The Bert – Crochet Hat Pattern

Hello, everyone! I’ve come up with a very beautiful hat pattern for you all, and I think you’re going to like it!  I’ve named it “The Bert,” as a joke, because a friend noticed that the gold and black hat in the picture below looks a lot like Bert from Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street.  Once that connection was made, it was over, and everyone is now calling it The Bert!  I hope you all enjoying making your own Bert to enjoy, and to gift to those you love!

~~~ It’s very important you all know ahead of time that my tension is very tight!  This pattern will not have exact stitch counts because my tension will not work for the majority of you.  Please read my gauge information to be sure your hat works up in a way that will mimic the same look as mine. ~~~

If you’d like a simplified version of this pattern to download and print, you can purchase it through my Etsy shop here!

What you’ll need:

Yarn – I’ve used a few different yarns to make these hats.  I found that I need 1 skein of Loops and Threads Impeccable or Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn, or 2 skeins of Vanna’s Choice. (In the pictures above, I used Vanna’s Choice in Dusty Blue, and Loops and Threads Impeccable in Gold, Deep Forest, and Sweet Rose).

PomPoms – I used these Faux Fur Pom Pom Balls.  They are amazing, and come with a tiny loop that makes it SO EASY to attach to your hat! (I am never making yarn pom’s again!)

Tapestry Needle

Crochet Hook J/10 ** update – after much feedback, I think it’s important to note that the majority of people are coming out with a hat that is MUCH too slouchy.  I believe the best hook size might be an H, or even a G if your tension is really loose.  I appreciate all the feedback and hope you will all check the gauge as you go!**

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Stitches you need to know:

– Single Crochet (SC)
– Single Crochet Back Loop Only (sc blo)
– Double Crochet (DC)
– Slip Stitch (slst)
– BPDC (Back Post Double Crochet – Learn how here)
– Bobble Stitch – yo, insert hook into stitch, yo, pull through stitch, yo, pull through two loops, (2 loops on hook) yo, insert hook into same stitch, yo, pull through stitch, yo, pull through two loops, (3 loops on hook) yo, insert hook into same stitch, yo, pull through stitch, yo, pull through two loops, (4 loops on hook) yo, insert hook into same stitch, yo, pull through stitch, yo, pull through two loops (You will now have 5 loops on your hook), yo, pull through all five loops on hook.

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Gauge: 

Band gauge – 2.5″ wide, and the length will be whatever the circumference is for the hat you need, minus 1/2 – 1″ to allow for a nice stretch.
Row gauge – 1.5″ for every five rows up from the band.

My Bert with a pompom has a finished height of 8.25 – 8.5″ before closing and adding the pom.

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The Bert Pattern:

Start with the band: 
– Chain 12
Row 1 – sc in chain closest to the hook, sc in next ten chains (11)
Row 2 – Chain 1 (counts as first sc), sc blo in each stitch across – (11)

 

Row 3 – End: *Repeat Row 2 until your band measures the size you need*

                    ** Example for band sizing: I’ve been making adult women hats which need a circumference of 21-22.  I make my band 20.5″ so that the hat band will fit snug onto a head and have a little stretched look to it.  You can make it whatever size is right for your project.  If you aren’t sure what the circumference needs to be, check out a sizing chart online.  Or, check out my personal favorite right here (this will also help you to know your hat height!)…

Finishing the band:  Be sure to end with an odd number of rows on your band.  Slip stitch the band ends together.  (You will end with your starting tail and your working yarn at the same point).  Flip the band inside out so that the bump from the join is on the inside.

 

Starting the hat: 

You do not need to cut your yarn to start the hat, you can just continue on without stopping (Yay! Less ends to weave!)!

Row 1 – Chain 1, sc in each band row around, slip stitch into chain 1 space (The number of stitches here will be the number of stitches for every row, unless you are finishing this as a messy bun hat.  Instructions for decreasing for a messy bun hat will be listed in the instructions below)

Band with row 1 done

Row 2 – Chain 2, dc in each stitch around, slip stitch into top of chain 2 space

Row 2 Complete

Row 3 – Chain 2, bpdc around each dc post from previous round, slip stitch into top of chain 2 space

Row 3 done. You can see the lip where the bpdc pushes out the stitches from the previous row. This is the start of our texture!

Row 4 – Chain 2, bpdc around each bpdc post from previous round, slip stitch into top of chain 2 space

Row 4 complete.

Row 5 – Chain 1, *Bobble stitch in next stitch, sc in next stitch* *Repeat around*, slip stitch into chain 1 space.

Row 5 complete. Now all the rows are repeats!

Row 6 – Chain 1, sc in each stitch around, slip stitch into chain 1 space
Row 7 – Chain 2, dc in each stitch around, slip stitch into top of chain 2 space
Row 8 – Chain 2, bpdc around each dc stitch post from previous round, slip stitch into top of chain 2 space
Row 9 – Chain 2, bpdc around each bpdc post from previous round, slip stitch into top of chain 2 space
Row 10 – Chain 1, *Bobble stitch in next stitch, sc in next stitch* *Repeat around*, slip stitch into chain 1 space.
Row 11-15 – Repeat rows 6-10
** If you want to finish this as a messy bun hat, please skip past instructions for row 19 to “How to finish you messy bun Bert”**
Row 16 – Repeat row 6
Row 17 – Repeat row 7
Row 18 – Repeat row 8
Row 19 – Repeat row 9 – Last row for hat if you’re adding a pompom

Close top of hat (I use this method, except I use a tapestry needle instead of a hook), and attach pompom.  Weave in ends.

How to finish your messy bun Bert

The Bert – Messy Bun Option

Row 16 – ch 1, sc2tog around, slst into ch1
Row 17 – ch 1, sc in each stitch around, slst into ch 1
*Now, this is where tension might play a factor in your next step.  If you are like me, and you have a very tight tension, you may have had 80+ stitches in each row of your hat.  If that is the case, then move on to instructions for Row 18 to continue decreasing your opening.  If your hat had less than 60 stitches per row, your opening might be small enough already and you can finish off your hat by weaving in ends.  If your opening is just a bit too big, but not big enough to decrease by half of the stitches again, then do another row of mostly sc with a few sc2tog to decrease the size of the hole a little more.

Row 18 – ch1, sc2tog around, slst into ch 1 – Finish off hat. Weave in ends.

Wha-la!  A gorgeous Bert hat is now your very own!

You can sell your finished work, but please remember to give me credit for my pattern, and never use my pictures to promote your work.  Thank you!

Don’t forget to try it in variegated!

If you’d like a simplified version of this pattern that you can download and print, you can find it in my Etsy shop here!

Bookmark this pattern on Ravelry here!

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