Custom-Fit Sun Hat With Optional Cooling Pocket Free Crochet Pattern!

I love floppy hats, there's nothing more fun to wear with a little sundress and sandals in the summertime! Now that I have been going through treatment for malignant Melanoma, sun protection has suddenly become extremely important to me! If I'm going to rock the hat look, I'm going to have one in every color to match everything! So this is my first hat design. I hope to come up with many more for myself to share with you!

I've done this hat in 100% white cotton for myself for coolness. i designed the extra optional cooling pocket which I can to use to tuck in a few ice cubes or a cold pack when I go out to garden!

The hat is made to custom-fit you. So there's no guessing what size to make. Happy crocheting!

Sugar n' Cream Cotton Yarn in White or choice of color OR

Any other worsted weight cotton yarn

Small amount scrap cotton yarn for trim

Crochet hook size G or preferred

NOTES

I wanted my hat to have a ribbed design, so I worked all SC in the back loop only. You may do your SC either in BLO or plain SC.

As you work, a line will develop where you do the slip stitch to the first SC of each round. I am opting to cover this line with a flower and stem applique. If you do not want the flower/stem, to avoid this line just SC into the first SC of the round and keep crocheting, like one giant spiral. It will be helpful, if you use this method, to place a stitch marker where the original beginning of the round is so you can keep your place more easily.

Directions

CENTER

Ch 4, join with sl st to form ring.

Round 1

Work 9 SC in ring. Sl st to first SC.

Round 2

Ch 1, work 2 SC in each SC around. Sl st to first SC.

Round 3

Ch 1, *SC in next 2 stitches, work 2 SC in next stitch. Repeat from * around, sl st to first SC.

Round 4

Ch 1, work 1 SC in each SC around. Sl st to first SC.

Round 5

Ch 1, *SC in next 3 stitches, work 2 SC in next stitch. Repeat from * around, sl st to first SC.

Rounds 6 & 7

Ch 1, work 1 SC in each SC around. Sl st to first SC.

Round 8

Ch 1, *SC in next 4 stitches, work 2 SC in next stitch. Repeat from * around, sl st to first SC.

Rounds 9 & 10

Ch 1, work 1 SC in each SC around. Sl st to first SC.

Round 11

Ch 1, *SC in next 5 stitches, work 2 SC in next stitch. Repeat from * around, sl st to first SC.

Rounds 12 & 13

Ch 1, work 1 SC in each SC around. Sl st to first SC.

Round 14

Ch 1, *SC in next 6 stitches, work 2 SC in next stitch. Repeat from * around, sl st to first SC.

Round 15

Ch 1, work 1 SC in each SC around. Sl st to first SC.

Round 16

Repeat Round 14

Round 17

Repeat Round 15

Round 18

Repeat Round 14

Round 19

Repeat Round 15

Now it's time to measure your hat. Find another hat that fits you and measure the distance from the center top to the side top (before it changes shape on the edge). You want your circle to be the same size as this fitting hat. If needed, repeat Round 14 and 15 until circle is desired size. Do not fasten off.

FOR OPTIONAL COOLING POCKET

Make an identical round piece 1 round smaller than the top hat piece. Fasten off, set aside.

Side Rounds

Ch 1, work 1 SC in each SC around. Sl st to first SC.

Continue repeating this round until hat is desired height. Do not fasten off. (If desired, at end of any round fasten off, attach contrast color, and work desired number of rounds. Then change back to main color and continue.

Hat Brim Rounds

Ch 1, *SC in next SC. Work 2 SC in next SC. Repeat from * around, join.

Remaining Rounds

Ch 1, SC in each SC around, join. Repeat until brim is of desired size. Use contrast color for final round, if desired. NOTE: This design will give you a slight curve to the brim which you can flip up or down. If you want a perfectly straight brim with no curve, work the first "Hat Brim Round," followed by two rounds of the "Remaining Round." Repeat that pattern for whole brim.

Inner Pocket & Button

Tie a piece of yarn through center holes of hat and inner circle (keeps it in place as you slip stitch it on). Attach same color as hat to inner circle. Slip stitch to hat all around edge, leaving about a 4” opening unworked.

Create the Buttonhole fastener: Slip stitch only on inner circle to two stitches short of center of open space. Ch 1, SC in next 4 SC. Ch 1, turn. Work across in SC, ch 1, turn.

Ch 4, SC in last SC of row. Ch 1, turn.

SC in first SC. Work 4 SC in ch 4 space. SC in last SC. Fasten off, weave in end.

Button

Work the first 3 rounds of circle pattern. Fasten off, weave in end. Tack down with a couple of slip stitches in position on the hat coordinating to where the center of the buttonhole falls.

Enjoy your spiffy new hat!

Hi, I'm SheilaSchnauzies, also published as SheilaSparkles, and my life's passion is designing in Crochet! I also love to share gifts with friends, and this pattern is my gift to you! I give away about 95% of my pattern designs free. The other 5% are sold on my pattern store at Craftsy.com to benefit the vet expenses of my Miniature Schnauzer Rescue, Sheila's Schnauzies.

Just one little favor, please... I would appreciate it if you do not post this pattern anywhere on the Internet or in the 'real world.' Instead, you are most welcome to provide a link to this webpage.

I use a system I call the "Official Schnauzer Difficulty Rating" just for fun, to rate the difficulty of my patterns. If it's a 3/5 or more, I'll explain why I consider it more difficult. A few of my designs use techniques that are a bit unconventional! If it's one of those patterns, I'll warn you ahead of time. I do a lot of custom-fit patterns, for example. They are made to fit YOU, not a measurement from a chart. They're surprisingly easy to do and actually end up fitting. That's a good thing, yes?

So glad you found my patterns! I hope you really enjoy making whatever it is you're making! Crochet hugs, -Sheila