FREE PATTERN: Crochet Gnome-y Elfish Hat For Babies

I'm moving my crochet blog over here. This my most popular post there, so I'm starting with it.

At the time that I made this hat a couple of years ago, there were plenty of knitting patterns for hats like these but not many crochet ones, so I made this one up. Any resemblance to someone else's pattern is a total accident because I literally plowed through this in the middle of the night while cuddling a colicky baby. 

 I used 100% wool yarn and a size K hook. The hat actually stands up completely by itself.

Now I am not a professional pattern maker, so if I'm missing important details, let me know. Also, my abbreviations may be off, but it should be apparent what I mean.

Size – about 15 to 16 inches around (fits my two month old but she’s big)


Hook: K

Yarn: Worsted Weight wool (any will do, but a smaller yarn requires a smaller hook and will yield a smaller hat)

Chain 51, connect to make a circle without twisting the chain upside down

Round 1: Ch 2, Half-Double Crochet in each ch around, join at the top of the first hdc. Do not turn – 51 stitches

Rnd 2: Ch 1, Front Post Half-Double Crochet around the first hdc, then back post for the next hdc, then front post, then back, around to the end, join with a slip stitch at the top of the first hdc – 51 stitches

Rnd 3 – 5: Repeat Rnd two, putting front posts around front posts and back posts around back posts

Rnd 6: Ch 1, single crochet in same space and top of each hdc around until the last two – crochet those together with a single crochet decrease. Do not join with a slip stitch – 50 stitches

Rnd 7 – 16: Single crochet into the first single crochet and each sc around (note: or more if you want this part longer. I am finding that making it a few more rows longer fits my daughter's big head better!)

Rnd 17: SC decrease, sc in next 8 stitches, repeat pattern around – 45 stitches

Rnd 18: SC around – 45 stitches

Rnd 19: SC dec, sc in next 7 sts, repeat pattern around – 40 stitches

Rnd 20: SC around – 40 stitches

Rnd 21: SC dec, sc in next 6 sts, repeat pattern around – 35 stitches

Rnd 22: SC around – 35 stitches

Rnd 23: SC dec, sc in next 5 sts, repeat pattern around – 30 stitches

Rnd 24: SC around – 30 stitches

Rnd 25: SC dec, sc in next 4 sts, repeat pattern around – 25 stitches

Rnd 26: SC around – 25 stitches

Rnd 27: SC dec, sc in next 3 sts, repeat pattern around – 20 stitches

Rnd 28 - 32: SC around – 20 stitches

Rnd 33: SC dec, sc in next 2 sts, repeat pattern around – 15 stitches

Rnd 34 – 39: SC around – 15 stitches

Rnd 40: SC dec, sc in next st, repeat pattern around – 10 stitches

Rnd 41 – 46: Sc around – 10 stitches

Leave a long tail and weave in last five sc’s and pull closed. Finish off.

This can then be finished in several ways, such as with a pompom, tassel, cord or braid. I pulled 9 strands of yarn through the end part, made a knot, and then braided them. You can make it as long or as short as you wish.

Copyright Alisa Elizabeth King Terry 2010. Please do not sell this pattern or copy it without crediting me and linking back to this blog.