Staple Slouchy Crochet Hat
Living in Nova Scotia, Canada, I have about ¾ of the year where I am wearing something to keep warm. Because I live in ‘stocking’ caps/toques/beanies during the fall, winter and the spring, I have become particular with the way they fit, the materials and the colors they are made out of. They are such a big part of my wardrobe through the year that they need to be something I think suits me and my style.
So if you want something a certain way - why not make it?
This is where my Staple Slouchy comes in - it’s comfortable, easy, quick to make, and can be customized in just about any way you can think of! Want to add stripes? Have at ‘er. Want to make it out of a super soft yarn you just found? Go for it! Want to use up whatever worsted-weight yarn you have left in your scrap bin? Why not?
The fit for this crochet hat was inspired by wanting something that looked casual, but kind of unique and modern at the same time. We all know the ‘head hugger’ hats - with this pattern, I wanted the result to look more modern, and have a more comfortable fit that could be worn for hours if needed! So in short - this hat is both stylish and practical.
You can make this hat in whatever you have on hand - even use some different colors.
The Yarn
As I mentioned in the first part of this blog post, you can use any worsted weight (#4) yarn for this hat. I originally made this design using Lion Brand’s Heartland Yarn because of the wonderful feel, and the attractive heather-style colors. I’ve even made this hat in Lion Brand Scarfie which is a bulky weight yarn, but I still used quite a small hook (4mm/G) and the hat turned out great with a nice wooly feel (Scarfie is 20% wool). The nice part about trying another yarn in any pattern is that you can take the qualities you like most from a yarn and then transfer them into that pattern for a personalized result!
2 Reasons to try Heartland yarn: It’s high-quality texture and the colors (look at that shiny heathering!)
That being said, when I made this hat for a relative who wanted a different color than what I had available in Lion Brand’s Heartland, I grabbed some Red Heart Super Saver. It was an effortless swap in this pattern since it is also a worsted weight yarn, and was locally available to me so I didn’t have to go looking. BUT CHECK YOUR GAUGE - because using a different brand and feel of yarn definitely altered my sizing of the final product.
The Hook
Use any 4.5mm crochet you want for this Staple Slouchy! While designing this I went with a Clover Amour hook and switched out eventually for a Tulip Etimo - two consistently reliable options in my experience.
The Pattern
Yarn
1 Ball of Lion Brand Yarn’s Heartland - 5oz / 142g | 251yd / 230m
Hook
4.5mm Clover Amour
Gauge
6 round in pattern = 3.75in
Project Size (3 Sizes)
Adult Small / Teen (20.75in head circumference)
Adult Medium (23in head circumference)
Adult Large (24in head circumference)
To calculate your own custom size
Circumference:
Measured Head Circumference * .95 (5% ease) = Target Hat Circumference
Target Hat Circumference / 3.14159 = Target Crown Diameter
Length:
Measured Head Length (Crown to bottom of ear) + 1in / 2.54cm
Round final numbers to nearest .25in or .5cm.
Abbreviations
ch - chain; st - stitch; sl st - slip stitch; hdc - half double crochet; inc - increase (place 2 hdc in the same st); hdctlo - half double crochet in the third loop only; sc - single crochet
Notes
Left - joins/seam Right - hat worked in spiral/no seam
The three sizes are depicted in the pattern using the corresponding color in the instructions. Follow along with the color that instructs on your desired size. P.S. It is a good idea to highlight or circle the number you’re following to help keep on track. You can also purchase a printable PDF of this pattern at the Ace of Makes Store.
This pattern is worked in a spiral. This means that rather than joining at the end of each round in this hat, you continue to work around and around and use a stitch marker to keep track of each round. The most obvious reason for using this technique is that is eliminates the visible seam that is often present when crocheting in the round.
In this pattern, we are using one stitch for nearly the entire project - the half double crochet. Even when using the same stitch, by working in the third loop during the band rows of the staple crochet slouchy we are essentially shrinking the circumference of the band by a small amount each round. Doing this it means that the band portion of the hat will be more fitted than the top portion, so it stays comfortably on your head while staying relaxed around the crown.
To Start:
Create a ring (magic ring, loose knot)
OR
Ch 3 and join to the first chain with a slip stitch to form a ring.
The Crown
Round 1: Work 8 hdc into the beginning ring. | 8 sts |
Round 2: Inc in each st around. | 16 sts |
Round 3: (Hdc in next st, inc in next st). Repeat ( ) to end of the round. | 24 sts |
Round 4: (Hdc in next 2 sts, inc in next st). Repeat ( ) to end of round. | 32 sts |
Round 5: (Hdc in next 3 sts, inc in next st). Repeat ( ) to end of round. | 40 sts |
Round 6: (Hdc in next 4 sts, inc in next st). Repeat ( ) to end of round. | 48 sts |
Round 7: (Hdc in next 5 sts, inc in next st). Repeat ( ) to end of round. | 56 sts |
Round 8; (Hdc in next 6 sts, inc in next st). Repeat ( ) to end of round. | 64 sts |
Round 9: (Hdc in next 7 sts, inc in next st). Repeat ( ) to end of round. | 72 sts |
Round 10: (Hdc in next 8 sts, inc in next st). Repeat ( ) to end of round. | 80 sts |
Round 11: (Hdc in next 9 sts, inc in next st). Repeat ( ) to end of round. | 88 sts |
Round 12: (Hdc in next 10 sts, inc in next st). Repeat ( ) to end of round. | 96 sts |
Round 13: (Hdc in next 11 sts, inc in next st). Repeat ( ) to end of round. | 104 sts |
The Side
Rounds 11/12/13 - 24/26/26: Hdc in each st around. | 88, 96, 104 sts |
At this point piece will measure about 6.5/7/8.5 inches from the top of the crown to the bottom edge.
Now we’ll start working half double crochets in the third loop (Hdctlo) to create the texture for the hat’s band.
The Band
Rounds 24/26/26 - 36/38/38 (see photos below): Hdctlo in each st around. | 88, 96, 104 sts |
Round 37/39/39: Hdctlo in each st until the final 2 sts. Sc in second-to-last stitch. Sl st in the final st. | 88, 96, 104 sts |
Finished!
Fasten off and weave in your ends. I recommend hand washing this hat and drying flat to help maintain it long-term, but you can also throw it in the washer/dyer on gentle settings. Using some fabric softener when washing adds extra shine and drape to the finished hat!
