November is coming to a close, and yesterday during our family Thanksgiving at my parent’s house, I was able to snatch my nieces up for one last photo shoot for the remaining patterns in the Little Monkeys Crochet Fall 2016 collection. (Speaking of thankfulness – I am so thankful for those girls! They are beautiful inside and out, and they’re always willing to play along when I need something photographed.)
This slouch hat pattern might just have stolen the top spot as my favorite pattern of the season. The combination of the lightweight yarn in the perfect neutral color, the rustic buttons, and the faux fur pom made it all come together so well. This hat is a bit more unique than all of my previous slouchy releases in the way it’s built, so it was a fun challenge to figure out the best way to write it all out for you.
As you may have guessed if you’ve been following me for a while, I used Cascade Yarns’ Longwood Sport for this pattern. It’s probably safe to say I’m addicted to this yarn, because whenever I finish a pattern with it, if I have some left over, I immediately start dreaming up a new pattern with the remaining yarn knowing full well that I’ll have to go order more in order to finish it. It’s a vicious cycle, folks, and I can’t escape it, and I don’t really want to. (I buy mine from Jimmy Beans Wool because their shipping prices rock.)
By now you might be asking, hey Rebecca, is that a matching scarf I see in your photos? Why yes, it is! Click here to view the Elena Scarf in its entirety and make one for yourself to go with your brand new slouch.
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ELENA SLOUCH
Difficulty: Easyish
Finished Size: 9.5″ tall x 9.5″ wide (when laid flat)
Hooks: H (5.00mm) and G (4.25mm)
Yarn: Approximately 265 yards of Cascade Yarns’ Longwood Sport (that’s just about a full skein). Longwood Sport is a #3 light yarn, and the color shown on the sample is “Oatmeal.”
Gauge: With larger hook, 9 rows of 5 (SK 1, SC+HDC in next) combos = 2″ square
You’ll also need: Yarn needle, 3/4″ buttons (4), faux fur pom pom (optional; mine is from Premier Yarns in “Otter”), needle and thread
Abbreviations Used:
MC (magic circle – view my tutorial here)
ST/STS (stitch/stitches)
SL ST (slip stitch)
SK (skip)
CH (chain)
SC (single crochet)
HDC (half double crochet)
SC+HDC (this just means to put 1 SC and 1 HDC in the same ST)
BLO (back loop only)
Notes:
(1) This pattern is written in American Standard Terms.
(2) I do not currently have an adaptation for a worsted weight version of this pattern.
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THE PATTERN
To begin: Using larger hook, create a Magic Circle; CH1.
Round 1: 10HDC in MC. Join with a SL ST to first HDC. (10)
Round 2: CH1. 2HDC in each ST around. Join with a SL ST to first HDC. (20)
Round 3: CH1. 2HDC in each ST around. Join with a SL ST to first HDC. (40)
Round 4: CH1. 2HDC in each ST around. Join with a SL ST to first HDC. (80)
Round 5: CH1. 2HDC in first ST, HDC in each of the next 3 STS. (2HDC in next ST, HDC in each of the next 3 STS) around. Join with a SL ST to first HDC. (100)
We are now switching to turned rows.
Row 6: CH5, turn. SC+HDC in 3rd CH from hook. SK next CH. SC+HDC in 5th (final) CH. We are now going to begin working around the hat. SK 1st ST, SC+HDC in next ST. (SK next ST, SC+HDC in next ST) around. (104)
Row 7: CH1, turn. SK 1st ST, SC+HDC in next ST. (SK next ST, SC+HDC in next ST) around. (104)
Rows 8-30: Repeat Row 7. (104)
Note: At the end of Row 30, your hook should be on the end of the hat that does not have the extra stitches created by the CH5 from Row 6.
Row 31: CH1, turn. SK 1st ST, SC+HDC in next ST. SK next ST, SC+HDC in next ST. Place a stitch marker in the stitch you just made (the 4th stitch of the row); we’ll reference it in the next row. Continue to (SK next ST, SC+HDC in next ST) around. (104)
Round 32: CH1, turn. Lay the inner edges of the hat so that they overlap, with your hook lined up with the stitch marker from Row 31, placing the edge that has the additional stitches (created by the CH5 from Row 6) underneath the opposite edge. Insert your hook into the first ST and the stitch that we marked with a stitch marker in the previous row (see photo below); make an SC in all 4 loops. Continuing to line up the overlapping stitches, SC in both layers of each of the next 3 STS. You have now sealed the bottom edge of the overlapping pieces together. Continue to SC in each ST around the rest of the hat. Join with a SL ST to first SC. (100)
Creating the Band
Next we’re going to make the band of the hat, and we will be working in vertical rows, attaching it to Round 32 of the hat with SL STS as we go.
Switch to G (4.25mm) hook.
Row 1: CH7. SC in 2nd CH from hook. SC in remaining 5 CHS. SL ST along the next 2 STS of Round 32 of the hat. (6, plus the 2 SL STS at the base of the hat)
Row 2: CH1, turn. Skipping over the 2 SL STS, SC in BLO of each of the next 5 STS. SC in both loops of the last ST. (6)
Row 3: CH1, turn. SC in first ST. SC in BLO of each of the next 5 STS. SL ST along the next 2 STS of Round 32 of the hat. (6, plus the 2 SL STS at the base of the hat)
Repeat Rows 2-3 all the way around the hat (100 rows). Fasten off and use your tail to carefully sew the first and last rows of the band together. Weave in all ends.
Buttons
Where the two edges of the hat meet and overlap, use a few ball point pins to secure them in place. Then, place and sew your buttons along the edge, being sure to position them so that your needle goes through both layers, sewing them together; when you remove the ball point pins, you want the buttons to hold the hat together on their own.
Attach your pom pom if desired. Done!