Easiest Crochet Baby Hat - Free 1 Hour Pattern (2024)

If you're looking for a crochet baby hat crochet pattern that can be made in an hour or two with the most basic of stitches, you've found it! We've even included sizes for children, teens and adults so you can make matching beanies for the whole family!

Get the free pattern below or purchase the ad-free, printable PDF here. Follow along with the video tutorial to learn how to crochet a baby hat step-by-step.

This free crochet hat pattern for babies is part of a collaboration with Lion Brand Yarns. This post contains affiliate links.

What Makes This Crochet Baby Hat So Easy?

Crocheting a hat usually requires a decent amount of counting and increasing or decreasing to get a nice tapered shape. Not this time! With this easy, innovative approach, you’ll lean on entry-level crochet techniques to create a beautifully ribbed trapezoid. One simple seam later, you’ll have a tapered baby beanie with the perfect amount of slouch!

Pattern Sizes

This beginner crochet baby hat pattern includes instructions for seven sizes--premie, newborn and toddler through adult. In case you’re interested in customizing your look, you’ll also find a “Perfect Hat Formula” below that walks you through each simple step of customizing your hat to include more or less slouch.

Keep reading for all the yarn, inspiration and pattern construction details or scroll down for the free adult, child and baby hat crochet pattern!

Watch the step-by-step baby hat video tutorial here.

We Love an Easy Crochet Beanie Pattern

A couple of years ago, I shared a pattern and video tutorial for an extremely easy crochet hat pattern that you can completely finish in about an hour and a half. The 1.5 Hour Beanie was really helpful to a lot of you because apparently, you're all just as crunched for time as me!

Last year, I expanded on that pattern to include a child's size hat. Both the child and adult versions are made from a simple rectangle, so they're about as easy as making a washcloth that you can wear on your head (but lots better looking!)

This year, I wanted to add to the pattern suite with a free crochet baby hat pattern for beginners. I had an idea for a way to design a crochet hat that tapered at the top, but still wasn't any more complicated than crocheting a rectangle. Thus, the Easiest Hat Ever was born!

I originally envisioned this as a crochet hat for babies exclusively, but once it worked so well, I decided to expand the sizes so you can make hats for toddlers, children, tweens and adults. As you can see from the photos, this easy crochet baby hat turned out to be perfect for bigger heads too!

click to pin this pattern for later ⇨

Baby Hat Construction

I'm all for big, ambitious crochet projects like sweaters, blankets and ponchos, but sometimes, it just feels good to have a little palette cleanser. A crochet "snack" of sorts. Something that requires almost no counting, barely any pattern reading and that can be finished in one evening.

When I was designing this pattern, it was important to me that this crochet-baby-hat-turned-crochet-everyone-hat was just as beginner-friendly as the 1.5 Hour Beanie. For this reason, the Easiest Crochet Hat Ever is worked flat using only two stitches--single crochet and slip stitches.

There's no keeping track of stitch counts or rounds or basically anything other than what you're going to watch next on TV. Whether you're a beginner or just looking for an uncomplicated crochet hat pattern that you can whip up super fast, I think you'll really love making one (or 12!) of these beanies.

Related:35+ FreeChunky Crochet Beanie Patterns

Can I Sell My Finished Baby Hats?

Yes! Because this pattern looks modern and on-trend despite being exceptionally simple, straightforward and easy to crank out over and over again, I think it is a perfect craft-market staple.

If you do sell your finished crochet baby hats or any other hats made from this pattern, please credit Make & Do Crew as the designer and link to the pattern if you're listing your hats online. I do not allow my photos to be used as your listing photos, so please make sure to snap your own pics!

Stock up on yarn though because this is one mindless make that will be requested by everyone who sees it. This is an excellent project for keeping in your purse to work on on the go.

Best Yarn for a Crochet Hat

I used one of my favorite yarns from Lion Brand for this pattern and it worked as beautifully as I expected. Color Made Easy is a category 5 yarn, making it one step chunkier than worsted weight. (See it in the Quad Color Throw, the Whisper Triangle Scarf and the 1 Hour Beanies.)

I love that Color Made Easy works equally well for crocheting a baby hat as it does for crocheting a men's hat, and neither took much time at all. This yarn is just thick enough to make your projects fly off your hook, but not too bulky to overwhelm a little one's tiny head.

Plus, the colors! Color Made Easy really lives up to the name, can you tell from these photos? There are so many beautiful, modern shades in this line of yarn. You can check them all out here. You'll be able to crochet three baby hats from a skein and three adult hats from two skeins.

Related:27+ FreeCrochet Hats and Beanies for Adults

So...How Does a Trapezoid Become a Crochet Beanie?

Wanna see a little more about the simple process of turning your crochet trapezoid into a slightly slouchy crochet hat? Check out this quickie video! I had so much fun putting it together. (Anyone who's ever experimented with stop motion video knows that it's quite the tedious craft, but man, I find it so fun!)

You can find the full length, step-by-step video tutorial here.

Need Help Crocheting a Hat or Reading a Pattern?

In order to make this beanie as accessible as possible, I created a beginner-friendly baby hat video tutorial that covers each step of this pattern.

For those who are not big on reading written patterns, I've put together a chart in the printable PDF that I think will simplify things significantly for you.

In this simple chart organized by size (premie, baby, toddler, child, tween, women, men), you're able to digest the pattern at a glance. Think of it like the cliff notes that'll make this easy crochet hat pattern even easier! You can grab the printable PDF here.

More Baby Hat Crochet Patterns

We have lots more free crochet baby hat patterns (and hat patterns of all sizes for that matter!) that you can browse all our hat patterns.

You can always find all our free crochet patterns here.

1. 1 Hour Beanie (child-adult) // 2. Unity Beanie (child-adult)
3. Santa's Helper Hat (newborn-adult) // 4. Bunny Hat (baby-toddler)

Easiest Crochet Hat Ever
Free Crochet Hat Pattern for Babies, Children + Adults

Watch the video tutorial here.

Explanation:
Crocheting a hat usually requires a decent amount of counting and increasing or decreasing to get a nice tapered shape. Not this time! With this easy, innovative approach, you’ll lean on the most basic crochet stitches to create a beautifully ribbed trapezoid. One simple seam later, you’ll have a tapered beanie with the perfect amount of slouch!

This beginner-level pattern includes instructions for seven sizes--premie through adult. In case you’re interested in customizing your look, you’ll also find a “Perfect Hat Formula” that walks you through each simple step of customizing your hat to include more or less slouch.

Stock up on yarn though because this is one mindless make that will be requested by everyone who sees it. Excellent project for keeping in your purse to work on on the go.

• Tapestry needle
• Size K (6.5 mm) crochet hook
• Stitch markers or safety pins (optional)
• Faux fur pom pom or pom pom maker (optional)

Yarn Substitution Options:
Check YarnSub.com to find an alternative yarn of a similar weight. You may also try holding two strands of worsted weight yarn together and see if the your gauge is fairly similar to the pattern gauge.

Sizes:
Pattern is written in seven sizes below, but is also very easy to customize. Read on for more details on creating the perfect hat formula!

When selecting a size, choose based on the actual head circumference and not the age of the recipient.

* Does not include yarn for optional pom pom

Abbreviations and Glossary (US Terms):
ch – chain
rep – repeat
RS – right side
sk – skip
sc - single crochet
scblo - single crochet through the back loop only (see tutorial below)
slst – slip stitch
slstblo - slip stitch through the back loop only (see tutorial below)
st(s) – stitch(es)
tch – turning chain
WS – wrong side

How to Use This Pattern:
You can approach this pattern in two ways.

First, you can follow it exactly as written, choosing a size based on the actual head measurement of the future hat wearer.

Secondly, you may choose to modify it a bit using the “Perfect Hat Formula” below. By using the formula, you can quite easily change the amount of slouch or change the way the hat fits.

In either case, it’s very helpful to check your gauge before beginning!

Gauge:
12 scblo = 4”
11 scblo rows = 4”

How to Check Your Gauge:
1. Ch 15.
2. Sk first ch, sc in each ch; turn. (14)
3. Ch 1, sc in the back loop of each sc; turn.
4. Rep Row 3 for 11 more rows.
5. Lay swatch flat and measure width. 12 stitches needs to equal approximately 4”. If your swatch has too many stitches in 4”, increase your hook size and swatch again. If your swatch has too few stitches in 4”, decrease your hook size and swatch again.

Measure swatch height. 11 rows needs to equal approximately 4”. If your swatch has too many rows in 4”, but the stitch gauge (step 5) is correct, simply swatch again but pull stitches up a little higher before completing each single crochet. If swatch has too few rows in 4”, swatch again, pulling stitches tighter as you work.

Perfect Baby Hat Formula:

This hat is worked sideways and consists of two types of stitches in each row. The main hat section is worked in single crochet stitches and the top edge is worked in slip stitches. Because the slip stitches are shorter than the single crochets, they create a natural decrease shape at the crown of the hat without any actual decreasing. Pretty cool, huh?

As written, hat will have a slight amount of slouch as pictured in samples.

⇨ For hat with more slouch add the following to your beginning chain. Adult Sizes: add 5 ch. Baby/Children/Tween Sizes: add 3 ch.

⇨ For a fitted hat with zero slouch, subtract the following from your beginning chain: Adult Sizes: Subtract 3 ch. Baby/Children/Tween Sizes: Subtract 2 ch.

Video Tutorial:
• Watch a video tutorial that walks you through this pattern step-by-step here.

Easiest Hat Ever

Notes:
• Pattern is written for smallest size with larger sizes following in parentheses. If working from a printed pattern, it can be helpful to circle the stitch counts pertaining to your size before beginning. Preemie (Baby, Toddler, Child, Tween, Women, Men)

•If you enjoy simple crochet hat patterns, you’ll also love the 1 Hour Beanie. This free, beginner pattern is extremely easy and has video tutorial support. Sizes: preschool-adult.

Baby Hat Diagram

In case you don’t enjoy reading patterns, follow the chart in the ad-free, printable PDF to get the “cliff notes” on your hat’s basic pattern. Adventurous crocheters may even mix and match from this table to customize a hat that’s extra slouchy. Purchase the PDF here.

Foundation Row: Ch 15 (21, 25, 27, 30, 32, 32).

Row 1: Sk first ch, slst in next 3 (4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5), sc in each ch to end of row; turn. [14 (20, 24, 26, 29, 31, 31) stitches total]

Row 2: Ch 1, scblo in each sc, slstblo in each slst; turn.

Row 3: Tightly ch 1, slstblo in each slst, scblog in each sc; turn.

Rep Rows 2 and 3 for a total of 27 (37, 43, 49, 53, 55, 57) rows. Fasten off. There should be 13 (18, 21, 24, 26, 27, 28) visual bumps created by the ribbing rows when looking at the right side of the piece. Fasten off leaving a 25” tail of yarn for seaming.

Tip: The right side is the side facing up when you put the tail from the chain on the same side as your non-dominant hand.

FINISHING

Creating Hat Tube: With RS facing out, fold piece into a tube so that last row overlaps first row. Using yarn tail from final row and a tapestry needle, seam toward crown with the mattress stitch, working into the first and last row of the hat. (See photo below.) Tie a few knots to secure seam before moving on to step 2. Keep yarn attached.

Cinching Hat Top: Whip stitch around top of hat working into each turning chain of each visual ridge of ribbing. Pull gently until top has closed. Work a few stitches to close top of hat if a small space remains. Keep yarn attached if adding a pom pom.

Adding Pom Pom: Sew faux fur or yarn pom pom to top of hat. Weave in remaining end.

Pop the Easiest Hat Ever on your head and get to work on making one for everyone you know!

More Fast Crochet Patterns

If you're under the gun to make some gifts or you just like fast crochet projects, here are a few more of our favorites. You can always find all our free crochet patterns here.

1. 1.5 Hour Beginner Beanie + Video Tutorial

2. Sunday Slippers

3. Saturday Slippers

4. 3 Hour Mittens