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This pattern is available as an inexpensive PDF in my Etsy and Ravelry shops!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Despite it being my first Thanksgiving without my mom, I had a peaceful and happy day with my family. I love hosting holidays, so I poured myself into preparing food and making my house into a cozy Autumn space, and it was very fulfilling 🙂

NOW it’s time to transform that space into a Winter Wonderland and prepare for Christmas. Of course it will also be my first Christmas without my mom, and I feel like the more I decorate and go over the top, the more bearable it will be. Who knows if that’s logical, but it’s what I’m doing!

For my son’s first Christmas I crocheted him a couple festive hats for the season. One was more of an elf hat, and one more of a Santa hat.

I Pinterested and then winged it for both of them, but now that I have another kiddo I want to make her matching ones! So there I was counting stitches and recreating because I didn’t have the sense to write it down initially, which is the story of my life.

As you can see my kid loved being a part of this:

So here is the Santa Hat! The hat starts with a ribbed band created by crocheting short rows of single crochet, but using the back loops only (this is what creates the ribbing effect). Once that is joined to create the circular band, the rest of the hat is crocheted in the round using double crochet, and double crochet 2-together (or the decrease stitch).

I would classify the skill level as easy. The decrease stitch might sound intimidating, but is very simple to complete, and you will get the hang of it no problem!

You can grab an inexpensive PDF version of this pattern in my Etsy and Ravelry shops.

You can also get the pattern for my Elf Hat from Etsy or Ravelry!

MATERIALS

• 2 skeins of chunky weight yarn (1 skein red, 1 skein white)
• Size 6.5 mm crochet hook
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

 

ABBREVIATIONS

This pattern is written in US terms.

• ch = chain
• sc = single crochet
• dc = double crochet
• dc2tog = double crochet 2 stitches together (decrease stitch)
• st =  stitch
• sl st = slip stitch

INTRODUCTION

This pattern requires the use of the decrease stitch, which is achieved by double crocheting 2 together. To do this, complete a dc, but do not yarn over and pull through for the final time. Keeping 2 loops on your hook, complete another dc, pulling through all 3 loops to finish. If you are unfamiliar, there are many great tutorials you can find on this stitch! YouTube is a wealth of crochet information.

The seemingly sporadic placement of the decrease stitches in this pattern is by design, to avoid having decreases stacked on top of one another, which may make your hat lopsided. I have included to total number of decreases for each round at the end of each line in the pattern. This way, if you are creating a different sized hat for a bigger/smaller child, you will still know the appropriate number of decreases for that round.

For the stitch count for each row, I am counting each dc completed. This means that each dc2tog counts as 2 dc for counting purposes.

PATTERN

BAND:

Use white yarn.

Foundation row: Ch 7

R1: Sc into 2nd ch from hook. Sc across the row (will be 6 st). Ch 1 and turn.

Row 2: Sc into first st, crocheting into the back loop only. Continue across the row. Ch 1 and turn.

Row 3-50: Repeat row 2.

NOTE: I completed 50 rows to create a band for an approx 20 lb 6 month old.

Join your last row to your first row using sc, whip stitch, or the joining stitch of your choice. Tie off your work and weave in ends.

HAT:

Use red yarn.

Sl st onto any row edge of your band.

R1: Ch 3 (this counts as your first st; you may opt to ch 2 depending on your preferences). Dc into the ch sp at the end of each row. Sl st into the 3rd ch of your ch 3 from the beginning of the round to join.

For a 50-row band, I had 48 st + the ch 3. If you end up with more or less, just add/subtract the difference from the subsequent rows, but keep the same amount of decreases. It shouldn’t impact the finished product.

R2: Repeat R1.

 

R3: Ch 3. *Dc 8, dc2tog*. Repeat * 3 more times. Dc 5. For last st, dc2tog. Sl st into ch 3 to join the round. There should be 47 dc stitches, your ch 3 from the beginning of the row, and 5 decrease stitches (dc2tog).

R4: Ch 3. Dc 3, dc2tog, *dc 8, dc2tog*. Repeat * until the end of the round. Your last st will be a dc. Sl st to join round. (43 st + ch 3; 4 decreases)

R5: Ch 3. Dc 13, dc2tog, *dc 10, dc2tog*. Repeat * one more time, until end of row. You will end on a dc2tog. Sl st to join round. (39 st + ch 3; 3 decreases)

R6: Ch 3. Dc 10, dc2tog, dc 16, dc2tog, dc 5 to end of round. Sl st to join round. (35 st + ch 3; 2 decreases)

R7: Ch 3. Dc 8, dc2tog, dc 6, dc2tog, dc 6, dc2tog, dc 5, dc2tog. Sl st to join round. (33 st + ch 3; 4 decreases)

R8: Ch 3. *Dc 5, dc2tog*. Repeat * 3 times. Dc 1, sl st to join round. (29 st + ch 3; 4 decreases)

R9: Ch 3. Dc 2, dc2tog, dc 3, dc2tog, dc 4, dc2tog, dc 4, dc2tog, dc 4. Sl st to join round (25 st + ch 3; 4 decreases)

R10: Ch 3. Dc 4, dc2tog, dc 2, dc2tog, dc 3, dc2tog, dc 3, dc2tog, dc 1. Sl st to join round. (21 st + ch 3; 4 decreases)

R11: Ch 3. *Dc 2, dc2tog*. Repeat * 3 more times. Dc 1, sl st to join round. (17 st + ch 3; 4 decreases)

R12: Ch 3. *Dc 2, dc2tog*. Repeat * 2 more times. Dc 1, sl st to join round. (12 st + ch 3, 3 decreases)

Pull yarn all the way through to tie off work. Leave a long tail.

Using a tapestry needle, close the top of your hat by criss crossing across your final round. This will create cross stitches for you to attach your pom pom.

POM POM:

Use white yarn.

Make a pom pom using a tool or by winding the yarn yourself. If using a tool, follow the instructions that came with it. If doing it by hand, use the following instructions:

1. Place the end of the yarn between your pinky and ring fingers.
2. Wind the yarn around your hand from your pinky to your index finger. More yarn = bigger pom pom.
3. When you have reached your desired size, cut the yarn so that it ends at your pinky.
4. Carefully remove the wound yarn from your hand and tie a separate piece of yarn around the middle. NOTE: This separate piece of yarn should be very long, as the 2 tails from it will be used to attach your pom pom.
5. Insert your scissors into the loops and cut the loops from both ends of the wound yarn.
6. Fluff and trim as necessary.

ATTACH THE POM POM:

There are many ways to attach a pom pom. If you don’t have a favorite way yet, this is my favorite way:

1. Insert the tails of your pom pom through the center of the top of your hat, straddling at least one stitch that you used to close the top of your hat.
2. Turn the hat inside out.
3. Tie the tails around one or more of the cross stitches you used to close your hat.
4. Sew in a few inches of your tail to the inside of your hat for extra security.

That’s it! I hope the recipient of this adorable little hat looks great and is actually keeping it on his or her head 😉

(c) Nicolle Bernard, 2018

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