How to always make the Perfect Beanie or Hat – Crochet Tutorial

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It is the time of the year again, where everyone makes hats and beanies. Well, I noticed that many people, especially beginners struggle with making hats or beanies for different sized heads.

I personally create all my hat and beanie patterns with a certain math formula in mind. All you need to know is how to measure the hat or beanie you are making in the correct way and how to measure someones head. Then you are good to go. Use this process to create and use any pattern and modify it to your desired need.

Beanie or Hat?

In case you do not know the difference between a beanie and a hat, here’s how to tell. Most people use them interchangeably, but usually a beanie is rounded on top with no additional accessories, such as a pom-pom, where as a hat usually has a pom-pom.

Some people also go so far as to say that a beanie does not really have a ribbing. But I think a beanie is one without a pom-pom and a hat has a pom-pom or something else attached to the top.

Need more tips and tricks for crochet and awesome and useful tools and accessories? Be sure to check them out HERE.

If you have never made a hat or beanie before, then let me explain to you really quick the 3 ways how you can make one. The impressive thing on all 3 techniques is that you can use any stitch or stitch pattern and every one of them will work out great and fit perfectly for any size head.

UPDATE: It was requested to get this entire tutorial (no pattern included) as a pdf! Well, great news. I created the entire 13 page tutorial as a downloadable pdf for purchase in my Etsy Shop (ad-free). If you do not mind the ads, you can find the free version below. Enjoy

1. Making a Top Down Beanie or Hat

First, you can start a beanie or hat from the top down, which means you would start by making a circle and when you reached the desired diameter according to the formula seen below, then you just extend the circle without increases anymore. Usually, top down patterns are ideal for beanies, but are used for hats as well.

This technique is the most favorite one for most crocheters and very widely used. I have below an example pattern of a very basic double crochet beanie scroll or go to point 5.

And of course you can also make a Messy Bun Beanie which you can start by using a hair elastic and crocheting around it and then extending it to the diameter needed.

Now, if you do not like the front and back post stitches that are usually used for top down beanie, you should try out the very easy technique on how to crochet the perfect ribbed brim.

I made a Messy Bun Hat pattern, which you can find HERE.

2. Bottom Up Hat

Secondly, you could start from the bottom up. That is usually done for multiple reason. When I create hat patterns and realize that the stitch I want to use does not allow a nice way to decrease it, then I create a hat, instead of a beanie and start from the bottom.

When starting from the bottom, most people start with a nice rippled edge which is made flat and then gets connected via slip stitches to make a circle that gets extended with an additional pattern that is made in rounds which is then easier closed up by doing creasing rounds or by sewing the top opening shut.

I have an example of a hat pattern where I used the Bottom Up technique HERE.

If you have never tried the Waistcoat stitch which is also known as the knit stitch, you should really try it. You can see an example for this stitch on the picture below.

In order to know how long the flat piece for the rippled edge should be, all you have to do is measure the persons head who will wear the hat. After you joined the ends of the flat piece to make a circle, you will work your way upwards in rounds. It will look like a tube. In order to know how long you need to crochet, you will measure the distance between the eyebrows and the top of the head.

3. From a Rectangle to a Hat or Beanie

Thirdly, you could make a large rectangle and then turn it into a head as well. This one is actually one of the easiest for most people, although this technique is not commonly used.

You would use the same measurements as in the second choice above, but make it into a rectangle.

For your convenience and if you can’t imagine how that would work, I made a beanie like that and have a written pattern HERE.

Have you ever tried the cable stitch? I created a tutorial on how to always crochet the perfect cable stitch no matter the stitch amount.

4. How to measure someone’s Head and a Measurement Reference Table

If you do not know how to measure someone’s head, then this information should be very helpful. Furthermore, I will explain to you how to get from the head circumference to the diameter of the beanie which is important for the Top Down Technique!

Let me first show you a couple of pictures that show you how to measure the head. The first one will provide you with the head circumference measurement. The measuring tape goes around the head, being right above the eyebrows and the base of the hair on the neck on the back.

And the second picture will show you how to measure the head to get the hat or beanie height. You will measure for the back top part of the head to right above the eyebrows.

Once you know the head circumference, you can now calculate the diameter of the head. Below I have the formula listed which is much easier and not scary at all! Really!

Hat/ Beanie/ Head DIAMETER = Head Circumference : Pi (3.14)

And you did not think you would use the number Pi after being done with school? Well, you will need it here, but luckily the formula is easy and super helpful.

In case you do not have the person that you making the hat or beanie for close by, I have made a reference table that should help you also. It has all the important general measurements listed and organized by age or even the gender of the person.

5. Basic Double Crochet Beanie using the Top Down Technique

Here I would like to give you an example pattern of how to crochet a beanie using the top down technique. It is super easy and fast to make.

Some people do not like a ribbing on their beanie. That is fine. You will just continue the pattern until the height of the beanie is made. However, I do prefer a nice ribbing on my beanie, so below you will see how to do that as well.

Materials:

Usually you use worsted weighted yarn to make beanies or hats, but you can also use bulky or super bulky or even sports yarn. For this example, I used worsted weighted yarn.

Use the hook size recommended for the yarn you are using.

Instructions:

Round 1

Start with making a Magic Ring (if you never made one, please click HERE for the instructions).

No matter which stitch, hook or yarn use you use, use the below reference table to know how many stitches you need to start with.

In my case I made 12 dc’s into a magic ring for round 1. Slip stitch to the first st.

Below you can see a reference table on how many chains for the beginning or a turning chain are appropriate per stitch type used.

Now we start increasing. I will mark the number that will increase by ONE per ONE ROUND as well as show what that means in BOLD NUMBERS.

Round 2

Ch 2, 2 dc in the same stitch all around, sl st to the first st (24 sts)

Round 3

Ch 2, *1 dc in the same stitch as the beginning chain, 2 dc in the same stitch, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st (36 sts)

The first dc always goes in the same stitch as the beginning chain if you do not count it as a stitch.

Round 4

Ch 2, *1 dc in the next 2 sts, 2 dc in the same stitch, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st (48 sts)

Round 5

Ch 2, *1 dc in the next 3 sts, 2 dc in the same stitch, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st (60 sts)

Continue until you reach the diameter of the head you are making the beanie for.

In my case, after round 5, I realized I got the diameter I needed. Now, extend the beanie size to equal the height of the head.

Round 6

Ch 2, 1 dc in each stitch all around, sl st to the first st (60 sts)

Round 7- 12

repeat round 6

Now I add ribbing on the bottom of the beanie. If you do not like that, then add and subtract rounds to get the right height. The ribbing is made out of FPDC’s and BPDC’s. If you have never made Front Post Double Crochets or Back Post Double Crochets, then please click HERE for the tutorial.

If you do not like those stitches, then check out my detailed tutorial on how to crochet the perfect ribbed brim every time, especially for top down beanies.

Round 13 – 14

Ch 2, *1 FPDC, 1 BPDC, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st (60 sts)

Now, fasten off and weave in the ends. Feel free to add a pom-pom to make the beanie into a hat. Check out this tutorial HERE to see how to make a pom-pom using a pom-pom maker.

I hope this tutorial helps and you find it useful. PLEASE SHARE IT by using the corresponding share buttons above or below this post. THANK YOU! <3

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