I’ve crocheted this hat so many times in so many different color and texture combinations. It’s extremely versatile. I’ve given the derby as a gift, and I’ve donated many to Stitches From the Heart. It’s very easy to change the size from preemie to toddler to adult -- just keep increasing between the front posts until you reach the desired size. Play with color so your hat is perfect for the baby who will wear it!

• Various colors of worsted weight yarn (I used Lion Brand kitchen cotton)
• 4.0mm (size “G”) crochet hook

Front post double crochet (FPDC) – YO, insert hook from front to back to front around vertical post (upright part) of dc in row below, yo draw yarn around post, yo and complete dc.

Popcorn: Work 4 or 5 dc in st (follow pattern instructions), drop loop from hook, insert hook in top of first dc of group, pull dropped loop through st.

Get started! 

Round 1:  Beginning  of top flower:  Chain 6, join with a slip stitch to first ch to form a ring.  Ch 3 (this counts as your first dc), work 3 dc  into ring.  Make popcorn by joining top of ch-3 to last dc made, ch 1.  Make 4 more popcorns (each with 4 dc) with ch-1 space in between popcorns, and join with a slip stitch to the first popcorn.  Fasten off.  You will have 5 popcorns, total.

Round 2: Change colors.  Pull up loop in any ch-1 space and ch 3. Make one 5-dc popcorn in each ch-1 space between the popcorns of Round 1. Ch 3 in between popcorns.  Join to the first popcorn. Fasten off.

Round 3: Change colors.  Pull up loop in any ch-3 space and ch 3.  Work 2 dc in same ch-3 space. Make 3 dc stitches in each ch-3 space. You will have 15 dcs total. Join to top of ch-3.

Round 4: Ch 3, *make a front post dc (FPDC) around the next dc from the previous round, dc in the space between the stitch just worked and the next (or, make on dc)*.  Repeat from * to * around, ending with a FPDC.  Slip stitch to top of ch-3 to join.

Round 5 and more: Ch 3. *Work dc in spaces (or stitches) so that you have 2 dc stitches before the next FPDC, work FPDC over the FPDC from the previous row.* Repeat from * to* around and join with slip stitch to top of ch-3.  Stay in pattern, increasing one dc stitch in between FPDC stitches. This round you have 2 stitches between posts.  Next round you will have 3 stitches between posts, etc. This makes the hat bigger. Continue increasing until you have the desired size hat. You may change colors at any round while making this hat.  To make a deeper hat work another 3-4 rounds of dc and FPDC without increasing.

Brim: Ch 2, hdc  around entire hat.  The number of stitches you have will be determined by the number of increases you made in the previous rounds. Join.

Next row: Ch 2, hdc around. Join. Now your brim should start to curl upward.
Next row:  You may change colors here for interest. Ch 1, sc around. Join. If you’d like a larger brim, just continue in rounds until your brim is larger. Fasten off and weave in ends.

You may want to slightly steam and block this hat when finished.