21 December 2017

Riffles and Runs Beanie - Free Crochet Pattern!


Ahhhhh, crochet. For the last few years, most of my non-academic hobbies have fallen to the wayside in favor of a set of hooks and tons of luscious yarn. As I've been writing my dissertation, I decided that I needed to set the yarn aside and really focus, but honestly, I realized that the creative energy I generate by making and designing hats, scarfs and gloves actually helps to supplement the creative energy I need in order to think about my research and write well. So... back to the yarn! (Thank goodness - that was a boring few months!)

Recently, I realized that I didn't have a Christmas present ready for my step-mom and looked over my stash and patterns. Last year I designed a cowl called the Riffles and Runs cowl (pattern to be posted soon!), and hooked up in soft and squishy Bernat Alpaca and in a gorgeous plum color it's the perfect gift for her! So I whipped that up in a couple of hours - it's a super easy pattern. It needed a matching hat though, and for that I needed to come up with a pattern. The things I wanted: The signature riffles and runs texture, a bottom-to-top pattern with smooth decreases to shape the top of the hat, and a super-stretchy band for ultimate comfortableness.

I ended up with a fantastic hat! And I'd hate for you not to have one of your own, so here is the pattern for ya! (You can also download this in pdf format from my pattern shop, The Ivy Killers Designs, at Ravelry.com for $1.99. This helps offset my costs for pattern development and helps me keep offering patterns for free!)  There is a "messy bun"/ponytail version and a full beanie version. And add a pom pom on top if you want!



Riffles and Runs Beanie & 
Messy Bun Hat
 by Brooke A. Cassell @ The Ivy Killers


This is a cozy, squishy hat that uses combinations of DC clusters and shells to create a textured fabric reminiscent of water flowing over rocks and pebbles in a stream. The hat band is made with half double crochet stitches made into the “back bar,” or “horizontal bar,” which makes a flexible ribbed band. Each round of the hat body alternates placing 3 stitches in one stitch with stitching 3 stitches together (like a fan pointing upward followed by a fan pointing downward. Once you get the rhythm of it, this pattern, using bulky yarn (or two strands of worsted-weight yarn held double) and a large hook, just flies, and you have a finished hat in just an hour or two!

Supplies & Specs

Yarn:  Bulky (5) yarn: 90 – 100 yards (82 – 91 meters) OR Worsted (4): 180 – 200 yards (2 strands held double)

Tools:                         Size N (10.00mm) crochet hook or another size to meet gauge 
                                       Tape Measure
                                       Darning needle (for weaving in ends)
                                       Scissors
                                       Stitch marker (optional)

Completed Size:     Band circumference: 20.5” (52.1cm)
                                    Width: 10” (25.4cm)
                                    Height: 9” (22.9cm)

Gauge:                        Band 4 sts x 4 rounds = 2 (5.1cm)
                                       Body – 4 sts as written (3dc in one st + dc3tog) x 2 rounds = 2” (5.1cm)

SKILL LEVEL:              Beginner/Intermediate

TIME TO COMPLETE:  1-2 hours

StiTches and abbreviations (All instructions use american terms):
Stitch/es (st/sts)
Skip (sk)
Chain (ch)
Slip Stitch (ss)
Double Crochet (dc)
Back Bar Single Crochet (BBsc): place your stitch in the back bar of the hdc. This bar is slightly behind the stitch. It is also known as the “horizontal bar” or the “third loop.”
Back Bar Half Double Crochet (BBhdc): similar to the BBsc, place your half double crochet st in the back bar of st.
Special Stitches – See Special Stitches section for instructions
Foundation Half Double Crochet (fhdc)
Double Crochet 3 Together (dc3tog)
Double Crochet 2 Together (dc2tog)

Special Stitches

Foundation Half Double Crochet (fhdc)
Make a slip knot on your hook. Chain 3. Yarn over and insert hook into the 1st ch (3rd ch from hook), yarn over and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through one loop. This has created your next ch (you may want to put a chain marker in it or hold it with the thumb and forefinger of your left hand to keep track of it. It looks a little different than a normal ch (more like a figure 8 than a V).
Yarn over and pull through all three loops. You have created your first fhcd!
Yarn over and insert hook into the new ch you created in the first part of the last st. Yarn over and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through one loop. Yarn over and pull through all three loops.
*** Note about hook size *** Depending on your tension, the round of FDC may be a bit looser than the subsequent rounds. If that seems to be the case for you, adjust the tension of the FDC round or use a smaller hook.

Double Crochet 3 Together (dc3tog)
Yarn over and insert your hook into the 1st st. Yarn over and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. You now have 2 loops on your hook.
Yarn over and insert your hook into the 2nd st. Yarn over and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. You now have 3 loops on your hook.
Yarn over and insert your hook into the 3rd st. Yarn over and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. Yarn over and pull through all 4 remaining loops.

Double Crochet 2 Together (dc2tog)
Yarn over and insert your hook into the 1st st. Yarn over and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. You now have 2 loops on your hook.
Yarn over and insert your hook into the 2nd st. Yarn over and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. Yarn over and pull through all 3 remaining loops.


Pattern Notes

§  When selecting yarn for this pattern, use a soft, squishy yarn and keep your tension loose to create a really soft, flexible hat.
§  This pattern is worked in the round.
§  To create a more seamless look, this pattern does not use a turning chain at the beginning of rounds. Instead, you will use a sc + a ch1, and throughout the pattern this is called a [sc + ch1].  You do not need to ch1 before the sc. This might feel a little awkward at first, but trust me, it looks good! Some people have difficulty not making a ch1 first, and that’s ok! If you feel better putting a ch1 that’s fine. It won’t substantially change the look of the stitch.
§  The [sc + ch1] at the beginning of each round DOES NOT count as a stitch. You will start each round’s initial stitch in the same stitch as the join and the [sc + ch1].
§  At the end of each round, you’ll skip over the [sc + ch1] and join to the 1st st of the round. You may want to mark the [sc + ch1] with a stitch marker so you can easily spot which st to skip, and move the marker up each round as you go.
§  dc3tog and dc2tog each count as 1 st.

Resizing Hat

To size the hat up or down, just modify the number of initial fhdc by a multiple of 4 (for instance, 32, 36, for smaller or 44, 48 for larger). This will change the st count for each round but won’t change the pattern of stitches or decreases.
For a fitted version, simply omit Round 9.

Pattern

HAT BAND
Round 1: fhdc 40 (not including initial ch3). Join to the 1st st (not the ch3) with a ss to form a circle, being careful not to twist. There will be a gap at the bottom, and that’s fine. You’ll fill it in later with the yarn tail. (40)
*Note – before joining, your hat band should be about 20½“ long for an average size hat. But try it out on your own head and adjust as needed by changing hook sizes or adding/subtracting stitches by a multiple of 4.
Round 2: [sc + ch1] in the same st. If using, place a st marker in the ch. BBhdc in same st and around. Sk initial [sc + ch1] and join to first st with a ss. (40)
Rounds 3-4: Repeat Round 2.
Round 5: ch1. BBsc around. Join to first st with a ss. (40)
HAT BODY
Round 6: [sc + ch1] in the same st. 3dc in same st. dc3tog. *3dc, dc3tog*. Repeat from * to * around. Join. (40)
Round 7:  [sc + ch1] in the same st. *dc3tog, 3dc*. Repeat from * to * around. Join. (40)
Rounds 8 - 9: Repeat Rounds 6 - 7.
Round 10: [sc + ch1] in the same st. 2dc in same st. dc3tog. *2dc, dc3tog*. Repeat from * to * around. Join. (30)
Round 11: [sc + ch1] in the same st. *dc3tog, dc* a total of 7 repeats until there are 2 sts remaining. dc2tog. Join. (15)
*** For Messy Bun Hat, stop here. Fasten off and weave in tail. ***
Round 12: [sc + ch1] in the same st. Starting in the same st, dc3tog around. Join. (5)
Fasten off, leaving a 6” tail. With your darning needle, thread the tail through the tops of the 5 sts from round 12 and pull tightly to close. Weave in tail.
Close the small gap in Round 1 with the starting tail, and weave in.


For pattern support, please contact Brooke at theivykillers@gmail.com. This pattern is copyrighted (2017). Do not copy, sell, distribute or alter this pattern. You have permission to sell any items made from this pattern, and please credit the original pattern “Riffles and Runs Beanie” at growkneadpickleandsew.blogspot.com.
If you’re on Instagram, post a photo with #rifflesandrunsbeanie or #rifflesandrunsmessybunhat and tag @theivykillerscrochet for a feature on my page!
Enjoy the pattern and all the lovely hats you make!




No comments:

Post a Comment