WHY THE NAME SOUS CHEF CROCHET HAT?

Here is the backstory of this pattern. Back in 2007 I started teaching beginner knitting at my local yarn shop. This was something that I enjoyed for 4 years of my life and gave me the start to my professional knitting and crochet career.

When I first started teaching I didn’t have a project for the class that really worked.  So, I set out to design something that really encompassed everything that the beginner knitter learned in class.  The first has was the Gerri Hat, named after the yarn shop owner and my friend.  I used that hat for a year and a half.  Then, I decided that I needed a new hat.

So, I wound up some Cascade 220 wool and began to knit without a plan other than making a band (knit flat) for the head the length could be adjusted pretty easily so a new knitter would be guaranteed that it would fit around his/her head, then picking up stitches and making a hat. After it was all said and done I designed the Ratatouille Hat.

Side note, why was it named Ratatouille?  When I finished the hat I put it on my head and asked my kids what they thought.  Immediately my son and daughter exclaimed, “Mommy! You look like Ratatouille!”  In actuality, I looked like Remy the rat from Disney movie Ratatouille but I understood what they meant.

From that day on I called the hat Ratatouille and the name stuck. And the hat was a hit! For the rest of the time I taught at Knit Knack I had beginner knitters graduate my class with a Ratatouille of their own.

Fast forward to me establishing myself as not only a knit designer but a crochet designer and many of my crochet friends asking me for a hat like the Ratatouille for crocheters. Well, that is when I designed the Sous Chef crochet hat!

This hat is constructed the same way its knitting cousin only instead of using two needles, you use a HOOK!

CROCHET HAT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

YAY!  This hat is very customizable. That means you can make this hat for children or adults or any folx you wish. All you need to do is lengthen or shorten the brim to fit your head, then make sure you crochet a multiple of 6 stitches along the brim when starting the body to make the increases work out for the slouch.  

Having said that, you do know that if you change numbers to begin with the final stitch counts at the end of each row will change but I figure if you are good enough to alter the pattern you are good enough to know that 🙂

Since the release of the Sous Chef crochet hat pattern it has been a paid for pattern only. Well, that changes today. This is now a free crochet slouchy hat pattern here on marlybird.com!

As an aside, I think this hat is also wonderful to wear as it does not create ‘hat hair’ which is usually a concern of mine. LOL.

Also, for those who are looking for a good crochet hat pattern for cancer patients, this one is great. When made with a non scratchy fiber, this free crochet hat pattern has been a wonderful hat pattern to make for cancer patients as it is not too tight around the head. It has been a favorite crochet hat pattern of several non-profit organizations that collect hats for cancer patients.

Instead of using wool, consider using cotton or soft acrylic yarn.

---

Sous Chef Crochet Hat Details

Size: One Size Fits Most (completely customizable pattern)

MATERIALS

Yarn: Patons, DK Superwash wool (100% wool; 125 yds [114 m]/1.75 oz [50 g]):; Color A (CA) #12409 Deep Blush, 2 balls. 

Sample used Wisdom Yarns, Poems Silk <discontinued> : Red Heart Unforgettable would be a great substitute for this yarn for Color B (CB), 1 ball.

Hook: G/7 (4mm) or size to obtain gauge.

Gauge: 5 HDC rows in BLO = 2”; 10 HDC sts = 2”

SPECIAL STITCHES:

BLP (back loop only): Insert hook into the back loop of st indicated.

ch (chain): Wrap the yarn around the crochet hook (yarn over) and draw it through the loop on the hook to form the first chain. Rep this step as many times as instructed. (The loop on the hook is never included when counting the number of chains).

hdc (half double crochet): Yarn over hook, insert hook into indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop; yarn over and draw through all three loops on hook.

hdc2tog (half double crochet 2 stitches together): [Yarn over, insert hook in next st, yarn over and draw up a loop] twice, yarn over and draw through all 5 loops on hook.

slip st (slip stitch): Insert crochet hook in the indicated stitch, yarn over and draw through both the stitch and the loop on the hook.

TCH (turning chain)

SOUS CHEF CROCHET HAT PATTERN

Below is the pattern for the free slouchy crochet hat. Follow the notes to really customize this one size fits most pattern. Have fun with it! When you are finished, be sure to share with me on social media with #MarlyBird or #MarlyMadeMeDoIt.

BRIM

The brim is made flat then seamed together at the end. The pattern is written to have a brim length approx. 22.4″ [56.9 cm] long.

Leave a 10″ [25.4 cm] tail at the start of the hat to use for seaming up the brim at the end.

Set-up row: With CA, ch 24, hdc in 3^rd ch from hook and in each ch across changing to other color in last stitch of row, turn—22 hdc.

Row 1: Ch 2 (does not count as a st now and throughout), working in BLP (see special stitches), hdc in each st across, turn—22 hdc.

Row 2: Ch 2, in BLP, hdc in each st across changing to other color in last stitch of row, turn.

NOTE: you can carry each color up the side as it will be hidden when stitches are worked for the hat body.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 another 27 times or until the brim of the hat measures the desired length to fit around the head ending after a row 2.

Next row: work row 1 once more (should have you end with the CA if no alterations have been done). Sl stitch the first and last row together to join the brim in a circle. DO NOT FINISH OFF.

BODY

With the yarn still attached and the hat now joined in the round, rotate the brim to work along the side with the yarn floats. As you work the set-up round trap the floats under the hdc’s.

Note: if you changed the length of the brim, crochet a total number of stitches on set-up round that is a multiple of 6 stitches. This will make it so the increases for the slouch of the hat to work for you.

Set-up Round: With CA, ch 2 (does not count as st), hdc a total of 3 hdc in each 2-row color sections around brim, sl st TCH, turn—84 hdc.

Continue with the following instructions with this color sequence or really customize your hat and create your own color sequence:

• 1 rnd CA
• 2 rnds CB
• 5 rnds CA
• 2 rnds CB
• 2 rnds CA
• 1 rnd CB
• 1 rnd CA

Note: use a stitch marker at the start of each round to know where the first stitch is. It really helps! You can also make your own stitch markers. Here is a link to 12 different stitch markers that are great for knitters and crocheters.

Round 1 (WS): Ch 2, hdc in each hdc around, join with a sl st TCH, turn.

Round 2 increase rnd (RS): Ch 2, *5 hdc, [2 hdc] in next st; rep from * around, join with sl st to TCH, turn—98 sts (or multiple of 7 that works for your hat).

Round 3 (WS): Ch 2, hdc in each hdc around, join with a sl st TCH, turn.

Round 4 increase rnd (RS): Ch 2, *6 hdc, [2 hdc)] in next st; rep from * around, join with sl st to TCH, turn—112 sts (or multiple of 8 that works for your hat).

Note: The increases have made the sous chef crochet hat a slouchy crochet hat! If you desire more slouch you can do another round of increases but make sure you finish with an even number of stitches.

Rounds 5-18: Ch 2, hdc in each hdc around join with sl st to TCH, turn.   Changing color in last st as indicated by the color sequence (or your desired color sequence).

Note: just as the number of stitches can be altered, so can the number of rounds on the body of that hat. Make the body of the hat fit your needs. If you want it taller with more body, add more rounds; if you want it shorter with less body, work fewer rounds.

On last round, changing to CB in last stitch of previous rnd, continue to the crown.

CROWN

The decreases on the crown are based on an even stitch multiple. If the stitch count on YOUR hat is different than the 112 sts on sample hat, then follow the decrease instructions for the crown until you decrease down to as close to 7 sts as possible.

You can follow the same color sequence as the sample or work your own (just as I’ve suggested throughout this pattern).

Round 1 rapid decrease: Ch 2, hdc2tog around, turn—56 sts.

Round 2: Ch 2, hdc around, turn.

Round 3 rapid decrease: Ch 2, hdc2tog around, changing to CB in last stitch of rnd, turn—28 sts.

Round 4: Ch 2, hdc around, turn.

Round 5 rapid decrease: Ch 2, hdc2tog around, turn—14 sts.

Round 6: Ch 2, hdc around, turn.

Round 7 rapid decrease: Ch 2, hdc2tog around, turn—7 sts.

Finish off. Cut both colors leaving a 6” [15 cm] of tail.

FINISHING

Using tapestry needle, seam the top of the hat closed using the tail.  Seam the brim of the hat with the tail.

Then weave in all loose ends to the WS of hat.

FREE SLOUCHY CROCHET HAT VIDEO

MORE FREE CROCHET HAT PATTERNS

I love making crochet hats and I have a LOT more free crochet hat patterns available here on my website. Check them all out here or click the image below (that is my son, Caden, wearing the Chic and Simple Perfect Hat)