Flicker and Flash Crochet Hat – Free Crochet Pattern
A Stash-Busting Crochet Hat You’ll Love
Got leftover yarn from past projects (or maybe a few too many skeins in your stash 🤭)? The Flicker and Flash Crochet Hat is here to turn those scraps into something bright, fun, and wearable for the whole family.
This free crochet hat pattern uses sport weight yarn and colorful striping with long double crochet stitches that create a bold, flickering effect. The textured body stitch is paired with ribbing worked in single crochet back loop only for the brim—so you get plenty of stretch and comfort.
With nine sizes included (from baby through adult large), you can make one for everyone. It’s a quick, stash-friendly project you’ll come back to whenever you want color, texture, and instant gratification.
👉 If you’re looking for a stash-busting crochet project that’s beginner-friendly but still looks impressive, this one is for you.
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Why You’ll Love the Flicker and Flash Crochet Hat
✔️ Perfect stash-busting crochet pattern – uses partial skeins and scraps
✔️ Adventurous beginner friendly – simple stitches worked in fun ways
✔️ Nine sizes included – from newborn to adult large
✔️ Choose between a single brim or cozy double brim
✔️ Add optional pom poms and leather tags for a store-bought look
✔️ Works in any sport weight yarn
What Makes This Crochet Hat Special
The Flicker and Flash uses long double crochet stitches (ldc) to “flash” a color from one round into the next, giving the fabric a woven, pixelated look. By changing colors every round, you get incredible movement and texture while keeping the stitch repeat simple and easy to memorize.
It’s the perfect hat if you:
- Want a beginner-friendly crochet hat with texture
- Love playing with color striping
- Need a stash buster crochet pattern that uses sport weight yarn
Yarn Choice & Substitutions
The sample uses Knit Picks Brava Sport (a durable, budget-friendly acrylic with tons of colors). But the Flicker and Flash works in just about any sport weight yarn.
Great substitutions:
- Wool of the Andes Sport – 100% Peruvian Highland Wool
- Heatherly Sport – smooth and lightweight – acrylic and Merino wool blend
- Wool Ease DK – budget-friendly with great stitch definition
- Bernat Softee Cotton – cotton with excellent drape (if using cotton, make the brim extra tight by using smaller hook)
💡 Pro Tip: Acrylic is durable and machine-washable, great for kids’ hats. Cotton gives you beautiful stitch definition but less stretch.
Sizing Details
This free baby-to-adult crochet hat pattern is written in nine sizes:
- 0–3 mo
- 3–6 mo
- 6–12 mo
- 1–3 yr
- 3–5 yr
- 6–10 yr
- Teen/Adult Small
- Adult Medium
- Adult Large
Each size is written with about 1″ (2.5 cm) of negative ease so the hats fit comfortably without being too tight.
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More Crochet Hat Patterns You’ll Love
If you loved Flicker and Flash, you’ll also enjoy these free crochet hat patterns on MarlyBird.com:
Are You BiCrafty? 🧶✨
If you knit and crochet, don’t miss the sister pattern: the Pixel Pop Knit Hat. Both hats are designed with stash-busting in mind, and they’re part of the same This or That Make-Along. Choose your craft…or make both!
Flicker and Flash Crochet Hat Pattern
by Marly Bird
Crochet hats are the ultimate “go-to” project: quick, fun, and the perfect stash buster for leftover yarn. The Easy Peasy Beanie is written for 9 sizes (from newborn all the way to Adult Large), so you can make one for everyone in the family. This beginner-friendly design uses a single crochet in the back loop only ribbing and a simple textured body stitch, making it a great first hat project or a relaxing repeat for experienced crocheters.
A size-inclusive, beginner-friendly crochet hat that’s scrap-yarn approved and fun to stripe. Built on single crochet ribbing with a textured long double crochet body. Written in nine sizes: 0–3 mo, 3–6 mo, 6–12 mo, 1–3 yr, 3–5 yr, 6–10 yr, Teen/Adult S, Adult M, Adult L.
Skill Level
Adventurous Beginner
Measurements and Sizing
Sizes
0–3 mo (3–6 mo, 6–12 mo, 1–3 yr, 3–5 yr, 6–10 yr, Teen/Adult S, Adult M, Adult L)
Fit note: Hats are written with 1″ (2.5 cm) negative ease, so they fit comfortably without being too tight. All measurements are given in both inches and centimeters for convenience. Choose the size closest to your head circumference, allowing about 1″ (2.5 cm) of negative ease for best fit.
Sizing Charts
Sport Weight – Circumference Table
| Size | To-Fit Head Circ (in) | Finished Hat Circ (in) | To-Fit Head Circ (cm) | Finished Hat Circ (cm) |
| 0–3 mo | 14″ | 12.75″ | 35.5 cm | 32.5 cm |
| 3–6 mo | 16″ | 15″ | 40.5 cm | 38 cm |
| 6–12 mo | 17.5″ | 16″ | 44.5 cm | 40.5 cm |
| 1–3 yr | 19″ | 18″ | 48.5 cm | 46 cm |
| 3–5 yr | 20″ | 19.25″ | 51 cm | 49 cm |
| 6–10 yr | 21″ | 20.25″ | 53.5 cm | 51.5 cm |
| Teen/Adult S | 22″ | 20.25″ | 56 cm | 51.5 cm |
| Adult M | 23″ | 22.5″ | 58.5 cm | 57 cm |
| Adult L | 24″ | 23.5″ | 61 cm | 59.5 cm |
Gauge
8 [ldc + ch-1 sps] x 16 rounds = 4.25” [11 cm] x 4” [10 cm]; use any size hook to obtain the gauge.
Note: For ease of measuring, we grouped the long double crochet and ch-1 sps together into a stitch repeat. Measure 8 stitch repeats, which is 16 total stitches, for gauge.
Materials
Yarn
Sport weight yarn in 3, 5, or 7 colors, approximately 100–250 yds [91.5-228.5 m] depending on size and number of colors used
- Colors A (Brim): 100g
- Colors B, C, D, and E, (Body Colors): 25g – 50g each
Note: The pattern will still work with even more colors, but will lose the repeating effect. It can also work with an even rather than odd number of colors; this will make each color look more vertically stacked, rather than alternating and woven.
Suggested Yarn: Knit Picks Brava Sport (100% Premium Acrylic, 340 yds / 311 m, 3½ oz / 100g, CYCA #3 sport)
Hook
G/7 (4.5 mm) and H/8 (5.0 mm), or size to meet gauge
Notions
Faux Fur Pom (optional)
Leather tag (optional)
Abbreviations
Ch — Chain(s)
Sc — Single Crochet
Dc — Double Crochet
Sl st — Slip Stitch
Sp(s) — Space(s)
RS — Right Side
St(s) — Stitch(es)
WS — Wrong Side
Yo — Yarn Over
Special Stitches
⭐️ Back Loop Only (BLO): Work into the furthest of the top two loops of the stitch indicated, regardless of right side or wrong side.
⭐️ Long Double Crochet (Ldc): Work a double crochet into the stitch indicated one round below the previous round worked. This stitch will be worked around the previous round worked, encasing the ch-sp on the previous round.
⭐️ Long Double Crochet 2 Together (Ldc2tog): * Yo, insert hook in stitch one round below, yo and pull up a loop, yo and draw through 2 loops, repeat from * once more in the next indicated stitch, yo and draw through all 3 loops on hook.
⭐️ Stacked Double Crochet (Stacked Dc): (Do not ch 1 prior to making the first sc) Sc in first stitch, insert hook in between two legs of the base, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook.
⭐️ Single Crochet 2 Together (sc2tog): * Insert hook into indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop; repeat from * in next stitch indicated, yarn over and draw through all 3 loops on hook. (1 decrease)
Notes
- Work bottom up: ribbing, then body, then crown.
- Change color at the end of every round of the body. You can cut the old color and have tails to weave in or drop the old color to the inside and float it up when needed.
- Change color in any order desired. If you use an odd number of colors, you will have a tweed (offset) look to the stitch pattern. If you use an even number of colors, you will have a vertical (stacked) look to the stitch pattern.
- Do not turn at the end of rounds unless stated.
- Use a smaller hook for the brim and a larger hook for the body of the hat. If you have a very tight tension, you can use the larger hook for the brim as well.
- Sizes are written as: 0–3 mo (3–6 mo, 6–12 mo, 1–3 yr, 3–5 yr, 6–10 yr, Teen/Adult S, Adult M, Adult L).
VIDEO TUTORIAL
- Slip Stitch Crochet Ribbing >> Click Here for Video Help <<
- Long Double Crochet Tips >> Click Here for Video Help <<
- How to Bury Ends >> Click Here for Video Help <<
- How to add a Removable Faux Fur pom >> Click Here for Video Help <<
- How to Crochet Flicker and Flash Crochet Hat
Flicker and Flash Crochet Hat Pattern (Sport Weight)
Ribbed Brim
Option 1: Single Brim
With color A and smaller hook, ch 7 (7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10).
Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn — 6 (6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9) sts.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc-blo in each sc across, turn.
Repeat Row 2 46 (54, 58, 66, 70, 74, 74, 82, 86) times more — 48 (56, 60, 68, 72, 76, 76, 84, 88) rows total.
Joining Row: With WS facing, bring short ends together and sl st through both layers across to form a loop. Do not fasten off.
Option 2: Double Brim
With color A and smaller hook, ch 13 (13, 15, 15, 17, 17, 19, 19, 19).
Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn — 12 (12, 14, 14, 16, 16, 18, 18, 18) sts.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc-blo in each sc across, turn.
Repeat Row 2 46 (54, 58, 66, 70, 74, 74, 82, 86) times more — 48 (56, 60, 68, 72, 76, 76, 84, 88) rows total.
Joining Row: With WS facing, bring short ends together and sl st through both layers across to form a loop. Do not fasten off.
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Crown
Sizes 6-12 mo (1-3 yr, 6-10 yr, Teen/ Adult S, Adult M) Only
Set-up Round: Join next color to the last ch-1 sp from previous round, ch 1, *[ldc in dc below next ch-sp, ch 1, skip next st] 13 (15, 17, 17, 19] times, ldc2tog in next 2 dc below the next 2 ch-1 sps, ch 1; repeat from * around, join round with sl st to first dc. Fasten off. – – (-, 28, 32, -, 36, 36, 40, -) groups of ldc + ch-1 sps.
Sizes 0-3 mo (3-6 mo, 3-5 yr, Adult L) Only
Set-up Round: Join next color to the last ch-1 sp from previous round, ch 1, *ldc in dc below next ch-sp, ch 1, skip next st; repeat from * around, join round with sl st to first dc. Fasten off. – 24 (28, -, -, 36, -, -, -, 44) groups of ldc + ch-1 sps.
All Sizes
Round 1: Join next color to the last ch-1 sp from previous round, ch 1, *ldc in dc below next ch-sp, ch 1, skip next st, ldc2tog in the next 2 dc below the ch-1 sps, ch 1, skip next st, ldc in dc below next ch-1 sp, ch 1, skip next st; repeat from * around, join round with sl st to first dc. Fasten off—18 (21, 21, 24, 27, 27, 27, 30, 33) groups of ldc + ch-1 sps.
Round 2: Join next color to next ch-1 sp from previous round, ch 1, *ldc2tog in the next 2 dc below the next 2 ch-1 sps, ch 1, skip next st, ldc in dc below next ch-sp, ch 1, skip next st; repeat from * around, join with sl st to first dc. Fasten off—12 (14, 14, 16, 18, 18, 18, 20, 22) groups of ldc + ch-1 sps.
Round 3: Join next color to the last ch-1 sp from previous round, ch 1, *ldc2tog in the next 2 dc below the next two ch-1 sps, ch 1, skip next st; repeat from * around, join with sl st to first dc. Fasten off—6 (7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 11) groups of ldc + ch-1 sps.
Round 4: Join next color to the next ch-1 sp from previous round, ch 1, *ldc in dc below the next ch-1 sps, sc in next dc; repeat form * around, join with sl st to first dc—12 (14, 14, 16, 18, 18, 18, 20, 22) sts.
Round 5: Sc2tog in next two sts; repeat from * around, join with a sl st to first sc—6 (7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 11) sts.
Finish:
For stitches remaining, weave tail through the front loop of each stitch, pull tight, secure on wrong side.
Finishing
Weave in all ends on the inside. Add a pom-pom if you like. Light steam to relax the crown only, keep the ribbing snappy and elastic.
Final Thoughts on the Flicker and Flash Crochet Hat
The Flicker and Flash Crochet Hat is a playful reminder that yarn doesn’t need to sit in your stash forever. With simple stitches, bold color play, and nine sizes to choose from, it’s a pattern you’ll return to again and again—whether you’re making gifts, prepping for markets, or just treating yourself.
I can’t wait to see your hats in action! Be sure to tag me @themarlybird with hashtags #MarlyBird and #MMMDI (Marly Made Me Do It) so I can share your makes.
And if you’re hooked (pun intended 😘) on this one, don’t forget to check out my other free crochet patterns for even more inspiration.
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❤️ Your BiCrafty Bestie,
Marly Bird
