Made and counted by Wren —
4 mm hook, DK yarn: crochet baby hat with V-stitch shells and contrast brim, sizes newborn to 12 months.
A DK-weight baby hat worked in the round with a 4 mm hook, starting from a magic ring crown and increasing to 20 double crochet stitches before building V-stitch shells through the body. The brim uses a contrasting color in half double crochet. Stitch counts scale by size: 9 HDC for Newborn, 10 HDC for 0–3 Months, 11 HDC for 3–6 Months, and 12 HDC for 6–12 Months.
The pattern
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Abbreviations
10 HDC in Round 1 marks the 0–3 month size; count stitches before starting Round 2, since 20 DC only lies flat when the starting count is correct.
Shell counts run 10 shells for 0–3 Months, 9 for Newborn, 11 for 3–6 Months, and 12 for 6–12 Months; place a marker in the first shell of each round to keep the join point consistent.
Color change from main to contrasting brim color happens at the transition into the Brim Section; carry or cut the main color cleanly to avoid bulk at the join.
No stuffing is used in this pattern; the hat holds shape from stitch tension alone, so keep DC and HDC height consistent round to round.
Stitch counts for other sizes: for Newborn, start with 9 HDC in Round 1 and 18 DC in Round 2, giving 9 shells in later rounds. For 0–3 Months, follow this pattern exactly with 10 HDC in Round 1 and 20 DC in Round 2. For 3–6 Months, begin with 11 HDC and 22 DC, creating 11 shells per round. For 6–12 Months, begin with 12 HDC and 24 DC, giving 12 shells per round.
| Rounds | 15 |
|---|---|
| Parts | 3 |
| Level | Intermediate |
| Time | 2-4 hours |
| Hook | 4 mm |
| Yarn | DK |
After Round 2, count stitches: 20 DC should sit flat without cupping or rippling for the 0–3 month size.
If the crown cups, DC stitches are too tight; if it ruffles, they are too loose — adjust hook size or tension before starting Round 3.
| Cotton, DK weight | Holds shape more crisply than baby DK acrylic or wool blends, so shells sit stiffer; the same 4 mm hook works, but expect less stretch when placing the hat on a baby's head. |
|---|---|
| Wool-blend, sport weight | Thinner than DK, so drop to a 3.5 mm hook to keep shell and stitch counts matching the pattern; fabric drapes softer and the finished hat runs smaller unless an extra round is added. |
Round 1 sets the size: 9 HDC gives Newborn, 10 HDC gives 0–3 Months, 11 HDC gives 3–6 Months, and 12 HDC gives 6–12 Months. Round 2 then doubles that count in DC, and every shell round after follows from that starting number.
Rounds 9 through 14 are written for the 0–3 month size, ending on a 7-DC shell round. For Newborn, 3–6 Months, or 6–12 Months, the same repeat structure applies, but shell count follows the 9, 11, or 12 shells set in Round 1.
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