I’m very excited to introduce – my first crochet pattern!
I was in Manchester this weekend for a last-minute trip to watch the Rugby League World Cup Finals (men’s and women’s). I’d already started making this hat, but I was determined to get it finished before the matches – and I was glad I did as it was a pretty parky day (as they say up that way).
Anyway, here it is. Feel free to comment, but please be gentle – this is my first attempt 🙂
Manchester Hair-Up Hat
The Manchester hair-up hat is named for a November weekend in that Northern English city watching the Rugby League World Cup Final, when a hat was necessary! This is a sort of beanie/beret hybrid, with a hole for your bun/ponytail. With the ribbing section turned up it is more beanie, with the ribbing down, it is more slouchy hat/beret. If you want a longer brim, just chain more at step 1of the ribbing section.
You will need:
Yarn: Zeeman Julia (Bulky) – 1 skein (100g, 170m)
Hook: 5.5mm for the main part, 4mm for the ribbing
Additional items: 1 hair elastic
Notes:
US terms are used throughout. The number of single crochets at the beginning will depend on the size of your elastic. The one I used is about 6cm in diameter. The important thing is not to do too many, otherwise you will get a ruffle effect as you increase. So do just enough to cover the elastic when it is unstretched.
Stitches used:
sc – single crochet (US)
sc-blo – single crochet into back loop (US)
hdc – half double crochet (US)
dc – double crochet (US)
fpdc – double crochet around front post (US). Like a usual double crochet, but instead of inserting your hook into the top of the stitch, you insert it around the post of the stitch. There are lots of online tutorials, both video and written.
Main body of hat
Row 1: Sc 26 times around the hair elastic (or the right amount for your elastic – see note)
Row 2: Ch2, [hdc into next 2 stitches, 2hdc into next stitch], repeat [] around, hdc into final 2 stitches, ss into top of first hdc. (34 stitches)
Row 3: Ch2, [hdc into next 4 stitches, 2hdc into next stitch], repeat [] around, ss into top of first hdc. (40 stitches)
Row 4: Ch2 [hdc into next 6 stitches, 2 hdc into next stitch], repeat around, hdc into last 4 stitches, ss into top of first hdc (44 sttiches)
Row 5: Ch 3 (counts as first stitch), dc into each stitch around, ss to top chain of starting ch3.
Row 6: Repeat Row 5.
Row 7: Repeat Row 5
Row 8: Ch 3 (counts as first stitch), fpdc into each stitch around, ss to top chain of starting ch3.
Row 9: Repeat Row 5.
Row 10: Repeat Row 8
Row 11: Repeat Row 5.
Ribbing section
Change to 4mm hook.
Step 1: Ch11. Work sc into the back loop of each chain across (10sc)
Step 2: SS into first stitch on hat edge.
Step 3: SS into next stitch on hat edge. Turn
Step 5: Skip both ss, sc-blo into first sc of the ribbing and following 9 stitches. Turn
Step 6: Ch1, sc-blo into each sc across.
Step 7: SS into next 2 stitches on hat edge. Turn
Repeat steps 6 and 7 around the whole edge of the hat. Cut yarn and fasten off, sew two edges together.
[You can find a photo tutorial for this technique here]
