Crochet Alvina Beanie - Marilee Kay co.

Crochet this super soft beanie to show off a treasured brooch or as an extra special gift. This project uses the seed stitch pattern (made with single and double crochets), simple shaping and has a cinch at the front. The Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash® Merino makes it warm, washable and durable. Please enjoy this free pattern.

Inspiration —

The Crochet Alvina Beanie is packed with sentiment. Alvina was my maternal grandmother and she loved jewelry, crafting and music (and many other things). The most important things in her life though were her faith and her family. She lived a life of service to her church, and every moment and every member of her family was precious to her. She left a legacy of a close and loving extended family (we truly enjoy spending time together) and gratitude for the many blessings in life. She lived simply with a true appreciation for fancy things.

I have some treasured items that belonged to my grandma Alvina which includes several of her brooches. It has been on my mind for several years to make a cute beanie that would show off one of these gems, and I’m so happy with the outcome. I know my sweet grandmother would absolutely adore this project, it’s simple yet elegant. The short cinch in front is the perfect place to highlight a special pin-on. And bonus! A large clip-on earring works great too.

My favorite brooches from my grandmother Alvina.

Don’t have a brooch from your grandmother or beloved aunt? How about a vintage piece from the antique store? Or a new piece from the jewelry store? Or a crochet flower on a pin (so you can wear it with or without)? Or just let the cute cinch take center stage unadorned.

Design —

This project is worked in the round from bottom to top and joining rounds with a slip stitch. To get the nice folds in the cinch, chain spaces are created at the beginning of every other round in the first two vertical inches of the hat. This provides eight chain-one spaces where the tail-end of yarn is pulled tight up and back down to the bottom edge of the hat and secured inside the hat.

Simple shaping is used in the last inch of the hat with four rounds of decrease stitches. Then sew up the last round at the top of the beanie.

The brooch is the star of this project. Next in line is the seed stitch pattern (well, maybe after the cute cinch). Worked by alternating single crochet and double crochet, then alternating double crochet and single crochet in the next row — the seed stitch creates interest, cuteness, and a bit of denseness to the hat. Plus, this stitch is in keeping with the overall theme of simple elegance for this hat. (Do see the pointer below about counting rounds in the seed stitch.)

Selling points —

Not only does this project show off a super special brooch, but it also makes a super special gift. This beanie makes a practical, sentimental, handmade gift. A cute, warm hat with a family heirloom attached made by you with love! And in my humble opinion, it’s a great gift with our without a brooch.

Every maker I know loves a fabulous one-skein project. Well, here you go, you’re welcome. I did use very nearly the whole skein, so check the yardage if substituting yarn and take time to check the gauge to ensure you will have enough yarn.

This is a well-fitting beanie. The day after it was made I wore it for a fun day of lunch and shopping, and did not find myself adjusting it on my head even once! Because this yarn is very forgiving, this pattern works for varying sizes. My head is bigger than my daughter’s, but it looks great on both of us.

Yarn —

This yarn does it all. It has the super softness that merino provides, the durability of wool and it’s washable—all making it an excellent choice for a well-worn hat. This yarn feels great against the skin, with no itch. And it’s warm without being hot.

I have never been disappointed when using any yarn by Cascade Yarns. I have experienced very occasional splitting when using this yarn to knit, but not when using it to crochet. Paying attention to my work and having very good light usually prevents any problems that splitting can cause.

For superwash wool, the protein scales in the wool are treated to make it washable and to prevent the felting that occurs in non-washable wool with heat and friction. This process also has the benefit of allowing the color dyes to be supersaturating. Take a look at the extensive color choices available in the Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash® Merino and just see if picking one isn’t the toughest choice you have to make in creating this special beanie.

Pointers —

As is standard practice, at the start of a round that begins with single crochet work [ch 1, sc in same st]. At the start of a round that begins with double crochet work [ch 3] — these stitches are your turning chain, and the chain counts as the first double crochet of the row. When slip stitching at the end of a round to join, I prefer to skip the first loop of the top turning chain and insert my hook through the second loop and bottom loop of the chain. This helps prevent the “line” that can sometimes become visible in the work at the joining stitches.

I love the interest that the seed stitch provides. However, I do find it more challenging to visually count rows in the seed stitch pattern. The stitch counter is listed as optional, but it really will save you a lot of time and frustration. Don’t have one yet and want to get started? Jot tick marks on a piece of paper for each round.

Make sure you are working single crochets into the double crochets in the row below, and double crochets into the single crochets in the row below. Count your stitches at the end of the row to be sure joins at the beginning of rounds are accurate.

Pattern

CROCHET | SKILL LEVEL: Easy

SIZE
Adult – approx 20-inch circumference and 8 inches tall

MATERIALS
Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash® Merino (100% Superwash Merino Wool, 220 yds, 3/4 light/medium worsted weight) 1 skein – Peridot #84
Size H (5 mm) hook or size needed to obtain gauge
Stitch marker
Yarn needle
Scissors
Stitch counter (optional)Vintage brooch (optional)

ABBREVIATIONS
approx = approximately
beg = begin(ning)(s)
ch = chain
dc = double crochet
dc2tog = double crochet 2 stitches together (decrease)
pm = place marker
rep = repeat
rnd = round
RS = right side
sc = single crochet
sc2tog = single crochet 2 stitches together (decrease)
sk = skip
sp = space
st(s) = stitch(es)
WS = wrong side

Pattern uses U.S. crochet terms and Craft Yarn Council guidelines for size.

GAUGE
18 sts + 17 rows = 4 inches in seed stitch
[Pattern note: 4.5 sts = 1 inch, 4.25 rows = 1 inch]

NOTES
Hat is worked in the round beginning at the bottom edge to top, and joining rounds with a slip stitch.

A [ch 1, sk st] at the beginning of every other round for the first 2 vertical inches of hat, provides the spaces used to cinch the hat. When making your starting slip knot, leave a 12-inch tail that you will use to sew the cinch in the hat.

For the seed stitch pattern, work a single crochet, then a double crochet, then a single crochet, then a double crochet, and so on. In the next row reverse the pattern, work double crochet stitches into single crochet stitches in the row below, and work single crochet stitches into double crochet stitches in the row below.

The last inch of the hat is 4 rounds of decrease stitches, leave a 10-inch tail when fastening off and use to sew up last round at top of beanie.

SPECIAL STITCHES
Seed stitch – created by working a sc then a dc and rep to end of rnd. in next rnd work a sc in the dc of the previous rnd, then a dc in the sc of the previous rnd. rep this alternating pattern.

sc2tog – insert hook into next st, yo and pull through to front (2 loops on hook), insert hook into next st, yo and pull through to front (3 loops on hook), yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook. (1 st decreased)

dc2tog – yo, insert hook into next st, yo and pull through to front (3 loops on hook), yo and pull through 2 loops on hook, yo, insert hook into next st, yo and pull through to front, yo and pull through 2 loops on hook, yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook. (1 st decreased)

INSTRUCTIONS
Work a ch-1 sp at the beg of every other rnd for the first 8 rnds (first vertical 2 inches of hat) as indicated below. (ch-1 sps will be used to cinch the hat.)

Final stitch counts for rounds listed in ( ). When not indicated, it is the same as the previous round.

With H hook or size needed to obtain gauge and leaving 10-inch tail when making sl knot (for sewing the cinch), ch 84, join to first ch with sl st being careful not to twist chain.

Rnd 1: ch 1, sc in same ch. ch 1, sk next ch, sc in next ch.
[dc in next ch, sc in next ch] until last ch of rnd remains, dc in last ch.
sl st to join to first sc in rnd. (84)

Rnd 2: ch 3 (counts as first dc), sc in ch-1 sp, dc in next st.
[sc in next st, dc in next st] until last st of rnd remains, sc in last st.
sl st to join to top of ch-3 at beg of rnd.

Rnd 3: ch 1, sc in same st. ch 1, sk next st, sc in next st.
[dc in next st, sc in next st] until last st of rnd remains, dc in last st.
sl st to join to first sc in rnd.

Rnds 4-15: rep rnds 2-3.

Rnd 16: rep rnd 2.

Rnd 17: ch 1, sc in same st.
[dc in next st, sc in next st] until last st of rnd remains, dc in last st.
sl st to join to first sc in rnd.

Rnd 18: ch 3 (counts as first dc).
[sc in next st, dc in next st] until last st of rnd remains, sc in last st.
sl st to join to top of ch-3 at beg of rnd.

Rnds 19-30: rep rnds 17-18.

Hat measures approx 7 inches tall.

Rnd 31: ch 2, yo insert hook in next st, yo and pull through to front, yo and pull through 2 loops, yo and pull through last 2 loops on hook (decrease at beg st made).
[sc2tog, dc2tog] until last 2 sts of rnd remain, sc2tog. sl st to join to first st in rnd. (42)

Rnd 32: ch 1, insert hook in next st, yo and pull through to front, yo and pull through 2 loops on hook (decrease at beg st made). pm in this st (to identify first st of rnd which is hard to see when working entire row of decreases).
[dc2tog, sc2tog] until last 2 sts of rnd remain, dc2tog. sl st to join to first st in rnd. (21)

Rnd 33: ch 2, yo insert hook in next st, yo and pull through to front, yo and pull through 2 loops, yo and pull through last 2 loops on hook (decrease at beg st made). pm in this st (to identify first st of rnd which is hard to see when working entire row of decreases).
[sc2tog, dc2tog] rep until 1 st of rnd remains, sc in last st. sl st to join to first st in rnd. (11)

Rnd 34: ch 1, insert hook in next st, yo and pull through to front, yo and pull through 2 loops on hook (decrease at beg st made). pm in this st (to identify first st of rnd which is hard to see when working entire row of decreases).
[dc2tog, sc2tog] rep until last 2 sts of rnd remain, dc2tog. sl st to join to first st in rnd. (6)

Fasten off leaving a 10-inch tail for sewing.

FINISHING
Using yarn needle, weave tail through 6 sts of last rnd. Pull through to WS. Pull tight, thread through post of nearby sc and knot.

Using yarn needle and tail from starting ch, weave tail up through 8 ch-1 sps from first 16 rnds. Loop around post of sc just above and weave tail back down through ch-1 sps to first rnd of hat. With yarn tail on WS, pull tight, adjust folds as needed, thread through post of nearby sc and knot. See the photos below.