The Arctic Beanie

Fall and winter are my favorite times of year. I know, I’m one of the “weird” ones that prefer cold weather to hot weather. There are so many amazing things about the cooler seasons and one of those is cozy winter wear. I knew I just had to design my perfect beanie, and here it is: the Artic Beanie, a crochet winter hat pattern.

Crochet Winter Hat Pattern

One thing that is always true in our household… We LOVE beanies. My husband has an old beanie that has definitely seen a few things in it’s years of service to his head and I have… too many to count. We have all sorts of beanies and crochet winter hats hanging around but… You know I needed the PERFECT one, so I created this crochet winter hat pattern. And let me tell you: It’s perfect!

(My husband and I may have playfully fought over who was going to get to wear the first Arctic Beanie I made… so I made two!)

The Arctic Beanie has a lovely texture created using the Even Moss Stitch (which I have modified to work in the round). The texture of this crochet beanie is super pleasing to look at and wear, but is a nice dense fabric that doesn’t have many holes so your head and ears will stay nice and warm. What’s even better is this crochet winter hat pattern was designed to not only be warm, but also be lightweight so you won’t feel like you can’t hold your head up while wearing it. Win/Win/Win!

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This crochet winter hat pattern is worked pretty straight forward. Most of the rounds worked in this free crochet pattern are repeats of previous rounds, so you can work up this crochet beanie while binge watching your favorite TV show.

As far as beanies go, you can work this beanie in one day if you want to.

This beanie is designed to be fitted on the band and a bit loose at the top. While I probably wouldn’t technically call it a slouchy beanie, it certainly could be!

SKILL LEVEL

Intermediate – You should know how to: work in the round, close rounds, slip stitch, single crochet, and half double crochet. You should also know how to work front post and back post stitches.

MATERIALS

This pattern is written to a medium (4) Aran weight yarn.
You will need approximately 4 oz or 205 yards.

I used: I Love This Yarn

Some acceptable yarn substitutions could be: Caron Simply Soft, Bernat Premium, Lion Brand Basic Stitch, Big Twist, Paintbox Simply Aran.

You aren’t limited to these substitutions, of course. Just some ideas for you!  

You will also need:

5 mm hook – Check out my favorite Furls Streamline Swirl!
scissors
tapestry needle
and at least one stitch marker.

Faux fur pom, if you’ like one. I purchased these from Amazon and I am quite happy with them! The best part is they have a little elastic loop for easy sewing!

Alternatively, you can finish without a pom or you can create a pom out of yarn.

GAUGE

15 sc x 18 rows = Approximately 4 inches x 4 inches

I crochet on the tighter side, so you may need to change hook sizes.

FINISHED SIZE

Fits the average adult head of 21-23 inches in circumference.

Laid flat: 10.5 inches wide, 9 inches tall (without pom). Approximately 21 inches around (without stretching).

Try your beanie on after completing a few rounds of the brim. If it stretches to a comfortable snug fit, you’re all set. If it’s too tight, go up a hook size.

ABBREVIATIONS

This pattern is written in standard US terms.

• Ch – Chain 
• Sl st – Slip stitch 
• Sc- Single crochet
• Scblo – Single crochet in back loop only
• Sc2tog – Single crochet two together*
• Hdc – Half double crochet
• Fphdc – Front post half double crochet*
• Bphdc – Back post half double crochet*
• St(s) – Stitch(es) 
• RS – Right side 
• WS – Wrong side 
• […] – Repeats are listed inside brackets 
• (…) – Stitch counts are listed at the end of the row in parentheses and italics.

NOTES

• This beanie is worked from the bottom up. We start with the brim and end with the top of the beanie.
• This pattern is worked completely in closed rounds. Some rounds need to be turned, others don’t. This will be specified in the pattern and each round specifies if you’re working on the right or wrong side.
• Chain 1 at the beginning of each round does not count as a stitch. 
• In rounds that are not turned, your first stitch will always go into the stitch you slip stitched into to close.
  • In rounds that ARE turned, your first stitch will be in the last stitch of the previous round.
  • On right side rounds, your first stitch is always in the top of the last hdc of the previous round. Your last stitch is always in the first slip stitch of the previous round.
  • On wrong side rounds, your first stitch is always in the top of the last sc of the previous round. Your last stitch is always in the first stitch of the previous round.

SPECIAL NOTE

The body of this beanie uses the “Even Moss Stitch”, which gives a gorgeous texture and is created by alternating a slip stitch and a half double crochet across the round. Because of this, some rounds start with a slip stitch, and that slip stitch must be slip stitched into to close the round. 

This can get a little confusing to identify which slip stitch is the one to work into on the next round. I would recommend marking the first slip stitch of WRONG SIDE rounds. 

You can leave this stitch marker on through the next round, too. This will help you identify the last stitch to work into for the round. There will be a note in the pattern when this becomes important.

SPECIAL STITCHES

Single Crochet 2 Together
Insert your hook into the first stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop. Insert your hook into the next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop. 3 loops on hook. Yarn over, pull through all 3 loops.

Front Post HDC
Fphdc is worked the same as front post double crochet, you’re just working a hdc instead. To fphdc, you will: Yarn over, insert your hook from front of work to back beside the post, then weave your hook from the back of work to the front on the other side of the post. Your hook should now have the post of the stitch pulled forward. Yarn over, pull a loop through. Yarn over, pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Back Post HDC
Bphdc is worked the same as a back post double crochet, you’re just working hdc instead. To a bphdc, you will: Yarn over, insert your hook from back of work to front beside the post, then weave your hook from the front of the work to the back on the other side of the post. Your hook should now have the stitch pushed backward. Yarn over, pull a loop through. Yarn over, pull through all three loops on hook.

Heart Hook Home has a great tutorial on how to work front post stitches.

How to Make this Crochet Winter Hat

BAND

Ch 72 – Making sure not to twist the chain, sl st to the first chain made to close. This forms a circle of chains to work into for the band of the beanie.

Round 1 (RS) – Ch 1, work 1 hdc in each st around. Sl st to first hdc to close. (72)

Round 2 (RS) – Ch 1, [fphdc first st, bphdc second st]. Repeat around to end. Your last st should be a bphdc. Sl st to first fphdc to close. (72)

Rounds 3 through 7 (RS) – Repeat Round 2. You will always work a fphdc around a fphdc and a bphdc around a bphdc. This creates the ribbing.

Round 8 (RS) – Ch 1, work 1 sc in each st around. Sl st to first sc to close. (72)

Round 9 (RS) – Ch 1, work 1 scblo in each st around. Sl st to first scblo to close. (72)

Round 10 (WS) – Ch 1, turn. [sl st first st, hdc second st]. Repeat around to the end. Your last st should be a hdc. Sl st to first sl st of the round to close. (72)

You might want to place a stitch marker in the first sl st of the round. Because we work a sl st into a sl st to close, the first one can get lost. Marking the first sl st of the round helps keep your stitch count correct. 

Leave the stitch marker in through the next round (Round 11). This helps to identify where to place the last stitch of this second round. You can do this for each round that begins with a sl st.

Round 11 (RS) – Ch 1, turn. Place 1 sc in each st around. (72)

Rounds 12 through 30 – Repeat Rounds 10 and 11 in sequence. For example, Round 12 will be a repeat of Round 10 and Round 13 will be a repeat of Round 11. Round 30 should be a repeat of Round 10.

Round 31 (RS) – Ch 1, turn. [1 sc 10 sts, sc2tog]. Repeat 6x total around. Sl st to first sc to close. (66)

Round 32 (WS) – Ch 1, turn. [sl st first st, hdc second st]. Repeat around to the end. Your last st should be a hdc. Sl st to first sl st of the round to close. (66)

Round 33 (RS) – Ch 1, turn. [1 sc 9 sts, sc2tog]. Repeat 6x total around. Sl st to first sc to close. (60)

Round 34 (WS) – Repeat Round 32. (60)

Round 35 (RS) – Ch 1, turn. [1 sc 8 sts, sc2tog]. Repeat 6x total around. Sl st to first sc to close. (54)

Round 36 (WS) – Repeat Round 32. (54)

Round 37 (RS) – Ch 1, turn. [1 sc 7 sts, sc2tog]. Repeat 6x total around. Sl st to first sc to close. (48)

Round 38 (RS) – Ch 1, do not turn. [1 sc 6 sts, sc2tog]. Repeat 6x total around. Sl st to first sc to close. (42)

Finish off yarn and leave a long tail approximately 5 to 6 inches long. 

This tail will both cinch the beanie closed and sew on your chosen pom, if you prefer one.

Cinching and Adding Pom

To close this beanie, we now need to cinch the top closed. The few rounds of decreasing we worked at the end of this beanie will help the beanie cinch closed properly without so many folds that it feels bulky. It will still fold a little, but it will have a nice even fold.

With a tapestry needle and your long tail end, weave in and out of the tops of the stitches on Round 38. No fancy seaming here, we are just working the needle in and out of the stitches until we reach the other end. This weaves the tail end through the stitches to ensure the top of the beanie cinches tightly. 

When you’ve reached the end of the round, pull this tail end tight. You might have to push the stitches from Round 38 back toward the beginning of the round to get it all tight, but it will all cinch closed. Now that the top is cinched, secure it by sewing in one side of the cinch and out the other. You can do this as many times as preferred to ensure it is properly secured. Tie off.

If you’d like to add a pom to the top, don’t trim your yarn. Sew the pom on where the beanie cinches closed. The faux fur poms I purchased have an elastic loop that makes sewing the pom on easier. Alternatively, you could also sew a button onto the inside of the beanie so that the elastic loop can be threaded through the beanie and attached, so that it is removable.

If you do not want a pom, you can skip the above paragraph. 

Once complete, weave your needle to the inside of the beanie, tie off, trim yarn and weave ends.

You’re all done! Enjoy!

The Arctic Beanie

You now have your very own Arctic Beanie from this crochet winter hat pattern to keep you warm and cozy throughout this winter! I hope you love your Arctic Beanie as much as myself and my husband love ours. I might have to make one for the dog next…. just kidding… maybe!

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Crochet Winter Hat Pattern – Free!