How to Crochet a Bobble Hat

 

This is a lovely, simple hat to crochet. No more than an evening's work. I've made two already and I'm trying to find an excuse to make more! It works up quickly on a 5mm hook using Rico Essentials Merino Aran - a bit of a favourite of mine at the moment.

 

Each round is worked in a different colour. I kept to a straightforward four-colour sequence, but obviously you could vary this as you please. It is worth noting, that with this pattern the colour you choose for Round 2 is also the colour the rim of the hat will be if you continue in sequence.

 

Each new round of colour is started with a standing stitch and Rounds 1-4 are worked as a granny hexagon, with the increases being worked into the corners each time.

 

The following instructions are to fit a child. This fits all three of my children age (just) 3, 4 (nearly 5) and 7 (and a half!). I have included instructions further down the page on how to adapt this hat to fit an adult.

 

Child's Bobble Hat:

 

To start: Ch6 and join with a slip stitch (ss) to form a ring.

 

Round 1: Ch3, 1tr into ring, [ch2, 2tr into ring] 5 more times. Join to top of ch3 with ss and fasten off.

 

Round 2: Starting in any chain space (ch sp), [2tr, ch2, 2tr, ch1] 6 times. Fasten off yarn.

 

Round 3: *[2tr, ch2, 2tr,] into corner ch sp, ch1, 2tr in next ch sp, ch1, repeat from * 6 times. Fasten off yarn.

Round 4: *[2tr, ch2, 2tr,] into corner ch sp, [ch1, 2tr in next ch sp, ch1] twice, repeat from * 6 times. Fasten off yarn.

 

Round 5: Starting in centre of one side, *[2tr, ch2, 2tr,] into ch sp, [ch1, 2tr in next ch sp, ch1] 3 times, repeat from * 6 times. Fasten off yarn. (Ignore the corners, it will all start to look a bit uneven at this stage... this is fine, don't worry!)

 

 

Round 6 - 12: Continue straight for 7 rounds, working [2tr, ch1] into each ch sp around. Fasten off yarn.

  

 

Round 13: Decrease round, work 2tr into each ch sp around. Fasten off yarn.

 

 

Round 14: 1dc in each stitch around.

 

 

Round 15 - 17: Ch1, continue around alternating front post dc (fpdc) and back post dc (bpdc) to form rib pattern. Fasten off yarn and weave in ends.

  

Inserting the hook for fpdc:

Yarn over, pull through and work as you would a normal dc.

Similarly, inserting the hook for bpdc:

The rib pattern starts to tighten the brim of the hat; to make it looser work fewer rows and to tighten work more.

And that's it! Weave in all the ends, add a lovely big velvety pom pom, and it is ready to go.

 

 

Now I just need to choose the colours for the next one...

 

xx

 

p.s. Dec 2104 - I'm writing up the grown-up version of the pattern and will post a link to it here soon...