When I teach my Beyond Basics crochet classes, I like to incorporate fun projects to help students learn the techniques I cover. This basic striped crochet hat pattern is worked in half double crochets (hdc) and helps give my students a better understanding of gauge, working in the round, clean color changes, increasing, and creating a ribbed effect with post stitches. They get to learn all this while also creating something they can actually wear or give as a gift!
So whether you are trying to build on your basic crochet knowledge or just want a cute striped crochet hat, give this hdc hat pattern a go. The finished hat has a classic beanie-style fit with a simple ribbed edge. You may also like my one-color easy crochet hat pattern here.
About This Striped Crochet Hat Pattern
Pattern Details
- Skill level: Easy
- Yarn: Worsted-weight yarn in 2 colors
- Hook: 5 mm (US H-8)
- Gauge: 13 hdc × 11 rows = 4 in. (10 cm)
- Finished size: Approximately 20 in. (51 cm) circumference × 8 in. (20 cm) crown to brim
- Stitches: Half double crochet and front post double crochet
- Construction: Worked in the round from the crown down
- Size: Adult; easily adjusted using my Hat Sizing Guide
Supplies
- 2 colors worsted-weight yarn (shown here in Cascade 220)
- US H-8 / 5 mm crochet hook
- Tapestry needle and scissors
Helpful Crochet Resources: Refer to my Crochet Abbreviations and U.S. to U.K. Crochet Conversion Chart as you work through the pattern.
Add this pattern to your Ravelry library.
Notes
- I prefer starting rounds with a ch-1 followed by the first st of the round because I feel it leaves a less obvious “seam”; however, if you prefer the more traditional ch-2 start, count the ch-2 as a stitch and use it in place of the ch-1 and the first hdc (end-of-round stitch counts should remain the same).
- Choose one yarn as Color A (CA) and the second yarn as Color B (CB). Alternate colors as indicated throughout the pattern.
Abbreviations
CA = color A
CB = color B
ch = chain
FPdc = front post double crochet
hdc = half double crochet
rep = repeat
st(s) = stitch(es)
Special Stitch
Front Post Double Crochet (FPdc): Yarn over and insert hook from the front around the back and to the front again around the post of the stitch in the previous round. Complete as a regular double crochet.
Striped Crochet Hat Instructions
With CA, make a magic ring (or, as an alternative to the magic ring, you can ch 2 and work Round 1 in the second ch from hook).
Round 1: Continuing with CA, ch 1 and work 8 hdc in ring; join in top of 1st hdc with CB, and tug tail gently to close the hole — 8 sts.
Round 2: Continuing with CB, ch 1 (does not count as st here and throughout; see note), work 2 hdc in same st as join and in each st around, join with CA — 16 sts.
Round 3: Continuing with CA, ch 1, work 2 hdc in same st as join, 1 hdc in next st, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next st, rep from * around, join with CB — 24 sts.
Round 4: Continuing with CB, ch 1, work 2 hdc in same st as join, 1 hdc in each of the next 2 sts, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 2 sts, rep from * around, join with CA — 32 sts.
Round 5: Continuing with CA, ch 1, work 2 hdc in same st as join, 1 hdc in each of the next 3 sts, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 3 sts, rep from * around, join with CB — 40 sts.
Round 6: Continuing with CB, ch 1, work 2 hdc in same st as join, 1 hdc in each of the next 4 sts, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 4 sts, rep from * around, join with CA — 48 sts.
Round 7: Continuing with CA, ch 1, work 2 hdc in same st as join, 1 hdc in each of the next 5 sts, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 5 sts, rep from * around, join with CB — 56 sts.
Round 8: Continuing with CB, ch 1, work 2 hdc in same st as join, 1 hdc in each of the next 6 sts, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 6 sts, rep from * around, join with CA — 64 sts.
Round 9: Continuing with CA, ch 1, work 1 hdc in the same st as the join and in each st around, join with CB — 64 sts.
Round 10: Continuing with CB, ch 1, work 1 hdc in same st as join and each st around, join with CA — 64 sts.
Rounds 11 through 18: Repeat Rounds 9 and 10. After completing Round 18, fasten off CB only.
Round 19: Continuing with CA, ch 1, work 1 hdc in same st as join and each st around, join — 64 sts.
Round 20: Ch 1, work 1 hdc in same st as join, 1 FPdc around next hdc, *1 hdc in next st, 1 FPdc around next, rep from * around, join — 64 sts.
Rounds 21 and 22: Ch 1, work 1 hdc in same st as join, 1 FPdc around next FPdc, *1 hdc in next st, 1 FPdc around next FPdc, rep from * around, join — 64 sts.
Fasten off and weave in ends.
More Crochet Hat Patterns
- Easy Crochet Hat Pattern for Beginners
- Little Sweetheart Child Hat Pattern
- Mod Cluster Stitch Crochet Hat Pattern
- O’Hara Hat Crochet Pattern
More Crochet Tutorials
Find Community
I would love to see your finished projects; share them with me on Instagram, Facebook, or the Petals to Picots Community.
Thanks for a hat pattern with a good ending stitch count! So many crochet hat patterns do not have that and usually result in larger hats than needed. I’ve made many hats for my two grown daughters and their group of friends and will always remember when one of them posted a photo on facebook of him wearing a hat I had made him that was very loose. I’ve since learned to make adult sizes of small, medium and large with ending (or beginning if bottom up) stitch counts of 60, 64, and 68. Not everyone likes a loose fitting hat!
So happy the fit worked out the way you like it 🙂
Thank you for pattern it was real simple to understand.
Kara, please clarify. When changing color of yarn, is the working yarn dropped and carried along inside hat? This would be versus breaking yarn with each color change. If so, do you have any hints how to carry the non-working yarn so it is undetectable? Thanks. -Rosemary
Hi Rosemary 🙂 Yes, I carry the colors on the inside of the hat, without cutting each time. Since it doesn’t carry up multiple rounds I don’t use any special trick or technique since it’s only on the inside of the hat and the floats are not too long.
THANK YOU thank you thank you! Decided to try to bust my “leftover” stash by making hats and came across your pattern. I have been crocheting for many years but had never heard of the ch1 verses ch2 on starting rounds. I have always used ch2, but never again. What a big difference. No more seam. I love it! Thanks for sharing your pattern.
Yay! I’m so glad you liked it!!
Leaves a very obvious seam. Perhaps I did something wrong…
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What is CA and CB?
CA = color A; CB = color B 🙂
Just made 2 hats for the Veterans in the same colors before I saw your Post in my News Feed and Yarn Whisperers of Baltimore, MD.
We enjoy following you. Great Minds think alike!
Howdy…Saw your hat post on on my news feed after I made 2 hats for the Veterans in the identical colors. Great Minds think alike.