How to Crochet a Hat with 2 Colors

Are you looking for a simple crochet hat pattern with a color change?  Do you love transitional colors on a hat?  I have a super simple two tone crochet hat pattern for you today.  It’s got classic ribbing on the bottom, followed by gray toned stitches, then a mix of cream and gray tones, topped with cream tone and a handmade pom pom! 

If you are looking for a light challenge, this crochet pattern uses yarns double-stranded.  That means you’ll be crocheting with two strands of yarn at once.  At first you will double your main color (gray), then crochet with a pair of the main color and a contrasting color (cream), and lastly you will finish crocheting with 2 strands of your contrasting color (cream).  The subtle tone changes create a beautiful transitional colored hat. If you are wondering, “how do you crochet a two tone beanie”, this pattern will show you!

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How to Crochet a Two Tone Hat

How do you crochet a hat with two colors?

The two tone crochet hat is a straightforward hat to crochet, even for beginners.  My two color crochet hat pattern is written using hdc stitches and double-stranded yarns.  The most challenging part may be to join the new CC (contrasting color) yarn as you transition, but the pattern clearly instructs when to do this.

You will need the following supplies to make the crochet hat:

Supplies

• approximately 85 yards of size 4 medium yarn in main color (MC) and 85 yards of size 4 medium yarn in contrasting color (CC). I used Red Heart with love yarn in the color “Eggshell” for the cream, as well as miscellaneous gray I had on hand.
• size J crochet hook (6.00 mm)
• scissors, tapestry needle to weave in ends
• stitch marker
• optional – pom pom and/or leather tag label. I used THIS POM POM MAKER in the 3 3/8″ size.

Abbreviations

US Crochet Terms are used.

Ch – chain

ST – stitch

SC – single crochet

HDC – half double crochet

BLO – back loop only

PM – place marker

Rep – repeat

The finished hat measures about 8” tall by 18” circumference (at ribbed band).  It is meant to fit snugly on a woman or teen’s head. 

PATTERN INFORMATION

• get the ad-free, printable pdf pattern for the two tone crochet hat in the ETSY SHOP! 

Two Tone Crochet Hat Pattern

Gauge: 4″ x 4″ = 9 sts x 7 rounds.

Notes:

You will be crocheting the hat in two sections using two strands of yarn (double-stranded) –

• first, the ribbing that is at the bottom of the hat,

• next, the decorative stitching that covers the upper hat

Once the ribbing is joined together, the hat will be crocheted in the round.  You will join stitches at the end of each round.  When working in the round, it is best to count stitches and use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch in each round.

Optional: add a pom-pom and/or “handmade’ leather tag

How to crochet a hat with transition colors

Ribbing:

Using size J crochet hook, chain 5 with MC, double stranded.

Row 1: SC in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch through BLO to end of row. (4 sts)

Row 2: Ch1, Turn. SC through BLO of each st to end of row. (4 sts)

Rows 3-45: Repeat Row 2 forty-three times for a total of 45 rows.

Finish one long edge of ribbing:

Do not turn.  Working down the long side of your ribbing, SC about 45 sts evenly down this long side for a finished bottom edging.

SL st the short ends together to join the ribbing.

Lower Hat:

Next you will begin working in the round to make the base of the hat.

Round 1: Ch1, work 45 SC sts evenly around the top edge of the ribbing.  (45 sts)

Do not join.  Place a marker (PM) on your first SC st of this round.  You will be moving this PM up to first st for each round. 

Round 2: Ch2, hdc in each st around (make sure to move the PM into the first hdc st of the round).  Sl st into 1^st st of round.

Round 3: Cut a tail from one of your MC strands of yarn and join with a strand of CC yarn.  Keeping your work double stranded (with the 2 different colors), Ch2, hdc in each st around (make sure to move the PM into the first hdc st of the round).  Sl st into 1^st st of round.

Rounds 4-5: Ch2, hdc in each st around (make sure to move the PM into the first hdc st of the round).  Sl st into 1^st st of round.

Round 6: Cut a tail from the MC strand of yarn and join with another strand of CC yarn.  Keeping your work double stranded (with the 2 CC strands), Ch2, hdc in each st around (make sure to move the PM into the first hdc st of the round).  Sl st into 1^st st of round.

Upper Hat:

Rounds 7-8: Ch2, hdc in each st around (make sure to move the PM into the first hdc st of the round).  Sl st into 2^nd ch.

Top of Hat Decrease:

At this point you will begin to decrease stitches in the round to form the top of the hat.

Round 9: Ch2, *hdc in next st, skip next st; rep from * around.  Sk last st. Sl st into 1^st st to join.  (22 sts)

Round 10: Ch2, *hdc in next st, skip next st; rep from * around.  Sl st into 1^st st to join.  (11 sts)

Round 11: Rep Round 9.  (5 sts)

Finishing the Crochet Hat

Tighten top of hat by pulling yarn, fasten off and remove PM.

Weave in all loose ends.  Finished!

How long does it take to crochet a beanie hat?

You may be wondering how long it takes to crochet this two color beanie.  The entire hat took me under 2 hours total to make.  Since you double your yarn strands, the beanie hat works up quickly!

Finished Crochet Hat with Color Change

Now it is time to enjoy your finished color transition hat. Give it as a gift or add it to your winter wardrobe. You can boast that you know how to crochet a beanie hat. 🙂

You can optionally add a coordinating pom-pom to the top of your hat.  I used both strands of my MC and CC yarns with a 3 3/8″ diameter pom-pom maker…

Important Tips for Crocheting your Hat

Some things to keep in mind as you follow the two color crochet hat pattern:

• Make sure you are always crocheting with TWO strands of yarn.
• When you transition the colors, you will be dropping one strand of yarn and joining one new strand of yarn
• Use a Stitch Marker (SM) to keep track of each round
• The Right Side (RS) is always facing you as you crochet each round.

I hope you enjoyed this double strand crochet hat pattern (FREE!).  I know you can handle the color switches and crocheting in the round if you are a beginner.  This is a perfect project to practice those skills on, as it isn’t too complicated. 

Don’t forget that the crochet hat pattern is also available in a pdf format.  The color changes are the star of the hat!  Grab the HAT PATTERN in my Etsy shop.

Love hats? Check out these other hat patterns…

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