Held Beanie

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Hi there, friends!

It’s that time of the year again when Christine of Sweet Potato 3 Patterns hosts her annual Crochet Cancer Challenge! There have been so many amazing hat designs, I want to make them all!

If you’ve been around a while, you’ll know that I’m a Stage III breast cancer survivor (read about my story here). When I was going through chemo, I was always on the lookout for fun hat patterns to make for myself and my new friends in the ward. I hated wearing my wig because it was so itchy, so hats were a must, because being bald in the winter is no fun!

When Christine of Sweet Potato 3 opened up spots for this year’s Crochet Cancer Challenge, I was so excited to be a part of it again! I’ve been able to participate in this event since 2021! 2021 saw the release of my Pathways to Hope Beanie pattern (below left), a quick, bulky weight pattern that was a big hit! 2022 saw the lighter weight Faith Over Fear Beanie pattern (below right).

This year, I leaned into the whole texture thing a bit more but with an emphasis on cozy. I wanted to do a double brim in a chunky yarn to really give this basic beanie a luxe feel.

Paid PDF available on Etsy and Ravelry

Dialing into the texture of the Alpine Stitch, the nested quality of these stitches reminds us that no matter how hard our path is, there is never a moment when we are not held. God is with us always, helping us through all obstacles if we lean on Him.

2023 Cancer Challenge

What is the Crochet Cancer Challenge, you ask? Christine of Sweet Potato 3 started this wonderful challenge several years ago as a way of supporting those battling this awful disease. Each day, Monday through Saturday for the whole month of October, you’ll have the opportunity to download a new PDF hat pattern with the promise that you’ll make at least one hat to give to a cancer patient or donate to your local cancer center. It’s such an amazing thing to help raise awareness and support those battling it out!

Each day, you’ll check in at Christine’s post to get the coupon code and link to the featured designer’s pattern page. From there, you’ll click the download button located within the designer’s post to take you to the download page. Just add the pattern to your cart, check out with the coupon code, and get to stitching!

I recommend signing up for Christine’s reminder emails on the round-up page, just to make sure you don’t miss anything! Find everything you need to know in the link below!

Special Stitches

There are a few special stitches featured in this hat. One is the yarn over slip stitch (yoslst), which I’ve used in several designs as a decorative feature but here we will use it for the brim ribbing. The other is the alpine stitch, an alternating pair of double crochet and front post double crochet in a 4-round repeat that gives a beautiful nested texture, as well as its decrease variation. If you’re unfamiliar with either of these stitches, please see my tutorials for them, linked below.

• Yarn Over Slip Stitch (yoslst)
• Front Post Double Crochet (FPdc)
• Alpine Stitch – see the “in the round” portion of this tutorial
• Alpine Stitch Decrease (alpine dec)

Yarn + Materials

A quick note on materials. If you intend to make this hat for donation to a cancer patient, I have a few things for you to consider when choosing which yarn to use. First, choose something soft. Some yarns, particularly animal blends, can be itchy, and that is not fun when you have no hair as a protective barrier. Second, make sure it is washable. Regular washing of my hats during chemo was a must because of a compromised immune system. I recommend good acrylics, cotton, rayon, bamboo, etc. Generally, they are super washer-friendly and soft, but you’ll want to double-check the care instructions on the yarn label. If you’re adding a faux fur pompom, I absolutely LOVE these pompom buttons by Savlabot. When you order them, each button comes with an instruction tag too, showing the wearer how to remove and reattach the pompom! Great not only if the wearer needs to wash the hat, but also if they just aren’t feeling very pompom-y that day. I use them on my hats as well!

Here are some yarn recommendations for this pattern.

• Premier Basix Chunky
• Lion Brand Color Made Easy (discontinued but in case you have some in your stash)
• Paintbox Simply Chunky
• Big Twist Gentle
• Lion Brand Jiffy

Okay then, on to the pattern!

Held Beanie Crochet Pattern

by Hooks, Books, & Wanderlust

Please note that this free version is written for an Adult Medium, which fits a head circumference of 23″ / 58 cm. The pattern notes contain information helpful in adapting this to other sizes and lengths, OR you may purchase the PDF version of this pattern, which comes with adult sizes: small, medium, and large, as well as other PDF-exclusive aids.

The PDF features the written pattern, all notes and helpful tips and tricks, full-color supplemental photos, step by step photo tutorials and linked video tutorials for all special stitches and techniques, a consolidated pattern stripped down to just the row instructions for more experienced crocheters, plus a handy stitch chart and row tracker.

Psst! A portion of the proceeds earned from sales of this PDF pattern will be donated to The American Cancer Society to help aid the fight, so thanks for helping put cancer in the past!

MATERIALS

• 239 yds (217 m) of a CYC 5 Bulky weight yarn, shown here in Premier Basix Chunky (See yarn suggestions above)
• 6.5mm/K Hook (Brim)
• 8mm/L Hook (Body)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Stitch marker (optional)
• Faux Fur Pompom (optional)

STITCHES & ABBREVIATIONS (US TERMS)

• Chain (ch)
• Skip (sk)
• Slip Stitch (sl st)
• Single Crochet (sc)
• Double Crochet (dc)
• Yarn Over Slip Stitch (yoslst) – Tutorial available here
• Third Loop Only (TLO)
• Front Post Double Crochet (FPdc) – Tutorial available here
• Alpine Stitch – Tutorial available here (see “in the round” section)
• Alpine Decrease (alpine dec) – Tutorial available here

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

• Adult Medium for head circumference of 23″ (58.5 cm).
• This hat has a lot of stretch to it, so negative ease is included
• Hat Height: 8.75″ High (22 cm High) prior to cinching and closing

GAUGE

Brim: 12 sts x 13 rows of yoslst TLO = 4″ (10 cm)
Body: 11 sts x 10 rows of Alpine Stitch = 4″ (10 cm)

NOTES

• This pattern is written in US Standard terms and is classified as Intermediate.
• Turning Chains: Chain stitches at beginning of Rows/Rounds do not count as a stitch.
• Size/Tension Adjustments: Adjust your number of brim rows as desired and work an even number of stitches into the first round of the body.  Brim Length should equal 2” (5 cm) less than Head Circumference
• Hat Height Adjustments: Increase/decrease by 2 rounds of alpine stitch before decreasing in the Body section or add/subtract chain stitches in multiples of 2 in the brim.
• Tutorials for special stitches with supplemental video tutorials are linked above in the Stitches & Abbreviations section.
• If you’d prefer a convenient, printable PDF version of this pattern, written for adult sizes Small, Medium, and Large, which includes in-document photo tutorials for all special stitches mentioned above (with links to video tutorials for each), as well as a helpful row tracker and a stitch chart for visual reference – available in the paid pattern only, visit my Etsy and Ravelry shops!

PATTERN

This pattern is divided into three parts: Brim, Body, and Close.  Pay close attention to the instructions as you will be working in flat, turned rows for the brim, joined rounds for the body, and working with two hook sizes. Stitch counts are given in ( )s at the end of each set of instructions.

PART 1: BRIM

The double brim will be worked in turned rows with the length of the rows equal to twice the height of your brim. Continue working rows until your work measures 21″ (53 cm) long, or as desired. Keep in mind that the brim will stretch 2” (5 cm), so make it shorter than the actual head circumference.

With 6.5mm/K crochet hook, ch 21.

NOTE: If you prefer not to have a double brim, then ch 11 for a single brim. If you prefer your brim shorter or taller, subtract or add chain stitches, respectively.

R1: Yoslst in the 2nd ch from hook and each across, ch 1, turn.  (20)

NOTE: click here for a yoslst tutorial

R2: Yoslst TLO in each stitch across, ch 1, turn. (20)

NOTE: For help finding the third loop, see the yoslst tutorial here

R3 – 68: Repeat R2. (20)

Fold the brim in half then sl st the short sides together to form a circle. Do NOT cut your yarn. Keep the seam on the outside (below left), then fold the tube in half height wise so that the seam is hidden inside (below right). You will now be working in joined rounds. Switch to your 8 mm / L hook, ch 2 and proceed to Body.

PART 1: BODY

We are now working in joined rounds, so our instructions will start back over at R1 for this section. 

Change to 8mm / L hook and ch 2.

R1: Working into BOTH edges of your double brim, dc evenly around working one dc per row of brim, sl st to first dc of the round to join. (68)

PRO TIP: This pattern requires a stitch multiple of 2, so be sure to count your stitches each round so you don’t accidentally miss any!

Begin pattern repeat.

PRO TIP: The words “pattern repeat” refer to the sequence of rounds that are repeated a specified number of times to complete a specific section of a pattern. It’s the pattern within the pattern, so to speak. In this pattern, R2-5 make up the first pattern repeat. It’s still referred to as a pattern repeat even though we haven’t repeated anything yet.

R2: Ch 1, sc into each stitch around, sl st to the top of the first sc of the round to join. (68)

R3 (Alpine A): Ch 2, *FPdc around the dc from two rounds below, sk 1 sc, then dc into the next sc. Repeat from * around, sl st to the top of the first FPdc to join. (68)

NOTE: To jump to the alpine stitch tutorial, click here and scroll to the “in the round” section.

R4: Ch 1, sc into each stitch around, sl st to the top of the first sc of the round to join. (68)

R5 (Alpine B): Ch 2, dc, *FPdc around the dc two rounds below, sk 1 sc, repeat from * around until one stitch remains, FPdc around the dc two rounds below, then sl st to the first dc of the round to join. (68)

NOTE: That’s the first repeat done! Keep in mind that each pattern repeat (R2-5) should measure approximately 1.5” (4 cm) high.

PRO TIP: There are a TOTAL of 3 pattern repeats. You’ve already worked 1, so 2 more to go!

R6-12: Repeat R2-5, ending on a R4 repeat.  (68)

NOTE: Your hat should measure approximately 8” (20 cm) after R12. You can add additional full or half repeats if needed or if you want more of a slouch look.

PRO TIP: Keep a measuring tape or ruler handy to check the height of each of your pattern repeats as you finish them to make sure they are approximately 1.5” (4 cm) high.

The last round of our final repeat is going to be used to taper the top of the hat somewhat and decrease bulk at the close.

R13 (Alpine B Decrease): Ch 2, alpine dec around, sl st to the first stitch of the round to join.  Tie off leaving a long tail for closing. (34)

NOTE: To jump to the alpine decrease tutorial, click here.

NOTE: If you are working a decrease version of Alpine A because you modified your total number of rounds, you will begin with a FPdc in your alpine dec around.

PART 3: CLOSE

You’re almost there! It’s time to cinch and close the top of your hat!  For a video showing the cinching method used here, click here.

Thread your tapestry needle with the long tail you left after tying off, then weave it in and out of the stitches from the final round of the body.  Weave a quarter of the stitches, then pull on your yarn tail to cinch them together.  Repeat this around until you have come back to where you started.

Pull up tightly to cinch closed, then continue to secure by weaving through the stitches in a circular fashion two or three more times, closing any remaining gaps.  

Feed your needle down through the center of your cinch to the inside of the hat, weave around in a circular fashion again, then knot it off, and weave in your tail to really secure it.  Don’t forget to weave in your beginning tail too, if you didn’t work over it in Round 1!

Add a pompom or leave it as is!  If you’re looking to add a removable pompom, check out these buttons from Savlabot on Etsy!  They are what I use on mine and are super easy and secure!

Woohoo, you did it!! Congratulations!! This one flies by, don’t you think? Isn’t that texture and coziness the best? I hope love your new hat and maybe make a few more to donate to your local cancer center.

I would LOVE to see your hat! Should you choose to share, use the tags #HeldBeanie and / or #LaBelleVieForMe to share your makes with me @HooksBooksWanderlust on Instagram and / or Facebook!

I hope you enjoyed this pattern and found it easy to follow! If not, or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! Email me at kristen.caldwell@hooksbookswanderlust.com.

Happy crocheting!

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