Here’s a new free chunky crochet hat pattern for y’all: The Alpine Beanie. With lots of texture and four sizes (baby to adult large), this quick crochet toque pattern will keep everyone in the family warm this winter. I’ve included some notes on how to customize the hat sizing, in case you want a more personalized fit.
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Chunky Crochet Hat Pattern Inspiration
The Alpine Beanie is the latest pattern in the Alpine Collection, which was born from my love for the alpine stitch technique. The Alpine Collection is a group of textured winter accessories that contains the Alpine Cowl, Alpine Twist Headband, and now the Alpine Beanie. All three are crocheted with big hooks and super bulky weight yarn, so they’re perfect quick gifts.
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Tools Needed to Crochet the Chunky Hat Pattern
Like the rest of the Alpine Collection, the Alpine Beanie uses Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn from Lion Brand. It’s a super bulky, washable blend of wool and acrylic. Wool-Ease Thick & Quick is one of my absolute favorite yarns, because it works up so. freakin’. fast.
The baby size of this chunky crochet hat took a little less than an hour, and the adult large took me about 1.5 hours (when watching TV). You can finish even faster if you’re a speedy crocheter or if you’re not attempting to multitask.
Big yarn requires a big hook, so I used an 8.0 mm Cookies ‘n’ Cream Streamline Swirl hook from Furls Fiberarts. The Streamline Swirls are lovely resin hooks with an ergonomic handle. They’re designed to reduce wrist and hand pain, and work so well! I have a Streamline hook in every size and almost every color.
Please note: some of my testers had to size up to 9.0 or 10.0 mm hooks to meet the gauge for the hats, so be sure to check your gauge as you crochet.
My samples don’t have poms, but these chunky crochet hats would look adorable with faux fur poms. These were my first project with my branded tags, which I picked up from Archer Knits. Custom tags make everything look more professional and put together, right?!
Share Your Alpine Beanies!
I love seeing what you’ve crocheted! Use #youshouldcraft to show off your WIPs and finished chunky crochet hats!
Regardless of your social media preferences, be sure to tag me (@youshouldcraft) in your posts so I can drool over your projects and re-share your work in my stories and on my feed!
And if you’re a Facebook person, share your work and connect with other crocheters in The You Should Craft Crochet Community FB group!
How to Crochet the Chunky Hat Pattern
Supplies / Materials
- 60 – 100 yards of Wool-Ease Thick and Quick
- or 60 – 100 yards of #6 super bulky yarn
- 8.0 mm crochet hook (I used a Cookies & Cream Streamline Swirl from Furls)
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Tape measure
- Optional: pom, custom tags
Gauge / Size
Band: 2 x 2 inches = 3 rows of 4 stitches (hdc in third loops)
Body: 4 x 4 inches = 5 rows of 8 stitches (following pattern)
Abbreviations / Techniques
- ch – chain
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- fpdc – front post double crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- inv dc dec – invisible dc decrease
- inv fpdc dec – invisible fpdc decrease
- st – stitch
- yo – yarn over
- front, back, and third loops
- alpine stitch
- weaving in ends
NOTE: This pattern utilizes US crochet terminology.
Pattern Notes for Chunky Crochet Hat
- turning ch 1 is not counted as a stitch
- To customize the height, add more repeats of rounds 2 – 3
- To customize the circumference, add or remove band rows in multiples of 2
- The band is worked in back-and-forth rows
- Band: For the first and last st of each row, crochet in the third and front loops
- Band: sizes are written together in chain and stitch counts as (baby, toddler, child/small, adult large) and in rows as baby (toddler, child/small, adult large)
- Band circumference will stretch as Round 1 is crocheted into it
- The hat is worked from the bottom up, in joined rounds (not turned)
- Body: sizes are written together in stitch counts as (toddler, child/small, adult large) and in repeat counts as toddler (child/small, adult large).
Hat Size Chart
Head sizes are based on the Craft Yarn Council standards. For more personalized measurements, here’s a quick tutorial for how to measure head circumference. Note: The hat will stretch, so finished circumferences are 2 – 4 inches smaller than actual head sizes.
Chunky Crochet Hat Video Tutorial
If you prefer video tutorials for crochet patterns, here ya go! Follow along as I crochet the toddler size Alpine Beanie:
Chunky Crochet Hat Pattern
Band / Ribbing
ch 5, 6, 7, 7
ROW 1: hdc in second ch from hook, hdc across (4, 5, 6, 6)
ROWS 2 – 18 (20, 24, 28): ch 1 and turn, hdc in third loops across (4, 5, 6, 6)
To join the band: ch 1 and turn, sl st across the third loops of the edge closest to you and both loops of opposite edge. Flip inside out, but do not trim yarn — it will be used for the body of the hat.
When the band is joined, begin crocheting the body of the hat. The baby size is below, and all other sizes are on page 6.
Hat Body – Baby Size
Note: to crochet an invisible dc decrease, insert your hook in the front loops of the next two stitches, then dc as usual (photo b). To invisible fpdc decrease, you’ll insert your hook around the post of the next stitch, and the front loops of the stitch after that (photo a). Depending on the row you’re on, an invisible fpdc decrease might be the reverse (e.g. insert hook into front loop of next stitch, then around the post of the stitch after that).
ROUND 1: ch 1, work 28 dc around the band (3 dc for each set of two rows and one extra at the end), join to first st with sl st (28)
ROUND 2: ch 1, *dc, fpdc* 14 times around, join to first st with sl st (28)
ROUND 3: ch 1, *fpdc, dc* 14 times around, join to first st with sl st (28)
ROUND 4: ch 1, *dc, fpdc, inv dc dec, inv fpdc dec* 4 times, inv dc dec, inv fpdc dec (18)
ROUND 5: ch 1, inv dc dec around (9)
Trim yarn and leave a 12-inch tail. Weave yarn through the tops of the round 5 stitches, pull to close (photo c). Weave yarn through the top several times to secure it. Weave in ends and trim yarn. Add pom and tag if desired.
Hat Body – All Other Sizes
ROUND 1: ch 1, work 30 (36, 42) dc around the band (3 dc for each set of two rows), join to first st with sl st (30, 36, 42)
ROUND 2: ch 1, *dc, fpdc* 15 (18, 21) times around, join to first st with sl st (30, 36, 42)
ROUND 3: ch 1, *fpdc, dc* 15 (18, 21) times around, join to first st with sl st (30, 36, 42)
ROUND 4: ch 1, *dc, fpdc* 15 (18, 21) times around, join to first st with sl st (30, 36, 42)
Toddler size – skip to “Finishing Toddler Size” section
Child / Adult Small & Adult Large sizes – continue pattern
ROUND 5: ch 1, *fpdc, dc* 18 (21) times around, join to first st with sl st (36, 42)
ROUND 6: ch 1, *dc, fpdc, inv dc dec, inv fpdc dec* 6 (7) times around (24, 28)
ROUND 7: ch 1, inv dc dec around (12, 14)
Trim yarn and leave a 12-inch tail. Weave yarn through the tops of the round 7 stitches, pull to close. Weave yarn through the top several times to secure it. Weave in ends and trim yarn. Add pom and tag if desired.
Finishing Toddler Size
ROUND 5: ch 1, *fpdc, dc, inv fpdc dec, inv dc dec* 5 times around (20)
ROUND 6: ch 1, dc, invisible dc decrease around (10)
Trim yarn and leave a 12-inch tail. Weave yarn through the tops of the round 7 stitches, pull to close. Weave yarn through the top several times to secure it. Weave in ends and trim yarn. Add pom and tag if desired.
You’re done!
That’s all, y’all! If you’re looking to make a matching set for yourself or as a gift, be sure to check out the Alpine Cowl and Alpine Twist Headband. They both match the chunky crochet hat aka Alpine Beanie.
Here are 40+ more free Wool Ease Thick and Quick crochet patterns.