How to Crochet Ribbing for Hats

I’m straight up going to let you know I am on a crochet hat kick, y’all. For real. Yesterday I shared how to make an absolutely giant super scarf that I super love. Did you see that? This kick is really because I’ve finally moved back to someplace that actually gets cold weather in fall and winter and I can’t even tell you how happy that makes me. I suppose it’s only after you leave a situation that made you unhappy that you can look back and really take stock of things. A subtropical climate is nice an all, but I really like having seasons. And I like wearing sweaters and gloves and beanies. :)

Since I’ve got tons of crochet hat patterns coming your way, I thought I’d go ahead and show y’all how to crochet ribbing for hats. Ready to check it out?

Why would you want to add ribbing to your crochet hats?

Crochet ribbing for hats can also give it a more professional look and provide visual interest to your DIY patterns. Ribbing is stretchy and can make hats more comfortable to wear.  Plus the added stretch ribbing affords gives you more wiggle room when crocheting a hat for someone when you’re not sure of their head size. Because I don’t know about you, but I can only eyeball if somebody’s head is too small or too big for their body. And that’s not really darn scientific, now is it?

It took me ages to finally decide to start adding ribbing to my own hats because it seemed like too much effort. And while adding ribbing to your crochet hats may seem daunting in reality, it is really very simple to do.

How to make crochet ribbing for hats.

If you can single crochet and chain you can easily add a ribbed brim onto your crochet creations. The basic pattern that I am sharing with you today can be modified as needed to make crochet ribbing for the hats you make. What you see here today is the info that I most commonly create on the hats I make for myself. Made to be a bit loose on an average-sized adult head and using worsted weight yarn the height of this ribbing is tall enough that it will cover most of the forehead and ears. The ribbing for this hat is made using Red Heart with Love Metallic Yarn and an I-sized crochet hook (5.5 mm).

Stitches Used:

• FSC: Foundation Single Crochet
• CH: Chain
• ST: Stitch
• SC: Single Crochet
• BLSC: Back Loop Only Single Crochet

DIY Crochet Ribbing Pattern.

*Notes* The single crochet stitches for the ribbing are always worked in the back loop ONLY. This pushes forward the front loop from the previous row giving that nice, ribbed texture.

← Row 1: FSC 8. (this is the height – for a wider hat band add more stitches, for a smaller band subtract a few stitches)
→ Row 2: CH 1 (does NOT count as first ST) and turn your work. BLSC in every stitch. (8 ST)
Row 3-64:  Repeat row 2.

Once your ribbing is complete loop the long flat piece making sure it doesn’t twist in the process.

Chain 1 and then match up the ends of the ribbing. Insert your crochet hook through both loops of both stitches on either end of the piece.

Yarn over and pull the yarn through all of the loops on your hook. Your first slip stitch has been created.

Continue matching up stitches on both sides of the band and slip stitch the sides together.

You should have the same number of chain stitches connecting the 2 sides as you do single crochet stitches in every row.

Modifying the size of the ribbing for any crochet hat.

Modifying this pattern is super simple. Firstly, you always want to create your ribbed single crochet rows in an even number. This makes for a neater looking first round. To make the height of your ribbed band taller or shorter, increase or decrease the stitches accordingly. While I most commonly use an 8 stitch tall ribbing for most of my hats, I sometimes go to 10 if I want a very wide band on an adult hat and I typically go 6 for a children’s size hat. You might actually notice in the photos above my band has only 6 stitches. This is actually a band that was made for a toddler’s crochet hat. (That pattern is coming soon so be sure to check back!)

The pattern above is what I use when I make crochet hats for myself (or my mom, or sister or teenage nephews). With 64 rows of back loop single crochet stitches, the size is slightly slouchy. When making a smaller hat I tend to work 56 rows and for a man’s larger hat I will crochet 72 single crochet rows. As long as you keep the number of rows even (56,64, 72) you’ll always have a good looking brim when you start to hook upward from the ribbing.

Working off of the ribbed brim.

After closing up the ribbing with slip stitches you can now work off of it and add your first round. I suggest always using a simple stitch for the first round. Typically I’ll use a single crochet stitch or a half double. Often I’ll crochet this first round into the back loop only to get a nice ridge that delineates the ribbing from the beginning of the hat proper. For this example, we’re using the single crochet stitch for the first round.

Chain 2. This does NOT act as your first stitch.

Single crochet around the first stitch from the first row of the ribbing. Single crochet around the first stitch of the next row and continue around. This round should have the same number of stitches as rows of the ribbing. (So if you followed my pattern, with 64 rows you should have 64 stitches in your round).

While working on this first round attached to your crochet ribbing, pay special attention to WHERE you place each of your stitches. For example, you might have a difficult time crocheting around the first stitch in the second row. If that happens simply crochet in a gap near that area. But when you do that ALWAYS crochet the stitch in the exact same place for the entire round. This ensures you have a consistent and nice-looking first round.

Once you reach back to your first stitch slip stitch into it, bypassing your initial chain 2, to join and finish the round.

Continuing to Crochet Off of your Ribbing.

This DIY ribbing works for any hat you want to crochet from the bottom up. As you work if you consistently do not count your the first chains of every round as your first stitch and slip stitch to the first actual stitch to join you’ll have a nice and neat seam along the back of your crochet hats. I always work hard to have a nice seam there because I hate having a lovely hat around the front and sides and then this monstrosity on the back :)

As you work upward a good general rule of thumb for sizing is to make sure your hat measures at 10 inches for adults, 8.5-9 inches for children and 7.5-8.5 inches for small children. When seaming the top of a bottom crochet hat you need a little extra room to accommodate for the gathering that occurs when closed up (but we’ll talk a little more about that another time).

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Well, that’s that! I hope you have confidence in adding crocheted ribbing to your newly hooked hats. I’m sure that after you’ve made one, you’ll love that stretchy band and will want it on all of your DIY creations!