Easy Top-Down Crochet Beanie
Once you have made a flat circle, you can make a hat. This beanie grows from a magic ring into a flat crown of half double crochet, then works straight down to a firm single crochet brim.
- Skill level
- Easy
- Finished size
- Child: about 16.75 in (42.5 cm) around · Adult M: 19.25 in (49 cm) · Adult L: 21.5 in (55 cm), unstretched. About 7 (8, 8.5) in / 18 (20, 21.5) cm tall.
- Yarn weight
- Medium / Worsted
- Hook
- 5 mm (US H-8)
- Time
- About 3–4 hours
- Terminology
- US terms
Gauge: 15 hdc and 11 rounds = 4 in (10 cm) worked in joined rounds. Check your gauge — it determines the finished size.
On this page
About this pattern
Every top-down hat follows the same plan. Nine increases in each round keep the crown flat, and you stop increasing when the circle is the right size for the head. After that, plain rounds build the height, and a few rounds of single crochet finish the edge so it hugs the forehead.
Sizes are given for a child (head 18–19.5 in / 46–49.5 cm), an adult medium (20.5–22 in / 52–56 cm) and an adult large (22.5–24 in / 57–61 cm). The finished hat is a little smaller around than the head, so it stays on.
Try it on as you go: because the hat is worked from the top, you can check the height on the wearer's head before starting the brim. For an even easier first hat with no rounds, see the easy beginner crochet hat.
Why you'll love it
- Teaches the flat-circle method behind almost every crochet hat
- Three sizes from one set of simple rounds
- Try it on as you go and stop at exactly the right height
- A quick, useful gift for autumn and winter
Materials
Worsted-weight yarn
Estimated
About 105 (130, 155) yd / 96 (119, 142) m
5 mm (US H-8) crochet hook
Or the size that gives you the gauge
Stitch marker, tapestry needle and tape measure
Abbreviations
- ch
- chain
- hdc
- half double crochetUK: htr
- sc
- single crochetUK: dc
- sl st
- slip stitchUK: ss
- inc
- increase — work 2 stitches in the same stitch
- st(s)
- stitch(es)
- rnd(s)
- round(s)
- [ ]
- repeat the instructions inside the brackets the number of times stated
- ( )
- stitch count at the end of a round or row, or a group worked into one stitch
This pattern uses US terms. Convert US ↔ UK terms
Stitches used
Notes before you start
- Sizes are written as Child (Adult M, Adult L). Follow the numbers for your size throughout.
- Rounds are joined. The ch 2 at the start of each round does not count as a stitch — work the first hdc into the same stitch as the join.
- Here, inc means 2 hdc in the same stitch.
- Place a marker in the first stitch of each round so the join is easy to find.
- Written in US crochet terms. In UK terms, hdc is half treble (htr) and sc is double crochet (dc).
Free pattern
The pattern
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Tick rows and rounds as you finish them — your progress is saved on this device.
Crown
Tip: Lay the crown flat and measure across the middle. It should be about 5.25 (6, 7) in / 13.5 (15.5, 17.5) cm. If it is much bigger or smaller, check your gauge before continuing.
Body
Brim
Finishing
Tips
- If the crown ruffles, your tension may be loose — try a smaller hook. If it cups into a bowl too early, try a larger one.
- Measure the height from the very center of the crown, with the hat lying flat.
- Keep the joins lined up at the back of the hat so the seam line stays out of sight.
Variations
- Bobble hat
- Make a pompom about 3 in (7.5 cm) across and tie it securely to the center of the crown. Skip it for babies and children under 3.
- Fold-up brim
- Work about 2.5 in (6 cm) more of even rounds before the brim, then fold the bottom edge up.
- Stripes
- Change color every 2 rounds on the body, joining the new color with the slip stitch at the end of a round.
Common questions
How do I know when to stop increasing?
Stop at the round given for your size, then lay the crown flat and measure across it. About 5.25 (6, 7) in / 13.5 (15.5, 17.5) cm means your crown is the right size for the hat.
Is this beanie good for beginners?
It is an easy pattern if you can already work half double crochet. For a very first hat with no rounds or increases, try the easy beginner crochet hat, which is made from a rectangle.
My hat came out too big. What happened?
Your gauge is probably looser than 15 hdc per 4 in. Try a smaller hook, or follow the instructions for the next size down.
Written by
Founder & editor
Akram Afkir runs All About Crochet from Casablanca, Morocco, and is responsible for the patterns, tutorials and guides published on the site.
- Pattern testing
- Not yet tested
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