Home » Leafly autumn hat

Leafly autumn hat

The Leafly Autumn Hat is a unique hat made with double crochet stitches and the extreme drop stitch. By working the hat top-down, this fun stitch looks like a leaf. Especially when you use the right colors. This hat is inspired by my Frozen winter (bun) hat which uses the same stitches, but then worked into a winter theme.

Get the free pattern below or purchase the ad-free PDF version of this pattern on Etsy and Ravelry. The PDF is designed for printing and this way you can support me!

Leafly Autumn Hat

Leafly Autumn Hat - free crochet pattern

Other free hat patterns you might like

About this design

When I was working on my third Frozen winter (bun) hat, I noticed the extreme drop stitch looks like a leaf upside down. Especially when you autumn colors.

So I decided to reverse the pattern, starting from the top working to the bottom, to make an autumn version of my Frozen Winter hat! I love how one stitch can be used for different seasonal projects.

You can even make a Canadian version of this hat by using red colors. You can see my Canadian Patriotic Hat here.

Other hats with the extreme drop stitch

While working on my Frozen Winter (Bun) Hat, I noticed the extreme drop stitch also looks like leaves or fire flames when worked upside down. I now have four versions of this hat:

Isn’t it amazing how you can create such different and unique hats by simply changing the colors!? All the patterns are available for FREE here on my blog.

About this pattern

This hat is made with double crochet stitches and of course the extreme drop stitch. The hat is worked top-down which means we start working on the top and end with a brim. The brim is made with front post double crochet stitches.

The hat is worked in joined rounds which means we start with 3 chains which count as the first DC and we end every row with a slip stitch in the first stitch. The hat is made with many repeats and multiples of 8.

Leafly Autumn Hat

Materials

Vanna’s Choice in 2 colors: one for the basis and one for the leaves. I used brown color changing yarn for the leaves which I bought during my holiday in Turkey.

– 6mm hook (US J hook)

Pom pom (you can also make one with yarn)

– Needle

Finished dimensions

Size: adult / circumference fits 57 cm / 22”
Height: 23 cm / 9” when lying flat
Width: 23 cm / 9” when lying flat

Gauge

12 double crochet stitches and 8 rows equal 10×10 cm / 4” square

Stitches used (US terms)

– st: stitch
– sl st: slip stitch
– ch: chain
– dc: double crochet
– fpdc: front post double crochet
– dc2tog: double crochet 2 together (decrease)
– extreme drop stitch:
1. Yarn over, insert hook in next ch-space, pull up a loop. Yarn over, pull up another loop. You now have 5 loops on your hook.
2. Yarn over, insert hook into ch-space from row directly below, pull up a loop. Yarn over, pull up another loop. You now have 9 loops on your hook.
3. Yarn over, insert hook into ch-space from row below (3rd ch-space), pull up a loop. Yarn over, pull up another loop. Yarn over, pull up another loop. You now have 15 loops on your hook.
4. Yarn over, insert hook into ch-space from row above, pull up a loop. Yarn over, pull up another loop. You now have 19 loops on your hook.
5. Yarn over, insert hook into ch-space from row above (5th ch-space), pull up a loop. Yarn over, pull up another loop. You now have 23 loops on your hook.
6. Yarn over and pull through all loops together. Chain 1.

**: repeat between **
(): amount of stitches at the end of the row

Notes

– This pattern is worked top-down

– This hat is worked in joined rounds (vs continuous rounds) which means we chain 3 at the start of a round (counts as 1 DC) and end the round with a slip stitch in the first stitch

– Ch-spaces are only created to guide the extreme drop stitch and are not considered as stitches.

– Counting does not include ch-spaces

– The amount of stitches should be a multiple of 8. Take this into account when you want to make a larger or smaller hat.

YouTube video

I’ve made a video explaining how to make the Leafly Autumn hat (written pattern below).

Leafly Autumn hat

Round 1:
Start with 48 foundation double crochet stitches and slip stitch in the first stitch.
Note: the hat might look too tight, but no worries. It will become much wider in the following rows.

Round 2: creating ch-spaces
Ch 3, 1 dc in the next 3 st, *chain 1, 1 dc in the next 8 stitches* 5x, ch 1, 1 dc in the next 4 stitches, sl st(48)

Round 3: 3 ch-spaces above ch-spaces
Ch 3, 1dc in next 2st, *ch1, 1dc in next st, ch1, 1dc in st after ch-space, ch1, 1dc in next 6st* 5x, repeat one more time but end with 3dc and sl st (48)

Round 4: 3 ch-spaces above 3 ch-spaces
Ch3, 1dc in next 2st, *ch1, 1dc in st after ch-space, ch1, 1dc in st after ch-space, ch1, 1 dc in st after ch-space, 1dc in next 5st* 5x, repeat one more time but end with 1dc in next 2st and sl st (48)

Round 5: extreme drop stitch
Ch3, 1dc in next 2st, *change color, ch1, extreme drop stitch, change color, ch1, 1dc in next 6st* 5x, repeat one more time but end with 3dc and sl st (36)

Round 6: ch-spaces
Ch 3, 1dc in next 2st, *1dc in the gap before extreme drop, 1dc in gap above the extreme drop, 1dc in next 3st, ch1, 1dc in next 3st* 5x, repeat one more time but replace the last 3dc with a sl st (48)

Round 7: 3 ch-spaces above ch-spaces
Ch 4, *1dc in next 6st, ch 1, 1dc in next st, ch1, 1dc in st after ch-space, ch 1* repeat 5x, 1dc in next 6st, ch 1, 1dc in next st, ch1, sl st (48)

Round 8: 3 ch-spaces above 3 ch-spaces
Ch4, 1dc in dc after ch-space, *1dc in next 5st, ch1, 1dc in st after ch-space, ch1, 1dc in st after ch-space, ch1, 1 dc in st after ch-space* 5x, 1dc in next 5st, ch1, 1dc in st after ch-space, ch1, sl st (48)

Round 9: extreme drop stitches
We first need to move up a bit, so make a slip stitch in the dc after ch-space.
Ch3, 1dc in next 5st, *change color, ch1, extreme drop stitch, change color, ch1, 1dc in next 6st* 5x, ch1, extreme drop stitch, ch1, sl st (36)

Round 10: ch-spaces
Ch 3, 1dc in next 3st, *ch1, 1dc in next 2st, 1dc in the gap before extreme drop, 1dc in gap above the extreme drop, 1dc in next 4st* repeat 5x, ch1, 1dc in next 2st, 1dc in the gap before extreme drop, 1dc in gap above the extreme drop, sl st (48)

Round 11: 3 ch-spaces above ch-spaces
repeat row 3 (48)

Round 12: 3 ch-spaces above 3 ch-spaces
repeat row 4 (48)

Round 13: extreme drop stitches
repeat row 5 (36)

Round 14:
Ch 3, 1dc in next 2st, *1dc in the gap before extreme drop, 1dc in gap above the extreme drop, 1dc in next 6st* 5x, repeat one more time but end with 3 dc and sl st (48)

Brim

Round 15-17 (3 rounds):
ch3, 1 front post double crochet in each st across, sl st (48)

Closing the top

With a needle and the long end from the slip knot, weave through all stitches. Pull tight and weave in the ends. Add a pompom to finish it off.

Leafly autumn hat free crochet pattern

Share a picture!

If you make one, please tag or mention me on Instagram @wilmawestenberg and add this pattern to your Ravelry queue. I would love to see what colors you used and feature some of your pictures!

Questions?

If you have any questions about this pattern, feel free to join my Facebook Group. I created this group for you to share pictures/ progress, ask questions and to help each other out.


More free crochet patterns

20 Comments

  1. Love this hat. My question is, I have worked 5 rows and the hat is too small. Does it get bigger the further you go in the pattern?

    1. I have worked 10 rows and it has not gotten any bigger, and as far as I can see there are no rounds that increase the size of the hat as it goes down. I’m going to start all over and just make my first base chain longer. With the pattern as it is written it is way too small for the head I am making it for unfortunately.

  2. In this, and your Frozen Hat, is it best to carry the blue (and brown) along the back, or try to hide it in the stitches as you go around?

    1. I did not carry it because you could see it through the white stitches. Maybe it can if you work with a darker color. I just picked up the yarn again at the next extreme drop stitch. So on the inside there is some yarn between the extreme drop stitches if you know what I mean. You can also cut the yarn and attach every time you get to the stitch, but it’s a lot of weaving in the ends. I’m on a trip through the USA right now, I can take a picture of the inside of the hat when I’m back to show you how it looks on the inside.

  3. Please tell me how to do your double crochet chain. I have looked all over your page and video’s and cannot find it any where even though you say it will be in comment listing or in instructions.
    Thank you in advance.

  4. Hi Wilma Thank you for this pattern. It is a hit, I have been asked by nieghbor t to make one for her. I only did one row of brim so it fits how I like it. Also I don’t like pm pm so I did a flower from http://www.naztazia.com. I will post a photo in pintrest of mine.

  5. Hi I just got to the rim part of the directions and something didn’t look right. I realize that the instructions SHOULD be telling us to do a front post double crochet stitch, THEN, a back post double crochet stitch, then a front one again, then a back one, and so on…all the way around. That will give you the rippled effect, as they show in the picture. Then repeat this in the next two rows. Thank you.

  6. Hi Wilma, thank you for this beautiful pattern. After making the extreme drop, hiw can I hide the color (brown) frim showing in the 6 dc? Thank you!

  7. So pretty! So the yarn you used for the extreme drop stitch is the same size as the yarn you used for the base hat?

    1. Thank you Celeste! I have made a few hats so far and for most hats I used the same brand (so extreme drop stitches were indeed the same size) – however, this brown glitter yarn on my picture is very thin, almost like fingering yarn, so I used double strands / pulled up more loops to make it thicker 🙂

  8. Wilma, thank you so much for the Leafy Autumn hat pattern. It is so beautiful as are the flowers and pillow. ❤

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *