Alpine Dreams Beanie – Crochet Pattern

If you would like an inexpensive, ad-free, printable PDF version of this pattern, including all relevant special stitch photo tutorials, and a stitch chart that is exclusive only to the paid version, you can find a copy of it on both Etsy and Ravelry!

Hi all!

It’s finally here!! I’ve been talking about it for weeks over on Instagram and Facebook (@hooksbookswanderlust for both 😉 ) and have already posted the stitch tutorials that are needed to make this beauty, and now it is FINALLY here!

One of my maker goals this year was to design and write up a pattern for my own crochet hat. When I took a trip this past summer to Glacier National Park, I had my inspiration! The floating nimbus of white mist through the peaks of the mountains, on our way to Logan’s Pass were so dreamy to me, and no wonder, since getting back from that amazing wonderland of country all I can do is dream about going back.

At first, I wanted to do something with the aptly named “alpine stitch,” but a friend pointed out that the idea I had for it had, well….already been done. So back to the drawing board. I fell asleep thinking and believe it or not, I came up with this idea in a dream! They say dreams are the brain’s way of processing information, and I guess they must be right!

So the idea for Alpine Dreams Beanie was born. After I woke up the next day, I rushed around getting kids ready and out the door to school so that I could spend some quality time with my hooks and yarn, trying to work this idea into reality.

I really want to run with allllll the dream puns…this beanie is a dream come true! It came to me in a dream! And all the rest….but really, it’s all true! I didn’t use the alpine stitch, but I used other stitches to mimic it, creating little fluffs that I hesitate to call “puffs” because they are NOT the puff stitch either. But the puffy texture of this pattern reminds me of clouds, and the staggered stitches reminds me of the alpine trees growing in the mountains, and so there you have it!

This is an intermediate level crochet pattern, and knowledge of basic crochet stitches as well as experience making brim-up hats are required. The pattern is written for worsted weight yarn for an adult woman, but you can adjust for any size yarn or head by using the stitch multiple given. Who’s ready??

If you would like an inexpensive, ad-free, printable PDF version of this pattern, including all relevant special stitch photo tutorials, and a stitch chart that is exclusive only to the paid version, you can find a copy of it on both Etsy and Ravelry!

Materials

• Approximately 350 yds / 320 m CYC 4 worsted/Aran weight yarn like LB Basic Stitch Anti-Pilling, Premier Anti-Pilling Everyday Worsted, or Knit Picks Brava Worsted
• Crochet hook in size H / 5 mm body
• Crochet hook in size G / 4 mm brim
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Faux fur pom (optional)

Stitches & Terms

• Chain (ch)
• Chain Space (ch sp)
• Skip (sk)
• Slip Stitch (sl st)
• Single Crochet (sc)
• Half Double Crochet (hdc)
• Back Loop Only (BLO)
• Double Crochet (dc)
• Front Post Double Crochet (FPdc)
• Double Crochet 5 Together (dc5tog)

Finished Measurements (as written)

Adult Women’s: measures 20″ / 51 cm around brim (circumference) and 9.5″ / 24 cm tall prior to closing.

Gauge

Brim Height = 1.5″ / 3.75 cm
3 Row Pattern Repeat Height = 1.75″ / 4.5 cm

Size / Yarn Adjustments

This pattern was written with worsted (4) weight yarn and a size G / 4mm hook, but it is written recipe style so that you can adjust for different sizes and different yarns, tension, or gauge.

You can use any weight yarn you prefer, but choose one or two sizes smaller hook than that recommended on the yarn label. The nature of this stitch makes it rather loose fitting, and smaller hooks help combat that as well as show off the texture better.

Notes

• This pattern is written in US Standard terms.
• This is an intermediate level pattern. Knowledge of basic crochet stitches and some experience working hats from the bottom up are needed.
• This pattern is written using worsted weight yarn for an adult woman, but recipe style notes are provided so you can customize to any yarn weight, tension, hook, or size.
• Links to my photo tutorials for the Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc) and the Double Crochet 5 Together (dc5tog) are linked here for your convenience, and those posts include links to video tutorials as well.
• This pattern is worked in joined rounds.
• A Stitch Chart is available exclusively in the paid version of this pattern on Etsy and Ravelry

Pattern

Brim

Chain 7

NOTE: You can make your brim wider or narrower by increasing or decreasing your number of starting chains accordingly.  For this example, my brim was 1.75″ / 4.5 cm wide.

R1: Hdc in the 2nd chain from your hook and in each chain across. (6 hdc)

R2-53: Ch 1 (doesn’t count as a stitch), hdc into BLO for each stitch across.  Repeat until the length of your brim matches the desired size / circumference.  (6 hdc)

NOTE: For most adult women, head circumference is approximately 22-24″ (56 – 61 cm) so accounting for 3″ (7.5 cm) negative ease of a BLO ribbed brim, you’ll want to repeat rows until you have approximately 19-21″ (48 – 53 cm) of length.

Fold brim in half and slip stitch the ends together.  Flip brim inside out so that the seam is on the inside of your hat.  From here, you will begin working in the round.

Body

The pattern repeat requires a stitch multiple of 4 to complete.  This is determined in your first round of the hat body, where you will work double crochet stitches evenly around the brim in a multiple of 4.

R1 (Setup Round): Ch 2 (doesn’t count as a stitch, here and throughout), 80 dc evenly around your brim, sl st to the top of the first dc of the round to close.  (80 dc)

Pro Tip: The first stitch of each new round will be worked into the same stitch as your ch2.

Pro Tip: My personal rule of thumb to work stitches around a half double crochet brim is 3 sts for every 2 brim rows.  However many stitches per row you work, make sure you are left with a multiple of 4.  For mine, I had 53 rows, I worked 3 sts per 2 rows, then added what I needed to make it divisible by 4.  My math was: (53/2) * 3 = 79.5, nearest multiple of 4 is 80, so I need to add one more stitch to my first round to make the pattern work.

R2: Ch2, *dc, sk 1, 5 FPdc around the next stitch, sk 1, repeat from * then sl st to the top of the first dc of the round to close (20 dc, 20 groups of 5-FPdc)

NOTE: Need to see how to work a FPdc? Click here.

NOTE:  You are working all 5 FPdc around the same post.  This is what gives it dimension and that texture we are looking for.  Doing this will result in small gaps, but they will be covered by the next round.

NOTE: Be warned that the 5 FPdc stitches kind of obscure the stitch you should skip, so don’t accidentally skip too many before making the dc to start your round repeat again.

Pro Tip: When you see an * in your row or round instructions, that indicates the stitch pattern to repeat across the row or around the round. In this case, you’ll alternate working FPdc and BPdc stitches for the entire round.

Pro Tip: A number that appears after a stitch instruction indicates how many of the next stitches in your row/round you will work that type of stitch into. A number that appears before a stitch instruction indicates how many of a type of stitch should be worked in the single next stitch. In this case, “sk 1” means to skip only one stitch (the next stitch), and “5 FPdc” means to work five FPdc stitches around the stitch after that.

R3: Ch2, *5 FPdc around the dc from the previous round, dc5tog, repeat from * then sl st to the top of the first FPdc of the round to close (20 groups of 5 FPdc, 20 dc5tog)

NOTE: To jump back to the dc5tog tutorial, click here.

NOTE: Your dc5tog should be worked over the 5 FPdc from the previous round.  You are closing the little puffs from the previous round and starting a new set that will nest between those you just closed.

R4: Ch2, *dc5tog, [ch1, dc, ch1] next (top of dc5tog from prev round), repeat from * then sl st to the top of the first dc5tog of the round to close (20 dc5tog, 20 dc)

Pro Tip: When you see stitch instructions in brackets within your row/round instructions, that means you will work the series of stitches contained within the brackets into the next stitch.

NOTE: That’s the first pattern repeat!  Yay!  Now on to the next!  Round 5 is similar to Round 2, except it builds off a pattern round instead of a double crochet round.

Pro Tip: The words “pattern repeat” refer to the series of rows/rounds that are repeated over the course of the pattern, in this case R2-4.

R5: Ch2, *dc, sk 1 (the first ch sp), 5 FPdc around the dc from the previous round, sk st (second ch sp), repeat from * then sl st to the top of the first dc of the round to close (20 dc, 20 groups of 5 FPdc)

NOTE: When you work your repeat of R2, the “sk 1” will end up skipping the chain stitches, meaning you’ll work your R3 groups of 5FPdc around the post of the dc from the previous round

R6: Ch2, *5 FPdc around the dc from the previous round, dc5tog, repeat from * then sl st to the top of the first FPdc of the round to close (20 groups of 5 FPdc, 20 dc5tog)

R7: Ch2, *dc5tog, [ch1, dc, ch1] next (top of dc5tog from prev row), repeat from * then sl st to the top of the first dc5tog of the round to close (20 dc5tog, 20 dc)

NOTE: That’s the second pattern repeat! Woohoo!

R8-16: continue repeating R5-7 as many times as necessary to achieve the hat height you desire. I worked three MORE pattern repeats, so I worked 5 total pattern repeats.

NOTE: This stitch pattern makes for a bit of a bulky close, so if you would like to taper your hat in a bit to make it a little less bulky, simply do not ch1 in the last round of your pattern repeat.

R17: Ch1, sc into each dc5tog, ch sp, and dc from the previous round all the way around, sl st to the top of the first sc of the round to close (80 sc)

Tie off, leaving a long tail for closing the top of your hat.

Closing

Thread your yarn tail onto a tapestry needle and weave it in and out through every other stitch, then pull tight to cinch closed.

Continue to secure by weaving through the stitches in a circular fashion, then across the center in 2-3 directions to pull everything in.  Pull tail through to the inside of your hat, weave around in a circular fashion again, then knot it off, and weave in your tail to really secure it.  Finish with a pom if desired.

You did it!  Now pat yourself on the back and indulge in some of that squishy texture!  You are ready to hit the trails!  Or, you know, just face the cold temps on your way into Target.  Whatevs!

Use the tags #AlpineDreamsBeanie and / or #LaBelleVieForMe to share your pumpkins with me on Instagram and / or Facebook! Or search the #AlpineDreamsBeanie to see a gallery of pictures from my testers and others who have made this hat!

I hope you enjoyed this pattern! Be sure to subscribe to the blog so you know when more free patterns are posted!

Until next time, happy crocheting!

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