- Any yarn can be used to crochet a hat; however, some weights and fibers are more favored than others. Worsted weight is very popular for making hats because it is thin enough to allow for patterns but thick enough that the hat is completed fairly quickly. Animal fibers are good for cold-weather hats because they are more insulating than other fibers. In addition, most animal fibers can be felted, which gives you a sturdier hat and hides any small errors. Plant fibers such as cotton are good for hats meant to provide style but not warmth, as they breathe more easily than animal fibers and do not trap heat effectively.
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Before starting your hat, figure out how many stitches the band should be by measuring your head and multiplying by the number of stitches per inch you have. Because hats are fitted, your gauge is very important, as even a half stitch off gauge is a large difference in size.
The rest of the hat construction is simple. Begin with a loop, whether it be magic ring or a few chains slip stitched together, and crochet in your chosen stitch pattern, making sure to increase properly. Different stitch patterns result in different types of hats, so choose carefully. For example, a single crochet hat is tight and warm, while a mesh stitch hat is loose and cool.
You do not have to use the same stitch throughout the hat. You can mix and match stitches--such as crocheting the main body of the hat in single crochet, and crocheting a scalloped edge for design. As long as the stitch count is consistent, the stitch itself can be varied.
