A new summer baby crochet hat, the Derby Baby Sun Hat, is now a free crochet pattern here on the blog! Read all about the inspiration and choice of yarn or scroll down for the free pattern.
No time right now? Pin this cute summer baby hat crochet pattern for later!
*This post contains affiliate links (only for products I love, use and spend my own money on obviously). This means I earn some yarn money if you make a purchase through one of these links (of course at no extra cost for you!), which I promise to use to create more awesome patterns like this one. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.
Cute Baby Sun Hat
This new baby and toddler sunhat crochet pattern is great for protecting those precious faces from the summer sun!
It comes in 3 sizes to best fit your little one’s head so he/she actually keeps it on. The cute spiral brim gives this simple derby hat a playful touch while helping to keep the brim up and out of your little one’s face. My son just loves wearing his (and he usually hates wearing any sort of hat…).
The contrasting color band is inspired by classic summer straw hats while the hat’s round shape gives a cute derby look.
It works up so quick which makes it perfect for those days when the sun is hot and—OOPS!—you dont have anything to protect your little’s face.
The Yarn
For summer projects, I always tend to work with cotton or cotton blends. For this baby sun hat crochet pattern I wanted something sturdy, that could hold the hat’s structure, yet not be too warm on baby’s head.
Hobbii Rainbow 8/6 is a perfect yarn for this project. It’s a sport weight, 100% cotton yarn and comes in over 100 colors! Use your little’s favorite colors for a personal touch or make a few to match with his/her daily outfits.
Downloadable PDF Derby Baby Sun Hat Crochet Pattern
Why I Recommend You Purchase the PDF Pattern
If you’ve never used PDF patterns before, you are missing out on so much convenience!
- You don’t need to take screenshots of the pattern
- You don’t need to have your computer, phone or tablet around to work on your project.
- You don’t need to panic if your husband accidentally closed the page
- You can take notes, highlight your size and write down where you are.
- When your best friend begs you to make her the same sweater, you have the pattern ready.
- It’s a great way to support the blog so I can continue to bring you knitting tutorials.
Grab the printable PDF of the Derby summer baby hat crochet pattern is now in my Etsy shop or on Ravelry:
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Before you Start your Summer Baby Hat Crochet Pattern
Materials
- 4 mm / US G – 6 hook
- 3.5 mm / US E – 4 hook
- Hobbii Rainbow 8/6 (fine weight (2), 100% cotton, 50 g / 1.75 oz, 105 m / 115 yds)
- Main color (MC): 1 (2) skeins
- Contrast color (CC): 1 (1) skeins
- Tapestry needle to weave in the ends.
- 1 stitch marker
The colors used in the pictures are:
- Jeans Blue 029 (MC)
- Delicate Light Blue 026 (CC)
- Dark Old Rose 047 (MC)
- Light Peach 048 (CC)
- Sage green 098 (MC)
Size
The baby sunhat is available in 3 sizes: baby, toddler and child. Sizes are noted baby (toddler, child) throughout the pattern.
The blue and green hats illustrate the child size while the rose – peach shows the baby size.
The hat is designed to fit following head circumferences:
- Baby: 35 – 40 cm / 13.75 – 15.75”
- Toddler: 40 – 45 cm / 15.75 – 17.75”
- Child: 45 – 51 cm / 17.75 – 20”
Gauge
The gauge for this pattern isn’t crucial.
For reference, my diameter after round 3 is 4 cm / 1.5”.
Abbreviations
This pattern uses US notations.
- st = stitch
- ch = chain
- sc = single crochet
- BLO = back loop only
- MC = main color
- CC = contrasting color
Notes
Work instructions between [] the indicated number of times or until the end of the row / round.
The final number of stitches is indicated at the end of the row / round between < >.
The turning ch 1 doesn’t count as stitches throughout the pattern except if mentioned otherwise.
The pattern is written in crochet shorthand. For example:
- “sc 1” means to single crochet in the next stitch,
- “sc 2” means to single crochet in each of the next 2 stitches,
- and “2 sc” means to single crochet twice in the next st.
Special Techniques
- Magic Loop; if you’re not familiar with this technique, this detailed tutorial (includes a video) will help you.
Tips and Tricks
- The hat is worked in continuous spirals except on the rounds when changing colors. To avoid having a jagged line at the junction when changing colors, I like to finish the last round of a color with a sl st and start the new round with a ch 1 (which you will then ignore on the next round).
You can easily carry the unused color on the inside of the hat for the few rounds in the contrasting color to avoid extra ends.
The Actual Summer Baby Hat Crochet Pattern
Hat
With your 4 mm / US G – 6 hook and MC yarn, make 6 sc in a magic loop. Work in continuous rounds from here onwards.
Round 1: 2 sc in each st around. <12 st>
Tip: use a stitch marker to indicate the beginning of the round.
Round 2: [2 sc in next st, sc] around. <18 st>
Round 3: [2 sc in next st, sc 2] around. <24 st>
Round 4: [2 sc in next st, sc 3] around. <30 st>
Round 5: [2 sc in next st, sc 4] around. <36 st>
Round 6: [2 sc in next st, sc 5] around. <42 st>
Round 7: [2 sc in next st, sc 6] around. <48 st>
Round 8: [2 sc in next st, sc 7] around. <54 st>
Round 9: [2 sc in next st, sc 8] around. <60 st>
Round 10: [2 sc in next st, sc 9] around. <66 st>
For baby size skip to Round 13.
Round 11: [2 sc in next st, sc 10] around. <72 st>
For toddler size skip to Round 13.
Round 12: [2 sc in next st, sc 11] around. <78 st>
Round 13: Sc around.
Repeat Round 13 another 5 (6, 7) times.
Finish last round with a sl st in the next st.
Switch to CC yarn.
Round 1: Ch 1, sc in the same st as sl st, sc around.
Round 2: Skip previous round ch 1 and sc around.
Round 3: Sc around.
Repeat Round 3 another 1 (1, 2) times.
Finish the last round with a sl st in the next st.
Switch back to MC yarn.
Round 1: Ch 1, sc in the same st as sl st, sc around.
Round 2: Skip previous round ch 1 and sc around.
Round 3-4: Sc around.
Crochet Hat Brim
Round 1: [2 sc BLO in the next st, sc 10 (11, 12)] around. <72 (78, 84) st>
Switch to your 3.5 mm / US E – 4 crochet hook.
Note: A smaller hook is used to have a stiffer brim that will stay in shape while the hat size is a little stretchier to fit baby’s head better.
Round 2: [2 sc in the next st, sc 11 (12, 13)] around. <78 (84, 90) st>
Round 3: [2 sc in the next st, sc 12 (13, 14)] around. <84 (90, 96) st>
Round 4: [2 sc in the next st, sc 13 (14, 15)] around. <90 (96, 102) st>
Round 5: [2 sc in the next st, sc 14 (15, 16)] around. <96 (102, 108) st>
Round 6: [2 sc in the next st, sc 15 (16, 17)] around. <102 (108, 114) st>
Round 7: [2 sc in the next st, sc 16 (17, 18)] around. <108 (114, 120) st>
Round 8: [2 sc in the next st, sc 17 (18, 19)] around. <114 (120, 126) st>
Bind off and weave in the ends.
Blocking
You’re done with the crocheting part. Make sure to weave in all the ends.
To make your hat even prettier, help even your stitches and give its perfectly round shape to the brim, wet block your hat.
Place a small towel inside the hat to give it it’s derby shape and pin down the edge of the brim in a circle.
Don’t skip this step as it can make a huge difference. Read my detailed tutorial on why block, how-to, and all my tips and tricks if you need help.
