Americana Hat

Hey there everyone!

I’ve always considered Memorial Day to be the official kickoff to summer. School is almost out for my kiddos and it’s actually been hot here in Pennsylvania…like sweat dripping off your nose hot. My kind of weather! And now is when I go into my basement and drag up not one, but two totes full of Americana decorations for our home. We don’t do Americana decorating small around here!

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I love that I can keep my decorations up all summer long for Memorial Day, the 4th of July and Labor Day. My husband always complains when I take everything down at the end of the holidays that our house looks naked. Ha! He loves the cluttered look.

So, I’m sure you may have seen the Leprechaun Hat and the Snowman Hat. (You can see them at the links.) The patterns are very similar, but each one is different in that they have their own unique little elements that make them special. The Leprechaun Hat has the shamrock and buckle, The Snowman Hat has the holly and berries and now the Americana Hat is slightly taller, with a crab stitch (reverse single crochet) border and star buttons!

They are all so adorable and since they have a solid bottom, you can put anything you want inside! For my photos, I chose to put Hershey Kisses in one and a candle in the other. The bowl portion of the hat is large enough to fit a 4″ diameter jar or candle. The Yankee candles fit perfectly inside.

I really tried to make an Uncle Sam Hat with the vertical red and white stripes, but let me tell you…it was a pain. I used the graphgan method in my attempts. My stripes kept coming out slightly slanted or the lines on the stripes were jagged. When I carried the yarn along, I could see the red yarn in the white stripes and I just didn’t like it. I even tried making a solid rectangle separately and stitching it to the base. It didn’t have the strength that the solid hat had.

So, I ultimately had to go for the horizontal stripes. I’m not disappointed at all though because I think they turned out oh so adorable! I made two different versions of the Americana Hat because I just couldn’t decide which one I liked better. I asked my husband and he also liked them both. That’s when I decided that I would offer both styles to you and you can choose which one you like best. (There you go. A little insight into what it’s like to be a designer. It’s a whole lot of trial and error.)

This Americana Hat pattern is extremely easy. The only stitch you need to know is the single crochet. The crab stitch or reverse single crochet at the top of the hat is optional if you don’t like it or just can’t get the hang of it. It can be a little tricky and feel somewhat awkward when you’re first trying it out. If you choose to forgo the crab stitch, you can work another row of single crochets instead or skip Round 16 altogether. My other hats didn’t have the crab stitch border and they are still super cute.

For this holiday season, be sure to check out my other Americana inspired free crochet patterns: The Old Glory American Flag Afghan, the Americana Pillows, the American Flag Wreath and the Red, White and Blue Roundup where I have collected 30 free patterns from around the web for you to enjoy!

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Americana Hat

Materials Used:

• I Love This Yarn – Cranberry 7 oz/199g – 355 yds/325m
• I Love This Yarn – Linen 7 oz/199g – 355 yds/325m
• I Love This Yarn – Navy 7 oz/199g – 355 yds/325m
• H/8 (5.00 mm) hook — My favorite hooks! I use them daily!
• Star shaped buttons (About 7 per hat)
• Tapestry needle
• Sewing needle and thread

Finished Size Approximately:

6½” brim width
4” opening for bowl
3½” height

Gauge:

16 stitches and 16 rows in a 4” (10cm) square.

Special Stitches:

Crab Stitch (Reverse Single Crochet)

Insert hook into the stitch to the right, YO, draw back through st, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook. Continue working to the right the whole way around the tag. Finish off and weave end into the first crab st made.

Back Loops Only

Abbreviations:

FC – foundation chain
ch – chain
sc – single crochet
sl st – slip stitch
st – stitch
BLO – black loops only

Notes:

• This Americana Hat will hold any jar or candle with a 4″ diameter.
• The crab stitch border at the top of the hat is optional. If you don’t like it, you can work a row of single crochets instead.
• If the stars you choose don’t have large button holes where a tapestry needle would fit through, you may need a sewing needle and thread to attach them.

*** American crochet terms used throughout.

Instructions:

Hat Base

With Cranberry

FC: Ch 4, sl st in 1st ch to form a loop.

Round 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in loop, sl st in the top of 1st sc. (6 sc)

Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st, sl st in top of 1st sc. (12 sc)

Round 3: Ch 1, 2 sc in 1st st, sc in next st, *2 sc in next st, sc in next st* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in top of 1st sc. (18 sc)

Round 4: Ch 1, 2 sc in 1st st, sc in next 2 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in top of 1st sc. (24 sc)

Round 5: Ch 1, 2 sc in 1st st, sc in next 3 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in top of 1st sc. (30 sc)

Round 6: Ch 1, 2 sc in 1st st, sc in next 4 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts* Repeat from * to * around, sl st in top of 1st sc. (36 sc)

Round 7: Ch 1, 2 sc in 1st st, sc in next 5 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in top of 1st sc. (42 sc)

Round 8: Ch 1, 2 sc in 1st st, sc in next 6 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in top of 1st sc. (48 sc)

Round 9: Ch 1, 2 sc in 1st st, sc in next 7 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 7 sts* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in top of 1st sc. (54 sc)

Round 10: Working in BLO, ch 1, 2 sc in 1st st, sc in next 8 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 8 sts* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in top of 1st sc. (60 sc)

Note: You now have a ridge line for connecting the upper portion of the hat. Also, the increases will be different as we are rounding out the hard edges of the hexagon.

Round 11: (Working through both loops again, not BLO) Ch 1, sc in next 4 sts; 2 sc in next st; *sc in next 9 sts; 2 sc in next st* Repeat from * to * 5 times. Sc in last 5 sts; sl st in top of 1st sc. (66 sc)

Round 12: Ch 1, 2 sc in 1st st, sc in next 10 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 10 sts* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in 1st sc. (72 sc)

Round 13: Ch 1, sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st, *sc in next 11 sts, 2 sc in next st* Repeat from * to * 5 times. Sc in last 5 sts, sl st in top of 1st sc. (78 sc)

Round 14: Ch 1, 2 sc in 1st st, sc in next 12 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 12 sts* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in 1st sc. Finish off. Weave in end. (84 sc)

For the three striped version:

With Navy

Round 1: Attach yarn at any raised ridge from Round 10, inserting your hook from what would be the outside of the hat toward the inside. Sc in only the exposed loops all the way around. Sl st in top of the 1st sc made.

{These photos below were done in green just so you could easily see the ridge line I’m indicating. Please disregard the colors and use the red and blue.}

Round 2 – Round 5: Ch 1, sc in every st around; sl st in top of 1st sc. Finish off.

With Linen

Round 6 – Round 10: Ch 1, sc in every st around; sl st in top of 1st sc. Finish off.

With Cranberry

Round 11 – Round 15: Ch 1, sc in every st around; sl st in top of 1st sc.

Round 16 – Ch 1, crab stitch in every st around. Finish off. Weave in ends.

For the five striped version:

Follow the same instructions above (sc for Rounds 1 -15 and crab st for Round 16), but simply change the number of rows per color. The base pattern is the same for both versions.

Round 1 – 5: Navy

Round 6 – 8: Linen

Round 9 – 11: Cranberry

Round 12 – 15: Linen

Round 16: Cranberry

Finishing

Using your tapestry needle and yarn, stitch your white stars evenly along the blue band of the hat.

Block the base of the hat if desired. I used foam boards that I got at Michael’s and T-pins. I also used a handheld steamer and only steamed the brim of the hat.

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