Crochet Hat

This project was born from a very special tradition in my family: the annual celebration of the Virgen del Cisne, a figure deeply significant in Ecuadorian culture. Since I was little, my mother taught me to visit her sanctuary every year with respect and devotion. Over time, I developed a deep passion for fiber arts like crochet and macramé, so I decided to combine both things: to create a handmade hat as a symbolic offering to wear during the celebration.

If you're not from Ecuador, you might be wondering: what does a hat have to do with the Virgen del Cisne? Let me tell you a bit about it. In Ecuador, she is affectionately known as “La Virgen Viajera” — the Traveling Virgin — and throughout the year, she journeys across different towns and regions of the country. Hats are a strong symbol of Ecuador's artisanal identity, and it has become a beloved tradition to offer her a hat in every place she visits. You could say that hats have become one of her most representative and cherished offerings.

Although there's no guarantee the hat I made will be placed directly on the Virgin’s image — as only authorized people dress her — there's always a chance. But for me, the true value lies in the gesture itself: offering something made with love and care.

🌟 This design can also be easily adapted — you can adjust the size to make it as big or small as you like!

To create this crochet hat, you'll need:

1. Medium-weight yarn (cotton, acrylic, or a blend — your choice)
2. A crochet hook that suits your yarn (I used a 3.5 mm hook)
3. ✂️ Scissors
4. Flexible measuring tape (to take measurements)
5. Stitch markers (helpful to track rounds)
6. Yarn needle
7. Paper and pencil (handy for notes and counting rows)

Before we begin, let’s go over a few key terms that we’ll use throughout the instructable.

👉 If you're a beginner, this section will be super helpful!

👉 If you already have experience, feel free to skip ahead to Step 2.

🟣 Single Crochet (sc)

One of the most basic and essential stitches in crochet.

How to make it:

1. Insert your hook into the stitch.
2. Yarn over and pull up a loop (you’ll have 2 loops on the hook).
3. Yarn over again and pull through both loops.

🟣 Increase (inc)

An increase means making two single crochets in the same stitch to widen your work.

🧠 Let’s calculate the inner diameter

Use a measuring tape to measure the circumference of your model’s head (or yours), then divide that number by π (3.14) to get the approximate internal diameter.

In my case, I did a bit of research and considered that the Virgin usually wears elaborate clothing and has curls or ornaments on her head. Based on photos and temple visits, I estimated that a 6–7 cm inner diameter would be ideal.

📏 Now determine the height (depth) of the hat

Use a flexible measuring tape to measure from the top of the head to where you want the bottom edge of the hat to reach.

Style guide:

1. 3–4 cm for a more decorative or flat hat
2. 5–8+ cm for a structured, cup-like shape

✅ In my case, I decided that 3.5 cm of height was enough.

The magic ring (or adjustable loop) is a technique used to start circular crochet without a hole in the center.

How to do it:

1. Wrap the yarn around two fingers to make a loop.
2. Insert your hook into the loop, yarn over, and pull up a loop.
3. Chain one to secure the ring.

💡 If this is your first time doing a magic ring, practice a few times before moving on.

We'll now work in the round to make a flat base. Start with:

1. Round 1: 6 single crochet (sc) into the magic ring. Pull the yarn tail to close.
2. Round 2: 2 single crochet (sc) in each stitch (you’ll have 12 stitches).

💡 Use a stitch marke — it’ll help you keep track of each round.

We’re going to make the circle grow evenly with increases.

We'll refer to these as “increase rounds”, let's call it 'ir'

The logic is simple:

1. ir 1 (round 3): 1 Increase , 1 single crochet— repeat (18 stitches)
2. ir 2 (round 4): 1 Increase , 2 single crochet— repeat (24 stitches)
3. ir 3 (round 5): 1 Increase , 3 single crochet— repeat (30 stitches)

Keep increasing until the diameter of your circle matches what you calculated in Step 2.

📌 Tip: The number of stitches in each round will be 6 × the round number (because our base started with 6 sc).

✅ In my case, I stopped increasing at ir=5 to reach 6 cm diameter.

Now we create a clean edge to begin the vertical section.

1. Crochet 1 full round of single crochets without any increases.
2. Then, do 1 more increase round:

📌 In my case, since I did 5 increase rounds earlier, this will be my ir=6. So the pattern is:

1. 1 increase, 6 single crochet, repeated until the round is done.

This step helps create a smooth, rounded transition between the flat base and the hat's height.

Time to give your hat some height!

Keep crocheting in spiral rounds using only single crochets (sc) — no increases. Just go round and round until the hat reaches the height you measured.

📐 You can measure as you go. I even recommend trying it directly on your model to get the best fit.

Time to start increasing again! Since our last increase round was Round 6, we’ll continue with Rounds 7 and 8.

✨ Round 7: 1 increase stitch, then 7 single stitches – repeat this pattern all the way around.

✨ Round 8: 1 increase stitch, then 8 single stitches – continue the same way until the round is complete.

✨ Round 9: Work one full round of single stitches, no increases.

Keep repeating this sequence — one round with increases, followed by a round without — until the brim reaches the desired size.

📝 Tip: Don’t forget to keep track of your rounds as you go! Jotting down the round number will help you stay on track and not lose your place in the sequence.

✨ Round 1 – Flat Single Crochet:

No increases here—just neat single crochets all the way around to even out the brim.

✨ Round 2 – Crab Stitch (Reverse Single Crochet):

The classic crab stitch is usually worked backward, from left to right, which can feel a bit tricky at first.

But don’t worry! In this tutorial, we’re using a simplified version that’s easier for beginners—check the image to follow along.

🧶 How to Crochet the Crab Stitch:

1. Insert your hook into the previous stitch (to the right).
2. Yarn over and pull through.
3. Twist slightly and pull through both loops on the hook.
4. Repeat!

🦀 Tip: It might feel a little strange at first, but don’t worry—once you get the rhythm, the crab stitch creates a beautiful raised edge that gives the brim structure and a polished look.

Now that we’ve finished crocheting, it’s time for those little details that make all the difference.

Grab your yarn needle and neatly weave in all the loose ends on the inside of the hat.

This not only gives your project a clean, polished look—it also helps everything stay in place over time.

✨ Take your time and enjoy this step—it's like signing your masterpiece!

Now comes the fun part: personalization! 🎉

Ideas:

1. Tie a ribbon where the brim begins.
2. Embroider wildflowers.
3. Add beads, mini pom-poms, or crocheted butterflies!

💡 Prefer a clean, classic look? Totally fine — just leave it simple and enjoy the elegance.

You made it to the end of this tutorial — that alone deserves a round of applause! 👏

Now it’s time to wear your beautiful handmade hat or gift it to someone special.

✨ Thank you so much for following along. I hope you had as much fun crocheting it as I did creating this instructable for you.

Remember: every stitch tells a story... and this one is yours. 🧶💫