This cute knit-look crochet hat with hearts going around is worked top down, in rounds, using post stitches that create a think and warm texture, perfect for winter hats! And perfect for Valentine's Day, right?
The hearts are made with color changes using a new version of Fair Isle Crochet, replacing the traditional single crochet stitches with front post double crochet stitches. This hat would be a great project to make as Valentine's Day gift, but not only!
A Hat With Love
A long time ago, I used to knit and loved designing Fair Isle Charts. I wanted to obtain a similar effect in crochet. I tried the traditional Fair Isle Crochet using single crochet stitches and also single crochet back loops only, but the images are not as sharp as in knitting.
The front post double crochet stitches remind me a lot of knit stitches and they work really great for crocheting with graphs. I hope you will love this hat as much as I do!
UPDATE February 2015:
I have exciting news for you! With my permission, Clare from BobWislon123 made a full Video Tutorial for this hat pattern! Even if you haven't worked with graph patterns before, you will learn now! There are so many great tips and tricks in this awesome video! Don't miss it! Watch it at the end of this post! Thank you Clare! :)
SUPPLIES:
- approx. 100 g yarn total: Caron Simply Soft-Dark Country Blue
Caron Simply Soft Neon Pink
- 5 mm crochet hook
- tapestry needle to weave in the ends
- scissors
GAUGE: 15 fpdc x 12 rounds = 10cm X 10 cm
SIZE: Hat circumference: 47 cm
Hat length: 17.5 cm
The hat will fit children age 3-5 years.
For smaller/ bigger sizes work less/more rounds with increases for the crown of the hat and adjust the length. The heart pattern is a multiple of 10. This hat has 7 hearts around. If you will make the crown smaller/bigger, you will have less/more hearts in the round!
Another way to change the size is to use a different yarn weight and hook size.
If you will make larger sizes, you might like to place the hearts a few rounds below, by working a few more rounds in main color before starting with the hearts.
STITCHES AND ABBREVIATIONS (US TERMS):
ch: chain
st: stitch
dc: double crochet
fpdc: front post double crochet
fphdc: front post half double crochet
sl st: slip stitch
MC: main color
CC: contrasting color
SPECIAL STITCH : THE Standing Double Crochet: see this tutorial by Moogly.
Notes:
- The hat is worked in rounds top down.
- Each round begins with ch2, that will not be counted as a stitch.
- Work the LAST fpdc of each round around BOTH the beginning ch2 and the first fpdc of the previous round! This will make the seam less visible.
- Each round ends with a sl st into the top of the first stitch of the round, not into the top of the ch2.
HAT INSTRUCTIONS
1) The crown of the hat: Begin with a magic ring.
Round 1: work a standing dc and 9 dc into ring, join with sl st to top of standing dc. (10 sts) (Alternative: ch2, work 10 dc into ring, sl st to top of first dc.)
Round 2: ch2, 2fpdc around each st around, sl st to top of first dc. (20 sts)
Round 3: ch2, *2fpdc around next st, 1fpdc around next st*, repeat around from * to*, sl st to top of first fpdc. (30 sts) (Remember to work the last fpdc around both ch2 and first fpdc of previous round, here and throughout the pattern.)
Round 4: ch2, * 2fpdc around next st, 1fpdc around each of next 2sts*, repeat around from * to*, sl st to top of first fpdc. (40 sts)
Round 5: ch2, * 2fpdc around next st, 1fpdc around each of next 3sts*, repeat around from * to*, sl st to top of first fpdc. (50 sts)
Round 6: ch2, * 2fpdc around next st, 1fpdc around each of next 4sts*, repeat around from * to*, sl st to top of first fpdc. (60 sts)
Round 7: ch2, * 2fpdc around next st, 1fpdc around each of next 5sts*, repeat around from * to*, sl st to top of first fpdc. (70 sts)
2) The sides:
Round 8: ch2, 1fpdc around each st, sl st to top of first fpdc. (70 sts)
Rounds 9 – 16, will be worked the same as round 8, but with color changes to form the hearts. (70 sts)
Use the heart chart below. Each little square represents 1 stitch! Start reading the chart from top to bottom, right to left.
Note: the top row in the chart stands for round 8 (the round before starting the hearts) and the bottom row in the chart stands for the round 17 (first round after finishing the hearts).
IMPORTANT TIPS:
1) How to change colors: Work the last st before changing colors till half; having 2 loops on hook, pick the new color yarn and end the stitch, pulling the new color yarn through the 2 loops on hook. You can watch this Video Tutorial by Happy Berry Crochet, for an example how to change colors when working dc stitches. For front post stitches, you'll change colors in the same manner, only doing fpdc stitches instead of dc sts.
2) Stranding the yarn on the wrong side of the hat: You will not cut the yarns when changing colors, you will not work over the yarn not in use, you will carry the unworked yarns across the back.Watch this Video Tutorial by Stacy from Fresh Stitches to learn what stranding is.
Very important! Keep the tension of the strand not in use a little loose, so that the hat keeps the elasticity!!
!!! To avoid long floats of yarn, when you are going to have to carry the yarn more than 5 sts at the back of the work, you need to catch the yarn not in use! For example, when you have to change colors after 7 sts made with CC, pick the MC yarn (the yarn not in use) in the middle of those 7 stitches this way: work 3sts in CC, while you're working the 4th st, pick the MC yarn, then work the next 3 sts in CC.
How to pick the unworked yarn was the most challenging part, because for the fpdc, we are working inserting the hook around the posts of stitches!
This is my way: Wrap yarn (here CC) around hook, while with the left hand hold both strands of yarn (MC and CC) as in picture 1 from photo collage below. Insert your hook from front to back between the posts of the first and second double crochet of the row below, picking the unworked yarn under the hook and then insert the hook from back to front again between the posts of the second and third stitches.
This is how my finished hat looks on the wrong side:
For more great tips regarding Fair Isle Crochet, check out these great crochet classes on Craftsy:
- Fair Isle Crochet: Demystifying Colorwork, with Karen Whooley
- Crocheting in the Round: Mix & Match Hats (w/ Stacey Trock)
Rounds 17-18: same as round 8 using MC. (70 sts)
Dots (or small hearts) Pattern (rounds 19- 22):; made using a variation of the stitch pattern used in my Gumdrops Earflap Hat. Check out my Step by Step Picture Tutorial. Note that for the Gumdrops Hat are used front post triple crochet stitches and in this pattern front post double crochet).
Round 19: continue with MC, ch3 (will not count as a st here and in the next rounds), skip next st, *1fpdc around next st, ch1, skip next st *, repeat around from * to*, sl st with CC to top of first fpdc. (70 sts)
Round 20: With CC, ch3, sk next fpdc of previous round, *work 1fpdc around next unworked fpdc 2 rounds below, ch1, sk next fpdc*, repeat around from * to*, sl st with MC to top of first fpdc. (70 sts)
Rounds 21-22: With MC, work as round 20, sl st to top of first fpdc. (70 sts)
Round 23: With MC, ch2, sk next fpdc of previous round, *work 1fphdc around unworked fpdc 2 rounds below, ch1, sk next fpdc*, repeat around from * to*, sl st to top of first fphdc. Cut yarn. Fasten off. Weave in the ends.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
I hope you have enjoyed this pattern and had fun working the Hat with Love!
You might also like the Heart & Sole Slippers, another cute pattern with heart graph and written instructions.
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A Hat with Love - Written Instructions, Pictures and Graph - Copyright 2014 Kinga Erdem
This pattern is free for your personal use, you can sell the products of your work, a link back to my blog would be appreciated. Do not use my photos for selling purposes or modify them in any way. Please don't repost the pattern itself to any other sites, but please share the link to the pattern if you want to share the pattern with your friends. You may not give away copies of this pattern. Do not make video tutorials or translate my pattern in other languages without my written consent! Thank you, Kinga
so if I want to make it just a little larger I need to add 10 stitches..is that right?
ReplyDeleteHi Ruth! That's right! Make an additional increase round for the crown of the hat. That will also increase the number of hearts, from 7 to 8 hearts around.
DeleteI LOVE THIS HAT TKX FOR THE PATTERN I HAVE MADE A FEW OF THEM NICE AND WARM EVERYONE LOVES THEM :)
ReplyDelete