Apple Crisp Hat – the Perfect Baby Hat Crochet Pattern for Charity Donations!

This post may contain affiliate links. For more details, see my disclosure page.

As I’ve mentioned before, my mother leads a small chapter of Little Hats, Big Hearts, a charity organization that donates hats to hospital newborns and NICUs across the US to raise awareness for heart health and congenital heart defects. Last week, I shared my Baby Cabled Heart Hat pattern with you all, which is absolutely adorable for the theme of heart health!

Sometimes, though, I just want a pattern I can work up on autopilot. As a mama to two young kiddos, time is a luxury. (In fact, I do the bulk of my charity crocheting in my car while parked in the school pickup line each afternoon.) So, I set out to create a unique textured hat pattern that works up in a snap and without any fuss.

This hat is such a breeze to work up, but if you want to make even better use of your time, try using the Locked Loop Ends method to weave in the first tail! I saved hours on my Little Red Hats this year! I hope you all enjoy working up this hat as much as I do.

Materials

H/8 5.0mm Crochet Hook

Lion Brand Pound of Love Yarn, Cherry (About 100  yds (4) Worsted weight yarn)

Scissors

Yarn Needle

Abbreviations

Ch- Chain

Dc – double crochet

Sk – Skip

Tbl – through back loop

Special Stitches

Dc tbl: work your double crochet through the back loop of the stitch only.

Finished Size

Newborn – 13.5-14” circumference, 5” height,  4.25” diameter at the crown (row 4)

Notes

Lion Brand Pound of Love is listed as a (4) worsted weight yarn, but I find it to be a tad lighter than most (4) weight yarns. If you’re looking for a comparable substitute, Caron Simply Soft is a good match. If you choose a thicker yarn, such as Red Heart Soft/With Love, try beginning the crown with 10 stitches to make a Newborn size, or stick with 12 and get a slightly larger 0-3month size hat.

Apple Crisp Hat Crochet Pattern

Round 1: Ch 2, and Dc 12 stitches into a magic circle. Sl to join. [12]

Round 2: Ch 2, 2Dc in each st around. Sl to join. [24]

Round 3: Ch 2, *2Dc, Dc* around. Sl to join. [36]

Round 4: Ch 2, *2Dc, Dc 2* around. Sl to join. [48]

Round 5: Ch 2, Sk 1.  *Dc tbl, Dc* around, working your last stitch into the skipped st. Sl to join. [48]

Rounds 6- 10: Repeat round 5. [48]

Break yarn, fasten off and weave in ends.

Can you believe how cute and simple this pattern is? I love it so much, I’ve made at least 6 of them so far this year. There’s something so satisfying about finishing a project to be donated to charity. This little hat is perfect for that extra boost to my donation stash!

Sizing Notes

The crown of the hat is worked as a simple flat circle. To change the size of the hat, simply work either more stitches or more increases until the crown reaches your desired size, then work enough rows to allow for extra height. For example, a 0-3 month hat might increase for an extra round, and begin in pattern on row 6.

My daughter’s purple hat (a typical teen size, we have giant heads!) was worked in a slightly thicker yarn (Caron One Pound) and an I/5.5mm hook. The crown started with 12 stitches, and increased for 5 rounds, continuing in pattern on row 6. The brim (rows 15-17) added three rows of 2×2 crochet ribbing (FPDC 2, BPDC 2) with a smaller H/5mm hook for grip.

Want to Connect?

I would love to crochet along with you! Join my mailing list and receive the first updates and even some special promos and discounts on PDF downloads in my newsletter, or you can follow me on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaltyPearlCrochet/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/theSaltyPearl/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SaltyPearlCrochet

Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/designers/Katie-Clary