Crocheted hat

After a few attempts at making the Swedish Olympic hat, I finally gave up and made up a hat pattern of my own. This is the result, hope you like it. I have made both a tight fitting hat and a longer, more floppy beanie style hat. The hat is pretty stretchable and this size will fit most people :)

You will need:

* 8mm crochet hook
* 6.5mm crochet hook (optional, it's for the flower)
* Two or four balls of super bulky yarn, depending on which style you choose to make (I have used DROPS Eskimo)

Hat pattern:

With 8mm hook,

Chain 4, join into a ring

Chain 2, 9 hdc into the ring, sl st in top of chain 2 to close - 10 sts

Chain 2, hdc in same space, hdc inc in each st around, sl st to close - 20 sts

Chain 2, hdc inc in next, *hdc, hdc inc* nine times, sl st to close - 30 sts

Chain 2, hdc in next, hdc inc, *2 hdc, hdc inc* nine times - sl st to close - 40 sts

Chain 2, hdc around, sl st to close - 40 sts

Chain 2, hdc in next 2, hdc inc, *3 hdc, hdc inc* - nine times, sl st to close - 50 - sts

Chain 2, hdc around, sl st to close - 50 sts

Chain 2, hdc in next 8, hdc inc, *9 hdc, hdc inc* four times, sl st to close - 55 sts

Chain 2, hdc around, sl st to close - 55 sts

Repeat the last round seven times for a total of 8 rounds without increase

Chain 1, sc around, sl st to close - 55 sts

Repeat the last round once

Finish off the hat with a round of crab stitch or backwards single crochet. Check out this video tutorial if you're unsure of how to do it.

If you want to make the longer, floppy version of the hat, simply crochet 7 more rounds without increase. Crochet 3 rounds of sc instead of 2 to make the hat more steady. Finish off with a round of crab stitch.

Flower pattern:

With 6.5mm hook,
8 sc in ring, sl st in front loop of 1st sc
Continue working in the front loops only:
*Chain 4, sl st in same st, chain 4, sl st in next st* around - 16 loops
Break yarn, pull the end through to the back

Assembly:

Attach the flower to the hat and weave in all ends. All ready to wear :)

Crocheted & felted Leprechaun hat

This hat will fit a small doll, or you can simply use it as a decoration for St. Patrick's Day :) I used a whole 50g ball of green for this hat, with only a yard to spare, so I suggest you have more than one ball at hand, or you can use a smaller hook. The hat is 13cm tall and the bottom opening is about 5cm across.

You will need:

* 8mm crochet hook

* Green pure wool yarn (bulky)

* Black wool yarn
* A scrap of yellow wool yarn

Pattern:

With 8mm hook and green yarn,

Sc 8 in ring

Inc around - 16 sts

*1 sc, inc* eight times - 24 sts

*2 sc, inc* eight times - 32 sts

*3 sc, inc* eight times - 40 sts

*4 sc, inc* eight times - 48 sts

BLO: *10 sc, dec* four times - 44 sts

*9 sc, dec* four times - 40 sts

*8 sc, dec* four times - 36 sts

*7 sc, dec* four times - 32 sts

*6 sc, dec* four times - 28 sts
Sc around 5 rounds - 28 sts
Change to black yarn
Sc around 3 rounds - 28 sts
Change to green yarn
*5 sc, dec* four times - 24 sts
FLO: *2 sc, inc* eight times - 32 sts
*3 sc, inc* eight times - 40 sts
*3 sc, inc* eight times - 48 sts
*4 sc, inc* eight times - 56 sts
*5 sc, inc* eight times - 64 sts
Sl st in next, fasten off

Finishing:
To make the buckle, slip stitch or embroider chain stitch with a scrap of yellow yarn. Using the picture as guide, make the buckle 5 sts wide and 3 sts high. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Slip stitch or chain stitch with black yarn around the edges of the hat band. Weave in all ends.

Felting:

To felt the hat, put it in the washing machine on a normal cycle, 40-60 degrees C. If possible, reduce the amount of water to increase agitation. Add a pair of jeans or a towel with similar colors for added agitation. Skip the spinning cycle at the end because this can create creases in the hat and cause some areas to felt less than the rest. Repeat the felting if necessary, it's always better to felt several times than to felt it too much the first time :)

Shape the hat while it's wet and leave it to dry in shape.