Free Easy Crochet Pattern for Stretchable Hat That Fits Toddlers Through Teens

Previously posted on my AllCraftConnection.org blog August 7, 2015.

Audrey is wearing a pony tail under the hat, and it stretches to accommodate the pony tail.

Nolan, missing his two front teeth, also wears the hat comfortably.

Avery wears the hat, too!

Myraiah's hat was crocheted without a brim (8" original chain)

Because of the remarkable stretchability of this hat, it fits a wide range of ages, from toddlers to adults. You just have to adjust the brim. The only two stitches used throughout the Stretchable Hat project are the Chain (Ch) and the Single Crochet (SC), Back Loop Only (BLO) stitches. 

Materials Needed

Crochet hook size J (6.00 mm) UK Sz. 4

Standard 4-ply Yarn

Measuring Tape

Tapestry Needle

Instructions

Crochet a chain that measures 10 inches* (10") in length (the number of stitches aren’t important).

SC in the back side of each Ch across, Ch 1 (if you don’t know how to crochet in the back side of a chain, watch the YouTube video posted below).

*SC (BLO) all the way across, Ch 1**

Repeat from * to ** until project reaches 15”. Leave off the last SC. Pull through a length of yarn about 25” long.

Fold the hat in half (inside out – though with this pattern the hat appears to look fine either way) so that it measures 7.5” across.

Sew the 25” yarn into the inner loops on both sides of the hat, then weave the needle through the larger holes at what will be the top of your hat wherever your yarn left off on the side. 

Pull tightly, but not so tightly you break your yarn. Then weave through and across the top so that you’ll cover any holes. Sew into stitches that are close to each other. You don’t want the hat to look amateurish when finished with long lengths of yarn that look out of place. To make sure you’ve closed the gap, place your finger through the other side of the hat. If your finger pokes through the hole, sew the hole tighter.

Here is the YouTube video that will show you how to crochet on the back side of your initial chain.

*If you don't want a brim, make your original chain shorter. For an 8-year-old, my original chain was only 8"