Beginner's Guide to an Easy Crochet Baby Hat

A crochet beanie is a perfect choice for making an easy crochet baby hat. The beanie is simple to craft, keep baby's head warm, and never goes out of style. A beanie is a shape that works for all ages, so when you learn how to follow this recipe, you'll be learning how to make crochet hats for everyone. It is designed with the beginner in mind, worked in the rounds of single crochet stitches, joined with a slip stitch at the end of each round. Rather than a pattern, this guide gives you adaptable instructions to make an easy crochet baby hat using any yarn for any age.

Yarn Considerations

This easy crochet baby hat can be made using any yarn you want and is easily adaptable to different fibers and weights. However, as a beginner, you may find that you want a little more direction than "any yarn"." As you consider which yarn to choose for your baby hat, keep in mind most brands have lines specifically labeled "baby yarn." Beginners work best with smooth, solid-colored, light-colored, worsted weight yarn.

How many yards, or grams, you will need depends on the weight of the yarn (DK, worsted, bulky, etc.), its fiber content, and the finished size of the hat. As a general guide, here is approximate yardage for worsted weight yarn: 

• Preemie Beanie: 30 to 50 yards
• Newborn Beanie: 50 to 70 yards
• Baby Beanie: 60 to 80 yards
• Toddler Beanie: 70 to 90 yards

Do remember, however, that this is only a guide and your results may differ. In general, you should find that one ball of yarn is sufficient for most crochet baby beanies.

Hooks

One of the things that makes this an easy crochet baby hat is that it is a "no gauge" project. You just continue to increase until the beanie is as big around as you need, then work even until it is as deep as you like. You should choose a crochet hook size that works well with your yarn. If you are not sure about the right hook size, check the yarn label. Most yarn manufacturers will print the recommended hook size near the care instructions on every yarn wrapper. For worsted weight yarn, most crocheters will use a need between a US H/8 and K/10.5 (5.0 to 6.5 mm) hook.

Sizing / Measurements

If the baby that will be wearing the hat is available, use a measuring tape to determine its forehead circumference. The baby's forehead in our sample beanie measures 13 1/4 inches around. If it isn't possible to measure the baby's head in advance, you can refer to a baby hat size chart for a good approximation. The great thing is that no matter what size hat you make, there is probably a head out there that it will fit. If you want to work with trial-and-error, you can always donate any extra crochet beanies to charity.

To check if this crochet beanie is the desired circumference, use one of the following methods:

• Measure: Lay the folded crochet piece on a flat surface. Use a flexible measuring tape to measure around the outer edge of the half circle. Double the result to find the full circumference of the beanie.
• Math: With a ruler, measure how many stitches are in 1 inch. Count the number of stitches in your last round; divide it by the number of stitches in 1 inch. The number you end up with is your circumference. For example, if you've counted 3 stitches per inch and have 40 stitches in the round, then you know the circumference of the beanie is 13 1/4 inches.

Gauge

12 sts = 4 inches in sc

Abbreviations

• beg = beginning
• ch = chain
• ch # = chain # stitches where # is number of stitches to work
• rep = repeat
• rnd(s) = round(s)
• sc = single crochet
• sl st = slip stitch
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• [ ] = repeat instructions within brackets as directed