Christmas is on the way! Mini Santa hat free pattern

I'm not a great one for preparing for Christmas too early, but when it gets to the 1st of December I start to feel more seasonal. To celebrate, I'm going to be posting a few simple, free crochet patterns over the next few days. They'll all be quick and easy to make, and could be useful for a few Christmas extras, for decoration, adding to your gift wrapping, or for mini presents.

Last year I made my crochet Daleks a bit more festive by making them mini Santa hats, so here’s the pattern so you can use it for your Daleks (pattern here), or other small toys. It will also fit figures made from my Halfling, Elf and Dwarf patterns.

If you use double knitting weight yarn the hat will have a circumference of about 21cm/8”. If you’ve made a Dalek or figure using a thicker yarn, use that same thickness of yarn for the hat so it will fit.

Abbreviations:

ch = chain
st = stitch or stitches
sc = single crochet (US), double crochet (UK)
FO = fasten off

General instructions:

Work in rounds and through both loops of stitches. Use a stitch marker to mark the start of a round - a small piece of different coloured yarn placed under the stitch at the start of the round will do. To start the first round, you can use the magic ring method, but I prefer (ch 2, work 6 sc into 1^st ch). If you work the 6 sc over the tail of yarn as well you can use that to pull the hole tight.

You will need:

Approx 10 – 15g red yarn, double knitting weight.
Small amount of white yarn, double knitting weight.
(Optional: use fuzzy white yarn for the edge, you will still need ordinary yarn for the bobble.)
3.5mm (E) hook.
Tapestry needle.
Fork with four tines.

Hat:

Start using red yarn.
Round 1: Ch 2, work 6 sc into 1^st ch – 6 st.
Round 2: Sc in each st around – 6 st.
Round 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st] 2 times – 8 st.
Round 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st] 2 times – 10 st.
Round 5: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st] 2 times – 12 st.
Round 6: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 st] 2 times – 14 st.
Round 7: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 st] 2 times – 16 st.
Round 8: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 7 st] 2 times – 18 st.
Round 9: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 st] 3 times – 21 st.
Round 10: Sc in each st around – 21 st.
Round 11: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 st] 3 times – 24 st.
Round 12: Sc in each st around – 24 st.
Round 13: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 7 st] 3 times – 27 st.
Round 14: Sc in each st around – 27 st.
Round 15: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 8 st] 3 times – 30 st.
Round 16: Sc in each st around – 30 st.
Round 17: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 9 st] 3 times – 33 st.
Round 18: Sc in each st around – 33 st.
Round 19: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 10 st] 3 times – 36 st.
Round 20: Sc in each st around – 36 st.
Round 21: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 11 st] 3 times – 39 st.
Round 22: Sc in each st around – 39 st.
Round 23: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 12 st] 3 times – 42 st.
Round 24: Sc in each st around – 42 st.
Change to white or white fuzzy yarn.
Round 25 - 26: Sc in each st around – 42 st.
FO and weave in ends.

Bobble:

Using white yarn make a tiny pompom by wrapping the yarn around a fork about 12 times. Cut yarn and then tie another length of white yarn around the middle with a double knot. Remove from fork and cut the loops in the pompom and trim neatly to the right size for the hat. Sew the length of yarn through the middle of the pompom a few times to secure it, then sew to the point of the hat.

If you like, fold the point of the hat over and sew in place with a couple of stitches (use the red yarn from where you started making the hat).

If you want to hat to fit something slightly smaller or larger, just stop when it’s large enough, or keep increasing in the same way until it’s large enough.