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Easy Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern

07 Oct.,2023

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Are you looking for a free crochet pattern and tutorial to make a crochet bucket hat? Look no further! In this blog post, we’ll show you how to make a cotton crochet bucket hat with simple step-by-step instructions.

This is an excellent project for beginners who are learning how to crochet. We’ll explain each step of the process, and offer suggestions on how to personalize your bucket hat to suit your personal style.

So whether you’re looking for an easy project or just want something fun, I think you’ll love this free bucket hat pattern.

Once the warm weather arrives, I start thinking about summery crochet projects made with lightweight, cotton yarn. You too?

Summer crochet fans, this one’s for you! This bucket hat is perfect for sunny days. It’s made with one ball of 100% cotton yarn that will keep your head cool in the hottest weather.

The best part? You can customize it however you want. Make this bucket hat in one solid color, or choose a variety of colors to create a striped bucket hat.

Plus, it’s a great project for beginners – and I’ll walk you through every step of the process.

With just a little bit of yarn and some basic crochet stitches, you can create a stylish bucket hat that will keep you cool all summer long. So, grab your yarn, and let’s get started.

Project Supplies

For this project, you will need some basic crochet supplies, including a crochet hook, yarn, scissors, and a tape measure or ruler.

Crochet hook. I’ll be using a size G-6 (4.0 mm) crochet hook for this project.
Yarn. I’m using Lily Sugar’n Cream yarn, though you can use any worsted weight cotton yarn you like.
Scissors
Tape measure or ruler. Measuring your gauge is important to get the right fit.
Stitch marker. I like to make the first stitch of my rounds to keep track of the pattern.

Once you have all of your supplies, you are ready to begin.

Best Yarn for Bucket Hats

For bucket hats, I recommend using cotton yarn. Cotton fiber is more breathable than other types of yarn – which is important if you want your head to stay cool in the summer heat. The texture of cotton yarn also helps the hat keep its shape.

For my hat, I used Lily Sugar’n Cream yarn. But feel free to use whichever brand of worsted-weight cotton yarn you like.

Here are a few cotton yarns I recommend:

Lily Sugar’n Cream: This is the all-time classic cotton yarn: Lily Sugar n’ Cream. This yarn comes in any color imaginable, including stripes and ombre colorways. For this hat, you’ll need one of the larger 4oz balls of yarn.
Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton: Lion Brand 24/7 cotton is another great choice for this bucket hat project. This yarn is made with 100% mercerized cotton yarn, which means it’s shinier and a little softer than Lily Sugar’n Cream.
WeCrochet Dishie: Last but not least, there’s Dishie cotton yarn. This yarn has a tighter twist than other cotton yarns, which means it will split less while you crochet. It’s incredibly durable and machine washable, too.

Other fiber blends could work for this pattern, too. You could try a cotton-bamboo or a cotton-linen blend for a softer, floppier hat. And, I’d love to experiment with raffia yarn for making crochet hats, as well. (I don’t recommend using acrylic yarn for a sun hat.)

Once you’ve selected your yarn, it’s time to get started on your crochet bucket hat!

Tips for Crocheting a Bucket Hat

Here are a few tips and tricks for making this pattern.

This hat is worked in spiral rounds. When you begin a new round, use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of the round. When you get to the end of the round, don’t turn your work or make a turning chain. Instead, make the first stitch of the next round in the first stitch of the previous round.
Be sure to check your gauge. Getting the correct gauge will mean the difference between a hat that fits and one that’s way too large. For this pattern, I recommend checking your gauge after completing the crown section. After Round 13, the hat should measure 6.5 inches wide.
Remember: If you use a different yarn than I did, you might get a different gauge. That’s okay, though – just use a larger hook if you need a looser gauge or a smaller hook if you need a tighter gauge.
If your hat brim is too floppy, consider using a smaller size crochet hook for the brim section. Using a smaller hook will create a denser, sturdier fabric that’s less likely to ruffle. For example, if you made the body of the hat with a 4.0 mm hook, you could try using a 3.5 mm hook for the brim.
Take breaks often. I find crocheting with cotton yarn at a tight gauge to be hard on my hand muscles. To avoid hand strain, I recommend taking frequent breaks.

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Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern

Here is the free pattern for the crochet bucket hat. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for a printable summary.

Difficulty

Advanced beginner. This hat is worked with basic stitches: single crochet stitches and single crochet increases. It’s worked in spiral rounds.

Measurements

Crown section measures 6.5″ wide. Middle section is 3.5″ long. Brim section is 2.5 inches wide.

This hat is size to fit Adult Medium hat size, for a head measuring 21–22 inches in circumference.

Gauge

Getting the correct gauge is important for the fit of this pattern.

To test your gauge, crochet the Crown section of the hat pattern (Rounds 1-13) and measure the width of the circle. It should measure about 4 inches wide after Round 9, and 6.5 inches wide after Round 13.

If your circle is too small, that means your crochet is too tight, and you need to use a slightly larger hook. If your circle is too large, that means your crochet is too loose, and you need to use a slightly smaller hook.

Supplies

Hook: G-6 (4.0 mm) (These are my favorite for beginners.)

Yarn: Worsted weight cotton yarn (Category 4). I used almost all of a 4 oz ball of Lily Sugar’n Cream yarn.

You’ll also need:

yarn needle
stitch marker, if desired
ruler or tape measure, if desired

Stitch Abbreviations

ch = chain
inc = increase
sc = single crochet
sc flo = single crochet through the front loop only
sl st = slip stitch
st/sts: stitch/stitches

Special Stitches

sc flo = single crochet through the front loop only.

“Single crochet through the front loop” is a variation of the basic single crochet stitch. To make it, simply insert your hook into the front loop of the stitch (instead of under both loops). Then, work the stitch as usual: YO and draw a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook.

inc = single crochet increase

To increase in single crochet, simply work two sc stitches in one stitch.

Pattern Notes

Pattern is written using US crochet terms.
If your hat brim is too floppy, consider using a smaller size crochet hook for the brim section.

Pattern Instructions

Crown Section

Round 1: Start with a magic ring. Make 6 SC into the magic ring. Sl st to the first sc stitch to join. (6 sts)

Place a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round. From here on out, the pattern will be worked in spiral – or continuous – rounds. To keep track of your rounds, move the stitch marker to the first stitch of each round.

Round 2: inc in each stitch around (12 sts)

Round 3: (inc, sc in the next stitch) six times (18 sts)

Round 4: (inc, sc in the next 2 sts) six times (24 sts)

Round 5: (inc, sc in the next 3 sts) six times (30 sts)

Round 6: 2 sc (inc, sc in the next 4 sts) five times, inc, 2 sc (36 sts)

Round 7: (inc, sc in the next 5 sts) six times (42 sts)

Round 8: 3 sc (inc, sc in the next 6 sts) five times, inc, 3 sc (48 sts)

Round 9: (inc, sc in the next 7 sts) six times (54 sts)

Round 10: 4 sc (inc, sc in the next 8 sts) five times, inc, 4 sc (60 sts)

Round 11: (inc, sc in the next 9 sts) six times (66 sts)

Round 12: 5 sc (inc, sc in the next 10 sts) five times, inc, 5 sc (72 sts)

Round 13: (inc, sc in the next 11 sts) six times (78 sts)

Crown will measure 6.5 inches across. Continue to Middle Section

Middle Section

In this section, you’ll crochet spiral rounds of single crochet.

After Round 28, the middle portion of the hat should measure 3.5 inches. Ideally, you want the middle section of the hat to stop at the top of your ear.

Round 14-16: sc in each st around (78 sts)

Round 17: (inc, sc 18, inc, sc 19) two times (82 sts)

Round 18-20: sc in each st around (82 sts)

Round 21: (inc, sc 19, inc, sc 20) two times (86 sts)

Round 22-24: sc in each st around (86 sts)

Round 25: (inc, sc 20, inc, sc 21) two times (90 sts)

Round 26-28: sc in each st around (90 sts)

The Middle Section will measure 3.5 inches tall. Continue to the brim section of the hat.

Note: You can add a few more rounds after Round 28 to make the middle section of the hat longer, if necessary.

Brim Section

Round 29 is worked in single crochet through the front loop only. The increases are also worked through the front loop.

Round 29: 7 sc flo (inc flo, 14 sc flo) five times, inc flo, 7 sc flo (96 sts)

Round 30: (inc, sc 15) six times (102 sts)

Round 31: sc in each st around (102 sts)

Round 32: 8 sc (inc, sc 16) five times, inc, 8 sc (108 sts)

Round 33: sc in each st around (108 sts)

Round 34: (inc, sc 17) six times (114 sts)

Round 35: sc in each st around (114 sts)

Round 36: 9 sc (inc, sc 18) five times, inc, 9 sc (120 sts)

Round 37: sc in each st around (120 sts)

Round 38: (inc, sc 19) six times (126 sts)

Round 39: sc in each st around (126 sts)

Round 40: sl st in each st around (126 sts)

The Brim section on the hat is complete. Continue to the Finishing section.

Note: The Brim Section will measure 2.5 inches wide. If you want a wider brim, you can add a few more rounds of crochet after 39. Every other additional round should increase by 6 stitches.

Finishing

Cut yarn, leaving a 6-inch yarn tail. Bring the yarn through the last loop on the hook. Weave in the ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions that you’ve asked about crochet bucket hats.

Is it easy to crochet a bucket hat?

Yes, I think this pattern is great for beginners. It uses only a few basic crochet stitches, and the pattern works up relatively quickly. It’s a good way to practice single crochet increases, and working in the round.

What kind of yarn should I use to crochet a bucket hat?

For this project, I recommend using a worsted weight cotton yarn in any color you like.

Do I need any special crochet stitches for this project?

No, this pattern uses only basic crochet stitches that most beginners already know.

The crochet stitch you will need to know for this project is the single crochet stitch. If you are not familiar with the single crochet stitch, click here for a single crochet tutorial.

How long does it take to crochet a bucket hat?

This project works up relatively quickly, so you can easily crochet a hat in a day or two.

Can I customize my bucket hat?

Yes, you can customize your bucket hat to create your own version of this bucket hat trend. You can crochet this hat in a different color and add any designs or embellishments you want.

Strawberry bucket hat: Crochet the Crown section in green yarn, and crochet the rest of the hat in red yarn. Then add white or black seeds with embroidery floss.
Frog bucket hat: Crochet the hat in light green yarn. Then add two eyes, and embroider a mouth with black embroidery thread.
Granny Square bucket hat: Crochet the Crown section, then sew on a strip of 3.5-inch granny squares for the Middle section. Then, add the Brim section.
Mushroom bucket hat: Crochet the hat in red yarn, and add cream-colored circle appliques.

Now that you know how to crochet a bucket hat, it’s time to get started on your own project! Grab some yarn and hook and follow our step-by-step instructions to crochet a hat of your own. Don’t forget to share pictures of your finished hats with me on Instagram! I can’t wait to see what you come up with.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below and I will be happy to answer them. Happy crocheting!

More Free Crochet Patterns

Here are a few more crochet patterns that I think you might like:

What’s Next?

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