Crochet Baby Hat Pattern: A Soft Newborn to 12-Month Beanie
A soft half double crochet beanie worked top-down, with stitch counts for newborn, 3–6 and 6–12 months, a stretchy ribbed brim and optional bear ears or pom-pom.
Pattern at a glance
US terms- Skill level
- Beginner
- Yarn
- Worsted (#4) baby-soft acrylic or merino, about 70–110 yd
- Hook
- 5 mm (H-8)
- Time
- About 1½–2 hours
- Finished size
- Newborn, 3–6 months, 6–12 months
You'll need
- Worsted weight (#4) soft acrylic or superwash merino — about 70 (90, 110) yd
- 5 mm (H-8) hook
- Stitch marker, tapestry needle
In this post
A baby hat is the fastest handmade baby gift there is — and one parents actually use every day. This one is worked top-down in half double crochet, so you can check the size as you go, and finished with a soft, stretchy ribbed brim that won't leave marks on a baby's forehead.
The rest of this post is just below — free, as always.
Gauge and sizes
Gauge: 13 hdc and 10 rounds = 4 in (10 cm). Hats are made a little smaller than the head so they stay on.
| Size | Head | Stitches | Rounds incl. brim | Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 13–14 in | 40 | 14 | 5½ in |
| 3–6 months | 14–17 in | 48 | 16 | 6½ in |
| 6–12 months | 16–19 in | 56 | 18 | 7 in |
More sizes in our hat size chart.
The pattern
Joined rounds; ch 2 at the start of each round doesn't count as a stitch.
- Rnd 1: 8 hdc in a magic ring. Join. (8)
- Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 hdc in each st. Join. (16)
- Rnd 3: Ch 2, (hdc, 2 hdc in next) 8 times. Join. (24)
- Rnd 4: Ch 2, (2 hdc, 2 hdc in next) 8 times. Join. (32)
- Rnd 5: Ch 2, (3 hdc, 2 hdc in next) 8 times. Join. Newborn: stop increasing here. (40)
- Rnd 6 (3–6 and 6–12 months): Ch 2, (4 hdc, 2 hdc in next) 8 times. Join. 3–6 months: stop increasing. (48)
- Rnd 7 (6–12 months): Ch 2, (5 hdc, 2 hdc in next) 8 times. Join. (56)
- Body: Ch 2, hdc around, until you've worked 11 (13, 15) rounds in total.
Ribbed brim
- Brim rounds (3): Ch 2, *fpdc around the next st, bpdc around the next st*; repeat around. Join. Work fp over fp and bp over bp. Fasten off.
Cute add-ons
- Bear ears (make 2): 6 sc in a magic ring, 2 sc in each st (12), sc around once; fold flat and sew on top.
- Pom-pom: a soft 1½-in pom-pom, sewn on very securely.
- Matching set: add our baby booties and baby blanket.
Common questions
What yarn is best for baby hats?
Soft, machine-washable yarn: baby acrylic, superwash merino or a cotton blend. Avoid fuzzy yarns that shed and anything that's hard to wash.
What size hat does a newborn need?
About 12–13 in around and 5–6 in tall for a newborn head of 13–14 in.
Are pom-poms safe on baby hats?
Only if attached very securely, and never on hats for sleep. For newborns, plain hats or crocheted ears are the safest choice.
Who's the lucky baby? 👶
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Crochet patterns & tutorials
YarnBloom shares cozy, beginner-friendly crochet patterns written in clear US terms, with a stitch count on every round and tips for the tricky bits. Grab your hook — let’s make something lovely.
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