How to Crochet a Houndstooth Beanie

I’m so excited to be have this updated pattern on my blog! This is one of the very first patterns that I put on my blog way back in 2016. It’s so fun to be able to track your own progress as a designer by revising old patterns. Since my blog (and designing skills) have improved so much since the early days, I decided that this original pattern needed a little facelift too. You can now find the Houndstooth Slouch Hat in sizes Newborn to Adult for free right here! It’s the same classic style from before with a few improvements from things I’ve learned over the past few years.

The following is a free pattern available for use on my website, if you would like to purchase a detailed, ad-free PDF version of this pattern, please visit my Etsy or Ravelry shop. All rights reserved.

**This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. This is a great way to support my small business AND get the supplies you need for your project!**

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The Inspiration

When I originally designed the Houndstooth Slouch Hat, it was a Christmas gift for my mother-in-law. She had asked me to make her some “funky”. However, this is not an adjective I would use to describe my mother-in-law so I wanted to do something unique but with a classic tone. So I decided that Houndstooth print might bring her the “funk” she’s looking for, while providing her with something she will actually wear.

And like the beginning of most design journeys, I couldn’t find a pattern I liked. I’m a bit partial to slouchy style beanies, in case you haven’t noticed from my current library. So through a little searching, I learned how to created the effect and decided to invent my own pattern.

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About the Houndstooth Slouch Hat

So in my original design, I started with a brim pretty similar to the Bauble Headband. Now, there’s a lot of different ways to do a brim. One of my favorite brim styles at the time was made with a series of slip stitches. As much as I love this brim style, I tend to save it for bulky beanies because it takes so long to work up. I will say that it does give a pretty amazing stretch and a cool-knitted look, so I will leave my original notes for this style beanie in the pattern.

For my worsted weight hats, I now default to a single crochet in back loops only style brim. When I extended the sizes of this hat, I opted for this style of brim for the design. So for all the new sizes, you can expect a quicker style brim.

I also used to prefer to make my hats without a decrease section them. This is because I could maintain the look of the pattern until the very end. But time and experience has shown me that, a) hats look better with a decrease, b) you can maintain your pattern in a decrease and c) usually a pom covers your decrease section anyway. So the new and improved pattern has a decrease section!

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About the Stitch

Now to create the houndstooth effect, you are really just alternating between two stitches of different sizes and layering two colors. For the Houndstooth Slouch Hat, I chose griddle stitch, which is alternating single crochet and double crochet stitches. You could also get this effect with the crunch stitch, which is alternating half double crochet and slip stitch.

The trick to making it pop is that instead of crocheting in rounds, you actually join and turn at the end of each row. This technique makes the yarn on the “wrong side” slightly more pronounced, creating the houndstooth effect we’re going for.

I just wanted to show a comparison of the inside of the hat versus the outside so you guys can all see the difference between the right side and the wrong side. In this pattern, just be sure that whichever color you want to be more prominent in your finished hat is worked as Contrasting Color or on the “wrong side” in the pattern.

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Finishing Your Hat

After closing up your hat, I think a great, but totally optional, finishing touch is a pom. I love adding faux fur poms to my finished hats. If you’d like to make your own, check out my tutorial for faux fur poms here! But of course, with the new and improved decrease section in this hat, it will look great with or without a pom on top.

If you’re looking for a matching Houndstooth scarf, check out this pattern I found from ELK Studio. She has a great tutorial over there about how to carrying the yarn colors so you don’t have any weird color changes.

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Love it?! Pin it for Later!

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Lets Get Started…

Materials Needed

2 Skeins of  Worsted Weight Yarn
– 35-120 yds of Main Color (shown in Black)
– 30-110 yds of Contrasting Color (shown in White)
Size I (5.5mm) crochet hook
Tapestry needle
Scissors
Pom Maker or Faux fur pom (optional)

Stitches/Abbreviations Used

Sl St – Slip Stitch
Ch – Chain
SC – Single Crochet
SC in BLO – Single Crochet in Back Loops Only
DC – Double Crochet
SC3TOG – Single crochet 3 together
DC3TOG – Double crochet 3 together
MC – Main Color
CC – Contrasting Color

Skill Level

Advanced Beginner

Gauge

With I (5.5mm) hook, ch 17 and work in Griddle Stitch.
12 stitches x 13 rows = 4” square

Special Stitches

Griddle Stitch: Griddle stitch is a combination of single crochet and double crochet stitches. The body of this hat is worked in this stitch with alternating colors to give a houndstooth effect. When working griddle stitch, single crochets will be worked in the double crochet stitch from the previous row and double crochet stitches will be working in single crochet stitches from the previous row. 

Sc3Tog: Insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook). Insert hook into next stitch and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook). Insert hook into following stitch, and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through all 4 loops on hook.

Dc3Tog: First, yarn over and insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook). Then, yarn over and insert hook into next stitch, pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook). Again, yarn over and insert hook into following stitch, pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops (4 loops on hook). Finally, yarn over and pull through all 4 loops on hook.

Notes

• Chains at the beginning of the rows do not count as stitches throughout this pattern.
• Pattern is written in increments of 2 stitches. 
• This hat is worked with Right side (RS) and Wrong Side (WS). You will need to turn your hat and work in the opposite direction and the end of each row. 
• Hat is written in the following sizes (Newborn, 0-3 Months, 3-6 Months, 6-12 Months, 12-18 Months, 2-5 Yrs, Child, Teen/Adult).
• Pattern is written with a decrease section to help shape top of beanie. This section adds 1-2″ depending on size. If you prefer, you can skip this section and just continue working the pattern until it reaches desired slouch and close.

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Pattern

(NB, 0-3 Mo, 3-6 Mo, 6-12 Mo, 12-18 Mo, 2-5 Yrs, Child, Teen/Adult)

BRIM

Using I hook and MC. Ch (5,5,7,7,7,9,9,11)

Row 1: SC in 2nd chain from hook and in each chain across. (4,4,6,6,6,8,8,10)
Row 2: Ch 1 and turn. SC in BLO of first stitch and each stitch across. (4,4,6,6,6,8,8,10)

Repeat Row 2 until  you have completed (38, 42,46, 50, 54, 58, 62,68) rows.

Holding ends together, sl st in each stitch across both pieces to close band. Do not break yarn. Turn band right side out so that slip stitches are facing inward and working yarn is on top.

Original Slip Stitch Brim (Adult Size only)

1. With H hook and main color, chain 11. Sl st in second ch from hook. Sl st in each chain across (10). Turn.
2. Ch 1. Sl st in BLO in second ch from hook, and in each stitch across (10). Turn.
3. Repeat Step 2 until band reaches approx. 18″ or until brim is the size you would like it. Try to end last row on the wrong side (I don’t think it’s noticeable either way, but some people prefer the joining row to look neater.)
4. Join last row to first set of ch stitches using a slip stitch. Should form a headband. Do not tie off.

HAT

Row 1: Using MC. Ch 1. SC in each row around top edge of brim. Sl st in top of first sc using CC. (38, 42,46, 50, 54, 58, 62,68)

Row 2: Using CC, ch 1 and TURN. Working on WS of the hat, Sc in first st, Dc crochet in next st. *Sc 1, Dc 1*. Repeat from * to * following around until last stitch. Join with sl st using MC. 

Row 3: Using MC. Ch 1 and TURN.  Working on the RS of the hat, Sc in first Dc of the previous row. Dc in next sc from previous row. *Sc in next Dc, Dc in next Sc*. Repeat from * to * following around until last stitch. Join with sl st using CC. (Note: I recommend turning work to right side before completing sl st to keep color changes on inside of hat.)

Repeat Rows 2 – 3 until work measures approx (4.5”, 4.5”, 5”, 5.5”, 6”, 6”, 7”, 8”) including brim. (Note: For less slouchy hat, work less rounds before decreasing.)

DECREASING ROWS

For the decreasing section, you will continue alternating colors by row and working the griddle stitch. You will be incorporating sc3tog and dc3tog after a certain number of stitches in each row. If the next stitch would have been a sc, then you will sc3tog. If the next stitch would have been a dc then you will dc3tog. 

Teen/Adult Size start decreasing with Round 1

Round 1: Ch 1 and turn. *Griddle stitch for 6 stitches. Work 3 together.* Repeat from * around.

Round 2: Ch and turn. *Griddle stitch for 5 stitches. Work 3 together.* Repeat from * around.

Size 2-5 Yrs & Child Size start decreasing with Round 3

Round 3: Ch and turn. *Griddle stitch for 4 stitches. Work 3 together.* Repeat from * around.

Round 4: Ch and turn. *Griddle stitch for 3 stitches. Work 3 together.* Repeat from * around.

Sizes Newborn – 18 Months start decreasing with Round 5

Round 5: Ch and turn. *Griddle stitch for 2 stitches. Work 3 together.* Repeat from * around.

Round 6: Ch and turn. *Griddle stitch for 1 stitches. Work 3 together.* Repeat from * around.

 ASSEMBLY

1. Using a tapestry needle, weave the long tail in and out of the top row of stitches approx. every 3-5 stitches. 
2. When you have gone all the way around the top of the hat, pull the tail tight, cinching the top of the hat closed.
3. Turn hat inside out, then tie off and weave the ends.
4. Optional: Attach Faux fur or yarn pom to top of hat. 

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Final Thoughts

And that, my friends is my Houndstooth slouch hat. I think it’s a perfectly “funky” gift, and I actually really love how it turned out. If you’re looking for some other fun (and FREE) slouchy hat patterns, check out the Luxe Leopard Beanie, the XOXO Slouch Hat, and the Trip Stitch Beanie!

Hope you all enjoyed this pattern with all its new updates! Be sure to tag be in your finished hats on Instagram at @craftingforweeks and use the hashtag #houndstoothslouchhat. I love to see and feature your work!

Happy Crafting!