Free Pattern for a Crochet Hat: Shifting Posts Crochet Hat

woman modelling the shifting posts hat, made with this free crochet pattern for a hat
This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Who doesn’t love to make a crochet hat once and a while? Who loves it even more when it’s a free pattern for a crochet hat? I was thinking a little while ago that it has been a while since I shared a free pattern for a crochet hat so when the opportunity to participate in the Hat of the Month Club with Oombawka Design Crochet and The Stitchin Mommy, I knew that it was a great opportunity to get busy designing a hat. The Shifting Posts Crochet Hat is a quick and fun make, full of texture.

I’ve designed it to use 4 different colours to create a cool ombre-looking cowl but it can be made with any combination of colours or just use one colour of yarn for a solid look. It’s a really versatile crochet hat design and I hope that you will enjoy making it as much as I did. This is a great crochet hat for men and women alike. I designed this hat to be great for anyone so you can pick the receipients favourite colours and make one for him and her.

Purchase an ad-free PDF version of this pattern in my Ravelry and Etsy shops.

The Shifting Posts Crochet Hat is part of a set! Check out the Free Pattern for a Crochet Cowl called the Shifting Posts Crochet Cowl HERE to find the matching cowl.

crochet cowl and hats showing the completed set made with free crochet patterns available on this blog

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After designing my Lavender Fields Crochet Blanket Square recently, I fell in love with the ombre-effect that was created using using 4 different solid-coloured shades of yarn and a coordinating speckle yarn. I used Brava Worsted Weight yarn and Brava Speckle yarn from WeCrochet for my crochet blanket square as well as this free pattern for a crochet hat. I used the colours Peacock, Tranquil, Mint and Tidal Speckle. I also did a hat using blacks and greys that I created as an option for a crochet hat for me using Black, Silver, Cobblestone Heather, and Salt & Pepper Speckle.

Try mixing and matching your own colours to create your own ombre effect or completely mix it up to create a whole new look. Check out all the colours of WeCrochet Brava and Brava Speckle here. Here is another palette that would look great in this hat that I had on hand (from left to right) red, rouge, cotton candy and cherry speckle. Check them out at crochet.com.

brava worsted weight in a red and pink palette
Another potential yarn colour palette for the shifting posts hat and cowl set.

Once you’re done making your Shifting Posts Hat, you should check out the other two free crochet patterns that are a part of the Hatof the Month Club this month! You can find the design by Oombawka Design Crochet and the design by The Stitchin Mommy.

hands holiding the shifting posts crochet beanie with a pom pom

For this project, you have the option of adding a faux fur pom pom or going without, whatever your preference. My husband isn’t a fan of poms poms so I made his in the black and grey shades and omitted the pom pom. It looks great with an without the pom pom. I made the black and grey shades for him and I made the hat again in shades of teal for me. Try using this free pattern for a crochet to make a hat in a solid colour for a totally different look as well.

This crochet hat pattern is worked from the bottom-up, starting with a post stitch crochet brim. After the brim is created, then the ends are joined and you work the foundation of the body of your hat along the brim. The body of this hat pattern is worked back and forth in rows, joined with a slip stitch.

If you have issues keeping track of your stitches working this way, I suggest placing a stitch marker in the first and last stitch of the round and moving them up after starting and completing each row. This will help you avoid losing stitches as you build up the body of your hat.

After the body is completed and is approximately 8.5″ tall, we’ll finish off, leaving a long tail, and we’ll weave that tail through the front loops only of the last round to cinch our hats closed. If you’re using a pom pom you can use that tail to secure your pom pom onto the hat and voila! you’re done and you’ve got yourself a beautiful new crochet hat.

man modelling the shifting posts hat made with this free crochet pattern for a hat

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Disclaimer:

Feel free to sell the item created by this pattern but please provide pattern credit back to me when posting online, and please provide a link to my blog: https://theloopylamb.com.  Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or digital form, or claim this pattern as your own original design.  Please do not use my photos when selling your finished items.   

Skill Level:

  • Easy


Terminology:

  • U.S. Terminology

Supplies:

Abbreviations:


Finished Size:

  • Adult – 10.5” wide and 8.5” tall when laid flat. 

Gauge:

  • 15 sts x 14 Rounds of DC rows alternating with SC rows = 4 inches.


NOTES:

  • CH 3s at the beginning of each round count as the first ST.

  • Brim should measure 1.5” tall at the end of Round 4.

Purchase an ad-free PDF version of this pattern in my Ravelry and Etsy shops.

close up texture of the crochet hat for men and women


Round 1 (RS): Using Colour A, CH 78.  Join last CH to the first CH using a SL ST, taking care not to twist the CH.  CH 3, DC in the 2nd ST and each ST across.  Join last ST to the first ST with a SL ST (from here on out referred to as “Join”). (78)


Round 2 (WS):  CH 3 and turn.  FPDC around the 2nd ST, *BPDC around the next ST, FPDC around the next ST, repeat from * across. Join. (78)

Round 3: CH 3 and turn.  BPDC around the 2nd ST, *FPDC around the next ST, BPDC around the next ST, repeat from * across.  Join.


Round 4: Repeat Row 2.


Change to Colour B
Round 5: CH 3 and turn.  DC in the 2nd ST and each ST across.


Round 6: CH 1 and turn.  SC in the first ST and each ST across.

Change to Colour C

Round 7:  CH 3 and turn.  DC in the 2nd ST, FPDC around DC one Round below next SC * DC in the next 3 STs, FPDC around DC one Round below next SC; repeat from * across to last 3 STs, DC in last 3 STs.


Round 8: CH 1 and turn.  SC in the first ST and each ST across.


Change to Colour D

Round 9: CH 3 and turn.  SK the first ST and *DC in the next 3 STs, FPDC around DC one Round below next SC; repeat from * across to last ST, DC in the last ST.

Round 10: Repeat Round 6.


Change to Colour A

Round 11: Repeat Round 7.


Round 12: Repeat Round 6.


Change to Colour B

Round 13: Repeat Round 9.


Round 14: Repeat Round 6.


Change to Colour C

Round 15: Repeat Round 7.


Round 16: Repeat Round 6.

Change to Colour D

Round 17: Repeat Round 9.


Round 18: Repeat Round 6.


Change to Colour A

Round 19: Repeat Round 7.

close up of the texture of the shifting posts hat in greens


Round 20: Repeat Round 6.

Change to Colour B

Round 21: Repeat Round 9.


Round 22: Repeat Round 6.


Change to Colour C

Round 23: Repeat Round 7.

Round 24: Repeat Round 6.


Change to Colour D

Round 25: Repeat Round 9.

Round 26: Repeat Round 6.


Change to Colour A

Round 27: Repeat Round 7.


Round 28: CH 1 and turn.  *SC in the first ST and the next 3 STs, SCDEC; repeat from * around.  Join. (65)

FO, leaving a long tail for seaming.  Weave tail through the FLO of the STs of the last round and cinch tightly to close hat.  Secure and weave in ends.  Attach pom pom, if using.

woman modelling the hat made with this free crochet pattern for a hat

Disclaimer:

Feel free to sell the item created by this pattern but please provide pattern credit back to me when posting online, and please provide a link to my blog: https://theloopylamb.com.  Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or digital form, or claim this pattern as your own original design.  Please do not use my photos when selling your finished items.   

I’d love to see your finished items!  Please share your finished makes by tagging the pattern on Ravelry, sharing it to our Facebook page or Instagram.  Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest 

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13 thoughts on “Free Pattern for a Crochet Hat: Shifting Posts Crochet Hat”

    • Hi Patricia,

      Yes, you can use whatever you’d like. If you’re not wanting to change colours, just disregard the parts that say to change colours and continue on with the rest of the instructions. This would also work with a self-striping yarn as well 🙂

      Reply
  1. hi, i am a little confused by rows 9 and 10–are they inverted in the pattern above? looks like row 10 is after row 8, then row 9 comes later. thanks.

    Reply
    • Thanks for mentioning that Karen! Something funky must have happened when I copied it over and I didn’t notice the mix up. I double checked the original copy of the file and the PDF and they are correct so I honestly don’t know how they got switched. I’ve updated it on the blog so the order is correct.

      Reply

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