Simple Baby Hat
Pattern courtesy Amy Sundari Finlay, Winter 2000

Info For Beginners
K=Knit (ie, K7=Knit 7 stitches)
General Info on how to Knit and follow a pattern, here
The Double method of casting on, which is neat and gives you an already-knitted row, is shown (animated!) here!

Sizes
Small (12-18 months) to fit head 17 inches circumference
Medium (3-5 yrs) to fit head 19 inches circumference
Large (6-8 yrs) to fit head 21 inches circumference

Materials:
Set of US size 6 (or 4mm) double-pointed needles
worsted weight yarn

Gauge:
4 1/2 stiches/inch
6 rows/inch

The Basic Hat:
Instructions are for the smallest size, with larger 2 in parentheses. To alter hat to account for different gauge or size, just
remember to keep the number of initial stiches divisible by 8. (I've used 72; you may use 80, 88, etc)

Cast on 72 (80, 88) sts and join to form a round.
Knit 6 (8, 8) rows of garter stitch
Knit stocking stitch until you reach 2 1/4 (2 1/2, 2 1/2) inches in from bottom edge of hat

Decrease for top:
[K7 K2tog] repeat to end of round. Knit 2 rounds
[K6 K2tog] repeat to end of round. Knit 2 rounds
[K5 K2tog] repeat to end of round. Knit 2 rounds
[K4 K2tog] repeat to end of round
[K3 K2tog] repeat to end of round
[K2 K2tog] repeat to end of round
[K1 K2tog] repeat to end of round

[K2tog] repeat, until only 1 stitch remains
Break yarn, thread through stitch, and fasten off neatly.
Sew in all loose ends.

Optional Touches:
The red "row" was added afterwards with a loose crochet: one crochet stich for each knit stich.
As an obvious alternative, one could knit it in, instead, as the first stocking stitch row. One could also cross-stich the row. Also, I ended up crochetting earflaps on it, for warmth and to keep it on the head!