This post may contain affiliate links. For more details, see my disclosure page.
One of my favorite things to do while I crochet is watch sports with my husband. Now that the Superbowl is over we’ve had the Olympics on as often as possible! Of course, I also keep an eye out for any cool crochet items to make when I watch TV- and the gorgeous Team USA Knit hats are just SO amazing that I wanted to make a free knit look crochet beanie pattern to share with you all.
Click here to add it to your Ravelry Queue or Favorites, or Pin it on Pinterest so you don’t lose track of the pattern!
If you’ve been watching the 2018 Winter Olympics, you’ve probably heard Chloe Kim’s name thrown around. Guys, I am completely starstruck by her! As someone of Korean descent, I am so happy to have an awesome Asian American role model for my kids to look up to. Plus, she’s just cool! I was so happy to see the US win a Gold medal in the Women’s (and now Men’s!) snowboarding half pipe event, and I think Chloe handled her interviews with just the right mix of grace, humility, and enthusiasm.
Disclosure: The links below are affiliate links. When you purchase through my links, you’ll get the same great price, and I’ll get a small commission, which helps support my blog so I can keep publishing free crochet patterns for you. Thanks!
When I saw Chloe Kim’s amazing chunky white knit Team USA hat, I really wanted to have it! But, of course, I wouldn’t dream of buying one. (I live in Florida, spending hundreds on a hat is a bit ridiculous!) Another complication was that in my giant yarn stash, including at least a gajillion Super Bulky skeins, I didn’t have ANY in the right color. Tragic!
So, as crafters do, I improvised. I think it came out pretty close to the original, and I’m really happy with it! Because of the giant hook I used, it worked up in just an evening, and I was able to finish it in time to see the medal ceremony for the Men’s halfpipe event.
The (not so secret) secret to making this pattern is combining multiple strands of yarn. When I work with more than one strand, I really prefer using yarn cakes like these! If you use a ball or skein, the strands make a tangled mess, which is so frustrating!
I use my Knit Picks Yarn Ball Winder to make yarn cakes instead. It’s a fairly inexpensive winder, but it has lasted me 3 years and probably several miles of yarn! It lives in a special spot on my kitchen counter because I use it so frequently.
For reference, the label on the Big Twist Rainbow Classic Yarn that I used calls for a K 6.5mm crochet hook. I did a little chain to show you how this yarn works up. I pulled from the center of this yarn cake. I feel that gives me just a bit more even tension for crocheting.
That didn’t quite look bulky enough to get the super chunky knit look I was going for, so my next thought was to double the yarn. I used a 10mm N crochet hook, and pulled both ends of the yarn cake- one from the middle, and one from the outside of the ball.
To use two strands from the same yarn cake, find both yarn tails. See how one is coming from the middle, and the other wraps around the outside? You’ll just hold them both at once and tie your slip knot as usual.
That worked a little better, but after working a few rows of the hat, it still didn’t look quite as chunky as I liked. Since I purchased the big ball of yarn, I had two yarn cakes to work with. So, I pulled out my secret weapon- my Lion Brand Q – 15mm crochet hook!
I love using this giant hook so much! It’s a lot of fun to do mega bulky projects, isn’t it? You can get them for a great price on Amazon- and since our family has an Amazon Prime Subscription, that’s where I buy a lot of my crochet supplies.
That’s more like it! Using four strands of yarn gave me just the right amount of volume for the hat. You can see that I’m pulling from the center AND the outside of both strands. (There are two strands coming from the smaller ball! The strand from the outside was hiding just alongside the yarn from the center.)
You don’t have to do anything special to crochet with four strands, but you will want to make sure you catch all four loops each stitch. If you miss one here or there, your hat won’t fall apart, but the stitching can come loose (and snag!) if you drop a live loop.
Let’s get started crocheting!
Materials for the Knit Look Crochet Beanie:
Q 15mm Crochet Hook (Lion Brand is my favorite!)
Big Twist Rainbow Classic from Joann – (or approximately 315 yds/160g (5) Bulky yarn)
Pro tip: If you shop at Joann, make sure you use the Ibotta app! I got $1 cash back on Big Twist yarn, and they also offer 15% cash back. If you use my referral link, you’ll get a $10 welcome bonus, too!)
Faux Fur PomPom – I like to buy them on Etsy, but these are popular on Amazon.
Knit Picks Yarn Winder to make your yarn cakes
Large Eye Wool Needles for weaving in ends
If you want to add a Team USA patch, there are some amazing options on Etsy like this one!
Here are some handy shopping links for you from Amazon:
Finished Size / Gauge
Finished hat is 12″ tall and 22″ in circumference, to fit an adult Large head with a brim folded up 2.5″
4 rows and 7 stitches 3rd Loop HDC in 4″
Free Knit Look Crochet Beanie Pattern:
the Medalist Hat
Before you begin:
Divide your yarn into two roughly equal yarn cakes using your yarn winder.
Find four yarn ends, one from the inside and outside of each yarn cake.
Holding four strands together, tie a slip knot.
Now you’re ready to start crocheting your chunky knit look crochet beanie!
With Q hook and 4 strands of yarn, chain 22.
Row 1: HDC in 3rd ch and across the row. [20]
Row 2: Ch 2, turn. Working in 3rd loop, HDC in each stitch across. [20].
Rows 3-18: Repeat row 2.
Row 19: Ch 1, turn. Working in 3rd loop, slip stitch this row together with your starting chain to seam the hat shut.
Note: to make your hat larger or smaller, you may add or remove rows until it just stretches to fit your head circumference.
Cut your yarn strands, leaving a long tail for cinching your hat shut.
With your wool needle, sew a loose running stitch around the top of your hat. I chose to place my needle at the top of every second row.
Pull tight, and knot to your yarn tail to shut it.
Attach your PomPom, then weave in all your ends.
You’re ready to show off your Team USA spirit!
Thank you so much for supporting my blog. I have checked and double-checked this pattern, but I’m only human- please let me know if you have any questions or if I have missed anything at all so I can correct it for you all.
You are more than welcome to sell any finished items made from this pattern. Please use your own photos and credit Katie Clary as the designer. Links back to my blog post are greatly appreciated! Please feel free to share this pattern by directing others to this blog post or the Ravelry listing, NOT by distributing the pattern or photos as your own.
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 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
kathy dennewitz says
would like to see this made for an infant from 3 months to 6 months if you have a pattern for it
Katie says
Hi Kathy! Thanks so much for your comment. I will absolutely get to an infant version of it! For now, you can adjust the pattern for a 3-6 month infant by starting with a chain that is 8″ long, and continue until you reach a length of 15-16″ to fit a typical 3-6 month baby’s head. Hope that helps!