This crochet plaid hat is a classic. You need one in every color! You will love this fun and unique crochet plaid technique! Once you start crochet plaid, you can’t stop. The free pattern includes instruction for adults, but you can get additional sizing in the downloadable PDF!
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Growing up, we spent most of our holidays in the very tip-top of Utah at my Grandma’s house. She made delicious meals, personal-sized pies for each grandchild, and the most amazing cheeseball you ever tasted. It was always snowy and wonderful. My grandpa, a retired dairy farmer, also wore a plaid jacket around the house during the cold months, and I especially remember it during our Christmas get-together. Every time I see red and black checked plaid, it reminds me of those wonderful snowy Christmas’s surrounded by family and my beloved grandparents. I don’t incorporate a ton of plaid into my wardrobe (I don’t wear a lot of red), but it screams HOLIDAY to me, and I love how this crochet plaid hat turned out, perfect for this time of year!
This crochet plaid hat is almost ALL dc stitches (yay!), and works up pretty quickly. The color changes can slow you down a bit, but I made this hat in just a couple hours. My first plaid hat I put a yarn pom-pom on top which was okay, but when so many people suggested adding a fur pom-pom I decided I must give it a try! Quite a winning combination, I must say.
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CROCHET PLAID HAT – FREE CROCHET PATTERN
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Watch a video tutorial for how to make a women’s size crochet plaid hat:
What you need:
Medium Weight Yarn (Knit Picks Brava in Red, Wine and Black, plus Dove Heather for pom-pom)
I Hook
Darning Needle
Abbreviations: (click for videos)
St – Stitch
Sc – Single Crochet
Ch – Chain
Hdc – Half Double Crochet
Dc – Double Crochet
Gauge: 14 dc = 4″ (gauge pattern)
CLASSIC CROCHET BUFFALO PLAID HAT – CROCHET PATTERN
This free version includes one size: Women/Teen. If you need more sizes, consider grabbing the PDF download! It includes 6 sizes from Newborn, 6-12 months, Toddler, Child, Women, Men.
WOMEN/TEEN SIZE:
Note: The height of the hat is a slouchy fit, to make it more fitted, simply work fewer rows.
Ribbed Band (use black)
Ch 7.
1. Hdc in 2nd ch from hook. Hdc 5. Turn. (6 sts)
2. Ch 1. Hdc in same st. Hdc 4 in BLO. Hdc in last st, going through both loops. Turn. (6 sts)
Repeat row two until your band reaches about 18″ – 19″ for adult.
You will get this measurement by gently stretching your band and measuring the length, not the pre-stretch length. You want the hat to be snug and due to differences in yarn stretchiness, I am not providing a row count. Instead, use your measuring tape. Don’t break yarn.
Note: You can make the hat band longer to make the hat larger ( or visa versa). When you begin the hat body, make sure your first round is worked in multiples of 6.
Fold long piece in half and sl st up the side, making a band. Turn so the seam is on the inside and your loop is at the top.
Hat Body:
1. Continuing where you left off from the band, Ch 1 and sc in same space. Sc all around the top of the band, achieving a total of 71 sts (multiples of 6 minus 1) . Join with a sl st.
Watch this video to see why the “minus 1” in the multiples:
Join Wine.
2. Ch 2. Dc in same st. Begin a 2nd dc, but finish the final pull through with black. Drop wine and carry it through the next 3 stitches. Work 2 dc with black. Finished 3rd dc with wine. Continue this pattern all around the hat. Join with a sl st. (71 sts)
Join Red.
3. Ch 2. Dc in same st. Begin a 2nd dc, but finish the final pull through with Wine. Drop Red and carry it through the next 3 stitches. Work 2 dc with Wine. Finished 3rd dc with Red. Continue this alternating pattern all around the hat. Join with a sl st. (71 sts)
4. – 15. Repeat rows 2 and 3 respectively until you reach 14 total rows.
Tie off your yarn and weave in ends.
(If you still need help, I have an extensive plaid course. You can enroll in Learn Crochet Plaid course here, OR you can join my all-access pass and get ALL my patterns, ALL downloads, ALL videos and MORE!
Alternately, to give your hat a bit more stretch, you can carry the yarn behind instead of working it inside. This gives you the strings on the inside of the hat, however, so you can decide which way you prefer.
You can also make the hat with larger-sized color blocks. To do this, just make sure your count will work with 72 sts (minus one). For the black and white hat, I made my blocks 8 sts wide, 3 rows tall. The multiple needs to be 16 (the width of two blocks) so you don’t end up with two blocks of the same color meeting up at the seam.
To close the hat, cut a length of yarn longer than the circumference of the hat and thread it through your darning needle. Turn your hat inside-out. Sew a running stitch all around the top of the hat.
Once you reach the beginning, pull the thread tight cinching the hat closed. Tie a firm and sturdy knot. Clip ends. Turn hat right-side out.
Make and attach a pom-pom, you can make it with yarn or fur or plush sherpa! Learn how here.
Are you mad about crochet plaid?!
I hope you love your new crochet plaid hat :)
xoxo,
Also,,, do you carry through all 3 colors or only 2 at a time. ??
Only two at a time, I drop the third until I come back around.
Love this pattern and can’t wait to try it. Thank you so much for sharing it. For those looking to print this pattern and as yet no PDF, what I do is simply screen shot each part and then print the screen shots.
Thank you! Glad you like it!
You say this makes a women’s adult size, but what is the diameter ? I thought I had pretty tight tension, but when I got to end of row 46 mine is about 18″ long. My head circumference is 22″. Will this fit too tight? I know it should stretch some, but I’d hate to continue and it’s too small. Thank you
Its really very stretchy. As indicated, your band should be 15″ unstretched. The measurement is a bit hard though, because once you “test” it around your head, you have stretched it, so your measurement will be off, it doesn’t immediately spring back to the length it was. I wear mine slouchy though, so I hate when it slides off the back of my head and prefer my hats snug.
Mine is very tight and not stretchy at all once i get to the pattern, i think it’s because i carries the yarn through the stitches but i’m not sure why mine is so tight in comparison, i use a 5mm hook with worsted weight yarn and i added six stitches to the hat body. It still only fits a 19″ circumference :(
Really? Hm..The band is not stretchy? What is your gauge? The gauge should be 11 dc is 3″ long. I crochet rather loose, I can only think that maybe you crochet tighter than me and it makes for a denser, less stretchy fabric.
I tried to find a print button to print out just the pattern,did i miss it or how do I print it out?I dont want all the stuff on the side of web page in the print out.
Thanks,
Cathy
Sorry, I don’t have a print friendly option! I will have a downloadable ad-free PDF available after the CAL is over.
Hi, Beautiful hats! Have you had a chance to make it possible to print these patterns? It’s easier for me go hold paper while crocheting. Thanks!!!
Thank you! Yes! You can get the PDF in my etsy and ravelry shops:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/500111062/crochet-pattern-crochet-plaid-hats?ref=listings_manager_grid
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/plaid-slouchy-hat
Any chance you have a patter for child sizes too?
Not yet! Working on it :)
When bc I made my first one for myself and I’m making a bearded beanie with this hat what do you recommend on how many foundation chains I should do and how many rows for the body to make just a beanie for a toddler and a 6 yo
Thanks again :)
I will actually be released a toddler and child version next week!
Omg how exciting can you email me let me know when it’s up I would love to make one of these for Christmas for my little newphews I have 4 of them :)
If you subscribe to my blog you will get an email notification!
Absolutely gorgeous hat. Thank you for the pattern. :)
Just finished mine in the colors you used and LOVE it! About to start another with 2 shades of pink and a gray! Pattern perfectly written~ easy to read! Thanks so much for sharing. I had to increase th size a bit and you made that easy too!
Yay! So glad you like it! You are very welcome!
Hello, Thanks for sharing this beautiful pattern, this is whatever i have been looking for. I Will do one for myself and for my 4 years old son. Do you have a pattern smaller sizes? Or do you have any suggestions for making a smaller size of it?
Thank you! So glad you like it! I have plans to make them smaller for sure, but you can give it a go by making less rows for the band (not too many head sizing does not very a very huge amount between kids and adults) and doing the hat body in multiples of 6 (you can do multiples of 3 if you are in a pinch, but you might end up with 2 same colors in a row at the seam.
Thanks for your kind answer. I Will try it.
Thank you so much! Love this pattern and I’ve already started. I do have a question though- to go from the hat band- 46 stitches- to the body and increase to 72 stitches- it seems like you’d have to add an increase more than every 6 stitches? More like every other stitch?
It completely depends WHERE you are working your stitches. Since hdc rows are taller than sc sts, I work 3 sts for every 2 rows. Plus the increase every 6 sts. Does that make sense?
Yes! Thank you! Working on my hat now :)
thank you. I perfect reason to start crocheting
Haha! You are welcome!
Love this hat and am looking forward to making it asap! One question: when you say to carry the other color through the 2nd color’s stitches, what does that mean?
It means you will lay the yarn behind the stitches, and work them into the stitch so they are hidden. It’s not necessary, but it keeps the inside clean.
love this.
It’s 4:30 a.m., I’m doing my best to NOT go searching my stash for yarn to start this hat. I can see it in Seahawk colors (blue, green, grey). I absolutely love how you close the top. I now see more bottom up hats in my future.
Thank you for a simple & free pattern.
Haha! Well I hope you have time later :) Love your color choice! I would love to see it!
I’m in love with this :) I’ve already started on it! Thank you for sharing
Yay! Awesome! You are very welcome!
How much yarn for each hat and what size hook?
Size I (check materials list) and I don’t have exact yardage. Less than 1 half skein of each color.
Love it! Do you have video tutorial. It`s easy for me
No, but I have plans to. Stay tuned!
Does BLO mean back loop only?
Yes!
Fantastic hat! Thank you so much for sharing your story and your pattern! I also cherish my Christmas memories with my grandparents :)
Thank you so much!! <3 <3
What size hat does this pattern make if followed as written?
Adult women
Love, love, love this hat!! I will be working on this tonight, after I get my house cleaning done! Thank you for the awesome pattern. Love your patterns!
Thank you!! You are very welcome!!
Absolutely love this plaid hat, may have to make a pillow too, thank you!!!
Thank you so much!
Wow! Thank you, this hat is awesome!
Thanks! You’re welcome!