Vickie's Slouch Hat

This is my very first ‘official’ blog post.  I am very excited that I finally decided to do this and am very hopeful that this pattern will be useful to someone. J  If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a comment, I promise to try to respond as soon as I figure this thing out!

I made this pattern for a wonderful lady that likes to keep me on my toes when it comes to patterns-she usually has requests and I have to figure out how to make them. :)  I've now made three different hats, so I could check and recheck my pattern.  I find that I REALLY love how this pattern works because it is all done in rounds and you don't get any ugly parts (sometimes the turning stitches look oogly).

Below:  Using Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable, dragonfly

Vickie’s Slouch Hat

By:  Dragonbird Creations

Worsted (I used caron simply soft-I prefer this or anything lighter for a slouch hat since it is not so stiff): I used the color ‘heather’ for this project.  I've begun work on my third hat from this pattern and this time I switched to Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable, color:  dragonfly,  and I LOVE how it is turning out.  I will post  pics as soon as I finish!

Hook:  H
tapestry needle

Notes:  When you crochet in the BL of the hdc in this pattern, you can go through the back two loops (the furthest loop in back is really the back of the hdc but it is easier to just go through both of those...)  this will leave you with one single line going around and and around the hat.  OR you can crochet in only the BPL of the hdc (the furthest loop in back of the hdc) which will leave you a nice little double line that swirls around.  For the images in this pattern, I did the first option.  When you get to the decrease rounds, although it says 'dec evenly around' you don't have to get psycho perfect on it-no need for math, just stick a decrease about a quarter of the way around-truly it does not matter if it is perfect-just don't stick them all in one spot.

1.        Chain 65 (or desired length for a snuggly fit around head-my head is 21.5 and this works for me); join to form ring, ch 2 (counts as hdc for this and rest of pattern), hdc in each chain; join (64 hdc)
2.         hdc in BL of each hdc, do NOT join-for the rest of this pattern, until specified you will use a stitch marker to mark the end of each round  (64 hdc)
3. .        hdc in BL of each hdc,  (64 hdc)
4.       hdc in BL of each hdc,   (64 hdc)
5.         hdc in BL of each hdc,   (64 hdc)
6.      hdc in BL of each hdc,   (64 hdc)
7.         hdc in BL of each hdc,   (64 hdc)
8.        hdc in BL of each hdc,  (64 hdc)
9. .       ,hdc in BL of each hdc,   (64 hdc)
10. .    hdc in BL of each hdc,   (64 hdc)
11. .    hdc in BL of each hdc,  (64 hdc)
12. .   hdc in BL of each hdc,   (64 hdc)
13. .    hdc in BL of each hdc,   (64 hdc)
14. .    hdc in BL of each hdc,   (64 hdc)
15. .   (dec round-place 4 hdcdec evenly around this round)  hdc in BL of each hdc,   (60 hdc)
16. .   Repeat 15 (56 hdc)
17. .    hdc in BL of each hdc,  (56 hdc)
18. .    hdc in BL of each hdc,   (56 hdc)
19. .    hdc in BL of each hdc,   (56 hdc)
20. .   Repeat round 15 (52 hdc)
21. .    hdc in BL of each hdc; (52hdc)
22. .       Repeat round 19 (52hdc)
23. .       Repeat round 15 (48 hdc)
24.           Repeat round 19 (48 hdc)
25.         Repeat round 15 (44 hdc)
26.         Repeat round 19 (continue repeating this round as many times as you want-if you want your hat to be longer or more 'slouchy') now we will join-SKIP one hdc and sl st in next hdc  (51 hdc) do NOT finish off

Finishing edge on top of hat:

1.       Ch 7, sc in 2^nd ch from hook and remaining 5 sc (6sc); sl into BL of  hdc in hat, sl st in next BL of hdc on hat

2.       Turn, sc in BL of each sc (6sc)

3.       Ch 1, turn, sc in BL of each sc, sl st in BL of hdc in hat and next BL of hdc in hat

4.       Continue repeating rows 2-3 until you read the beginning of the finishing edge-if you still want to decrease a little-you can chose to sl st in 3 hdc instead of 2 a few times, leave a long tail for sewing and finish off.

Connect first and last rows of finishing edge.

Find the four quarters of the finishing edge.

Whipstitch from quarter to quarter-you should now have 4 ‘corners’

take each corner and bring to the center-whipstitch together and finish off.

Optional finishing edge on base of hat:

Sc around

©Dragonbird Creations  This pattern is for personal use only.  You have permission to sell any items you make using this pattern.  Do not distribute, copy or sell this pattern, photos, descriptions or anything other content included in this pattern.