MicroPreemie Striped Hats - Free Crochet Pattern
These little hats work up super quickly. They make a great gift for a friend who has a micropreemie in the hospital. They are also, of course, great to donate to the NICU or charity that collects hats for preemies. If you don't crochet, I do have these completed hats for sale in my Etsy shop. CROCHET PATTERN: Micro Preemie Striped Hat with Ridged Trim SIZE 8” circumference stretches to 9”. Fits babies 1-2 pounds. SKILL LEVEL Easy MATERIALS (aff. links to Amazon) Two colors of yarn: Either baby yarn with H8/5mm crochet hook -OR- Soft worsted weight yarn with G6/4mm crochet hook Scissors and Yarn Needle for finishing off. Baby yarn is lighter and so soft, but worsted weight usually costs less and comes in more colors, just make sure you choose a “soft” variety rather than a “value” option, which tends to be scratchier. I made the purple/white hat with baby yarn and the blue/gray one with soft worsted weight yarn, so you can see (or not see) the difference. GAUGE 7 Double Crochet = 2 inches ABBREVIATIONS CH - Chain DC - Double Crochet FPDC - Front Post Double Crochet (explained in pattern)
SL ST - Slip Stitch
NOTES
We do not cut the yarn after each rounds, instead we carry it down. This makes the finished item more secure with being one piece rather than separate pieces. It also works up faster because you won’t have all the little ends from each round to weave in at the end. The yarn will get twisted after switching colors a few times, so stop and untwist it when you need to.
HAT Begin with Magic Circle (tutorial here). CH 2.
RND1: DC 10 in center of circle, switching colors on last DC. Do not cut yarn. Join with SL ST in top of 1st DC. CH 2.
Switching colors: Begin DC normally with current color. When you have 2 loops left on hook, drop current color and pick up new color. Pull new color through both loops to finish the DC. Do not cut yarn. Video demonstration available here.
RND2: 2DC in same space and each space around, switching colors on last DC by picking up the yarn from the previous row that you left hanging. Do not cut yarn (count=20). Join with SL ST in top of 1st DC. CH 2.
RND3: DC in same space. 2DC in next space. Repeat this pattern [DC, 2DC] all the way around, switching colors on the last DC. (count=30) Join with SL ST in top of 1st DC. CH 2.
(count=30 for all remaining rounds) RND 4-6: DC in same space and each space around, switching colors on the last DC. Join with SL ST in top of first DC. CH 2.
RND7: DC in same space and each space around. (do not switch colors). Join with SL ST in top of first DC. CH 2.
RND 8: FPDC around 1st DC of previous round. DC in next one. Repeat this pattern [FPDC, DC] all the way around. Join with SL ST in top of 1st FPDC. Finish off, weave in ends.
FPDC is just like a DC except that you work around the previous row's DC rather than on the top: Yarn over, insert hook from front, around back, and out the front of the previous row's DC. Yarn over and pull yarn up. Finish the stitch as your would a regular DC.
Alternate between DC and FPDC on 8th round.
The inside of the hat will have a line where you carried the yarn and switched colors.
Congratulations on completing your project!! :)
If you want to add as little something extra, my Tiny Heart Appliques are the perfect size for these - use the same hook and yarn as you used for the hats.
Thanks for visiting! ~Amanda Copyright: Written pattern and pictures are © Crochet To Z, 2015. To share this pattern, please link back to this page. Do not photocopy, rewrite, repost, redistribute or resell this pattern in any way. The finished product that you make from the my patterns is YOUR creation to do with it what you wish – keep it, gift it, donate it, or sell it.
