free rainbow elf hat
Crochet Pattern
Oh, hey, you. Yeah – YOU. Come over here… Do you want a free crochet pattern? I thought so! You look like a cool person who loves fabulous things. The Rainbow Elf Hat is totally free, and isn’t it gorgeous? The beanie is crocheted bottom up with DK weight cotton yarn and will fit an Adult Medium – perfect for Aussie Christmas or Renaissance Fairs. This project is a great way to use up your scraps! You will need to know how to work in joined rounds.
Pattern below 👇 and a free PDF on Ravelry with the instructions written out.
Materials
DK weight cotton yarn (Fiddlesticks Wren 8 Ply)
White 35g (approx. 88 metres)
Fairy (Pink) 13g (approx. 33 metres)
Butter (Yellow) 17g (approx. 43 metres)
Sage (Green) 13g (approx. 33 metres)
Sky (Blue) 11g (approx. 28 metres)
Amethyst (Purple) 25 (approx. 15 metres)
4mm crochet hook
Scissors
Tapestry needle
Stitch Markers (2)
Ruler
Our patterns are written a little differently with beginner and neurodivergent crafters in mind. The abbreviated instructions are followed by a breakdown in italics, making it easier to understand what you need to crochet in each row / round. If you’ve had trouble reading crochet patterns in the past, we hope that you’ll give ours a try!
A PDF printer-friendly pattern is available on Ravelry for FREE:
The Pattern
Please read the information below before starting the pattern:
The Rainbow Elf Hat is worked in joined rounds (with a slip stitch) without turning from the bottom up. The pattern is written for 1 size: Adult Medium.
It is important that you check your gauge on this pattern if you want the hat to fit! After 10 rows of the brim (single crochet ribbing), the piece should measure approx. 10cm. 90 rows should be 50cm – 52cm.
The pattern is a 4 round repeat:
- Double crochet in the 3rd loop
- Double crochet
- Double crochet
- Half double crochet (including decrease round)
It’s easy to make the hat longer – just keep repeating the pattern when you have 30 stitches in each round.
Tips to get the best results:
- Check your stitches are correct after each decrease round
- Put a stitch marker in the first and last stitch of the round
- Change colour in the last stitch of the previous round. Leave a long tail and weave in on the wrong side (the side facing you as you work is the right side).
- Experiment with your colours! This is a great pattern to use to clean out your scraps.
If you’ve enjoyed this pattern, we have a matching Rainbow Waves Cowl.
Abbreviations
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sc |
single crochet |
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hdc |
half double crochet |
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dc |
double crochet |
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dec |
half double crochet decrease: yarn over, insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, insert the hook into the next stitch, yarn over, pull through all loops on the hook |
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blo |
back loop only |
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BO |
bobble: *yarn over, insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through 2 loops * (repeat a total of 3 times), yarn over, pull through remaining 4 loops on hook |
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3rd loop |
third loop (behind the back loop of the half double crochet stitches) |
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ch |
chain |
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fasten off |
cut the yarn and pull through |
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Rd |
Round |
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(#) |
total number of stitches at the end of the round |
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* * |
repeat the instructions inside the asterisks |
Materials
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DK weight cotton yarn (Fiddlesticks Wren 8 Ply) – White 35g (approx. 88 metres) – Fairy (Pink) 13g (approx. 33 metres) – Butter (Yellow) 17g (approx. 43 metres) – Sage (Green) 13g (approx. 33 metres) – Sky (Blue) 11g (approx. 28 metres) – Amethyst (Purple) 25g (approx. 15 metres) |
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4mm crochet hook |
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Scissors |
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Tapestry needle |
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Stitch Markers (2) |
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Ruler |
Gauge
18 rows of single crochet ribbing = 10cm
(90 rows of single crochet ribbing should measure 50cm – 52cm for Adult Medium)
Chain at the beginning of each round does not count as a stitch
Repeat instructions between the * *
| Rd # | Instructions | Stitch Count |
| Row 1: |
Brim: In White, Starting with the Brim and working in rows: Ch 13, starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, sc in the back bump of each ch, TURN |
(12) White |
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Row 2 – 90:
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Ch 1, sc in the BLO of each st, TURN
After 90 rows, the ribbing should measure 50cm – 52cm |
(12) White |
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Joining the Brim:
Holding the first and last rows together, slip stitch across using the back loop of the LAST row and the loops closest to you for the FIRST row (this will connect the ribbing to become the brim) |
||
| Rd 1: |
Working in the rd:
Ch 1, sc in the top of the ribbing (1 sc in each row), sl st to 1st st, TURN |
(90) RIGHT SIDE White |
| Rd 2: | Ch 2, *BO, sc* x45, sl st to 1st st, TURN |
(90) WRONG SIDE White
|
| Rd 3: |
Ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to 1st st DO NOT TURN for the rest of the hat |
(90) White |
| Rd 4: |
In Pink, Ch 2, dc in the 3rd loop of each st, sl st to 1st st |
(90) Pink |
|
Rd 5 – 6: (2 Rds) |
Ch 2, dc in each st, sl st to 1st st |
(90) Pink |
| Rd 7: | Ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to 1st st |
(90) Pink |
|
Rd 8 – 10: (3 Rds) |
In Yellow, Repeat Rounds 4, 5, & 6
|
(90) Yellow |
| Rd 11: |
Decrease: Ch 1, *7 hdc, dec* x10, sl st to 1st st |
(80) Yellow |
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Rd 12 – 14: (3 Rds)
|
In Green, Repeat Rounds 4, 5, & 6 |
(80) Green |
| Rd 15: |
Decrease: Ch 1, *6 hdc, dec* x10, sl st to 1st st |
(70) Green |
|
Rd 16 – 18: (3 Rds) |
In Blue, Repeat Rounds 4, 5, & 6 |
(70) Blue |
| Rd 19: |
Decrease: Ch 1, *5 hdc, dec* x10, sl st to 1st st |
(60) Blue |
|
Rd 20 – 22: (3 Rds) |
In Purple, Repeat Rounds 4, 5, & 6 |
(60) Purple |
| Rd 23: |
Decrease: Ch 1, *4 hdc, dec* x10, sl st to 1st st |
(50) Purple |
|
Rd 24 – 26: (3 Rds) |
In White, Repeat Rounds 4, 5, & 6 |
(50) White |
| Rd 27: |
Decrease: Ch 1, *3 hdc, dec* x10, sl st to 1st st |
(40) White |
|
Rd 28 – 30: (3 Rds) |
In Pink, Repeat Rounds 4, 5, & 6 |
(40) Pink |
| Rd 31: |
Decrease: Ch 1, *2 hdc, dec* x10, sl st to 1st st |
(30) Pink |
|
Rd 32 – 35: (4 Rds) |
In Yellow, Repeat Rounds 4, 5, 6, & 7 (no decrease round) |
(30) Yellow |
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Rd 36 – 39: (4 Rds) |
In Green, Repeat Rounds 4, 5, 6, & 7 (no decrease round) |
(30) Green |
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Rd 40 – 43: (4 Rds) |
In Blue, Repeat Rounds 4, 5, 6, & 7 (no decrease round) |
(30) Blue |
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Rd 44 – 46: (3 Rds) |
In Purple, Repeat Rounds 4, 5, & 6 |
(30) Purple |
| Rd 47: |
Decrease: Ch 1, *hdc, dec* x10, sl st to 1st st |
(20) Purple |
|
Rd 48 – 50: (3 Rds) |
In White, Repeat Rounds 4, 5, & 6 |
(20) White |
| Rd 51: |
Decrease: Ch 1, dec x10, sl st to 1st st |
(10) White |
| Rd 52: |
Decrease: Ch 1, dec 5, sl st to 1st st |
(5) White |
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If you don’t want to make the chain pom-pom, fasten off and weave the tail through the remaining 5 stitches to cinch up the end
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“Pom-Pom” (optional) Complete the following in the FRONT LOOPS ONLY of Rd 52: Chain 20, slip stitch to the 1st stitch, Chain 20, slip stitch to the same stitch, *Chain 20, slip stitch to the next stitch, Chain 20, slip stitch to the same stitch* (Repeat a total of 8 times) |
White 10 chains |
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Complete the following in the BACK LOOPS ONLY of Rd 52: *Chain 15, slip stitch to the next stitch, Chain 15, slip stitch to the same stitch* (Repeat a total of 10 times) |
White 10 chains |
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Fasten off and leave a long tail – thread through the middle of the hole left from Rd 52 Weave in all the ends on the inside of the hat
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PIN THIS FOR LATER
Disclaimer: Our patterns are intended for personal use only. Please do not distribute or publish the pattern in any medium. You may sell finished items made with our patterns in small quantities – please credit Fox Creations as the pattern designer in tags and listings. Fox Creations does not use generative AI for pattern writing or images.