Crochet Pattern - Junco Elf Hat

I wanted to make a nice and simple elf-themed hat for a local craft fair. I found a few patterns but they just didn't workup as quickly as I'd like them to. I ended up making this quick little pattern on a whim. Thankfully it turned out very nicely! I know it's a bit early for Christmas items - it is a few weeks before Halloween - but with all the snow I have outside it almost feels like Christmas!

This is a very easy pattern and great for beginners. It only requires two basic stitches - the single crochet (double in UK terms) and double crochet (treble in UK terms).

This pattern is free to use. If you'd like to share it with friends, please provide a link to this page here. (It helps support me and also gives me incentive to make more free patterns!) If you'd like to sell items made from this pattern, please do by all means!

18/10/16 edit - did a minor edit fixing a missing 'front loop only' in a step.

In this pattern, we will be alternating between front loops and back loops while crocheting. This can seem a little tricky to a beginner, but it is actually quite easy. 

Maggie's Crochet has a wonderful series called 'Crochet University'. To learn more about front and back loops, she has a video on learning this technique. 

Junco Elf Hat

This hat is named on behalf of the White-winged Junco, a very cute little winter bird.

 

Sizes: Baby and Child

Hook Size: 5.00 / H / 8
Recommended Yarn: Medium (4), Aran (10 ply)

I used Caron Simply Soft Party in Spring Sparkle (0003) / Fuschia Sparkle (0002) for the hat and Bernat Happy Holidays in Twinkly White (31709) for the trim.

You will also need: a yarn needle, straight pins, two bells (optional) and a pompom (optional)

Crochet Stitch Abbr. Used:
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
sl = slip stitch
ch = chain
flo = front loop only
blo = back loop only

American terms are used in this pattern. For US-UK conversion chart, see here. 

Crochet abbreviations are used. If you are unfamiliar with them, please see here. 

Value Village Yarn Haul

I am an avid thrifter. I absolutely love visiting thrift stores and antique malls. Not only do I get a bit of a 'thrill of the hunt' but I also just really like older things. There was a sense of style and imagination with a lot of older pieces that aren't really around anymore. It's also so much easier to hunt for things that reflect my style, as my love for early 20th century clothing (and even older clothing/style for that matter) really shows in my look.

I visited my local Value Village and discovered a little corner of knitting things. I've never seen a thrift store with crafty pieces, so I was very surprised. I feel a bit foolish now as I took the time to look online afterwards and discovered it's not exactly a rarity. Maybe it's just uncommon in my area! Who knows?

The yarn was priced fairly for what it was. I could tell a lot of the yarn was older, probably relics from an older relative that someone had donated, but it definitely still looked usable. No frayed yarn or tangled bundles, thankfully. I didn't feel like buying a bunch of 99¢ skeins so I just grabbed a random bag for $5.99.