Simple Ribbed Beanie Crochet Pattern (3 Sizes)

Every fall I get the same message: "Can you make me a hat?" Then a week later it is the kid, the neighbor, and my sister. A beanie is the one project that fits every head, uses one skein, and is done before the show ends. The trouble is that most beanie patterns are worked in the round from the crown out, and that is where beginners get lost: the increases, the flat circle that turns into a bowl, the hat that comes out pointy or floppy.

So I wrote the version I actually make. It is worked sideways, in rows, in half double crochet through the back loop only. That gives you a stretchy ribbed band with no separate brim, and the entire hat is one rectangle, one seam and one gathered crown. If you can make a scarf, you can make this.

What is inside

A five-page printable PDF in US terms with a size chart for toddler, child and adult, a materials list with yardage estimates, the pattern, and finishing: seaming, crown, wet blocking and an optional pom pom. At the end there is a fit troubleshooting list and a stitch-count check table so you know your counts before you sew.

You need medium worsted yarn, a 5.5 mm hook, a tapestry needle and about 80 to 130 yards depending on the size. Gauge is 14 half double crochets in the back loop equal 4 inches.

Three things from the pattern

• The size chart does the math for you. Toddler: chain 27, 25 stitches per row, 48 rows, a 16 inch hat. Child: chain 30, 28 stitches, 54 rows, 18 inches. Adult: chain 32, 30 stitches, 60 rows, 20 inches.
• Every row has a count. Row 1 ends with 25 (28, 30) half double crochets, and every row after repeats that number. Counting ridges on the long edge tells you when you have reached the right length.
• The crown is just a drawstring. Thread a tail through one edge of the tube, pull it closed, and knot it. The pattern walks you through the loops: 48, 54 or 60 depending on size.

Fit is on your side

The hat is made to stretch about 10 percent, so it hugs without squeezing. If you are between sizes, go smaller for a snug fit and larger for a slouchy look. Want a fold-up brim? Add 6 stitches to the foundation chain and the hat is 2 inches taller. The pattern also covers two-color stripes, earflaps, and a chunky version.

Wet blocking is worth the five minutes: soak the finished hat, press out the water in a towel, and dry it over a bowl. The ribbing relaxes into a smooth band and the seam lies flat.

Get the pattern

This is a clean PDF with no ads, no pop-ups and no scrolling past a life story to find the gauge. Download it, print it or keep it on your tablet, and make one beanie for yourself and four for everyone who asks.

Happy hooking,

Hannah