This is a simple pattern for newborn baby hats. It starts at the bottom, with a small square shape for the forehead and then tapers out to a pointy top. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make one with just single crochet stitches, but you could also add color changes (using slip stitch) if you want to add some flair!
CHAIN 2.
Chain 2 (counts as first double crochet)
Double Crochet in next stitch.
Continue to crochet around the entire hat, making sure that you do not twist it at any point.
SINGLE CROCHET IN SECOND CHAIN FROM HOOK (8 ON ROW 1)
Single crochet is a basic stitch. It’s essentially the same as half double crochet, but whichever term you prefer to use is fine! Single crochet is very easy to learn and can be used in many different patterns.
In this row we will be working single crochet stitches in the second chain from hook (8 on ROW 1). To start off with, make sure you have your yarn and hook ready! Then insert your hook into the second chain from hook (8 on ROW 1) and pull up a loop:
Now pull through both loops on hook:
You’re now left with one loop on your hook, which means you have completed one single crochet stitch:
SINGLE CROCHET IN EACH CHAIN ACROSS.
Single crochet is the most basic stitch. It can be used in many different projects, and is one of the first stitches you should learn if you’re just starting out crocheting.
Single crochet (sc) is worked by inserting your hook through the back loop only of a chain stitch or row below. Then, yarn over (yo), pull up a loop through that stitch and repeat until there are as many stitches as desired for your project.
TURN
Turn
Turning is a technique for creating a new row of stitches. To turn, bring the yarn to the front of the work and slip 1 stitch purlwise, then move the yarn to the back of your work. Turn your work so that you can now knit with right side facing you. Now, knit into that slipped stitch as if it were a normal stitch, but don’t drop it off just yet! Instead, slide it down to your left-hand needle so that it sits between two other stitches on your left-hand needle (as shown above). This way you can start knitting in rows again without having to cast on anything new!
SINGLE CROCHET IN EACH STITCH ACROSS.
Single Crochet in each stitch across.
Single crochet is when you wrap your hook around the yarn and pull through one loop on the hook. You can do this in any stitch, but it’s usually easiest to do in the next stitch. You can also single crochet in every single stitch or skip a few stitches if you want to make a pattern or change things up!
Repeat rows 2-4 until your pattern is wide enough for the baby head your making it for.
This is where you get to decide how wide and tall you want your hat to be. For example, if you have a newborn baby on hand for whom you can measure the circumference of their head, then go ahead and do this. But if not, it’s ok! You can also use a tape measure as a guide by wrapping it around the circumference of your own head (or child’s) until it fits snugly but comfortably. Then add 3-4 inches to that measurement so that there will be enough room for growth throughout babyhood.
Now we need to know how long our pattern should be so we can plan out our rows accordingly! The key here is figuring out what number of stitches equals 1 inch in length when crocheting with worsted weight yarn (about 3 stitches per inch). Multiply this number by how many stitches are required per row in each pattern round; this will give us an approximate length for each round which can then be multiplied by however many rounds total there are in order to get our general idea about how long these hats should ultimately end up being when finished!
How Do You Crochet A Newborn Hat
Having a solid baby hat pattern is a must: you can turn to it again and again, knowing you’ll always have something adorable to bring to the baby shower. Just think of this tutorial about how to crochet a baby hat as a recipe — add in whatever yarn you want and crochet at whichever gauge makes you happy. There’s always room to adapt and make the hat entirely your own.
Crochet Baby Hat
Level: Easy
What You Need
- Yarn (approximately 60 yards, will vary based on size)
- Crochet hook: pick a size suited to your yarn
Pro Tip: Choose a yarn that’s soft (like wool, if baby isn’t allergic), machine washable (new parents do not have time to hand wash) and fun to work with. We used Cloudborn Pima Cotton DK Yarn and a size G crochet hook.
Choose a Size
You need to know two measurements before you begin: the diameter and the length. For our example, which will be sized for a 6-month-old, we’ll use a diameter of 4½” and a length of 5½”. If you’re not sure what those measurements should be for the size you want to make, follow these suggestions:
- Size: Premie (Diameter: 2¾”; Length: 4″)
- Size: Newborn (Diameter: 3½”; Length: 5″)
- Size: 0-3 Months (Diameter: 4″; Length: 6″)
- Size: 3-6 Months (Diameter: 4½”; Length: 7″)
- Size: 6-9 Months (Diameter: 5½”; Length: 7½”)
- Size: 12 Months (Diameter: 6½”; Length: 8″)
- Size: 24 Months-4T (Diameter: 6¾”; Length: 8½”)
Remember, it’s always better to err on the side of too big when it comes to hats for babies: they grow fast, and eventually that hat is going to fit.
Abbreviations
- Ch – Chain
- Dc – Double crochet
- Sl st – Slip stitch
Instructions
Start With a Flat Circle
This hat is worked from the crown down, starting with a flat circle.
Pro Tip: You can crochet the circle using any stitches you want, working as many rounds as necessary to achieve the desired diameter. We used double crochet stitches in the example shown here.
Round 1: Ch 3 and work 9 dc in third chain from hook. (Or crochet a magic ring or adjustable loop and make 10 dc inside it.) Join the last stitch to the top of the first stitch to close the ring. (Total of 10 dc st.)
Round 2: Chain 3 (counts as first dc). 1 dc in same stitch as ch 3. 2 dc in each stitch around. Sl st to top of ch 3 to finish round. (Total of 20 dc st.)
Round 3: Chain 3 (counts as first dc). 2 dc in next stitch. *1 dc, 2 dc. Repeat from * around. Sl st to top of ch 3 to finish round. (Total of 30 dc st.)
Round 4: Chain 3 (counts as first dc). 1 dc, 2 dc. *1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc. Repeat from * around. Sl st to top of ch 3 to finish round. (Total of 40 dc st.)
Round 5: Chain 3 (counts as first dc). 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc. *1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc. Repeat from * around. Sl st to top of ch 3 to finish round. (Total of 50 dc st.)
Remember to measure the diameter of your circle after each round to determine when you’ve reached the size that you want. In our example, we reached the 4½” diameter after five rounds of double crochet. You could continue with additional rounds until you reach your diameter, then it’s time to move onto the body of the hat.
Crochet the Body of the Hat
You’ll create the hat’s body by continuing to create rounds but without any increasing. You’ll simply crochet one stitch in each stitch from the round below, adding rows until you reach the length (from crown to bottom row) that you desire.
Round 6: Chain 3 (counts as first dc). Dc in each stitch around. Sl st to top of ch 3 to finish round. (Total 50 dc st per round).
Repeat Round 6 until your hat reaches your desired length. For me, I reached the 5½” length after five rounds of the body of the hat (10 rounds total in the hat).
Add an Edging
Adding a crochet edging is totally optional, but definitely adds a bit of flair to an otherwise basic hat. Bear in mind that an edging will increase the overall length of your hat. If you’re concerned about an exact fit, add the edging into your calculations.
An edging doesn’t have to be fancy: we used a simple single crochet border by adding an 11th round to the baby hat by working ch 1 (counts as first sc), sc in each st around, sl st to ch 1 to close the round (for a total of 50 sc stitches).
Conclusion
That’s it! You have finished your first crochet hat pattern. This is a very easy pattern that can be adjusted to fit any size head. I hope this tutorial has helped you learn how to make your own cute crochet baby hats and if not feel free to contact me with questions or concerns!