I’m so excited and honored to be participating in the Crochet Cancer Challenge for a second year. And this is the tenth year of the event!
This year’s hat is for those facing the challenges of breast cancer. The Primrose Hat design in particular is in honor of a wonderful friend’s battle with breast cancer. I hope this hat will provide comfort to those who crochet the hat, to those who wear it, and will honor those affected by breast cancer.
Every Monday through Saturday in October, independent designers are coming together to offer new crochet hat designs to challenge cancer. By downloading a pattern, each challenge participant is pledging to make a hat for someone who has been affected by cancer.
You can donate a hat to someone you know, to a cancer center, or to a person or charity of your choice.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy details.
The Primrose Hat is worked top down in continuous rounds. This makes it a quick and easy project with only two ends to weave in. I hope you will enjoy the pattern as much as I did.
2022 Crochet Cancer Challenge
This pattern was featured on October 15, 2022 as part of the 2022 Crochet Cancer Challenge hosted by Sweet Potato 3 in October 2022.
The Challenge has ended. You can still use the button below to go to the round up post to find all the patterns that were part of the challenge.
Pattern Options for the Primrose Hat Pattern
The Primrose Hat is a free crochet pattern for a worsted weight yarn in US crochet terminology. The complete pattern is included for free on the blog below.
PDF Pattern Downloads: You can also purchase a printable PDF of this pattern in my Etsy Shop and Ravelry Shop.
- Purchase the PDF Pattern in My Etsy Shop
- Purchase the PDF Pattern in My Ravelry Shop
- Pin the Pattern for Later
About the Inspiration for the Primrose Hat Pattern
When designing this hat for the Crochet Cancer Challenge, I wanted to develop a pattern that was relatively quick and easy to make. I chose a top-down design this year for this reason.
I also wanted a hat that is soft and feminine for those battling breast cancer. My vision was a beautiful and comfortable hat.
I’ve also been eager to try out the technique of crocheting in the third loop in a hat design. The technique creates a beautiful effect where the top two strands rest on top of the crochet.
When working in continuous rounds, this makes a lovely spiral on the hat. You’ll find a short photo tutorial at the end of the post on how to do the technique.
The little clusters then seemed perfect to add some texture.
About the Yarn
The sample hats are made with Lion Brand Heartland in the Capitol Reef and Lassen Volcanic colorways. Heartland is one of my favorite worsted weight yarns.
The yarn has great depth of color in each skein. Many of the colorways have a slightly heathered look. This makes them particularly beautiful for fall and winter crochet projects.
The yarn is easy to find too at many craft stores in the United States. Or you can find it online as well.
Primrose Hat Pattern
Crochet Supplies
Yarn: Worsted weight (#4 medium) approximately 170 yards.
Shown: Lion Brand Heartland (100% acrylic), 251yd[230m]/5 oz[142g]: #140 Capitol Reef (light pink), #138 Lassen Volcanic (medium pink), less than 1 skein needed for each.
Hook: Size J/10 (6.0mm) or size needed to obtain gauge. (these are my favorite crochet hooks).
Notions: Tapestry needle, 1 stitch marker, tape measure,.
Sizing and Gauge
Sizes: One size fits most adults.
Finished Measurements: 19″ in circumference at brim, 8″ from top of hat to edge of brim.
Gauge: Rounds 1-3 = 4″ diameter.
Pattern Notes
- Hat is worked in continuous rounds. Do not use a slip stitch to join before going to the next round.
- Recommended to use the stitch marker to mark the first st of each rnd and move the marker up as you go along.
- When working a sc into the top of a cluster, skip the first sc and the dc of the cluster, and work the sc into the last sc of the cluster.
Standard Stitch Abbreviations (U.S. Crochet Terminology):
bpdc: back post double crochet
ch(s): chain(s)
dc: double crochet
fpdc: front post double crochet
hdc: half double crochet
rep: repeat
rnd: round
sc: single crochet st(s): stitch(es)
Special Stitch Instructions:
dc in third loop: work the dc in the third loop of the stitch below; the third loop is located below the back loop of the stitch below; see photos at end of pattern for illustration of where to work a double crochet in the third loop
hdc in third loop: work the hdc in the third loop of the stitch below; the third loop is located below the back loop of the stitch below
cluster: (sc, dc, sc) all in the same st
Primrose Hat Crochet Pattern
Begin with magic loop. Tutorial at https://craftingeachday.com/magic-loop-tutorial/
Rnd 1: Ch 1 (does not count as st), work 1 hdc and 11 dc in magic loop. Tighten magic loop. (1 hdc, 11 dc)
Rnd 2: Work 2 dc in the third loop in each stitch of previous rnd. (24 dc in the third loop)
Rnd 3: *2 dc in the third loop of next st, dc in the third loop of next st; rep from * around. (36 dc in the third loop)
Check gauge. Circle should now be 4” in diameter.
Rnd 4: *2 dc in the third loop of next st, dc in the third loop of each of the next 2 sts; rep from * around. (48 dc in the third loop)
Rnd 5: *2 dc in the third loop of next st, dc in the third loop of next 3 sts; rep from * around. (60 dc in the third loop)
Rnd 6: Dc in the third loop of each st around. (60 dc in the third loop)
Rnd 7: Hdc in the third loop of each st around. (60 hdc in the third loop)
Rnd 8: Sc in next 2 sts, cluster in next st, *sc in next 5 sts; cluster in next st; rep from * around to last 3 sts, sc in last 3 sts. (10 clusters, 50 sc)
Rnd 9: Sc in each st of previous rnd, working the sc for each cluster in the last sc of the cluster. (60 sc)
Rnd 10: *Sc in next 5 sts, cluster in next st; rep from * around. (10 clusters, 50 sc)
Rnd 11: Rep rnd 9.
Rnd 12: Hdc in each st around. (60 hdc)
Rnd 13: Dc in the third loop of each st around. (60 dc in the third loop)
Rnds 14 – 20: Rep rnds 7-13.
Rnd 21: Rep rnd 7.
Rnd 22: *Fpdc, bpdc; rep from * around. (30 fpdc, 30 bpdc)
Rnd 23: Rep rnd 22, continue to finishing.
Finishing: Fasten off using invisible join method. Tutorial for invisible join at https://craftingeachday.com/crochet-invisible-join-tutorial-crochet-in-the-round/. Weave in ends.
How to Crochet in the Third Loop
Step One – Showing Top Strands of Stitch
This photo shows the end of round one. The tapestry needle is inserted under the top strands of the half double crochet at the beginning of the round. Normally you would crochet by inserting the hook under these two top strands.
Step Two – Showing Top Strands and Marking Third Loop
This photo also shows the end of round one. The orange stitch marker has been placed under the top two strands. The green stitch marker has been placed in the “third loop.” The third loop is where you will work the stitches of round two.
Step Three – Tilted Up to See Third Loop
In this photo, the crochet is tilted up so that you can see where the “third loop” is located. It is behind and below the top two strands. You will work the stitches of round two into the third loop.
Step Four – End of Row Showing Effect of Third Loop Crochet
This photo shows the end of round two. By working the stitches into the third loop, you get an effect where the top two strands rest on top of the crochet. This makes a spiral pattern on the hat.
Other Crochet Patterns You Might Enjoy
For more free crochet hat patterns, check out this post for 27 super bulky hat patterns.
For other free hat patterns in worsted weight yarn, you might also enjoy the Mirabella Hat and the Squishy Adult Hat.