Easy Earflap Crochet Hat Directions

Easily crochet a warm winter hat with earflaps.

When the weather outside is cold, with blustery winds, snow, sleet and rain, find a warm hat that covers your head and ears. This hat is crocheted using an acrylic yarn, making it easy to wash and dry. As you crochet, you should be comfortable with single crochet, double crochet, shell stitches, changing yarn colors and crocheting in rounds. Because this hat is crocheted in the round, you will be able to make it quickly, meaning you can use it while it is still cold outside.

Things You'll Need

• 1 skein blue acrylic yarn
• 1 skein yellow acrylic yarn
• 1 skein green acrylic yarn
• Size H/8 crochet hook
• Stitch marker
• Large tapestry needle
• 2 round vintage buttons
• Sewing needle
• Blue thread
• Scissors

Instructions

Hat Body

1. Chain 3 with blue yarn and join with a slip stitch in the first chain. For round 1, chain 3 (first double crochet) and work 10 double crochet in the ring. Slip stitch in the third chain of the turning chain to join. Fasten off your yarn and cut it. You should have 11 stitches in this round. Attach the stitch marker to your joining slip stitch in round 1.

2. Switch to your yellow yarn for round 2 and, working in the back loops of each stitch, chain 3 and make one double crochet in the first stitch. Make two double crochet stitches in each double crochet around and slip stitch in the third chain of your turning chain to join. Fasten off your yarn and cut it. You should have 22 stitches. Move your stitch marker to this round.

3. Change to the green yarn for round 3. Working in the back loops of each stitch, chain 3 and double crochet in the first two double crochet stitches. From this point until you complete this round, make two double crochet stitches in the next double crochet, and then one double crochet in the next stitch. Slip stitch in the third chain of the turning chain to join. Fasten off your yarn and cut it. You should have 33 stitches. Move your stitch marker to this round.

4. Change back to your blue yarn for round 4 and, working in the back loops of each stitch, chain 3 and double crochet in the first three stitches. From this point until you complete this round, crochet two double crochet stitches in the next double crochet and one double crochet stitch each in the next two double crochet. Slip stitch in the third chain of the turning chain to join. Fasten off your yarn and cut. You should have 44 stitches. Move your stitch marker up.

5. Switch to yellow yarn for round 5 and, working in the back loops, chain 3 and double crochet in the first stitch. Double crochet in each of the next three double crochet. From this point until you complete this round, make two double crochet stitches in the next double crochet, then double crochet in each of the next three double crochet stitches. Slip stitch in the third chain of the turning chain to join. Fasten off your yarn and cut. You should have 55 stitches. Move your stitch marker up.

6. Pick up the green yarn for round 6 and, working in the back loops, chain 3 and make one double crochet in each double crochet to the end of this round. Slip stitch in the third chain of the turning chain to join. Fasten off your yarn and cut. You should have 56 stitches. Move your stitch marker up.

7. Change back to blue yarn for round 7 and, working in the back loops, chain 3 and make two double crochet stitches in the first double crochet. (You are crocheting shell stitches in this round.) From this point until you complete this round, chain 2, skip the next three stitches and make a shell stitch in the next double crochet. Slip stitch in the third chain of the turning chain to join. Fasten off your yarn and cut. You should have 14 shells. Move your stitch marker up.

8. Change to yellow yarn for round 8 and, working in the back loops, chain 3, then double crochet in each double crochet and in each chain to the end of this round. Slip stitch in the third chain of the turning chain to join. Fasten off your yarn and cut. You should have 70 stitches. Move your stitch marker up.

9. Use green yarn for round 9 and, working in back loops, chain 3 and double crochet in each double crochet around to the end of the round. Slip stitch in the third chain of the turning chain to join. Fasten off your yarn and cut. You should have 70 stitches. Move your stitch marker up.

10. Change back to blue yarn for round 10 and, working in back loops, chain 3. Crochet two double crochet stitches in the first stitch for the first shell stitch. From this point until you complete this round, chain 2, skip the next four stitches, chain 2 and skip the next four stitches. Slip stitch in the third chain of the turning chain to join. Fasten off your yarn and cut. You should have 14 shells. Move your stitch marker up.

11. Repeat rounds 8 and 9 for rounds 11 and 12, using yellow yarn for round 11 and green yarn for round 12. You should have 70 stitches for both rounds. Do not fasten off or cut the yarn for round 12.

Earflaps

1. Crocheting with blue yarn (use blue for both earflaps) and, working in back loops of each stitch, chain 3 and double crochet in each of the next 14 double crochet. Turn the hat, leaving the remaining stitches unworked. You should have 15 stitches.

2. Working on the wrong side in the back loops of each stitch, chain 3 and double crochet in each of the next 13 double crochet stitches. Turn the hat, leaving the remaining stitches unworked. You should have 14 stitches.

3. Working on the right side in the back loops of each stitch, chain 3 and double crochet in each of the next 12 double crochet stitches. Turn the hat, leaving the remaining stitches unworked. You should have 13 stitches.

4. Working in the front loops of each stitch, chain 3 and double crochet in each of the next 11 double crochet stitches. Turn the hat, leaving the remaining stitches unworked. You should have 12 stitches. Fasten your yarn off and cut.

5. Move 20 stitches to the left of the final stitch made for the first row of the first earflap. Repeat all of the steps in this section for the second earflap. Do not fasten your yarn off or cut it.

Edging and Finishing

1. Working with the right side of the hat facing you and using the blue yarn, chain 1 and single crochet all around the edge of the hat. Fasten off the yarn and weave the ends in neatly, using a large tapestry needle.

2. Fold the earflaps up to the right side of the hat. With the sewing needle and matching color thread, sew the buttons on the hat. Align each button with the center of round 4 of each ear flap. Use the center space of row 4 in each earflap for buttonholes. Knot the thread.

3. Weave all yarn ends in neatly on your hat.

Tips & Warnings

• If you prefer a hat of one color, choose only one yarn color.

• This is a good pattern for a beginning crocheter as it is made mainly of double crochet stitches.

References

• "Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker"; Debbie Stoller; 2006