There’s something so charming about handmade gifts especially when they’re quick to make and use stuff you already have around the house! These cute little hats use up scrap yarn, and don’t require knitting or crochet skills. That’s exactly what inspired my latest project: mini no‑knit hat Christmas ornaments!
How do you make mini knit hats without knitting? The quick version: Cut 3/4″ rings from a toilet-paper tube, tie 8 to 10″ yarn strands around each ring with a simple lark’s-head knot until the cardboard is covered, tuck the ends back through, push in a cotton ball to shape it, and tie off a little pom-pom on top. No knitting or crochet needed, just yarn, scissors, and a cardboard tube. Full step-by-step below. 👇
🎄 Why These Ornaments Are a Winner
- No knitting or crochet needed
- Uses up scrap materials
- Endlessly customizable
- Multiple uses: tree décor, garlands, gifts, wine toppers, stocking stuffers, ornaments, etc.
🛠 What You’ll Need
- Yarn (scraps work great)
- Scissors
- Empty toilet-paper or paper-towel roll
- Something to measure yarn (small book or coaster)
- Cotton Balls
✅ Step‑by‑Step: How to Make Your Mini No‑Knit Hat Ornaments
STEP 1: Cut the Cardboard Rings
Use an empty toilet-paper roll and cut 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch wide rings. This will be your hat brim. You should be able to get 7 to 8 rings from each toilet paper tube. I made some with 1/2 inch rings and some with 3/4 inch, and I liked the look of the 3/4 inch size better, but go ahead and experiment!
TIP: I cut the rings and stapled them back together to make them a bit smaller so I could fit them over these chocolate balls. I plan on using them as stocking stuffers! For wine bottles, if you want them to fit tightly, you will want to cut them down a tiny bit as well. Just make sure to leave extra space for the yarn.
STEP 2. Cut Your Yarn Pieces
Next, wrap yarn around a small notebook or coaster (about 30 to 40 times) and cut one side so you have 30 to 40 equal-length strands. This doesn’t need to be exact, but you want strands to be about 8 to 10 inches long.
STEP 3. Attach the Yarn
Use a lark’s-head knot to loop each strand around the cardboard ring. Fill the ring entirely.
🧶 How to Tie a Lark’s-Head Knot:
- Fold your yarn strand in half so it forms a loop at one end.
- Place the loop in the cardboard ring.
- Bring the two loose ends over the ring and pull them through the loop.
- Tighten the knot so it hugs the ring securely.
Repeat this step until you fill the ring entirely so no cardboard is showing.
STEP 4: Form the Hat
Gather all the loose ends and shove them back through the ring. This will make it look like the hat brim has been folded up. Now push a cotton ball through to form the hat so it keeps a nice, round shape.
STEP 5: Make the Pom Pom
Take one more piece of yarn and tie a knot over the top of the cotton ball to create the pom pom. You can use this last piece of yarn as a loop to hang it as an ornaments. The strands will be way too long, so you’ll have to trim them down to make the pom pom the size that you want.
STEP 6: Customize!
Mix colors, make some with stripes or multi colored yarn, or make garlands out of a bunch of mini hats! They make perfect wine, champagne or liquor bottle toppers that you can give as gifts!
🎬 See It In Action
Check out my full YouTube video tutorial here:
✨ Fun Ways to Use Your Mini Hats
- Tree Ornaments
- Garlands
- Gift Toppers
- Chocolate Stocking Stuffers
- Wine Bottle Covers
Project Complete!
This project is fast, fun, and perfect for all ages. Whether you’re crafting solo or with kids, these mini hats bring a bit of festive charm with minimal effort.
If you make these, I’d love to see them! Please feel free to share your creations and tag me @selenebuildsthings on social media. I’d love to see what you make!
I’ll be sharing more holiday crafts and DIY’s so be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss anything!
Common Questions About No-Knit Mini Hats
Do I need to know how to knit or crochet?
Nope, zero knitting or crochet required. You just tie short yarn strands around a cardboard ring with a simple lark’s-head knot, then shape it with a cotton ball. If you can tie a knot, you can make these.
What yarn works best?
Any scrap yarn works great. Medium-weight (worsted) yarn is the easiest to handle, and mixing colors lets you make stripes or a whole rainbow of hats.
How big should the cardboard rings be?
Cut them about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. You’ll get 7 to 8 rings from one toilet-paper tube. I like the look of 3/4 inch best. Trim the ring smaller if you want the hat to fit snugly over a chocolate ball or bottle top.
What can I use the mini hats for?
Tree ornaments, garlands, gift toppers, wine and champagne bottle covers, and stocking stuffers over chocolate balls. They’re endlessly customizable, so have fun with it!
About the author: I’m Selene Teitelbaum, the DIYer behind Selene Builds Things. After renovating my entire home, I started sharing beginner-friendly tutorials so anyone can pick up a power tool (or a ball of yarn) and make something they’re proud of. More about me →
Until next time,
Happy DIY-ing!
xoxo,
Selene
