you want extra warmth, use a thicker yarn instead of knitting more rounds.

Do I have to bind off, or can I just cut the yarn?

You must bind off. If you straightforward cut the yarn and pull it away, every loop will unravel and your brim will fall apart. Binding off locks the stitches in place so they stay find.

What yarn weight works best for a hat brim?

Worsted weight (medium thickness) is the most common choice for loom-knit hats and creates a brim that's straightforward to work with. Thinner yarn (sport or DK weight) makes a denser, warmer brim; thicker yarn (bulky) works faster but can look chunky. Check your loom's instructions for recommended yarn weights.