This cute kitty cat face hat looks like knit but is really crochet and it is a free pattern at Nana’s Crafty Home!
My oldest granddaughter is and always has been cat crazy. She loves anything cat and in fact every item on her Christmas wish list last year was cat related!
So, I just had to design a cat hat she could wear and love. And, since I had enough yarn left over, I also designed the matching Cat Cuddler Pillow which is also a free crochet pattern here on the blog.
This Cat Hat is made with Bernat Maker Home Dec yarn* which is intended for home decor items making it super sturdy – perfect for a hat that will see a lot of use! Home Dec yarn is a chunky tubular style yarn that feels like soft cotton and it stitches up quickly.
*This post contains affiliate links. You can click on any yarn or material highlighted to purchase. I will receive a small commission if you purchase but it won’t cost you any extra!
Available in several colors at Yarnspirations, it is also a perfect match with the knit-look Waistcoat Stitch I used for the hat as it doesn’t split and has fabulous stitch definition. T-shirt yarn would make a fabulous substitute.
Finished size of hat is approximately 10 1/2” (21″ circumference) wide lying flat x 8” tall (without ears) which would fit teen/adult small/medium. I have included resizing instructions for you below. You could also experiment with hook sizes and yarn weights to get different sizes as well.
If you are making the hat for someone else you can use the cheat sheet below to help you.
Adult Large: 23″
Adult Medium: 22″
Adult Small: 20 to 21″
Child: 19 to 20″
Child Small: 18 to 19″
If you aren’t familiar with the Waistcoat Stitch, I have a complete photo & video tutorial. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel so you never miss a new video.
Hat is worked in the round and the double brim is created by folding and crocheting together and then completing hat working in the round working through the simple graph.
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You may also like the following free crochet patterns at Nana’s Crafty Home:
1. Cat Cuddler Pillow 
2. Sheep Granny Square Blanket 
3. Gnome Towel Topper
Kitty Cat Crochet Hat free crochet pattern – looks like knit!
Pattern written in US crochet terminology
Supplies:
Size L (8.0 mm) crochet hook
Tapestry Needle
Stitch marker
Approximate finished size: teen/adult medium10 1/2” wide lying flat x 8” tall (without ears)
Gauge: worked in pattern: 16 rows = 4” / 11 st = 4”
Abbreviations:
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
csc = center single crochet (see special stitches section below)
csc2tog = center single crochet 2 together (sc decrease)
MC = magic circle
RS = right side
st = stitch
sp = space
Notes about pattern:
- Hat is worked in continuous rounds without joining
- Resizing: to adjust size make more or fewer beginning chains. When resizing, add or subtract stitches evenly to both sides of chart for rounds 14 – 29 at the beginning and end of the chart for each round. If you add 3 chains to increase size of hat band by approx 1”, add 2 color B stitches at the beginning of the chart and 1 at the end. If making hat smaller by 1” and working 3 fewer chains, work 2 fewer stitches at the beginning of chart and 1 fewer stitch at the end.
- Alternatively you could also use a smaller weight yarn or make the hat smaller or a larger size hook to make larger.
- Color work section rounds 14 – 29 are made with Fair Isle Crochet technique in which colors are “floated” or carried behind the work to carry colors. I did not float the colors throughout the entire rounds instead using bobbins at each color section to make color work more manageable.
- Color graph can be found at the bottom of this post.
Special stitches:
csc = center single crochet: single crochet is worked between the legs of the single crochet stitch from the previous row.
Recommend tutorials:
Instructions
Round 1: RS With Color A, ch 55, sc in 1st ch to form a ring, (place st marker in 1st st and move up st marker each round), sc in each remaining ch to end. Do not sl st join at the end. (55)
Round 2: csc in each st around (55)
Round 3 – 13 repeat round 2.
Change to Color B
Fold hat band together, RS facing out, work round 14 csc through both thicknesses of band.
Round 14 – 29: repeat round 2 using chart on last page of PDF for color changes. Yarn colors you are not working will be carried behind your work or “floated”. Color A will be fastened off once color work is complete after round 20. Written row by row instructions follow below:
Row 14: (B csc) x 55
Row 15: (B csc) x 55
Row 16: (B csc) x 25, (A csc) x 5, (B csc) x 25
Row 17: (B csc) x 11, (A csc) x 3, (B csc) x 10, A csc, (B csc) x 2, A csc, (B csc) x 2, A csc, (B csc) x 10, (A csc) x 3, (B csc) x 11
Row 18: (B csc) x 18, (A csc) x 3, (B csc) x 6, A csc, (B csc) x 6, (A csc) x 3, (B csc) x 18
Row 19: (B csc) x 11, (A csc) x 3, (B csc) x 4, (A csc) x 3, (B csc) x 6, A csc, (B csc) x 6, (A csc) x 3, (B csc) x 4, (A csc) x 3, (B csc) x 11
Row 20: (B csc) x 18, (A csc) x 3, (B csc) x 6, A csc, (B csc) x 6, (A csc) x 3, (B csc) x 18
Row 21: (B csc) x 55
Row 22: (B csc) x 55
Row 23: (B csc) x 55
Row 24: (B csc) x 55
Row 25: (B csc) x 55
Row 26: (B csc) x 55
Row 27: (B csc) x 55
Row 28: (B csc) x 55
Row 29: (B csc) x 55
Round 30: *csc in next 3 st, csc2tog,* repeat between * * to end. (44)
Round 31: csc in each st. (44)
Round 32: *csc in next 2 st, csc2tog,* repeat between * * to end. (33)
Round 33: repeat round 31. (33)
Round 34: *csc in next st, csc2tog,* repeat between * * to end. (22)
Round 35: repeat round 31. (22)
Round 36: *sc2tog* around to end. (11)
Round 37: repeat round 31.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing top of hat shut. With long tail on tapestry needle, weave through loops of round 37, pull tightly to close top of hat, sew securely and weave in ends.
Ears (Make 2)
Row 1: (RS) With Color B, make MC, (3 sc, ch 1, 3 sc) in MC, turn.
Row 2: ch 1, csc in next 3 st, (sc, ch 1, sc) in ch 1 sp, csc in next 3 st, turn.
Change to Color A
Row 3: ch 1, csc in next 4 st, (sc, ch 1, sc) in ch 1 sp, csc in each st to end.
Fasten off. Weave in ends.
With RS of hat facing, sew each ear to top of hat above eyes.
Whiskers
Cut 4 strands of Color A for whiskers. Insert whiskers where desired by inserting hook around stitch from the side, pulling up a loop and pulling both strands of yarn ends through loop, gently pull closed.
Hi! Thank you so much for being here! I am Tonya the designer behind Nana's Crafty Home. As a wife, mother, Nana of 9 & with 2 fur babies, my days are filled with love, laughter, hugs and yarn! Here you will find colorful and creative crochet designs for yourself or loved ones. My hope is that you will be inspired to learn and create along with me!