Captain America aka The Basic Beanie

A coworker who has proved he is yarn-worthy with his friendly, helpful, and ever positive demeanor, is also obsessed with Captain America - figurines adorn his desk, a downloaded wallpaper adorns his desktop, and he even comes to work everyday with a backpack that looks like Steve Rogers' shield.  When our office became quarantined and we were all sent home to work, our team converted our daily meetings to virtual format and, in the comfort of our own homes, we are therefore allowed to wear whatever we want and this has taken to seeing a new side of my coworkers.  For instance, this coworker loves to wear hats, especially beanies.  So how could I not make him a beanie that looks like his hero's iconic shield?

This formula (minus the star) also makes for the perfect-sized adult beanie.  I have a large head for a cisgendered female (22" circumference) and it sits perfectly, not obscuring my eyebrows but still covering the tips of my ears.  It is approximately 8" from crown to brim.  It can expand to accommodate the average cisgendered male head by using a larger hook as detailed below under Materials, but my boyfriend recommended adding a row of hdc to the brim if a little bit more length is needed (as was on his non-Captain America hat - not pictured).  This hat is worked from the top-down and has 14 rounds total, so keep that in mind if you decide to create your own stripe sequence and plan accordingly for when you change colors. 

This pattern is for adults only; however, this may work for teens too depending on their size, and I will attempt to include a child-size version that has NOT been tested but could work well.  With that said, let's begin with the adult instructions.

THERE IS NO GAUGE FOR THIS PATTERN

Materials:

• Worsted weight yarn in White, Blue, and Red - I used Red Heart Super Saver Solids in White, Royal Blue, and Cherry Red
• Hook size 8/H for adult female or size 9/I for adult male
• Scissors
• Yarn needle

You will need to know how to chain (ch), magic circle, crochet in-the-round, slip stitch (sl st), single-crochet (sc), half-double crochet (hdc), double-crochet (dc), and treble-crochet (tc).  I am using the American version of these terms.  This hat is crocheted using the dc st, and ch 3 at the beg of every round (rnd) counts as the first stitch (st).  It's best practice if you already have experience crocheting a flat dc circle.

First, let's start with the star applique - if you are just using this pattern for a basic beanie, you can skip to the next step below starting with blue yarn.  For the star, we will begin with the white yarn. 
Magic circle, ch 3 (counts as the first st), dc 14 for a total of 15 sts.  Sl into the first st to join.  * Ch 6.  First ch counts as turn.  Skip that first ch and sl st into the 2nd ch, then sc, then hdc, then dc, then tc.  You should now be back at the circle; skip and sl st into the 3rd st from the chain. *  You've just created one of five points.  Rep from * until you have gone all the way around ending with five points and sl st into the beg to join.  Break yarn leaving 15" to sew onto the hat later.

Let's begin the hat.  If you are just crocheting a basic beanie and not the Captain America version with the star applique, you'll start your instructions here.  Basically, we are crocheting a 10-st circle until we have 60 sts (6 rnds) before we stop increasing.  The first five of those rnds will be in blue for this hat.  Starting with the blue yarn, magic circle, ch 3 (counts as the first st), dc 9 for a total of 10 sts.  Sl st to join into the starting ch, ch 3 and dc 2x into every st for a total of 20 sts.  Sl st to join, ch 3, and dc 2x into every other st for a total of 30 sts.  Sl st to join, ch 3, and dc 2x into every two sts for a total of 40 sts.  Sl st to join, ch 3, and dc 2x into every 3 sts for a total of 50 sts.  Break yarn leaving a 6" tail and pull through after joining the last st to complete the circle.  Pause here to sew the star applique to the center of the blue circle (it's easier to do this now rather than later when you have the brim in the way).  Then join the red yarn to the beg of the circle, ch 3, and dc 2x into every 4 sts for a total of 60 sts.

At this point your circle is wide enough for the average adult head and we will continue crocheting all the way around without increasing.  It might look small but trust me, as I discovered through trial and error, it makes for just the right size!  As I mentioned above, I will try to include child-size instructions after the adult-size instructions are finished, so stay with me.  Crochet two more rounds in red for a total of three red rounds.  Break yarn leaving a 6" tail and join the white yarn.  Crochet three rounds in white.  Break yarn leaving a 6" tail, join the red yarn, and crochet three rounds in red.  Break yarn leaving a 6" tail and weave in your ends!  Finished!

 

 

Now for a child-size version - keep in mind this has NOT been tested!  Follow the instructions as written up until finishing the blue circle.  The star applique (if you're crocheting the Captain America version) and the blue circle can be completed exactly as written; however, when you join the red yarn, do NOT do another round increases - keep the hat to 50 sts.  Then only crochet 2 rnds total in red, 2 rnds in white, and the final 2 rnds in red.  Weave in your ends. 

 

I hope all of that makes sense!  If you have any questions, I am more responsive on Ravelry, so please DM me there or comment on the pattern page.  I will try to clarify anything I can.  This pattern is free - please do not sell my pattern, and if you sell any projects you make, please give me credit by linking my name (Emily Ingrid), Ravelry, and/or Instagram @clementineknitsandcrochets.

 

I'd be remiss if I didn't give credit to my best friend Miranda for teaching me how to crochet in the first place.  The pattern for this "basic beanie" was inspired by her.  She used to work as a stage manager for the theatre and would crochet hat after hat after hat backstage to help her focus and kill time between cues.  She would take any yarn - either gifted to her or leftover scraps - and put together amazing color combos, and then at the end of a production she'd have a hefty bag full of hats that she'd dump on stage and let everyone in the production pick out which hat they wanted.  I can't wait to see what kinds of color combos and stripe sequences you all post on Ravelry!