Simple Double Crochet Hat

I hope everyone here in the USA had a great Thanksgiving Day with their friends and families. Last weekend my family and I put up our tree and decorated the house. Which means I’m now focused on what gifts I’ll be giving this year. Especially what gifts I’ll be crocheting.

My go-to projects for gift-giving are hats, they are quick and a great canvas for creating something special for my crochet-worthy family and friends. My favorite stitch for making a basic simple hat is the half double crochet. But that stitch can be a bit finicky for beginning crocheters.

So today I am posting an easy pattern for a basic hat worked in continuous rounds of double crochet stitch with 2 rounds of single crochet for the brim. You will only have to make 2 half double crochet stitches in the entire project.

This hat is slightly more “meshy” than the half double crochet because double crochet stitches have a longer “post”. The mesh like fabric lets the scalp breathe a bit more, nice for those that find some crochet hats to be too warm. This is an especially good pattern for alpaca blend yarns as they tend to make extremely warm fabric.

I chose not to use the single crochet stitch for the body of this hat because it is a tighter stitch and doesn’t have enough give or stretch for a comfortable hat fabric.  The only single crochets are for the “step-up”, “step-down” and the brim finish.

For all my hats I like to start at the center of the crown, so the beginning of the pattern is like working a motif. I like my adjustable slip knot start for that (video on my YouTube channel if you need help) as it allows enough room for the first round’s stitches without leaving a gaping hole in the top of your hat.

Continuous rounds are basically a spiral. This spiral is less complex than the 4 armed spiral I used in my “Whirlwind Afghan Square” and my “Whirlwind Hat”. Just like in those patterns though, I use stitch markers to help me keep track of where the increases for my rounds are happening and the end of my round.

Simple Double Crochet Hat

Designed by Andee Graves

Skill level: Easy

Finished Size:

Head Circumference: Apprx 22”

Materials:

Yarn

Ella Rae “Cozy Soft Chunky” (25% Wool, 75% Acrylic) 3.52 oz/100g, 131 yds/120m: 1 ball

Hook

I-9 / 5.5mm or size needed to obtain gauge.

Notions

Yarn/tapestry needle

Stitch markers in 2 colors: at least 11 in one color and 1 in a different color

Gauge

3 rounds in flat circle = 3.5” diameter

Special Stitches/Abbreviations

Place Marker (PM)

Single Crochet Stitch (sc): insert hook in stitch, yarn-over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook shaft), yarn over pull thru both loops on hook.

Half Double Crochet Stitch (hdc): yarn-over, insert hook in stitch, yarn-over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook shaft), yarn over pull thru all 3 loops on hook.

Double Crochet Stitch (dc): yarn-over, insert hook in stitch, yarn-over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook shaft), yarn over pull thru 2 loops on hook (2 loops remain on hook shaft), yarn over pull thru last 2 loops on hook.

Pattern Notes:

All rounds are worked without turning, RS of fabric is always facing out.

Instructions

Crown

Rnd 1: Starting with an adjustable slip knot, ch 2, (sc, hdc, 10 dc) in 2nd ch from hook,

PM in each st using different color in last dc.  [1 sc, 1 hdc, 10 dc]

Rnd 2: (2 dc next st, move st marker to 2^nd st made)12 times.[24 dc]

Rnd 3: (Dc next st, 2 dc in marked st, move st marker to 2^nd st made)12 times. [36 dc]

Rnd 4: (Dc each un-marked st, 2 dc in marked st, move st marker to 2^nd st made) 12 times. [48 dc]

Rnds 5 – 6: Repeat Round 4. Stitch count end of Round 6 [72 dc]

Starting with first st marker remove every other marker (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11).

Rnd 7: (1 dc in each un-marked st, 2 dc in marked st, move st marker to 2^nd st made) 6 times. [78 dc]

Remove all but the last st marker.

Sides

Rnd 8: Dc in each st around, PM in last st of Rnd.

Rnds 9 – 16: Repeat Rnd 8.

Brim

Rnd 17: Hdc next st, sc next 77 sts.

Rnd 18: Sc next 77 sts, sl st next st, sl st back loop next st. Fasten off.

Finishing

Weave in all tails.