© Photography by Kindred Photo & Design
Thank you to Lion Brand for providing the yarn for this pattern sample!
I’ve always had a picture in my head of a slouch hat that I wanted to create, that had a very slooooooooow, graaaaaadual color change. I looked into the possibility of dip-dying the finished hat, but it looked like more effort than it was worth. (Plus, I’m lazy.) Then, just recently, I found out about Lion Brand’s new yarn – Scarfie! As soon as I saw it, I knew it was The One. The perfect yarn for the hat I wanted to create.
Click the photo to view Lion Brand Scarfie yarn on Craftsy!
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About the Yarn
Each skein of Scarfie has very gradual color changes between two colors. I immediately gravitated to the Cream/Taupe, because, well, I’m a sucker for a good taupe color. Each skein has 312 yards of bulky weight yarn, so you’ve got plenty to make a beautiful, somewhat-ombre-style scarf.
But we’re not making a scarf today.
Nope, today we’re going to use that beautiful Scarfie yarn to make a hat! Sometimes, you just gotta do the unexpected. 🙂
This pattern is a very simple slouch pattern. But paired with the gorgeous gradual color changes of Scarfie, it becomes completely unique! It just goes to show you how yarn choice can make all the difference.
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About the Name
I named this pattern the “Macchiato Slouch” because the combination of the yarn color and the gradual fade made me think back to my days as a barista. One of my favorite drinks was an iced caramel macchiato — vanilla syrup, milk, and a couple shots of espresso and caramel drizzle to mark the top (macchiato means marked in Italian). So instead of the espresso instantly mixing with milk, as it would in a latte, the espresso sits on top of it until it sloooooowly blends in from the top-down. Now, the next time you to go your local coffee shop, you can wow them with your knowledge… and with your new hat!
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MACCHIATO SLOUCH HAT
Level: Easy
Size:
One Size Fist Most (Preteen – Adult Woman).
Hat measures 9.5” across at band, and is 9” tall.
Materials:
- N hook (9.00mm) and I hook (5.50mm)
- Yarn needle
- Lion Brand Scarfie Yarn (I used Cream/Taupe), about 140 yards, which is less than half a skein – so you can make two! (Scarfie is a bulky weight yarn.)
- Stitch marker (a bobby pin works great)
- Button (1-1.5″) and tools to attach it
Gauge:
With N hook, 7HDC = 3″
Stitches Used:
MC (magic circle) – view my tutorial here
CH (chain)
SS (slip stitch)
SC (single crochet)
HDC (half double crochet)
Notes:
(1) This hat is worked in a continuous spiral until the band. Do not join, chain or turn until instructed. Use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each round.
(2) This pattern is written in American Standard terms.
(3) The button and button flap on this hat are just decorative (they don’t actually function). There is no buttonhole, and at the end, we’ll just sew everything neatly in place.
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To begin:
Using N Hook, make a magic circle.
Round 1: 10 HDC in MC (10)
Round 2: 2 HDC in each ST around (20)
Round 3: 2 HDC in each ST around (40)
Note: At this point, it’s going to start looking wavy. You’re doing it right! The back of the hat has a faux-cinched look to it, and this is how we achieve it. Once you get to the body of the hat, it will start to straighten itself out naturally.
Round 4: (2 HDC in next, 1 HDC in next) around (60)
Rounds 5-15: HDC around (60)
Switch to I hook.
Round 16: SC around (60). CH7.
From this point on, we will be working in turned rounds. We still won’t be joining.
Round 17: Turn your work. Working down the back side of the CH7, SC in 2nd CH from hook and in each remaining CH, then continue to SC around the hat (you’re now crocheting in the opposite direction as the previous round) until you reach the beginning again. (66)
Rounds 18-22: CH1, turn. SC around. (66)
Edging: CH1. SC around the entire band of the hat, including the button flap, putting (SC,CH1,SC) in each corner.
Fasten off, leaving a 12″ tail. Use the tail to gently sew the button flap in place, then weave in all ends securely. Attach decorative button in place with yarn or a needle and thread.
Came across this pattern today. I literally had a skein of Scarfie yarn in my lap and had decided to put my knitting needles down and do some crochet. I am not even joking when I tell you prior to finding your pattern I had pulled out my 9mm and 5.5mm hooks! I was a bit concerned thinking my gauge must have been off as it seemed far too wide. I double and triple checked it but I was spot on. Decided to continue on and got to 2nd row of band and just knew it was way too big. So I checked with calculator. 60 divided by 7 =8.57 x 3 =25.7” I had to rip it all out 😐. I really like the pattern and had matched the gauge so unsure how it’s way off .
i love this hat. thanks for sharing. I’m on the edging row. And i’m not sure i understand what you mean by corners. How will I know where i can find the corner.
Hi, I’ve been spending a lot of time on your site – love the patterns and the details you provide. Thank you. I am making the macchiato cowl but am using a 6.5 mm hook so started with 91 stitches rather than 73 to achieve the right length. What adjustments should I make to the slouch hat when using a 6.5 mm hook? I found my stitches got lost in using 9.0 mm as I wasn’t able to control the tension with such a large hook. Appreciate your assistance, I’m making three of these sets as Xmas presents for my daughters.
I’m loving this hat so far, but I have one question about row 17: If I don’t want to add the button, do I just ignore the extra 7 chains and just continue with 60 stitches in the last rows? Thank you and Merry Christmas.
I just now realized that I can just continue around. Thank you for this pattern. I will check your patterns often. Happy Holidays!
Just finished the hat. It’s great!!
On the macchiato slouch hat I am confused on row 17. I can not visualize chain 7, working down the back chain and then having 66 SC chains. Is there a space/gap in the hat? Do you have a video to show me what I am not seeing?
Thank you
Diana, I’m not the pattern designer but I’m making the hat right now. What she means is when you’re on that row the ch 7 will be creating that decorative button band. Once you ch 7, you’ll sc into the 2nd from the hook. That will be 6 sc into that band. So now you’ll have this small band with 2 rows of sc. Then you’ll continue to the hat and sc into the usual 60 stitches around. The 66 sc for that row is the total; it’s the usual 60 stitches from rows 5-15 but also the 6 sc on the small decorative button band we’re making. I hope this makes sense! I literally just did that same row 🙂
Beautiful hat that had slipped off my radar. I’ve got a bit of a stock pile of scarfie so these move to the top of my to do list!
Many thanks for your caring & sharing! I’m a huge fan!
Rebecca, I have N-10 mm and an M-9 mm for hooks. Not sure which one to use. What do you think?
I used the smaller 9mm even though it’s not an N hook and it came out great!
Yes, there are discrepancies between some brands, so always go with the mm measurement if you’re unsure. Good choice! 🙂
I love this hat just finished it this morning except the button! I made it in the Lion Brand Scarfie yarn in Cream/Silver. Beautiful!
I have completed the hat, and it is 9 1/2 inches wide, but you have to squeeze it tightly to put it on and it clearly is way too tight. I am retrying it with j or k hook; but just wanted your input. Thank you.
To a point, a slouch hat band needs to be tight to help it stay on because of all the extra weight pulling at the back of the hat. But if it is too tight to wear, then that just comes down to variations in head size. Yes, I would recommend a larger hook for that part.
Do you have a scarf pattern to match this hat? Would love to have it if you do.
I have a very simple cowl pattern here: http://littlemonkeyscrochet.com/the-macchiato-cowl-free-pattern/
I love the Macchiato yarn and want to do this hat with a worsted weight Red Heart Unforgettable in Tealberry. I might need to use smaller hooks. I love the magic circle technique. There is a pattern from Red Heart but it calls for crocheting a band and then doing rounds until you get to the top of the hat.Its pretty but I don’t like starting a hat from the bottom.
Hi Nathalie. You may find the RH Unforgettable to be a little thin. I might suggest you use the Lion Brand Landscapes. A lovely yarn to work with and comes in gorgeous, more vibrant colors than Unforgettable. The Macchiato is one of my favorite hats ever.
Hi, I’m a beginning crocheter and my gauge was slightly smaller than indicated in the pattern. However, at row 10 the circumference is 31″ and height is 4.5″. Is this too big, or will the band become sufficiently tight after changing hook size? My head circumference is average at 22″. Thanks!
I just read through all the comments and it said it should be 11″ and the yarn is less bulky than average bulky yarn. That probably answers my question :). I did use hook size 8.0 mm because I don’t have a hook 9.0 yet.
Hopefully that will help with your issue! 🙂