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:Â 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:Â 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.
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With H hook and first color yarn, make a Magic Circle.
Round 1: Ch 2;Â 12 DC in magic circle; join. (12)
Round 2:Â Ch 2; 2 DC in same St and in each St around. Join. (24)
Round 3:Â Ch 2; 2DC in same St, 1 DC in next, (2 DC in next, 1 DC in next) around. (36)
Round 4:Â 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:Â Ch 1; SC in each St around. Join. Â Fasten off and weave in all ends.
Hello Rebecca,
Thank you so much for the pattern. I have made several and crocheted flowers in place of buttons. I donated several today to Women and Infants Hospital in Rhode Island . I would love to make next size for 3-6 months. Can you tell me which row to add stitches and how many?
thank you
Brenda
Hello …., What is the size of this hat, the circumference? Would it fit a 3 or 4 month old?
I crochet hats for the pediatric clinic at UVA Hospital in Charlottesville Va
Excellent! I use leftover yarn scraps and crochet a preemie size for my local Women’s and Babies hospital where my grandsons were born and also make a donation to my local Project Linus bin♥ So rewarding!
Can this beanie be made in any larger sizes ?
How can u start without a magic circle.
You can chain 3 and then 12 DC into the first chain from the chain 3.
I donate to Newborns In Need. I make various blankets and sweater sets for the new babies. I love this pattern because it is basic but with a twist that makes it stand out! A crab stitch as the last row is cute too in a contrasting color.
I belong to the Prayer Shawl Ministry at my church, Bald Eagle United Presbyterian Church in Mill Hall, Pennsylvania. I heard on the news that the hospitals were running very low on baby hats, especially hats for premies. The C2C shawl I was in the middle of got put on hold and I am just crocheting baby hats and I’m going to try including baby booties with them. The hats are so much fun to make and it gives me great joy and gratitude to know that a premie or newborn had some warmth from my gifts. Thank you for the patterns.
God Bless your kind heart.
I am trying to make and donate baby hats.
Do u join on row 3?
Had to layout the magic circle on a table so I could visualize how it goes (first try I felt like I needed 10 fingers on each hand!). Loving the pattern and you’re right – it gives me inspiration. My beanies and blankets are going to the local hospital, but I’ve heard that foster care agencies can also use them (never thought about foster care). Keep doing what you’re doing!! Love it!!
Make baby hats for newborns and donate to hospitals. Thur Linus Project
Thank you so mich for your beautiful pattern. Do you have a simple crochet baby scratch mittens pattern?
I am making chemo hats for cancer patients. I donate them to CHD: Cancer House of Hope. I use Caron Simply Soft yarn! The people say it feels SO soft on their heads! I love helping others!
If I am a passholder and want to print a pattern without adds, what is the procedure?
There is nowhere on the site that it’s letting me do that?
I think you would just download the PDF file, and print it from there. It would be in your “my files” if you’re on a phone. Good luck! 🙂
Want to try and make these for the hospital here…What oz of yarn is it ..3.5 oz or 5 oz.. just want to get the right yarn…can’t get Hobby Lobby’s “I Love This Yarn” or Lion Brand’s “Vanna’s Choice”) in the stores here… thankyou…
I don’t know why I put 3.5 oz or 5 oz.. I meant is this Med 4 yarn … Thanks
Yes, worsted weight is a medium 4 weight.
I love this simple beanie, but I am awful at sizing. I would like to make this a version for a 3 and 5 year old. Do you have the pattern for larger sizes?
We are focusing on selling Outdoor Gear and relative Sportswear for Camping, Running, Cycling, Skiing, Hiking, Backpacking etc. and other wearable smart tech electronic devices.
I would like to start making baby caps to donate to the hospitals. I do not know what a magic circle is. Can you tell me?
If you click the underlined words in the pattern where it tells you to make a “magic circle”, it will take you to a tutorial 🙂
I crochet baby blankets with a hat to at home for our hospital
I love your patterns for crocheting hats etc. I make a lot of things for babies and so enjoy getting ideas for different patterns to make. You take care of your little one and I will be looking for more of your patterns.
This pattern is perfect for what I need. I am joining the American Heart Assn for Red Hats in February. We are making red hats for the babies born in the month of February & donating them to local hospitals. This is to help raise awareness for children born with heart issues. Thank you for allowing the use of this pattern & Congratulations on Henry James. I know his 1st birthday is coming up soon. Thanks again!! Maggie Taylor
This hat is very, very cute! While I do love the little added decoration on the hat, I URGE YOU NOT TO PUT A BUTTON ON A NEWBORN”S HAT! Babies might wear this hat even when they are not under the eyes of their mothers or other caretakers, and a baby, even a newborn, could possibly pull off that little button – and where will it go??? Right into their little mouths!
PLEASE do not do that!
If you want to put a decoration on the hat, try a sewn-on tiny bow, or yarn flower, or even a felt flower shape, but a plastic decoration is very dangerous.
Thanks!
I learned a very similar pattern, but I bought size 6 yarn instead of 4. How would you recommend changing the pattern for a similar outcome?