I love making simple beanies. Besides the fact that they are SO fast, they are great for charity projects. There are tons of great ways to give back using newborn beanie hats. Hospitals use them in their OB wards (I still have the homemade beanies my sons wore home from the hospital!). Or how about donating them to orphanages? Last summer I had the opportunity to hand-deliver over 300 newborn beanies to orphanages in Bogota, Colombia (more on my connections with that wonderful country later).
Today’s free pattern isn’t so much a pattern as it is just a little inspiration; a fun, simple way to finish your typical newborn hat to make it stand out a bit more. The hat itself is just your standard, double crochet beanie hat. I added a contrasting row of SC to the bottom and a cute little button on the side, and that’s all there is to it!
Many of my readers make charity hats. Let me know in the comments where you donate your hats!
SUPER SIMPLE NEWBORN BEANIE
Hook: H (5.00mm)
Yarn: Small amount of worsted in two contrasting colors (I typically use Hobby Lobby’s “I Love This Yarn” or Lion Brand’s “Vanna’s Choice”)
Difficulty: Easy
Notes:
- Ch 2 does not count as starting DC. (Note: Originally, I had incorrectly stated that it does. Sorry for the confusion!) When joining, join to the first DC, not to the top of the chain.
- This pattern is written in American Standard Terms.
- This pattern was updated on September 12, 2015.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
With H hook and first color yarn, make a Magic Circle.
Round 1: Ch 2; 12 DC in magic circle; join. (12)
Round 2: Ch 2; 2 DC in same St and in each St around. Join. (24)
Round 3: Ch 2; 2DC in same St, 1 DC in next, (2 DC in next, 1 DC in next) around. (36)
Round 4: Ch 2; 2DC in same St, 1 DC in each of the next 17 St, 2 DC in next, 1 DC in each of the next 17. Join. (38)
Rounds 5-9: Ch 2; DC in each St around. Join.
Switch to contrasting color.
Round 10: Ch 1; SC in each St around. Join. Fasten off and weave in all ends.
I really like this pattern, so I was wondering if there is a difference in the pattern if I want to make it bigger? Please help! Thank you.
You would just need to do more increase rounds. If you look up “how to increase with double crochet” on Google or Pinterest, you’ll find lots of tutorials if you need help. 🙂
Bertha I have been crocheting Newby hats for new borns At Johns Hopkins for en years And have donated over 2500 hats boys and girls I had a fall about a year ago and now I want to start again. I don’t have a website but will be grateful if you could allow me to print this pattern so I can reacquaint myself
signed Grateful
Lovely, yet simple little hat! Perfect for a special gift made in different colors or to give to the local hospitals or charities. One thing I wanted to just pass along? The hospital I donate to will NOT accept ANY items made from cotton yarn. Only acrylic yarns. The reason is that cotton pieces that are really super teeny tiny, as in you can’t even see with your eyes unless it’s pointed out, can come away from the item and get breathed in by immature or suffering lungs and can cause a choking issue. Who knew?! I certainly didn’t! In fact I actually thought that cotton would have best- but no just super soft acrylic yarns. Thank you for your free patterns! As a mom of 5 and grandma of 3.5 it’s so wonderful to come across gorgeous items that I can actually create! 😀 And BLESS you on your newest addition! Babies are the best little snuggle bunnies ever!
I loved making this pattern! I almost never crochet hats or clothing as gifts because getting the sizing right freaks me out, but I have a few friends and relatives who are due soon and I wanted to crochet those cute babies some hats for this cold weather!
The pattern was easy to follow and the sizing turned out perfectly. I already have about 100 ideas for cute ways to change up or embellish this pattern. Thanks!
Best wishes on the birth of your new little boy! what a wonderful way to welcome the new year.
I love this pattern but have had a problem with the seam not being straight. In rounds 5–9, please clarify if: you join in the top of the DC, Ch 2, DC in same stitch as Ch 2 then DC in each st around.
Yes, that’s how I do it. Honestly, though, this was one of my very early patterns and if I were to rewrite it I would do it in continuous, seamless rounds and avoid the issue altogether. (I would finish the last round before the edging with HDC, SC, SL ST to smooth it down, then CH1 and do a joined SC round for the edge.)
i love this site because i get alot of patterns for making stuff for my family and friends thank you so much
thank you for this simple pattern i am learning few about crochet and i will do this , thank you again.
A big CONGRATS on your baby boy!!!
I love this pattern. I’ve made 35 hats to donate to the NICU at Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield California. Thank you so much!
I’m wondering if I could use a bulky (5) yarn to make this hat. If so what size hook should I use to make a newborn hat? I have a lot of Lion’s Brand Babys first that I want to use and I love this pattern 😀
If you use a bulky yarn, you’ll have to go way down in hook size, and I’m afraid the hat would become very stiff because of it. It’s just a basic DC newborn hat, so you would probably be better off looking up a DC chunky yarn hat pattern, or finding a crochet hat size chart and doing it that way with a basic DC stitch. Good luck!
Hi, hope this makes sense as I am a novice. Do you work your DC into the tops of the chains? Many thanks
Hi Kim, you don’t have to work into any chains in this pattern. If you mean “do you work your DC into the top loops of the stitches”, then yes – in crochet that’s always assumed unless otherwise stated. Hope that helps! 🙂
Yes, that’s exactly what I meant. ?
Thank you for confirming, I tend to really over think things and confuse myself! Lol
Can’t wait to make these, branching out from blankets. X x
I’m going to make this hat its so cute
Thanks so such for the free pattern. It is great! I Love making these. Do you have a free pattern for baby booties? Thanks again, Marielle.
I don’t, sorry! 🙂
i need a pattern like this one only in KNIT… i do not crochet and i would like to donate a bunch …i use the knitting loom to make hats…and donate them to the local hospital’s nicu…..thanks
I wish I could help you but I don’t knit 🙂 I’m sure you could find a good pattern via Pinterest or Ravelry, though!
Thank you for this free pattern. I will be using it to make hats for Little Hats/ Big Hearts campaign for 2017. A very worthy cause.
Please send knitting pattern, I cannot crochet thankyou
I don’t have a knit version as I do not knit, sorry 🙂
Thank you for the free pattern! I’ve been using it to make hats for the NICU babies at local hospitals!
I love this hat. I am making a few for my friends new grand daughter, I would love to add a lacy/ruffle trim (small) to the edge. Do you have any ideas for accomplishing this? Any suggestions would be much appreciated. The baby is due August 26, 2016. Thanks for this great pattern.
I am making purple baby beanies for awareness of abuse. Our local library does this collecting. Thousands from out small
Community. Congratulations on your WI P.