Looking for an easy crochet beanie pattern that’s warm, comfortable, and works up quickly? The Hope Hat is a classic herringbone double crochet hat featuring a cozy ribbed brim, beautiful texture, and an optional pompom for a fun finishing touch. Available in sizes toddler through adult, it’s a wonderful project for making gifts, donating to charity, or simply keeping your family warm all winter long.
The Hope Hat was originally designed for the 2020 Crochet Cancer Challenge, an annual event hosted by Sweet Potato 3 that encourages crocheters to make and donate hats to those affected by cancer. Although the challenge has ended, I’m excited to now share this meaningful pattern here on the blog so it can continue bringing comfort for years to come.
Why You’ll Love This Herringbone Double Crochet Hat Pattern
- Easy crochet hat pattern worked in the beautiful herringbone double crochet stitch
- Cozy, warm fabric that’s perfect for cooler weather
- Includes four sizes from toddler to adult
- Optional pompom lets you customize the finished look
- Makes a thoughtful handmade gift or charity donation
- Worked from the brim up using worsted weight yarn
The Story Behind the Hope Hat
The Hope Hat was originally designed for the 2020 Crochet Cancer Challenge. Throughout the month of October, a different crochet designer offered a free PDF hat pattern each day. By downloading a pattern, crocheters pledged to make at least one hat to donate or gift to someone who was affected by cancer.
Many designers created their patterns in honor of a loved one or to raise awareness of a specific type of cancer. I chose light blue for the Hope Hat to represent the ribbon color for prostate cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, behind skin cancer.
Although the Crochet Cancer Challenge has ended, the mission behind the Hope Hat lives on. Handmade hats continue to be a meaningful way to offer comfort, warmth, and encouragement to people facing cancer treatment, and I hope this pattern inspires you to make one for someone in need.
Many of the participating designers still offer their hat patterns for free on their blogs. If you’d like even more inspiration for charity crochet, be sure to explore the complete collection of patterns from the 2020 Crochet Cancer Challenge.
If you love crocheting as much as I do, or want to learn more, or just want to show off your work, please join our Crochet Garments community over on Facebook! I hope you’ll share your finished crochet project with us!
Hope Hat Pattern Details
Skill Level: Easy
Finished Size: Toddler-Adult (18″-23″ head circumference)
Hook Size: I/9 (5.5mm)
Yardage: 128 – 200 yards worsted (#4) weight yarn
The Yarn
The Hope Hat crochet pattern calls for worsted weight (#4) yarn. I used WeCrochet Brava Worsted for my hat.
Brava Worsted is a very soft and sturdy acrylic yarn that can be machine washed and dried.
This crochet hat is worked from the bottom up, starting with the brim. You will then work the body of the hat and one you get to your desired length you’ll begin to decrease your stitches.
You will use a combination of single crochet and herringbone double crochet.
The pattern comes in 4 sizes, ranging from toddler to adult.
I chose light blue in awareness of prostate cancer. But this hat also looks fabulous in other colors or even in stripes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this herringbone double crochet hat pattern beginner-friendly?
Yes! This easy crochet hat pattern uses simple construction, basic stitches, and herringbone double crochet (an easy variation of the classic double crochet stitch). If you’re comfortable with the basic crochet stitches and ready to learn something new, this pattern is a great choice. I’ve also included a written instructions and a stitch tutorial to help you crochet with confidence.
What yarn works best for the Hope Hat?
The Hope Hat was designed using Brava Worsted from Crochet.com, a soft 100% acrylic worsted weight yarn that’s gentle against sensitive skin. It’s also machine washable and durable, making it a practical choice for everyday wear or as a chemo cap. If you’d like to substitute another yarn, choose a soft worsted weight yarn that’s easy to care for and comfortable to wear.
How do I choose the right size?
Using a soft measuring tape, measure around the widest part of the head, keeping the tape snug but not tight. Then choose the size that most closely matches that measurement using the sizing chart below. If the measurement falls between sizes, it’s usually best to size up—especially for children, who will have room to grow.
Can I make this hat for charity donations?
Absolutely! In fact, the Hope Hat was originally designed as part of the Crochet Cancer Challenge to encourage crocheters to make hats for those affected by cancer. If you’re making it as a chemo cap, choose a soft, comfortable yarn that’s gentle against the scalp. Organizations such as Knots of Love, Crochet for Cancer, and The Magic Yarn Project accept handmade hat donations, and many local hospitals, cancer support centers, and hospice facilities welcome them as well.
What is the herringbone double crochet?
The herringbone double crochet (or herr-dc) is a variation on the classic double crochet stitch that causes the stitches to lean at a slight angle, creating a herringbone textured when worked back and forth in rows. In this hat pattern, you’ll turn your work at the end of each round so the stitches of each round lean in the opposite direction of the previous one, creating the signature look.
If you’d like a little extra guidance, be sure to watch the video tutorial below (or on YouTube). I’ll walk you through the herringbone double crochet stitch step by step, including how to work a decrease (herringbone double crochet 2 together).
Stitch Tutorial
More Crochet Chemo Hat Patterns
Love this pattern? You may also like some of these other chemo cap patterns created for the Crochet Cancer Challenge.
Hope Hat
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Hope Hat
Copyright © 2026 Michelle Ferguson – Two Brothers Blankets
All rights reserved. No part of this pattern may be reproduced, sold, or tampered with, in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher.
Items produced from these patterns may be sold, but the patterns themselves may not be sold, shared, or altered in any way.
Yarn:
Colorway: Sky
100% Premium Acrylic
100g/218yards
Hook:
I/9 (5.5mm) crochet hook
Other Materials:
Pom Pom (optional)
Gauge:
Brim: 8 sc x 7 rows = 2”
13 sts within body of hat = 4”
Pattern Difficulty:
Easy
Stitches Needed & Abbreviations
blo- back loop only
ch(s): chain(s)
herr-dc: herringbone double crochet
herr-dc2tog: herringbone double crochet 2 together
RS: right side
sc: single crochet
sc2tog: single crochet 2 together
st(s): stitch(es)
*: repeat from
Sizing:
| Size | Head Circumference | Yardage |
| Toddler | 18-20” | 128 |
| Child | 20-21” | 150 |
| Teen | 21-22” | 164 |
| Adult | 22-23 | 200 |
Pattern Notes:
Hat is worked from the bottom up, starting with the brim.
Starting chain does not count as first stitch, unless stated otherwise within the pattern.
Pattern is written in smallest size with additional sizes in parentheses as follow: Toddler (Child, Teen, Adult). Final stitch count for all sizes is in parentheses at the end of each row/round. If only one number is in parentheses that means it is the stitch count for all sizes.
herr-dc- yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull through stitch and one loop, yarn over, pull through one loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
herr-dc2tog- yarn over, insert hook into st, yarn over, pull through st and 1st loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through 1 loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, insert hook into next st, yarn over, pull through st and 1st loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through 1 loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all 3 loops.
Stitch Tutorial: https://youtu.be/6Q22VL3ns7w?si=qIqPvBZTjHJ7A729
You will be turning each round.
Hope Hat Crochet Pattern:
Brim
Ch 9
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and across. (8)
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, in blo sc in each st across. (8)
Rows 3- 60 (64, 68, 72): Repeat row 2. (8)
Sew both ends of the brim together by slip stitching through both stitches across. Turn brim to the other side and continue to Body of Hat.
Body of Hat
Round 1: (RS) Ch 2, work 60 (64, 68, 72) herr-dc evenly around the side of the brim, join to 1st st. (60, 64, 68, 72)
Round 2: Ch 2, turn, 1 herr-dc in each st around, join to 1st st. (60, 64, 68, 72)
Rounds 3-4: Ch 1, turn, 1 sc in each st around, join to 1st st. (60, 64, 68, 72)
Rounds 5-6: Ch 2, turn, 1 herr-dc in each st around, join to 1st st. (60, 64, 68, 72)
Rounds 7-8: Ch 1, turn, 1 sc in each st around, join to 1st st. (60, 64, 68, 72)
Rounds 9-12 (16, 16, 20): Repeat rounds 5-8.
Round 13 (17, 17, 21): Ch 2, turn, *herr-dc2tog, 1 herr-dc in next 2*, repeat from * around, join to 1st st. (45, 48, 51, 54)
Round 14 (18, 18, 22): Ch 2, turn, *herr-dc2tog, 1 herr-dc in next st*, repeat from * around, join to 1st st. (30, 32, 34, 36)
Round 15 (19, 19, 23): Ch 1, turn, *sc2tog*, repeat from * around, join to 1st st. (15, 16, 17, 18)
Sizes Toddler, and Teen/Small Adult:
Round 16 (20): Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, 1 sc in each st around, join to 1st st. (14, 16)
Sizes Child and Adult:
Round 20 (24): Ch 1, turn, 1 sc in each st around, join to 1st st. (16, 18)
All sizes:
Round 17 (21, 21, 25): Ch 1, turn, *sc2tog*, repeat from * around, join to 1st st. (7, 8, 8, 9)
Fasten off hat leaving a long tail to weave closed. With a tapestry needle, weave the tail in and out of the stitches in the last round. Pull tight to close. Fasten off. Weave in ends. Add Pompom to top of hat.
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Thank you for the free hat in the sp3 ccc. I love all you hat designs .
I make hats for our local cancer center and started while my husband was fighting cancer before he passed away. When I drove him for treatments, they were easy carry along projects and several times as I finished a hat while waiting, some patient would comment on it and end up with a new hat from me personally instead of from the storage stack.
That said, I love the look of this pattern and was going to download the pattern to start one but when I tried to, it went Ravelry for purchase. I was not able to find a coupon code so since my social security income is gone for the month will have to wait to start the hat when I have the money to purchase the pattern. I just thought you should know your link was not working.
The Code is CancerChallenge. Click the Add to Cart button on the right hand side of the raverly listing and then once you’re at the cart it’ll have a section to put in the coupon code.
A beautiful hat for a worthy cause! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for the free pattern. I lost it when my computer crashed, though. It is a lovely pattern. I just wish I had made it first.