The Swirls Cap came about from my wanting a cool newsboy cap like the ones I’ve been seeing around NYC. It’s the perfect cold weather accessory, you can tweak it how you like to wear it, and it doesn’t squish your hair flat.

Many thanks to Ed Barrall II of the Knitting Room in San Jose CA, and his Crocheted Beret Hat (pattern :www.baycrochet.com/patberet.htm), for providing the inspiration for my pattern.

By

Sophia Kessinger

Materials needed:

yarn: approximately 220 -280 yds of light worsted weight yarn (220 yds will give you enough yarn for the pattern as written, and one accessory. For larger hats, I would recommend more yardage) Examples shown were made in Katia Diana: 2 skeins color #20 (rose) and Karabella Aurora 8: 3 skeins color #1712 (magenta heather)

crochet hook: size G 4.5mm (for a larger/smaller hat, go up/down a hook size, or work more/less increase rows)

1 sheet of plastic canvas removable stitch markers scissors piece of paper

Gauge: 4dc = 1”

Size: to fit 22” circumference head

Abbreviations: ch = chain, sl st = slip stitch, sc = single crochet, hdc = half double crochet, dc = double crochet, trc = triple crochet, fpdc = front post double crochet, * to * = repeat

Hat:

Ch 4, sl st in first ch to form a ring

Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 11 dc in ring, sl st to the top of ch 3 (12 dc total)

Increase Rounds

Rnd 2: Ch 3, fpdc around post of the last (12th) dc from the previous row (indicated by blue toothpick in the picture)

-dc in next st, and fpdc around the dc post that is located one row below the st to the right (note: if you fpdc around the dc post that is directly below, you won’t get the swirl to appear)

-continue around, dc-ing in the next st, and fpdc-ing around the dc post one row below the st to the right until you have made 12 fpdc’s. sl st to the top of ch 3.

Rnd 3: Ch 3, fpdc around the post of the fpdc one row below the st to the right. (From this round onwards, you will always be fpdc-ing around the fpdc posts from the previous row. See center photo below for clarification)

*dc in next st (this st is right above the previous row’s fpdc).dc in next st, then fpdc around the fpdc post one row below and to the right* around, ending the round with a dc. Sl st to the top of ch 3.

Rnd 4: Sl st loosely into the next 2 sts (this will put you at the stitch above and to the left of a fpdc). Ch 3, fpdc around the fpdc post one row below and to the right.

*dc in the next 2 sts. dc in the next st, then fpdc around fpdc post one row below and to the right*around, ending with 2 dcs. (these will be going through those slipped sts, thus the “loosely” necessity). Sl st to top of ch 3.

Rnd 5: Sl st loosely in the next 2 sts. Ch 3, fpdc around the fpdc post one row below and to the right.

*dc in the next 3 sts. dc in the next st, then fpdc around the fpdc post one row below and to the right.* around, ending with 3 dcs. Sl st to top of ch 3.

(at this point you can see that every round, the number of dc’s between the fpdc’s increases by 1)

Rnd 6: Sl st loosely in the next 2 sts. Ch 3, fpdc around the fpdc post one row below and to the right.

*dc in the next 4 sts. dc in the next st, then fpdc around the fpdc post one row below and to the right* around, ending with 4 dcs. Sl st to top of ch 3.

Rnd 7: Sl st loosely in the next 2 sts. Ch 3, fpdc around the fpdc post one row below and to the right.

*dc in the next 5 sts. dc in the next st, then fpdc around the fpdc post one row below and to the right*around, ending with 5 dcs. Sl st to top of ch 3.

Rnd 8: Sl st loosely in the next 2 sts. Ch 3, fpdc around the fpdc post one row below and to the right.

*dc in the next 6 sts. dc in the next st, then fpdc around the fpdc post one row below and to the right*around, ending with 6 dcs.Sl st to top of ch 3.

Rnd 9: Sl st loosely in the next 2 sts. Ch 3, fpdc around the fpdc post one row below and to the right.

*dc in the next 7 sts. dc in the next st, then fpdc around the fpdc post one row below and to the right* around, ending with 7 dcs. Sl st to top of ch 3.

At this point, the diameter of the hat should measure about 9”across. If you like, you can work another increase row (and its corresponding decrease row) for a larger hat.

Plain Round:

Rnd 1: Sl st into the next 1 st. Ch.3. fpdc around the fpdc post directly one row below.

*skip the next dc st. Dc in the next 8 sts. fpdc around fpdc post one row below*around, ending with 7 dcs. Sl st to top of ch 3.

You can repeat this plain round if you want a deeper hat.

Decrease Rounds:

Rnd 1: sl st in next st. Ch 3. Fpdc around fpdc post below.

*skip the next dc st. Work a dc decrease over the next 2 dc sts. Dc in the next 6 sts. Fpdc around fpdc post below*around, ending with 5 dcs. Sl st to top of ch 3.

Rnd 2: Work even round: sl st in next st. Ch 3. Fpdc around the fpdc post below.

*skip the next dc st. Dc in the next 7 sts. Fpdc around fpdc post below*around, ending with 6 dcs. Sl st to top of ch 3.

Rnd 3: sl st in next st. Ch 3. Fpdc around fpdc post below.

*skip the next dc st. Work a dc decrease over the next 2 dc sts. Dc in the next 5 sts. Fpdc around fpdc post below* around, ending with 4 dcs. Sl st to top of ch 3.

Rnd 4: Work even round: sl st in next st. Ch 3. Fpdc around the fpdc post below.

*skip the next dc st. Dc in the next 6 sts. Fpdc around fpdc post below* around, ending with 5 dcs. Sl st to top of ch 3.

Rnd 5: sl st in next st. Ch 3. Fpdc around fpdc post below.

*skip the next dc st. Work a dc decrease over the next 2 dc sts. Dc in the next 4 sts. Fpdc around fpdc post below*around, ending with 3 dcs. Sl st to top of ch 3.

Rnd 6: Work even round: sl st in next st. Ch 3. Fpdc around the fpdc post below.

*skip the next dc st. Dc in the next 5 sts. Fpdc around fpdc post below*around, ending with 4 dcs. Sl st to top of ch 3.

Try the cap on. It should fit very loosely - it tightens up with the upcoming sc rounds. The upcoming rounds will add about 1” more depth to your cap. If you feel you want the cap deeper than this, repeat Rnd 6.

Sc rounds for base of hat:

Rnd 1: Place removable marker, and sc in each st around.

Rnds 2-4: Place marker, and sc in the back loops only of each st around.

Cut yarn and fasten off.

Brim:

Placing the fastened-off side at the back of your work, and holding the hat like you’re still crocheting it, choose the end of a fpdc line to be the center of your brim. Find a stitch in the last row worked that is directly above the fpdc line you have selected. Place a marker through the front loop only of this stitch. Place 2 more markers: one in the front loop of the st 18 sts to the Right, and one in the front loop of the st 18 sts to the Left of the center marker.

The brim will have a lower and upper part, into which the plastic canvas will be inserted.

Part I: Lower Brim:

Holding the work so that the hat opening is facing away from you, attach your yarn to the back loop only of the stitch with the Right marker. Do not remove the marker.

Row 1:Ch 1 (For this row only, I suggest placing a marker through this ch 1 so it can be easily seen as the last st of the next row. This is the pink marker in the pic).

Sc in the back loops only of each st across, and into the back loop of the stitch with the Left marker. (including the ch 1, 37sts) Turn.

Row 2: Ch 1. Work 2 sets of decreases over the next 4 sts as follows: sc decrease over the 1st and 2nd sts, work another sc decrease over the next 2 sts. Work 1 sc in each stitch across until the last 4 sts. Work another 2 sets of decreases.Turn.

Row 3: Ch 1. Sc in each of the first 4 sts. 2 sc in the next st. *1 sc in each of the next 3 sts, 2 sc in the next st* across, ending with 4 scs.Turn.

Row 4: Repeat Row 2

Row 5: Ch 1. Sc in each of the first 5 sts.2 sc in the next st.*1 sc in each of the next 4 sts, 2 sc in the next st* across, ending with 5 scs.Turn.

Row 6: Repeat Row 2

Row 7: Ch 1. Work a sc decrease over the first two sts. Sc in each of the next 6 sts. *2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in each of the next 6 sts* across, ending with a sc decrease over the last 2 sts.Turn.

Row 8: Ch 1. Work 3 sets of decreases across the next 6 sts as follows: sc decrease over the 1st and 2nd sts. Sc decrease over the next two sts. Sc decrease over the next two sts. Work 1sc in each st across until the last 6 sts. Work another 3 sets of decreases.

Fasten off.

Part II: Upper Brim:

Now you’ll be working through the front loops of the row that your markers are on.

Row 1: Join yarn to the front loop of the stitch with the Right marker. Ch 1, sc in the front loops of each st across, and into the front loop of the st with the Left marker.

Rows 2-8: Work as for Part I: Lower Brim

Fitting the Plastic Insert:

First, you will make a paper template. Flip back the upper brim and place the lower brim flat on a piece of paper. Using a pencil, mark along the bottom of the brim, inside the sides, and below the top.

Use scissors to cut along the dotted line you’ve made. (tip: lightly fold the paper in half and trim to make the outer ends symmetrical). Trim the end corners so they are rounded.

Place this paper template between the brims to check fit. Then place over your plastic canvas. Trace with a pen and cut out your plastic insert.

***important: wipe off any excess ink from your trimmed plastic insert***

Check fit of the plastic insert between the brims again. The brims will stretch a bit, so the insert should fit snugly, coming up to the top (but not past) the edges of the brims when pinched closed. While pinching, use stitch markers to pin the brims together, helping to keep the insert in place while you join the brim edges.

Assembling the Brim:

With the hat opening facing away from you, join yarn to the lower right corner of the brim, where your “Right” marker was.

Holding insert in place, Ch 1, and working through both the upper and lower brim, sc up the sides (1 sc per row), in each stitch along the top edge, and down the other side.

Continue sc-ing in each stitch around the opening of the hat. If you want your hat to fit more snugly, you can work some sc decreases to cinch the fit. Sl st to ch 1.

Accessory #1: Flower:

Leaving a long tail, Ch 4. Sl st to the first chain to form a loop

1. Place marker. Work 6 sc in loop

2. Place marker. Work 2 sc in each st around (12 sc)

3. Sl st in the next st. *Ch 4. Skip next st and sl st in the following st* around (6 small loops)

4. Work *1 sc, 2 hdc, 1 dc, 2 hdc, 1 sc* in each loop around. End sl st to first sc. (6 small petals)

5. Going behind the petal, work a sl st into the next skipped stitch from Round 3. *Ch 6, sl st in the following skipped st from round 3* around (6 large loops)

6. Work *1 sc, 1 hdc, 2 dc, 1 trc, 2 dc, 1 hdc, 1sc* in each loop around, ending with sl st to the first sc. Cut yarn and fasten off. Sew on beads or sequins to the center of flower if desired. Use the long tail to sew flower onto hat.

Accessory #2: Belt Brim:

Choose 2 buttons, about 7/8” in diameter, and sew them to the areas of the hat just inside and above where the brim meets the rest of the hat (the buttons go on top of those rows of sc through the back loops)

Loosely ch 32 sts. Work a dc in the back “hump” of the third chain from hook and into each “hump” of remaining chains across.

You will now sc around this entire strip. Work 3 scs around the post of the last dc made, 1 sc in each chain st across, 3 sc around the opposite post, and 1 sc in each dc st across. End with a sl st to the first sc. Weave in ends.

Attach brim belt to hat, pushing your buttons between the dc posts. Sew the center of the belt to your hat to keep it from falling off.

© Pattern and Images: Sophia Kessinger

Please do not sell hats made from this pattern. You may make these hats for charity.