Slouchy beanie pattern...

What is it with cats and balls of wool? Or for that matter, any surface that you happen to be using... Mollie seems to like the warmth of this recycled timber.

I thought I'd put together a photo tutorial/pattern for anyone who wants to make a slouchy beanie. It's pretty much a beginners type of thing with the more experienced being able to shape it, lengthen it, enlarge it, reduce it, modify it or whatever they might desire, by eye and intuition. It's a nice simple process that lends itself to using up odds and ends. My finished ones (see previous posts) have averaged just 75gms of wool.

To make the above slouchy beanie you will need a total of 100gms of aran weight wool in colours of your choice, and a 4.5mm hook.

Start with a magic ring and chain 3.

Crochet 11 trebles into the ring and slip stitch to the top of the ch3, you now have twelve stitches.

Ch3 and count this as the first treble, tr in next st, 2tr in each st to end (24st) sl st to top of first ch3.

Ch3, tr in next st, *2tr in next st, *tr in next 2 sts*, repeat from * to * to end, sl st as before.

Ch3, tr in next 2 sts, *2tr in next st, tr in next 3 sts*, repeat from * to * to end, sl st as before.

Continue increasing in this fashion (the next row will have four trebles between two trebles in one stitch, then five between and so on) until you reach seven trebles in between 2tr in one stitch.

You are now ready to treble around without shaping; treble in the top of each treble stitch around. A useful tip here is to check the head for which it is intended (if possible). A smaller adult head might require you to stop at 6 trebles in between and a larger head might need 8 trebles in between.

NB: If this isn't clear see below where I've written these rows out in full without pictures at the end of this post.

If you have been changing colours your hat might look a bit like this inside. I've snipped my ends off with enough wool to thread a tapestry needle to sew the ends in at the end.

Keep crocheting straight forward rounds of trebles until the whole hat is approximately 27cms long. Then, in your final colour, crochet one round of half trebles (use ch2 at the start of your row) and two rounds of dc's (ch1 at the start of each row). Fasten off. Wear.

PATTERN without pictures:

Using a 4.5mm hook, start with a magic ring and chain 3.

Row 1. Crochet 11 trebles into the ring and slip stitch to the top of the ch3, you now have twelve stitches.

Row 2. Ch3 and count this as the first treble, tr in next st, 2tr in each st to end, sl st to top of first ch3 (24 sts)

Row 3. Ch3, tr in next st, *2tr in next st, *tr in next 2 sts*, repeat from * to * to end, sl st.

Row 4. Ch3, tr in next 2 sts, *2tr in next st, tr in next 3 sts*, repeat from * to * to end, sl st as before.

Row 5. Ch3, tr in next 3 sts, *2tr in next st, tr in next 4 sts*, repeat from * to * to end! sl st to join round.

Row 6. Ch3, tr in next 4 sts, *2tr in next st, tr in next 5 sts*, repeat from * to * to end! sl st to join round.

Row 7. Ch3, tr in next 5 sts, *2tr in next st, tr in next 6 sts*, repeat from * to * to end! sl st to join round.

Row 8. Ch3, tr in next 6 sts, *2tr in next st, tr in next 7 sts*, repeat from * to * to end! sl st to join round.

Next row: ch3, one treble in top of each treble around, join with sl st. Repeat this row until hat measures approximately 27cms from top.

Final rows to create the 'band': ch 2, htr around to end, sl st to join round. Ch1, dc around to end, sl st to join round. Ch1, dc around to end, sl st to join, fasten off.