Inside: How to crochet the Easy Basic Hats free pattern with written instructions for 5 sizes from baby to adult and tutorial videos.
Crochet hats for the whole family! The Easy Basic Hats features a ribbed brim, half-double crochet body with a shaped crown. The brim is worked flat while the remainder of the hat is worked in the round.
Pattern includes written instructions for 5 sizes of hats from Baby to Adult and links to fully captioned tutorial videos for both left and right handed crocheters.
Crochet the Easy Basic Hats with the free pattern for beginners!
By Kristen Mangus
A downloadable PDF of this pattern is available in my Etsy store or from Ravelry at the links below:
MATERIALS
(Materials list may contain affiliate links to products I used to make this project. Using these links cost you nothing, but helps support GKK.)
Yarn
Bulky (#5) weight yarn 65 (115, 140, 170, 190 yds.)
Yarn Bee Soft & Sleek Chunky (5 oz./142 g, 211 yds./193 m) in colors Sage & Mustard used in samples.
Hook
US Size H (5 mm) & J (6 mm) crochet hooks (both sizes needed)
Furls Odyssey hooks used in sample.
Tapestry needle
Locking stitch marker
ABBREVIATIONS
Approx – Approximately
Ch – Chain
DEC – Decrease; Insert hook in next st, yo and pull up a loop, insert hook into next st, yo and pull up a loop. Yo and pull through all loops.
Hdc – Half Double Crochet
INC – Increase; repeat previous stitch in same stitch so that 2 stitches are in the same space.
Patt – Pattern
Rem – Remaining
Rnd – Round
Sc – Single Crochet
Sl – Slip
St(s) – Stitch(es)
If you need a refresher, be sure to check out my How to Crochet series!
GAUGE
13 sts x 10 rows in 4” (10 cm) in hdc st
SKILL LEVEL Easy+
MEASUREMENTS
Baby: 12.5″ circumference x 6” tall (31.8 x 15.2 cm)
Child: 17.5″ circumference x 8” tall (44.5 x 20.3 cm)
Teen: 22.5″ circumference x 8.5” tall (57 x 21.6 cm)
Women: 22.5″ circumference x 9.5” tall (57 x 24 cm)
Men: 23.75″ circumference x 10” tall (60.3 x 25.4 cm)
SIZES
Baby (Child, Teen, Women, Men)
NOTES
Brim Note: The ribbed brim is worked as a flat panel. Brim will stretch out over time. We make up for this by stretching the fabric out slightly before connecting the brim to release the tension. Pre-stretching the brim gives a better fit later on. All brims will still be worked with final circumference 1-2” less than the hat to ensure a good fit.
Optional Messy Bun Hat: To make this pattern as a messy bun hat, when you decrease the top to desired size, cut the yarn tail and pull the tail through the final loop without cinching the top. Weave in ends.
INSTRUCTIONS
BRIM (worked as a flat panel)
With H (5 mm) hook, Ch 9 for flat brim or 18 for folded brim. (Brim is approx 2” for flat brim)
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook; 1 loop only. Sc in each ch across all sts. You will have 1 st less than you began. Do not chain.
Row 2: Turn. Sc in back loop only in each st. Maintain st count.
Rep Row 2 until 2” less than desired circumference. Approx rows 42 (60, 68, 68, 72). TIP: After ending the last row the working yarn should be on the opposite side as the beginning yarn tail.
Stretch out brim slightly to release tension and measure. (See Brim Note above.) Remove or add more rows as needed until stretched brim measures 12” (17”, 19.5”, 19.5”, 20.5”) [30.5 (43, 49.5, 49.5, 52) cm].
Connect brim:
Fold rectangle brim in half aligning the short ends. Slip 1st st and last row together going through both loops on each end. Slip across all sts.
For flat brim: Flip so the seam is on the inside and continue with Hat Body.
For folded brim: Continue below working with seam facing outward. The seam will be hidden when the brim is folded.
HAT BODY (worked in the round)
Switch to J (6 mm) hook for the remainder of the hat.
Rnd 1: Ch 1. Hdc in st before 1st rib. Hdc in same st to INC. *At top of next rib hdc. Hdc in next st before next rib. Rep from * until halfway around hat. INC1 into next st and continue as before. Sl into 1st hdc to complete round. 44 (62, 70, 70, 74) sts
Rnd 2: Ch 1, hdc in same st as ch 1 and in each st around. Sl into 1st hdc to complete round.
Rep Rnd 2 until piece measures approximately 4” (5.5”, 5.5”, 7”, 7”) inches [10 (14, 14, 17.8, 17.8) cm] or until desired length.
SHAPE TOP
Rnd 3: Ch 1. *Hdc in next 7 sts. DEC 1. Rep from * 3 (5, 5, 5, 1) times. Hdc in next rem sts in rnd. Sl to join. 40 (56, 64, 64, 72) sts rem.
Rnd 4: Ch 1. *Hdc 3 (5, 6, 6,7), DEC 1. Rep from *to end of Rnd. Sl to join. 32 (48, 56, 56, 64) sts rem.
Rnd 5: Ch 1, *Hdc 2 (4, 5, 5, 6), DEC 1. Rep from * to end of Rnd. Sl to join. 24 (40, 48, 48, 56) sts rem.
Rnd 6: Ch 1, hdc in same st as ch 1 and in each st around. Sl into 1st hdc to complete round.
Rnd 7: Ch 1, *Hdc 1 (3, 4, 4, 5), DEC 1. Rep from * to end of Rnd. Sl to join . 16 (32, 40, 40, 48) sts rem.
Rnd 8: Ch 1, *Hdc 0 (2, 3, 3, 4), DEC 1. Rep from * to end of Rnd. Sl to join . 8 (24, 32, 32, 40) sts rem. [Baby Size continue with FINISHING below.]
Rnd 9: Ch 1, *Hdc X (1, 0, 0, 3), DEC 1. Rep from * to end of Rnd. Sl to join . X (16, 16, 16, 32) sts rem.
Rnd 10: Ch 1, *Hdc X (X, X, X, 0), DEC 1. Rep * from to end of Rnd. Sl to join . X (8, 8, 8, 16) sts rem. [Child, Teen and Women Sizes continue with FINISHING below.]
Rnd 11: Ch 1, *Hdc X (X, X, X, X), DEC 1. Rep from * to end of Rnd. Sl to join . X (X, X, X, 8) sts rem. [Men Size continue with FINISHING below.]
FINISHING
Cut long tail and pull through st. Thread end through 8 rem sts and draw up tightly. Fasten securely. Weave in tails.
PIN IT!
Cochet the Easy Basic Hats with my video tutorial!
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The following tutorial videos demonstrate how to make the Cabled Hat version of this pattern. To crochet the Easy Basic Hats follow the video up to Rnd 2 of the Hat Body, then skip the video ahead to shaping the crown. Video includes row by row instructions, seaming and finishing; use videos as reference for brim and shaping top of hat.