My coworker is having a baby and I could not be more excited! This coworker (let’s call him “JB”) was the first person to train me at my new job. As such, JB and I have a “complicated” relationship. Mostly it involves him trying to hate me and me trying to win his favor. I will often say “Jay-beee” around the office when I see him and it wasn’t til months later that he confided that he hates that nickname.
Well too bad, JB. It’s your name! And get this – JB’s wife is also “JB” and their son–who is due in two weeks–will soon be another JB. Soooo cute.
JB relentlessly kids about my crochet skills so I thought there would be no better way to finally bury the hatchet once and for all than to make his soon-to-be son a hat. And so was born (pun intended)….
Baby/Newborn Crochet Bear Hat Pattern
Materials
- Size H (US 8/5.00mm) crochet hook
- 80 yards worsted weight yarn (I used Vanna’s Choice in Taupe)
- 5 yards of another color (center of the ears – I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Worsted in Cocoa)
Crochet Stitches
- Chain (ch)
- Double Crochet (dc)
- Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc)
- Half Double Crochet (hdc)
- Slip Stitch (sl st)
- Single Crochet (sc)
Finished Size: Hat is 6.25 inches across (12.5 inches around) and 5 inches tall (not including ears). Will fit newborn sized baby.
Note:**Some crocheters are reporting a small hat – Repeat Rounds 5-7 a few more times to make a hat longer.
Newborn Crochet Hat Pattern
Chain 3. Join with sl st to form ring.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as first dc now and throughout), 9 more dc into ring. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [10 stitches]
Round 2: 2 dc in each stitch around. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [20 st]
Round 3: *2 dc in first dc, dc in next 2 dc*. Repeat from * to * around. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [27 st]
Round 4: *2 dc in first dc, dc in next 3 dc*. Repeat from * to * around. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [33st]
Rounds 5-7: Dc in each st around. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [33 st] **Note: If you’d like a longer hat, repeat Rounds 5-7 a few more times before Round 8.
Round 8: *dc in first stitch, fpdc in next stitch*. Repeat from * to * around. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st.
Fasten off.
Bear Ears (make two)
Using darker color yarn for center of ears, Chain 3. Join with sl st to form ring.
Round 1: Ch 2, 9 more hdc into ring. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [10 st]
Round 2: Join main color yarn used for hat. Ch 1, 2 sc in each stitch around. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [20 st]
Fasten off, sew ears onto sides of hat.
JB’s wife is due in two weeks so the little guy could be here anytime! I hope she makes it through the weekend so I can give JB this hat on Monday. Hold on, little guy… only two more days!
What are some of your favorite patterns to make for newborn kiddos?
Crochet this bear hat with other Ravelry-ers here: 
Hannah W
November 10, 2012Adorable! This is a great one.
JB
November 10, 2012Love it!
Kathleen Patterson
November 10, 2012Do you have an adult size for this pattern? I love this!!
Ann
November 10, 2012I just pinned this on to Pinterest my crochet followers will love this!
Jeanna
November 11, 2012Very sweet!
KS Crochet and Knitting
November 29, 2012Adorable crochet pattern. Wish my son was younger but I can make some for friend’s with younger kids.
kathy
January 16, 2013plan on making this hat along with a cocoon/body sack (whatever they call them these days) for local hospital in need of stuff, which I found out when my grandson was born prematurely.
JJCrochet
January 16, 2013I think that’s a lovely idea, Kathy! Thanks for sharing.
Amber
January 24, 2013Is this a really small hat or did I do something wrong, made sure i had the right size hook but mine is definitely preemie size, oops!
Shavahn
January 27, 2013Would you happen to have a video tutorial for this? I’m trying to follow the pattern but I’m having difficulty :/
Shavahn
January 28, 2013Is the hat supposed to measure 11″ around and 3″ high?
JJCrochet
January 29, 2013The hat should measure 6.25 inches across and 11 inches high when it’s finished. Sounds like your gauge is off with the smaller height you’re getting, so you might want to try sizing up a hook or using thicker yarn.
JJCrochet
January 29, 2013Hi Shavahn, Which part of the pattern are you having trouble with? I don’t have a video tutorial to make this hat, but I’ll let you know if I make one in the future!
Shavahn
January 31, 2013After reading it a few times and googling what I front post stitch was I got the hang of it. Now I’m going to redo it with the thicker yarn even through I used exactly the same as you did, lol.
Monica
March 12, 2013I agree with Amber. My hat came out really small. I didn’t attach the ears yet so I’m going to try to make another hat, but this time I’m going to use a 6.5 mm hook instead of a 5mm hook. If the hat is took big I figure he’ll grow into it.
Janet
March 15, 2013Great pattern!!! So so cute & most important–no buttons–so many people are adding buttons for decorative add-ons. Buttons are SO dangerous to use around babies. CONGRATS!! to you for a beautiful safe pattern!!!
Lola
March 21, 2013Hi! I love your pattern. I was wondering if we are allowed to sell the hats we make from your pattern? Of course I would be giving you the credit for the pattern and only selling the hats not your pattern itself. Thanks for your reply in advance.
Janet Meyer
July 17, 2013Hi, I am having trouble with Round 3. Shouldn’t there be 28 stitches instead of 27 stitches? If so then that would throw the rest of the rounds off. I have started this hat 3 times and I can’t seem to get it to come out right in counting the stitches when I come to Round 3. The pattern is so cute.
Ann
August 12, 2013Hello, I have just finishing making this adorable little hat for my soon-to-be grandson. It was my first crocheting in over 25 years, thank you for helping me rediscover this craft.
Your pattern was easy and quick to follow. 🙂
Best wishes.
JJCrochet
August 12, 2013So glad you found this pattern, Ann. Welcome back to crocheting. I’m sure your grandson will love the hat you’ve made him! 🙂
handmadebyANIA
August 20, 2013Hi! Love this pattern- adorable. I’m giving birth for my daughter in last week of October (wish me luck) and I want to make this hat for her.
Do you have a pattern like this but for older kids (year or two?)
Thank you again for this pattern!!
ANIA
Tricia
March 7, 2014Thanks for all your free patterns! All the ones I’ve done have turned out great! I really love free! Thanks!!!
Lexi Stamper
April 8, 2014Does this hat stretch pretty good? I’d like to make it with cotton yarn for a spring newborn, but 12.5″ isn’t very big around, unless it stretches easily. My kids both had big heads, and this would be for a family member, so I just want to make sure it isn’t too small. haha
Tambo
November 1, 2014To all of you that want a larger pattern size. All you have to do is continue increasing each round in increase sequence [1 st more between increases for each rnd] to enlarge hat circumference. Find another hat pattern the size you want also in half doubles, to see how many increase rows are made.
Look up hat basics for increasing.
And couldn’t this hat be done in spirals, no joining rounds, to eliminate the obvious join? (Keeping track of rnds with a marker.) Then to end on last rnd, do a sc & a sl st to bring height of hdc down to previous level.
Plus, check your st gauge with hook & yarn suggested to see if you match ptn gauge. Will save you lots of time. If you crochet tightly, use lgr hook, if you crochet looser, use smaller hook. All basic theory of crochet. [I’ve been a certified instructor for 20 yrs.] (For crochet & also knitting.)
Oh, I see that a stitch gauge was not listed for this pattern. All ptns I see or buy give a st gauge you should match to obtain the correct size at completion. Well, see what the yarn label suggests for gauge & what size hook to use, then do a sample swatch to see if you’re sts are too tight or too loose. This is the MOST important factor in obtaining the correct result and the right size!
You can make any size hat from preemie to adult by just adding more increase rounds. This ptn “is” listed as a “preemie” so be aware it’s going to be smaller than a “baby” hat. But doing a couple more increase rnds will make it larger.
Rehna
December 5, 2014If I use US 8/5mm crochet hook with sports weight yarn, will the size be affected? How do I adjust to get the correct size ? What size crochet hook do I use with sports weight yarn to get the correct size.
April
May 13, 2015are you supposed to ch 2 on every round?
JDS
June 18, 2015I just used your pattern! It is so beautiful! Very easy to follow and thorough! Thanks for sharing! I make baby things for a local crisis pregnancy clinic and I see a whole bunch of these in my future!!
Fay
May 18, 2017how long does it take to crochet a complete hat?