How to Crochet a Baby Hat

How to Crochet a Baby Hat

Learning how to crochet a baby hat allows you to create adorable matching sets with your handmade baby booties and/or baby blankets. The needlework craft of crochet is beloved not only for its mental health benefits but also for its ability to create garments without traditional fabric.

If you already know how to crochet a hat for adults, learning how to make a baby hat in crochet should be a piece of cake. This article will include a wide range of beginner-friendly baby hat patterns, including:

    • how to crochet a baby beanie for a beginner
    • how to crochet a baby hat for 0-3 months old babies and older

 If you are still learning how to crochet, make sure you at least know the four basic crochet stitches: single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, and triple crochet.

 Each section will cover the materials needed, step-by-step instructions, and tips for taking the project to the next level.

How to Crochet a Baby Beanie

Let’s start with the basics by learning how to crochet a baby beanie hat. Baby beanies are simple to create, stylish, functional, and always in style. Beanies look great on babies of any age, making them the perfect baby hat shape if you’re ever in doubt.

Single crochet kids beanies
Image source: Crochet Pattern Bonanza

This pattern from Erica Jackofsky is wonderfully adaptable, even for beginners. It’s actually more like a guide and shows you how to create a crochet circle by working in rounds of single crochet stitches. 

Thanks to its versatility, this loose crochet pattern can also be followed to practice how to crochet a newborn hat for beginners. 

Materials:

    • Yarn: Although you can technically use any type of yarn for this project, you can’t go wrong with “baby yarn”, which is softer and perfect for sensitive baby skin. If you’re a true beginner, stick with light, solid-colored, worsted weight yarn with low levels of texture. See the chart below for guidelines on yarn length needed for different ages.

Red heart soft baby steps yarn
Image source: Create for Less

    • Hook: Grab the appropriately sized crochet hook for your yarn weight. You can refer to reference charts if you’re in doubt. No need to worry about gauge because you can simply stop increasing when the beanie has reached its desired size.
    • Yarn or tapestry needle
    • Scissors 
Approximate Yarn Length Needed for Baby Beanies

Age

Estimated Yarn Needed

Preemie

30 to 50 yards

Newborn

50 to 70 yards

Baby

60 to 80 yards

Toddler

70 to 90 yards

If you are creating a hat for a specific little one in your life, the best way to determine the hat size is by measuring the baby itself. Measure the baby’s head circumference, and then make sure your finished product is approximately half of that length when folded flat.

Instructions: 

    1.  Make a ring by either:
      • Creating a magic ring
      • Chaining four and joining the last stitch to the first stitch with a slip stitch.

How to crochet a baby beanie
Image source: Sigoni Macaroni

      2. Work round one, by either:

      • With a magic ring: Work eight single crochets into the center of the ring. Pull the yarn tail to close the magic ring.
      • With a traditional ring: Chain one (this will count as your first single crochet). Stitch seven more single crochets into the center of your ring. Slip stitch to the first chain to join the round.

      3. Increase round one: double the number of stitches. Chain one (this counts as the first single crochet). Stitch a single crochet in the stitch at the chain base. Work two single crochets in the next stitch, and repeat this seven times. Slip stitch to join the round.

      4. Increase round two: increase in every other stitch. Chain one (counts as the first single crochet). Work a single crochet in the base of the chain stitch. Single crochet in the next stitch. Repeat the following process seven times: [work two single crochet in the next stitch, then work one single crochet in the next stitch]. Slip stitch to join the round.

Keep increasing until you reach the desired size. Continue increasing by eight stitches every round until your circle has the same circumference of the baby’s head.

      5. Round three: Chain one (your first single crochet). Work a single crochet at the base of the chain stitch. Single crochet in each of the following two stitches. Repeat the following process seven times: [work two single crochets in the next stitch, then work 1 single crochet of the next two stitches]. Slip stitch to join the round.

      6. Round four: Chain one (your first single crochet). Stitch a single crochet in the stitch at the base of your chain stitch. Place a single crochet in each of the next three stitches. Repeat the following process seven times: [work two single crochets in the next stitch, then work one single crochet in each of the next three stitches]. Slip stitch to join.

      7. (Optional): continue increasing in this same pattern if you want to create a beanie measuring more than 13 ¼ inches.

      8. Work even. Work one single crochet in each stitch without increasing.

      9. Repeat step 8 until the beanie measures the desired depth (recommended 5-6 inches from the center ring. Check to see if it fits.

     10. Finish by fastening off the yarn and weaving in ends.

Congratulations, you have learned how to crochet a baby cap in the simplest method. By stopping your increases earlier, you can also learn a fantastic method for how to crochet a newborn hat for beginners.

Crochet baby hat pattern
Image source: Posh Patterns

Just because the pattern is simple doesn’t mean that the finished product has to be boring and impersonal! The personalization options are endless, so feel free to use your imagination. Three of our favorite ways to personalize a basic baby beanie include:

    • Adding a personalized woven label with the baby’s name to the outside
    • Stitching a crochet applique to the outside of the hat, such as a crochet heart shape
    • Finishing the beanie with a crochet edging
    • Working up a quick matching scarf in the same yarn and stitch for mom. Who doesn’t love a matching set?

How to Crochet a Baby Hat: 0-3 Months and Older 

If you’re looking for a crochet baby hat pattern that is intended for an older range of ages, look no further than this precious baby hat pattern. The instructions below are for the average 0-3-month-old, but be sure to check out the table below for precise sizing guides.

Crochet baby hat
Image source: Crochet Dreamz

Age

Standard Hat Diameter

Standard Hat Length/Depth

Premie

2 ¾ inches

4 inches

Newborn

3 ½ inches

5 inches

0-3 Months

4 inches

6 inches

3-6 Months

4 ½ inches

7 inches

6-9 Months

5 ½ inches

7 ½ inches

12 Months

6 ½ inches

8 inches

24 Months – 4 Years

6 ¾ inches

8 ½ inches

 Materials:

    • Super bulky yarn (size 6)
    • 10 mm crochet hook
    • Yarn/tapestry needle
    • Stitch marker

Hat Instructions:

    1. Round one: Make a magic ring and work eight single crochet stitches into it. Close the ring. Do not slip stitch or turn!
    2. Round two: Work two single crochets in the next stitch. Place a stitch marker in the stitch you just made. Work two single crochets in each of the next seven stitches, ending just before the first one that you marked. Do not slip stitch or turn.
    3. Round three: Work one single crochet in the next market stitch. Move the marker to the first stitch of round three that you just created. Work two single crochets in the next stitch. Repeat the following process until you end in the stitch just before the first marked one: [work one single crochet in the next stitch, then two single crochet in the next stitch].
    4. Round four: Work one single crochet in the next market stitch. Move the marketer to the first stitch of round four (the one you just made). Work two single crochets in the next stitch. Stitch one single crochet in the next 11 stitches. Work two single crochets in the next stitch. Work one single crochet in each stitch across until you end in the stitch just before the marked one. Don’t slip stitch or turn.
    5. Round five: Work one single crochet in the marked stitch and move the marker to the stitch you’ve just made. Work one single crochet into each stitch across until you end in the stitch before the marked one. Don’t slip stitch or turn.
    6. Repeat round five three more times. Your hat should now be about five inches long.
    7. Fold your hat. WOrk single crochets until you reach the “side” you’ve just created by folding the hat in half so it lays flat.

How to crochet an infant hat
Image source: Crochet Dreamz

      8. Last round: Slip stitch to the back loop only of the next stitch on the side fold. Chain one. Work one single crochet in the back loop only of the same stitch as chain one. Work one single crochet in the back loop only of each stitch across to the end. Slip stitch into the first single crochet. Fasten off.

How to crochet a baby cap
Image source: Crochet Dreamz

Ear Instructions:

Now it’s time to create and attach the sweet little crochet ears that give this hat all of its personality!

    1. Chain three, work two single crochets in the second chain away from the hook. Stitch two single crochets in the next chain. Turn.
    2. Chain one, work two single crochets in the same stitch as chain one. Work two single crochets in each of the three remaining stitches.
    3. Fasten off with a 15-inch tail.
    4. Repeat to make the second ear.
    5. Thread the long tail through your needle. Run the needle in and out through the straight bottom edge of the ear. Pull to cinch. Repeat for the second ear.

Ear for crochet baby hat
Image source: Crochet Dreamz

      6. Decide where you’d like to attach the ears to the hat. Sew the ears onto the hat, attaching them along the fold of either side.

Now all that’s left is to finish off the hat by weaving in ends and adding custom care labels and/or a hangtag! Care labels are great for gifts so that the recipient can keep the hat in great condition after many washes. Hangtags take your crochet business’ branding to the next level.

If you prefer to watch rather than read your crochet patterns, check out the video tutorial below.

How to crochet a baby beanie for beginners
Image source: Crochet Dreamz

With a few adjustments to rounds four through six, this pattern can also be adjusted to make a larger hat for an infant. If you’d like to learn how to crochet an infant hat using this pattern, read the full pattern notes here.