» photos: Brandy Fortune » model: BG & LG

Little Sister

By Linda Permann

Growing up, I was the youngest of four sisters, and my grandmother sewed us each a dress for every holiday and special occasion. I looked forward to our trips to the fabric store, the multiple fittings, and of course, wearing the end product. As the little sister who often got stuck with hand-me-downs, having my own new dress to wear—made from fabric that I chose—was a special treat. I like to think we would have worn a set of hats like these to go with our dresses if my grandmother had crocheted. Whether you're a crochet-curious knitter or a seasoned hooker, you'll love the results of this quick and easy pattern. It includes four sizes, from baby to adult, so you can make one for each of the "sisters" in your life.

Size

Baby [Toddler, Child, Adult]
Light Pink shown in Child size on 3 year old model.
Light Blue shown in Toddler size on 18 month old model.

Finished Measurements

Circumference: 14½ [16½, 18½, 20½].
Hats will stretch by about 2", to fit heads sized up to 16" (baby), 18" (toddler), 20" (child), and 22" (adult).
Please note that yarn substitution may affect stretchiness of hat, so choose size accordingly.

Materials

Cascade Ultra Pima [100% Pima Cotton; 220 yards/200 meters per 3.5 ounce/100 gram ball];

#3731, light blue; 1 skein per hat
#3752, light pink; 1 skein per hat

Recommended needle sizes

Size F-5 (3.75 mm) crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge

Notions

Yarn needle
Optional, for flower:
2½" x 18½" strip of fabric (one fat quarter of fabric will make several strips)
Scissors
Measuring tape
Hand sewing needle and thread
One 1" (25 mm) diameter button

Gauge

4 shells worked over 9 rows (beginning and ending with a shell row) measures 4¹/₁₆" by 3¹/₁₂".
Note: Be sure to check gauge often, as it is easy to naturally loosen up on later rows of the hat.

How To Make A Gauge Swatch

Ch 26.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook, * skip next 2 chs, 5 dc in next ch (shell made), skip next 2 chs, sc in next ch; repeat from * across: 4 shells and 5 sc.

Row 2: [Ch 4, turn; dc in first sc (counts as V-st)], ch 1, * skip next 2 dc, sc in next dc, skip next 2 dc, ch 1, V-st in next sc (see Pattern Notes), ch 1; repeat from * twice more, skip next 2 dc, sc in next dc, skip next 2 dc, ch 1, V-st in last sc: 5 V-sts and 4 sc.
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc in first V-st, * 5 dc in next sc, sc in next V-st; repeat from * across: 4 shells and 5 sc.
Rows 4-9: Repeat Rows 2 and 3, 3 times.
Finish off.

Pattern Notes

Hat is worked from the top down, beginning with simple sc stitches that radiate outwards into the shells and V-stitches that make up the sides of the hat. Pattern is written in baby size with changes for [toddler, child, adult] in brackets.

When the pattern directs you to work in a V-st, insert your hook in the space beneath the ch-1 of the V-st. Be careful not to work in either the dc before or after the ch-1 sp unless otherwise directed, as together the (dc, ch 1, dc) all counts as one V-st.

Special Stitches
V-st (V-stitch): Work (dc, ch 1, dc) all in same stitch.

Skills Required

Working in the round, single crochet, double crochet, chain stitches, shells, optional hand sewing

INSTRUCTIONS

Hat

Make an adjustable ring OR ch 4: join with a sl st in fourth ch from hook to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, work 7 [8, 9, 10] sc in ring; join with a sl st in first sc: 7 [8, 9, 10] sc.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around; join with a sl st in first sc: 14 [16, 18, 20] sc.
Rnd 3: [Ch 4, dc in same st (counts as V-st here and throughout)], dc in next sc, * V-st in next sc, dc in next sc; repeat from * around; join with a sl st in third ch of beg ch-4: 7 [8, 9, 10] V-sts and 7 [8, 9, 10] dc.
Rnd 4: Sl st in ch-1 sp of first V-st, ch 4, dc in same sp, 2 dc in next dc, * V-st in next V-st, 2 dc in next dc; repeat from * around; join with a sl st in third ch of beg ch-4: 7 [8, 9, 10] V-sts and 14 [16, 18, 20] dc.
Rnd 5: Sl st in ch-1 sp of first V-st, ch 4, dc in same sp, V-st in space between next 2 dc, * V-st in next V-st, V-st in space between next 2 dc; repeat from * around; join with a sl st in third ch of beg ch-4: 14 [16, 18, 20] V-sts.

Little Sister

Baby Size ONLY
Rnd 6: Sl st in ch-1 sp of first V-st, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, sc in sp between V-st just worked and next V-st, * 5 dc in next V-st (shell made), sc in sp between V-st just worked and next V-st; repeat from * around, 2 dc in same V-st as beg ch-3; join with a sl st in top ch of beg ch-3: 14 shells and 14 sc.

Toddler, Child, and Adult Sizes ONLY
Rnd 6: Sl st in ch-1 sp of first V-st, ch 4, dc in same sp, dc in sp between last V-st worked and next V-st, * V-st in next V-st, dc in sp between last V-st worked and next V-st; repeat from * around; join with a sl st in third ch of beg ch-4: [16, 18, 20] V-sts and [16, 18, 20] dc.

Toddler Size ONLY
Rnd 7: Sl st in ch-1 sp of first V-st, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, sc in next dc, * 5 dc in next V-st (shell made), sc in next dc; repeat from * around, 2 dc in same V-st as beg ch-3; join with a sl st in top ch of beg ch-3: 16 shells and 16 sc.

Little Sister

Child Size ONLY
Rnd 7: Sl st in ch-1 sp of first V-st, ch 4, dc in same sp, V-st in next dc, * V-st in next V-st, V-st in next dc; repeat from * around; join with a sl st in third ch of beg ch-4: 36 V-sts.
Rnd 8: Sl st in ch-1 sp of first V-st, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, sc in next V-st, * 5 dc in next V-st (shell made), sc in next V-st; repeat from * around, 2 dc in same V-st as beg ch-3; join with sl st in top ch of beg ch-3: 18 shells and 18 sc.

Adult Size ONLY
Rnd 7: Sl st in ch-1 sp of first V-st, ch 4, dc in same sp, V-st in next dc, V-st in next V-st, dc in next dc; * V-st in next V-st, V-st in next dc, V-st in next V-st, dc in next dc; repeat from * around; join with a sl st in third ch of beg ch-4: 30 V-sts and 10 dc.
Rnd 8: Sl st in ch-1 sp of first V-st, ch 4, dc in same sp, V-st in each of next 2 V-sts, V-st in next dc, * V-st in each of next 3 V-sts, V-st in next dc; repeat from * around, join with a sl st in third ch of beg ch-4: 40 V-sts.
Rnd 9: Sl st in ch-1 sp of first V-st, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, sc in next V-st, * 5 dc in next V-st (shell made), sc in next V-st; repeat from * around, 2 dc in same V-st as beg ch-3; join with a sl st in top of beg ch-3: 20 shells and 20 sc.

Little Sister

All Sizes
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in same st, skip next 2 dc, ch 1, V-st in next sc, ch 1, * skip next 2 dc, sc in next dc, skip next 2 dc, ch 1, V-st in next sc, ch 1; repeat from * around; join with a sl st in first sc: 14 [16, 18, 20] sc and 14 [16, 18, 20] V-sts.
Rnd 2: Ch 3, 2 dc in first sc, sc in next V-st, * 5 dc in next sc, sc in next V-st; repeat from * around, 2 dc in same V-st as beg ch-3; join with a sl st in top of beg ch-3: 14 [16, 18, 20] shells and 14 [16, 18, 20] sc.
Repeat last 2 rounds 5 [6, 7, 9] times more, or until hat measures desired length.

Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Little Sister

FINISHING

Lightly block the hat by spritzing it with water and placing it on a balloon inflated to the same circumference as the head size of the intended recipient, or lay flat to dry.

Follow tutorial to make flower and attach to hat, if desired.

Little Sister

Little sister LG apologies for the lack of cute photos of the blue hat, true to little sister style she has hidden it someplace special.

Linda Permann is a crochet designer and auntie to an adorable nephew, Tegue. He inspired her to write her second book, Little Crochet: Modern Designs for Babies and Toddlers. She is also the author of Crochet Adorned and a frequent contributor to crafty magazines. Read more about her at her website, www.lindamade.com, or say hi on Ravelry or Twitter, where she goes by lindamade.