Free Pattern: The Springtime Slouch Hat 🌸

A hat is one of the most satisfying things you can crochet — fast to finish (you can easily complete one in an afternoon), immediately wearable, and endlessly customisable. This one is worked from the top down in the round, so there's no seaming at all. The result is a relaxed, slouchy beanie with a little extra height at the crown that gives it that effortlessly cool look: not a tight-fitted ski hat, but something slightly draped, slightly artistic, that you'd wear to a craft fair or a walk through autumn leaves.

The stripe sequence I've written uses five pastel shades — dusty rose, pale lavender, soft mint, butter yellow, and a warm cream that ties everything together — but this pattern is a blank canvas. Work it in a single bold colour for a classic look, or raid your yarn stash and make every stripe a different leftover. There are no rules, only yarn.

What you'll need

• 🧶 DK weight (3) yarn — approximately 200g total, split across your chosen colours.
  Micky's palette: Dusty Rose (50g) · Pale Lavender (40g) · Soft Mint (40g) · Butter Yellow (30g) · Warm Cream (40g)
• 🪝 4mm crochet hook
• Stitch marker (essential — you'll be working in continuous rounds)
• Yarn needle and scissors

Sizing

This pattern is written for Teen / Small adult. The hat stretches generously, so the fit is forgiving.

Skill level

Beginner. Worked in continuous rounds of single crochet — just one stitch repeated throughout. If you've made the amigurumi octopus, you're absolutely ready for this.

Abbreviations

• MR — magic ring
• sc — single crochet
• inc — increase: 2 sc in the same stitch
• dec — decrease: work 2 sc together (invisible decrease)
• BLO — back loop only
• PM — place marker

Stripe sequence

Work 4 rounds of each colour in this repeating order: Dusty Rose → Pale Lavender → Soft Mint → Butter Yellow → Warm Cream. Carry colours up the side when possible to reduce ends — or cut and rejoin for a cleaner look.

The pattern

Crown:

1. 6 sc in MR. PM in last st and move up every round. (6)
2. (Inc) × 6 (12)
3. (Sc, inc) × 6 (18)
4. (2 sc, inc) × 6 (24)
5. (3 sc, inc) × 6 (30)
6. (4 sc, inc) × 6 (36)
7. (5 sc, inc) × 6 (42)
8. (6 sc, inc) × 6 (48)
9. (7 sc, inc) × 6 (54)
10. (8 sc, inc) × 6 (60)

Body (the slouch section):

Work even (sc in every stitch, no increases or decreases) for 22 rounds. This is the section that creates the relaxed slouch. If you want a shallower hat, work 16–18 rounds here; for a deeper slouch, go to 26 rounds.

Continue your stripe sequence throughout, changing colour every 4 rounds.

Brim:

Round 33: Work 1 round of sc through the back loop only (BLO). This creates a neat ridge that marks the folding point of the brim. (60 sc)

Rounds 34–39: Work 6 rounds of sc in both loops (normal). This creates the folded brim — work it in a single colour for a clean look, or continue the stripe sequence.

Fasten off, weave in end.

Finishing

Weave in all colour-change ends on the inside of the hat. Try it on — the brim should fold up by about 4cm, sitting just above the ears. The crown will gently slouch to one side at the back. If it feels too tight, lightly steam or block it over a balloon or a large bowl while still slightly damp.

"I made my first slouch hat in under three hours while watching a film, and I've made six more since then — each one in a completely different colour story. It's the perfect 'use up all my DK scraps' project." — Micky

Micky's tips ✨

• Move your stitch marker every round without fail. In continuous rounds it's very easy to lose track of where each round starts and ends, and the hat will spiral off if you're not careful.
• Tension matters for fit. If your crown grows faster than the stitch counts suggest, your tension is too loose — try the next hook size down. If it's growing more slowly, go up a size.
• The BLO ridge is the magic trick. That one round of back-loop-only single crochet creates a perfect, professional-looking crease for the brim fold. Don't skip it.
• Blocking transforms hats. Even a 10-minute steam block smooths out the stitches, evens up the stripes, and makes the whole thing look shop-bought rather than handmade.
• Gifting idea: make a matching hat and cowl set for someone special — the cowl is just a longer version of the brim section, worked in a wider tube. 💜

Pattern by Micky. Free to use and gift. Tag me in your makes — I'd love to see them! 🌸