May
Basic Stuff You Need to Know First
So crochet hats are actually way easier than they look but nobody tells you that the hardest part is figuring out which direction you’re even supposed to be working. I made my first actual wearable hat in spring 2022 when I was stuck at home with covid and let me tell you, the first three attempts were absolutely terrible. Like unwearable. Too tight, too loose, one of them looked like a cone.
The thing is you can work hats either from the top down or from the brim up and honestly both ways work fine but top-down makes more sense to me because you can actually see the hat taking shape. You start with a magic circle or chain 4 and join it, then you just keep increasing until you get to the right diameter for a head. Which is usually around 4-5 inches across for an adult but I always just measure against my own head.
The Increasing Part That Everyone Messes Up
Okay so here’s what annoyed me SO much when I was learning this – patterns will tell you to increase evenly but they don’t always explain what that actually looks like. You’re basically adding stitches in each round so the circle lays flat instead of cupping up. For double crochet (which is what I use most) you typically do:
- Round 1: 12 dc in the ring
- Round 2: 2 dc in each stitch (24 stitches)
- Round 3: *2 dc in first st, 1 dc in next st* repeat around (36 stitches)
- Round 4: *2 dc in first st, 1 dc in next 2 sts* repeat around (48 stitches)
You keep going like that, spacing out the increases more each round until you hit the right size. The pattern is pretty logical once you see it but the first time someone tried to explain it to me I was watching Succession and not really paying attention and then wondered why nothing made sense.
When to Stop Increasing and Just Go Straight
This is the part where you gotta just trust your gut a little bit. When the circle is big enough to cover the top of your head – like actually put it on your head and check – you stop increasing and just work even rounds. No more adding stitches, just one stitch in each stitch around and around.
For me that’s usually around 9-10 rounds of increases but it depends on your gauge which is a whole other thing. I used Red Heart Super Saver for that first hat because it was cheap and I figured I’d mess it up anyway. The color was called “Cherry Red” and it was honestly kind of harsh looking but whatever it was $3.
Different Hat Styles You Can Do
Once you understand that basic increase pattern you can literally make any style of hat. Beanies are just working straight sides for like 6-7 inches total height. Slouchy hats you keep going for 9-10 inches so there’s extra fabric that slouches back. Fitted hats are shorter, maybe 5-6 inches.
I made a slouchy hat last summer – August 2024 specifically because I remember it was ridiculously hot and I was making a winter hat – using Lion Brand Wool-Ease in this dark grey color. That yarn is really nice actually, it’s a blend so it’s not too hot but still warm enough for actual winter. The thing about that project though was my cat kept attacking the working yarn and I’d come back to find she’d pulled out like three rows.
Brim Options and How They Change Things
Okay so brims are where you can really make the hat look different. The easiest brim is just ribbing which you make by working in the back loops only for the last inch or so. It creates these horizontal ridges that look professional and also help the hat actually stay on your head.
Or you can do a folded brim where you just make the straight part longer and fold it up. That’s nice because it’s reversible and you can wear it folded or not depending on how cold it is or like… if you’re having a bad hair day and need more coverage.
There’s also those brims where you decrease at the edge to make it tighter but honestly I never do that because it seems fussy. The back loop ribbing works fine and doesn’t require counting decreases.
Yarn Weights and Why It Matters
This is something I wish someone had explained better early on. The yarn weight changes everything about how the hat turns out. Worsted weight (the medium stuff, number 4 on the label) is what most patterns use and it’s good for general winter hats.
But bulky yarn (number 5) works up way faster and makes really warm chunky hats. I made one with Bernat Blanket yarn once and it was done in like two hours but it was also absolutely massive. Good for like extreme cold I guess but not for everyday.
Sport weight or DK (number 3) is nice for spring/fall hats that aren’t too heavy. Takes longer though because you need more rounds to get the same size. I used Caron Simply Soft for a lightweight hat once and it was actually really nice, super soft, but it took forever.
The Actual Process Step by Step
So when you’re actually making the hat, here’s how it goes. You start with your magic circle or chain 4, join with a slip stitch. Then you chain 2 or 3 depending on if you’re doing half double crochet or double crochet. I pretty much always use double crochet because it works up faster and has good drape.
Work your 12 stitches into the ring, join to the first stitch with a slip stitch. Pull that beginning tail to close the magic circle if you used one. Then chain 2 again and start your increases. The chain 2 counts as a stitch which is annoying because you always have to remember it when you’re counting.
Keep working rounds with increases evenly spaced until you hit your diameter. Try it on periodically even though it looks stupid at this stage. When it covers the crown of your head, stop increasing and just work even.
Measuring and Adjustments
The circumference you’re aiming for is usually 20-22 inches for an adult hat. It stretches though so don’t make it too big. I learned this the hard way when I made a hat that was 24 inches around and it just slid right off my head. That was during… I think winter 2023? I was trying to make gifts for people and ended up with one hat that fit nobody.
If you’re making a hat for someone else and can’t try it on them, just measure around their head with a tape measure or like, measure a hat they already wear. Or go with 21 inches as a standard adult size, that usually works.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
The most common problem is the hat cupping or ruffling during the increase section. If it’s cupping up like a bowl, you need more increases. If it’s ruffling and wavy, you’re increasing too much. You can frog back (pull out the stitches) and redo those rounds with more or fewer increases.
Another thing is the hat being too loose or tight around the head. If it’s too loose, you can either start over with a smaller hook or work some decrease rounds before you do the brim. If it’s too tight… honestly you kinda have to start over or give it to someone with a smaller head.
Uneven stitches are something that bothered me for like the first year I was making hats. Some stitches would be taller or shorter and the whole thing looked lumpy. That mostly fixes itself with practice and also making sure you’re always working into the right loops. For double crochet you should be going under both loops at the top of the stitch from the previous round unless the pattern specifically says otherwise.
Different Stitch Patterns You Can Use
Once you’ve got the basic construction down you can start messing with different stitches. The increase pattern stays the same but instead of all double crochet you can do:
- Half double crochet for a tighter, shorter stitch
- Alternating front post and back post double crochet for ribbing texture
- Shell stitches or clusters for a fancier look
- Bobbles or popcorn stitches if you want texture
I made a hat with bobble stitches once using Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK and it looked really cool but took absolutely forever because you have to work like 5 stitches into one stitch and then pull them all together. Pretty though.
Colorwork and Stripes
Stripes are the easiest way to add color and they’re literally just changing yarn colors every few rounds. You can carry the yarn up the inside if you’re alternating between two colors regularly, or cut it and weave in ends if you’re doing random stripes.
I’m gonna be honest, weaving in ends is the most annoying part of the entire process. Every time you change colors you have two ends to weave in and if you’re doing lots of stripes it adds up fast. I usually weave them in as I go now instead of saving them all for the end because otherwise I just have this huge pile of hats with tails hanging off them.
There’s also tapestry crochet where you carry unused colors inside the stitches to make patterns, but that’s more advanced and I’ve only tried it a couple times. It makes a thicker fabric which is actually nice for winter hats.
Adding Pompoms and Other Stuff
Pompoms are traditional and they’re easy to make with a pompom maker or just by wrapping yarn around your fingers. I use the Clover pompom makers in different sizes and they work great. You just wrap yarn around, cut along the edge, tie it tight in the middle, and fluff it up.
Some people do braids or tassels instead. Or ear flaps with ties which are practical but require you to either crochet them separately and attach them or plan for them from the beginning. I tried to add ear flaps to a finished hat once and it looked terrible so don’t do that.
Sizing for Different Ages
If you’re making hats for kids or babies the sizing changes obviously. Baby hats are tiny and quick but you have to be more careful about yarn choice – nothing too scratchy, no loose stitches they could catch fingers in.
For a baby (0-6 months) you want like 12-14 inches circumference and 5-6 inches height. Toddlers are more like 16-18 inches around. Kids vary a lot but 18-20 inches usually works for school age kids.
I made a baby hat for my friend’s kid in spring 2023 using Bernat Softee Baby yarn which is specifically made to be gentle and it was so tiny and cute but also I was paranoid the whole time that I was making it too small or too big since I couldn’t exactly try it on anyone.
Working from Brim Up Instead
Some people prefer starting at the brim and working up to the crown. You basically do the same thing but in reverse – start with your ribbing or brim, work straight sides, then decrease at the top until you can close it off.
The decreases are the opposite of increases. You work two stitches together (dc2tog) evenly spaced around, getting fewer and fewer stitches each round until you can pull the yarn through the last few stitches and close it up.
I don’t usually work this way because I like being able to try the hat on as I go and see how the crown is shaping, but some people swear by it. I think it’s personal preference.
Patterns vs Freestyle
You can absolutely follow written patterns and there are thousands of free ones online. Ravelry has a huge database and you can filter by yarn weight, style, difficulty, whatever. But honestly once you understand the basic construction you don’t really need patterns for simple beanies.
I rarely follow patterns anymore unless I’m doing something complicated with specific stitch patterns or shaping. For basic hats I just start crocheting and adjust as I go based on how it’s fitting. That probably sounds chaotic but it works fine and you don’t have to worry about matching gauge or counting rounds obsessively.
The one thing that annoyed me when I was learning from patterns is that everyone writes them slightly differently. Some count the starting chain as a stitch, some don’t. Some tell you to join at the end of rounds, some work in a spiral without joining. You kinda have to figure out what the pattern is doing and it’s not always clear.
Hooks and Tools
For worsted weight yarn you typically want a 5.0mm or 5.5mm hook (H or I in US sizes). Bulky yarn needs bigger, like 6.0mm or 6.5mm. The yarn label will suggest a hook size but you can go up or down depending on if you want a tighter or looser fabric.
I have a whole collection of hooks at this point but I mostly use aluminum Susan Bates hooks because they’re cheap and the inline heads work well for my tension. Some people prefer Boye hooks with the tapered heads or fancy ergonomic ones but honestly whatever works for you is fine.
You also need scissors and a yarn needle for weaving in ends. That’s literally it. Stitch markers can be helpful for marking the beginning of rounds but I usually just use a piece of scrap yarn.
Oh and measuring tape obviously. The cheap flexible kind you can get anywhere.
