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Beginner Crochet Beanie Lesson
Crochet a simple beanie as a flat rectangle, then seam the sides and gather the crown. You will practice single crochet, back-loop rows, swatching, and an easy finish.
Sample pattern
One adult size
- Fit
- For a 21–23 in (53–58 cm) head; about 19.5 in (50 cm) unstretched finished circumference
- Yarn
- Worsted weight (#4), about 200 yd (183 m)
- Hook
- US H/8 (5 mm)
- Gauge after washing
- 16 single crochets × 18 rows per 4 in (10 cm), in back-loop single crochet
- Stitches and length
- 78 stitches; chain 79 for the first row; about 45 rows at sample gauge and 10 in (25 cm) total height, including a 2 in (5 cm) folded brim
Before you begin
Materials and tools
- About 200 yd (183 m) of smooth worsted-weight yarn (#4), plus a little extra for the swatch
- US H/8 (5 mm) crochet hook, or the size needed to match your washed gauge swatch
- A blunt yarn needle for seaming and weaving in ends
- A tape measure or ruler
- Stitch marker (optional) and scissors
Quick glossary
US crochet terms
- Chain (ch)
- A foundation loop made by pulling yarn through the loop already on your hook.
- Single crochet (sc)
- Insert the hook into a stitch, pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook.
- Back loop only (BLO)
- Work into only the farther of the two top loops at the top of each stitch. This leaves a ridge and gives the fabric extra stretch.
- Turning chain
- A chain made at the end of a row to give the hook room to begin the next row; in this pattern it does not count as a stitch.
- Gauge
- How many stitches and rows fit in a measured area after washing; it helps estimate the finished size.
This lesson uses US crochet terms. In UK terminology, US single crochet is called double crochet.
Work at your own pace
Step-by-step instructions
Make, wash, and measure a gauge swatch
With the US H/8 (5 mm) hook, chain about 25 and work single crochet through the back loop only until the swatch is roughly 6 in (15 cm) tall. Wash and dry it the way you plan to care for the beanie, then lay it flat without stretching. In the center, measure a 4 in (10 cm) square and count the stitches across and rows up. The draft gauge is 16 single crochets and 18 rows per 4 in (10 cm). If you have more stitches than 16, try a larger hook; if you have fewer, try a smaller hook. Rewash and measure the new swatch before using its gauge.
Choose a size and calculate the stitches
This one-size draft is for a 21–23 in (53–58 cm) head, with about 19.5 in (50 cm) of unstretched circumference. That is 1.5–3.5 in (4–9 cm) of negative ease so the fabric stretches to fit. For another head size, choose a finished circumference that feels comfortably snug in your washed swatch, then calculate: finished circumference × your stitches per 4 in ÷ 4. At the sample gauge, 19.5 × 16 ÷ 4 = 78 stitches. Round to a whole stitch and add one chain for the first single crochet; the sample starts with 79 chains. Try the swatch around the head: it should stretch comfortably without feeling tight.
Chain and make the first row
Chain 79 for the sample size. Work 1 single crochet (sc) into the second chain from the hook, then make 1 sc in each chain across. You will have 78 stitches. Count them before turning; if you want to mark the first stitch of each row, place a marker there.
Work each row through the back loop
Chain 1 and turn. The turning chain does not count as a stitch. Make 1 sc through the back loop only (BLO) of each stitch across, including the last stitch. Count 78 stitches, then chain 1 and turn again. Repeat this row to make a stretchy ribbed fabric. Keep the edges even by checking that the first and last stitch are worked on every row.
Measure to the beanie height
Continue until the rectangle measures about 10 in (25 cm) from the foundation-chain edge to the last row. At the sample row gauge, this is roughly 45 rows, but row count is only a guide: measure the fabric and use the fit check to decide when to stop. Wrap the foundation edge around the head without stretching; it should meet comfortably. The finished height includes a brim that folds up about 2 in (5 cm).
Seam the row edges into a tube
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Fold the rectangle so the foundation-chain edge and last-row edge will form the bottom and top of the hat, with the two row-end edges meeting. Thread the tail onto the yarn needle and sew those row-end edges together from the bottom to the top using mattress stitch or a neat whip stitch. Keep the seam flexible and avoid pulling it tighter than the fabric. Turn the tube so the seam is on the inside.
Gather and secure the crown
Thread a separate length of yarn through the stitches along the open top edge, passing through each stitch all the way around. Pull the yarn gradually to close the crown. If a small opening remains, make a second pass through the gathered stitches. Secure the yarn on the inside with several small stitches, then weave in the end.
Weave in ends, fold the brim, and care for the beanie
Weave in every loose end on the inside without puckering the fabric. Fold the foundation-chain edge up by about 2 in (5 cm) to make the brim. Check that the side seam and crown are secure. Wash and dry the finished beanie according to the yarn label; reshape it gently and lay it flat to dry if the label recommends it.