Scifi Chris here, more than a week later from the last post.  Seems like that once a week posting goal was a bit ambitious.  I’m going to try for a new post every other week.  Hopefully, that will be more realistic and doable.

Winter is coming.  Farmer’s Almanac predicts another very cold and snowy winter and we all know that FA correctly predicts the coming year’s weather about 80% of the time.  Well, that’s what they claim.  Some folks would debate the accuracy of their accuracy.  http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/winter-forecast-part-iii-the-old-farmers-almanac   

Chances are, though, for those of us that live in the Pittsburgh area, winter will be cold and snowy.   That brings us to this post’s topic – hats.  Crocheting hats is a quick and easy project.  It is an excellent stash buster.  It even has the added bonus of keeping you warm.

The following hat pattern is very basic.  It can be adapted to any type of yarn and hook size.  Its very flexible.   A few little additions and you end up with a wide range of looks.   Alternate colors for stripes.  Instead of just using double crochet, add in a few rows of single crochet.  Go through the backloops.  Make a mesh style hat, double crochet, chain once skipping a space, double crochet, repeating.  Sew on decorative buttons or a crocheted flower.   Make a unicorn hat by adding ears, a mane, and a horn. 

The brim has many options.  By alternating before and behind the posts, it creates a ribbed effect.  Shell stitch makes a lovely scalloped edge.  Using a few rows of single crochet gives a simple, finished edge.  Experiment to find a look you like.

 

Basic easy hat pattern:

Ø Use any type yarn and any size hook.   If you don’t have enough of one color, just add stripes.

Ø Chain until the chain is long enough to wrap around your head comfortably, where the bottom edge of the hat will sit.  Count the number of stitches.  This will be the number you want to end up with on your round.  For the average adult, it will be about 21 inches.  Babies are about 14 inches, children around 18 inches.  Undo the chain.

Ø Chain 3, in the first chain stitch DC (double crochet)  12 times.  Slip stitch into the first dc, forming the first round.  Chain 2. (12)

Ø DC twice in each stitch all the way around.  Slip stitch to join, forming the second round.  Chain 2. (24)

Ø DC twice in the first stitch, DC once in the next stitch.  Repeat until the end of the round.  Slip stitch to join, forming the third round.  Chain 2.  (36)

Ø DC twice in the first stitch, DC once in the next two stitches.  Repeat until the end of the round.  Slip stitch to join, forming the third round.  Chain 2.  (52)

Ø Now comes the tricky part.  You need to end up with however many stitches you had when you chained.  This may mean DC twice in one stitch, then DC once in the next three, repeating.  It may mean only doing the increase DC every five stitches or so .  Play around with it a bit until you get the correct number of stitches in your round.  Slip stitch to join, forming the fourth round.  Chain 2.  (Varies)

Ø DC  in each stitch all the way around.  Slip stitch to join to form the round.  Keep making rounds until the hat is almost as long as you want it.  I generally stop when it touches my ears.

Ø Brim:  Chain two.  DC around the stem of the first stitch, DC behind the stem of the next stitch.  Repeat to form ribbing.  Slip stitch to join to form the round.  Chain 2.  Repeat this row until you have about a one inch brim.  Bind off.