Happy Monday, Friends!

This week, we are jumping on the Sock Monkey wagon, with this cool hat. Can you believe this is a crochet hat?! Believe it! This epic stitch looks like it is knit, so the hookers among us can still get a “knit” hat, without having to use the sticks. 

The stitch we are using is called the Waistcoat Single Crochet, and while it can be tricky at first, it is not at all hard to do! So, I would still consider this hat to be an (advanced) beginner pattern.

There are a few things to keep in mind with this stitch. If you have never made it, a swatch is highly recommended. This is so you know if you have to adjust the hook size to get the gauge. It is the “advanced” part of this project.

What is a swatch, you ask?

A swatch is a sample piece of, say 20 stitches, where you crochet up the pattern for a few rows to practice and be able to measure your gauge before you commence to make the actual item. This sounds like a tedious waste of time, but it is much quicker than having to open up your work after hours of working on it, just because it does not fit right! (That, in my opinion, is the biggest drag of them all!)

Everyone’s gauge is different, but especially with this stitch, I have found, the variations can be significant. Therefore, make a swatch with the recommended hook size, and then adjust and swatch again.

An example:

• A swatch with the 8mm hook results in 8sts in 2”. You will have to go one hook size down and try again, until you get close to the 6sts in 2” that this hat was designed for.
• OR a swatch with the 8mm hook results in 4 sts in 2”. Try again with one size up until you get closer to the right gauge.

Easy enough, right?! And TOTALLY worth the end result, believe me!

On another note, it was so freaking cold when we took these pictures, that I could barely breathe and my eyes were watering. So there you see how much I like all of you to go through all that trouble to be able to share this pattern with you! You’re welcome. 😛 

So, here goes the pattern! Enjoy! 

Sizes:

Toddler (18-19” head circumference)

Child (20-21” head circumference)

Adult (22-23” head circumference)

Gauge:   9rows/6sts in 2” (measured in body of hat)

Materials:

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn, Sample was made using KnitPicks Brava Worsted in colors White, Red, Cobblestone Heather (1 ball of grey plus a about 20 g white and a little red)

Hooks: 7mm , 8mm hooks

Other: Large fur or yarn pompom (3”-4”)

Abbreviations:

Ch – Chain

St – Stitch

Slst – Slip Stitch

Wcsc – Waistcoat Single Crochet

Wcsc2tog – Waistcoat Single Crochet 2 together

Special Stitch WCSC:

This stitch is a single crochet, except that it is worked into the post of the stitch below, rather than between stitches:

WCSC2Tog:

Work just like a normal sc2tog except, again into the post of the stitch below.

Notes:

• Work the WCSC loosely.
• Pull the joining slst VERY tight, that way the seam becomes almost invisible. (To do that, work your join, then pull on your yarn until it is nice and tight, then continue with the next round.)
• After joining, place first stitch into the same sc (wcsc) as the join.
• Gauge is very important for this pattern. Because this stitch has to be worked loosely, it is important that you adjust the hook to get the right measurements, or adjust the stitch count. (Everyone’s “loose” stitches might look different.)
• Band width will be about 2”, 5”, 3” once folded. Total length of hat (with band folded over) will be about 7”, 7.5”, 8”. The weight of a pompom will give this hat a slouchy look, but it is easy to adjust for more slouch by simply adding rows to the body before decreasing.

Instructions: 

Band:

With 7mm hook and white yarn, ch 56, 63, 70, join to first ch to make a circle, being careful not to twist the chain.

1. Ch1, sc in each ch around, join to first sc (pull join tight) (56, 63, 70 sts)
2. Ch1, wcsc into each st around, join to first sc (change color to red)
3. – 4. Rep row 2 (at the end of row 4, change color back to white)

Repeat row 2 (5, 7, 9) times, switch to grey yarn and 8mm hook.

Turn your work so you are working on the wrong side of the band. You will be working in the opposite direction of the band from now on. That way, both the band and the body of the hat will be right side facing after folding the band over.

Body:

Switch to 8mm hook.

1. ch1, sc into each st around, join (56, 63, 70 sts)
2. ch1, wcsc into each st around, join

Repeat row 2 until hat from color change measures 6”, 6.5”, 7” (27, 29, 31 rows), or to desired length.

Decrease:

1. ch1, (wcsc in next 5sts, wcsc2tog) repeat around, join (48, 54, 60)
2. ch1, (wcsc in next 4sts, wcsc2tog) repeat around, join (40, 45, 50)
3. ch1, (wcsc in next 3sts, wcsc2tog) repeat around, join (32, 36, 40)
4. ch1, (wcsc in next 2 sts, wcsc2tog) repeat around, join (24, 27, 30)
5. ch1, (wcsc in next sts, wcsc2tog) repeat around, join (16, 18, 20)

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Weave yarn back and forth through the remaining sts and pull tight to close the hole. Secure the yarn on the inside of the hat and weave in your ends. Attach a pompom if you like.

Optionally, the band can be sewn on to the hat to make sure the grey isn’t showing on the bottom.

You’re done 🙂

I hope you have lots of fun with this pattern, and share with me on Social Media! Use hashtags #snowdropsockmonkey #snowdropcrochet #sockmonkeyhat

Don’t forget to subscribe! There is a new free hat pattern released every Monday! 

Have a happy, crafty week and until next week!

Emma