Crossroads 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, and still so many great ones to come!

If you’ve been around a while, you’ll know that I’m a Stage III breast cancer survivor (you can 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 chemo room. I hated wearing my wig because it was so itchy, so hats were a must, because being bald in the winter is no fun!

I was thrilled when Christine of Sweet Potato 3 invited me to participate in this year’s Crochet Cancer Challenge again. I’ve been able to participate in this event since 2021 with the releases of the Pathways to Hope Beanie pattern, the Faith Over Fear Beanie pattern, the Held Beanie pattern, and with this year’s Crossroads Beanie pattern.

This year, I was inspired by a friend of mine who was diagnosed with the same type of breast cancer as me. She was a great help to me and my family during one of our hardest times, and I wanted to be there for her, too. Her treatment has spanned across seasons, from spring/summer to fall/winter as she completes multiple courses of chemotherapy. I wanted a hat that would be cute but also breathable. The crossed double crochets in this hat leave space for that air flow in a fun, textured design.

Paid PDF available on Etsy and Ravelry

Most of my previous designs have names that are hopeful and while it’s important never to lose sight of that hope or your faith during a cancer diagnosis, often people don’t realize how much of the fight is a crossroads of sorts. There is a distinct before cancer and, God willing, an after cancer, but the fight for survival itself sits between those two things and that can lead to a lot of hard feelings and truths, uncertainties and false bravado. This was my experience, anyway.

I named this design the Crossroads Beanie as a way to acknowledge these things. When I gifted this hat to my friend, I wanted her to know that I saw her, that I recognized what she was doing when she put on that brave face for her family. I wanted her to know that it was okay to let the mask fall sometimes and trust your people to be there, trust them to see you. This hat represents the vulnerability in letting people in and allowing them to help you. It represents the grief at saying goodbye to your past self and looking forward to a future where nothing around you has changed but everything within you has. If there is one message I want to say with this hat, it’s this: you are seen.

2024 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 and techniques featured in this hat that are a bit more advanced, such as working into specific loops, crossed double crochets, and decreases. If you’re unfamiliar with any of these, please see my tutorials for them, linked below.

• Crossed Double Crochet (Xdc)
• Half Double Crochet Decrease (hdc2tog)
• Crossed Double Crochet Decrease (Xdc2tog)

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 pompom buttons you can find on Etsy. 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!

This pattern uses a CYC 4 worsted weight yarn, which can be a broad category of weights. The following yarn recommendations have WPI of 8 wraps per inch according to Ravelry and should be fairly interchangeable. Still, you will want to make sure you check your gauge to ensure proper fit and yardage requirement.

• Loops & Threads Impeccable (shown in Lavender throughout the pattern)
• Lion Brand Basic Stitch
• Lion Brand Heartland
• Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn
• Sirdar Jewelspun

Okay then, on to the pattern!

Crossroads 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/round 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

• 160 yds (146 m) of a CYC 4 Worsted weight yarn, shown here in Loops & Threads Impeccable in Lavender (See yarn suggestions above)
• 4mm/G Hook (Brim)
• 5.5mm/I Hook (Body)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Stitch marker (optional)
• Faux Fur Pompom (optional)

Stitches & Abbreviations (US Terms)

• Stitch(es) (st(s))
• Chain (ch)
• Slip Stitch (sl st)
• Single Crochet (sc)
• Half Double Crochet (hdc)
• Half Double Crochet Decrease (hdc2tog) – photo and video tutorial available here
• Double Crochet (dc)
• Back Loop Only (BLO)
• Third Loop Only (TLO)
• Crossed Double Crochet (Xdc) – photo and video tutorial available here
• Crossed Double Crochet Decrease (Xdc2tog) – photo and video tutorial available here

Finished Measurements

• Size: Adult Medium – head circumference of 23″ (58.5 cm)
• Finished Dimensions: 20″ (51 cm) circumference x 7.8125″ (20 cm) high
  • The ribbed brim will stretch, so negative ease is included

Gauge

Brim: 1.5″ (3.8 cm) = 6 sts x 5 rows of sc BLO
Body: 1.5″ (3.8 cm) = 5.5 hdc x 1 Pattern Repeat (R1-4)
Psst! Trouble meeting gauge? Check out my blog post on gauge.

Notes

• This pattern is written in US Standard terms and is classified as Intermediate.
• Stitch Multiple: 2
• Pattern Repeat: 4 rounds (R1-4)
• Size/Tension Adjustments: Adjust your number of brim rows as desired. Brim Length should equal 2-3” (5-7.62 cm) less than Head Circumference. Work an even number of stitches into the first round of the body.
• Height Adjustments:
  • Adjust brim height by adding/subtracting chain stitches.
  • Adjust body height by adding/removing entire pattern repeats prior to the final repeat
• PRO TIP: I recommend reading through the pattern or watching the pattern video before starting to familiarize yourself with the pattern. Annoying? Yes. Worth it? Definitely.
• PRO TIP: Count your stitches often!
• PRO TIP: Size matters! Keep a measuring tape handy so you can check to make sure your stitches and repeats match the gauge given above or you risk the hat not fitting or not having enough yarn.  Instructions are given within each section of the pattern to help you make adjustments if needed.
  • Trouble meeting gauge? Check out my blog post on gauge.
• Get the PDF: 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!

Supplemental Video Pattern

Written 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 brim will be worked in turned rows with the length of the rows equal to the height of your brim.  Adjust the height of your brim by adding/removing stitches. Continue working rows until your work measures 21″ (53 cm) long, or as desired. Keep in mind that the brim will stretch 2-3” (5-7.62 cm), so make it shorter than the actual head circumference.

With 4mm/G crochet hook, ch 7.
NOTE: If you prefer your brim shorter or taller, subtract or add chain stitches, respectively.

R1: Sc in the 2^nd ch from hook and each across, ch 1, turn.  (6)

R2: Sc, sc BLO 4, sc, ch 1, turn.  (6)

PRO TIP: When a number comes after a stitch, as sc BLO 4 above, that means you will work the instructed stitch over that many of the next stitches.  In this case, you’ll work a sc BLO in each of the next 4 stitches.

R3 – 74 (78, 82): Repeat R2.  (6)

Fold the brim in half then sl st the short sides together to form a circle.  Do NOT cut your yarn. Flip the brim so that the seam is on the inside.  You will now be working in joined rounds.

Part 2: Body

We are now working in joined rounds, so our instructions will start back over at R1 for this section.  Note that the starting chains for some rounds count as a stitch and others don’t.  To adjust hat height, you can add/remove entire pattern repeats prior to the final repeat and/or adjust the number of rounds in the final repeat.

Change to 5.5mm / I hook.

Begin pattern repeat.

PRO TIP: The words “pattern repeat” refer to the block 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, R1-4 make up the first pattern repeat.  It’s still referred to as a pattern repeat even though we haven’t repeated anything yet.

R1: Ch 1, hdc evenly around the brim, working one hdc per row of brim, sl st to first st of the round to join.  (78)
NOTE: When you repeat R1 in future rounds, you’ll work 1 hdc in each stitch around.

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!

R2: Ch 1, hdc TLO in each st around, sl st to first st of the round to join.  (78)
NOTE: For help locating the third loop, click here for this segment of the pattern video.

R3: Ch 1, sc TLO in each stitch around, sl st to first st of the round to join. (78)

R4: Ch 3 (counts as a dc), dc into the last stitch from the previous round (see photos below).  This counts as the first Xdc of the round. Continue to Xdc around, sl st to the top of the ch-3 to join.  (78)
NOTE: I recommend placing a stitch marker in the top of your ch-3 at the beginning of the round so you know where to join to more easily at the end of the round.
NOTE: To jump to the tutorial for the Xdc, click here and scroll to the section for working in rounds or for additional help with this round, click here for the relevant video pattern segment.

That’s the first repeat done! Keep in mind that each pattern repeat (R1-4) should measure 1.5” (3.8 cm) high.

PRO TIP: There are a TOTAL of 3 pattern repeats. You’ve already worked 1, so 2 more to go!
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 1.5” (3.8 cm) high.

R5-12: Repeat R1-4 two more times.  (78)
NOTE: When you repeat R1 in future rounds, you’ll work 1 hdc in each stitch around.

Final Repeat: Now, it’s time for our final repeat, which includes 2 decrease rounds to shape the crown.

R13: Ch 1, hdc in each st around, sl st to first st of the round to join.  (78)

R14: Ch 1, hdc2tog TLO in around, sl st to first st of the round to join.  (39)
NOTE: This is a decrease round.  To jump to the tutorial for the hdc2tog, click here. To see this round in live action, click here.

R15: Ch 1, sc TLO in each st around, sl st to first st of the round to join.  (39)

R16: Ch 2 (counts as a partial dc), work a partial dc into the last stitch of the previous round (see photo 1 below), 2 loops remain on hook (photo 2), yarn over and pull through all three (photo 3). This counts as the first Xdc2tog of the round.  Continue to Xdc2tog around.  If you end with one stitch left at the end of your round, use the last stitch of the previous round you worked your first partial dc into at the beginning of the round (see photos 4 and 5 below). Sl st to first st of the round to join. (19 (20, 21))
NOTE: This is a decrease round.  See the tutorial for the Xdc2tog here, or for additional help with this round, click here for the relevant segment of the video pattern.
NOTE: Your hat should measure approximately 7.75” (19.7 cm) high after R16, before cinching. If you’re short, add an additional round of hdc to get you where you need to be.

Tie off leaving a 8” (20 cm) long tail for closing.

Part 3: Close

You’re almost there! It’s time to cinch and close the top of your hat!  To watch this part of the hat worked, click here for the relevant part of the pattern video.

Thread your tapestry needle with the long tail you left after tying off. Weave in and out of the stitches from the final round of the body all the way 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 ends!

If you’re looking to add a removable pompom, check out these pompom buttons on Etsy!  I use them on my hats and they are super easy and secure!

You did it!

Yay! Congratulations! I know those first sets of crossed doubles are a little fiddly, but once you get the pattern repeat down, it flies by, don’t you think? Don’t you just love the texture?

I would LOVE to see your hat!  Should you choose to share, use the tags #CrossroadsBeanie and #CrochetCancerChallenge to share your work 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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