This Popcorn Columns Hat is a great crochet pattern for holiday gifts and beyond. The beautiful textures work to make it warm and unique.
“Popcorn Columns Hat” free crochet pattern by Kim Guzman, © Oct. 2024 All rights reserved.
Technique: Regular Crochet.
Skill Level: Intermediate.
Crochet Pattern At A Glance
Popcorn Columns Hat Free Crochet Pattern
Designer: Kim Guzman © 2022-2026. All rights reserved.Rate the Pattern
Yarn
- Stylecraft “Special Double Knit”, 100% acrylic, 322 yds/295m per 3.5 oz/100g per skein: 1 skein or 275 yds color Linen
Other Materials
- Suggested Crochet Hook Size J-10 (6mm) (larger hook) or hook needed to meet gauge for body of hat and size I-9 (5.5mm) (smaller hook) for Ribbing
- Yarn Needle for weaving ends
- Faux Pom Pom (optional)
Instructions
- Starting at the bottom of the hat, work five rounds of front/back post ribbing.
- Work 15 rounds of 2-round repeat stitch pattern without shaping.
- The remaining 13 rounds are worked with incremental shaping to decrease to the top.
- Finish off by cinching up the top and weaving in all ends securely. Add a faux or yarn pom pom, if desired.
Full Free Crochet Pattern Below
This is a free crochet pattern and the written instructions are below. If you prefer a printable download, a PDF is also available for purchase.
My Crochet Pattern Notes
This stitch pattern introduces some fun textured stitches like front and back post double crochets and popcorns. This bottom up crochet hat begins with the front post/back post stitch ribbing, worked in the round, with the hat body picked up from ribbing and worked to the top.
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Finished Size
18″ at ribbing; 20″ at widest point of hat body; 8″ tall.
Yarn
Stylecraft “Special Double Knit”, 100% acrylic, 322 yds/295m per 3.5 oz/100g per skein: 1 skein or 275 yds color Linen.
“Special Double Knit” is classified as a DK weight (size 3) yarn and is currently available in over 120 shades.
Available at LoveCrafts (aff link).
See more projects in Stylecraft Special DK yarn.
Yarn Substitution
I’ve used DK weight yarn (size 3) because I love this size. There’s a lot of yardage on a 100g skein of Stylecraft Special DK. You could use any yarn you like, using the hook size you prefer. You may need to make changes to the number of stitches and the amount of yarn required.
If you are unable to use Stylecraft Special DK, a nice substitution is Deramores Studio DK. It’s currently available in 23 shades. The skeins are smaller so you’ll need to make sure to get enough yardage.
Other Materials
Suggested Crochet Hook Size J-10 (6mm) (larger hook) or hook needed to meet gauge for body of hat and size I-9 (5.5mm) (smaller hook) for Ribbing.
Yarn Needle for weaving ends.
Faux Pom Pom (optional).
Note that I’ve used a crochet hook size that’s larger than expected for DK weight yarn. This crochet stitch pattern is pretty dense and I needed to open it up a bit in order to give it some drape.
Gauge
In stitch pattern, approximately 15 stitches for 16 rows measures 4″ x 4″.
Working at a different tension may require additional materials.
Stitch Multiple
To make changes to the hat size, your hat needs to be a multiple of 7 stitches. The Ribbing will be need to be an even number of stitches so you may or may not need to increase 1 stitch by working into the joining stitch on the first round of the hat body. To increase the height, you can continue with the 2-round repeat as desired before starting the decreasing at the top.
Special Stitches
Note: When working post stitches, skip the corresponding stitch behind it.
Front Post Double Crochet (FPdc): Yarn over, insert hook to the side of the indicated stitch, move hook around the back of the stitch and out the other side of same stitch, yarn over, pull loop through, [yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook] twice.
Back Post Double Crochet (BPdc): Yarn over, with hook in back of work, insert hook to the side of the indicated stitch, move hook around the front of the stitch and out the other side of same stitch with the hook now again on the back of work, yarn over, pull loop through, [yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook] twice.
Popcorn (Pop): Work 3 double crochet in stitch indicated, pinch final loop with two fingers of non-hook hand, remove hook, place hook in top of first double crochet (under both loops) of the first of the three double crochet just made, place pinched loop on hook, pull that pinched loop through the top of the first double crochet.
Single Crochet 2 Together (sc2tog): Insert hook in indicated stitch, yarn over, pull loop through, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over, pull loop through, yarn over, pull through 3 loops on hook.
Other Abbreviations
This crochet pattern is written in US crochet terminology.
beg=beginning; ch=chain; dc=double crochet; hdc=half doule crochet; rem=remaining; rep=repeat; sc=single crochet; sk=skip; sl=slip; sp(s)=space(s); st(s)-stitch(es).
All numbers after the colon at the end of an instruction are stitch counts. Use the stitch count to check your work.
Hat of the Month CAL 2024
I’m pleased to be participating in the Hat of the Month CAL 2024!
View the pattern from Amy of The Stitchin’ Mommy.
View the pattern from Rhondda of Oombawka Design Crochet.
New Pattern Free PDF Download Limited Time
The PDF download for the Popcorn Columns Hat pattern is available for free two days only. This promotion ends at 11:59pm CST, Monday, October 28.
This promotion is concluded. Please sign up for the email newsletter to make sure you don’t miss any weekly promotions. Scroll down for the free online pattern.
Matching Hat and Scarf Set
As part of the monthly crochet along from Oombawka and The Stitchin Mommy, this hat pattern has a matching scarf pattern as well. Pick up the free crochet pattern for the Popcorn Columns Scarf here.
Ribbing
Round 1: With smaller hook (see Materials above), ch 78, sk 3 ch (counts as first dc), dc in each rem ch, without twisting the row of dc, sl st to top of first dc: 76 dc. Using “tail”, tie off the bottom of the first dc so both top and bottom of the first and last sts are joined.
Round 2: Ch 1, FPdc (see Special Stitches above) around same dc as joining, [BPdc (see Special Stitches above) around next dc, FPdc around next dc], to last dc, BPdc around last dc, sk beg ch-1, sl st to first dc.
Rounds 3-5: Rep round 2. Do not fasten off.
Hat
Note: You are placing an odd number stitch pattern on top of an even number of stitches. It won’t follow the same FP/BP pattern and these will be flipped around throughout so don’t try to follow the Ribbing pattern.
Round 1: With larger hook (see Materials above), ch 2 (counts as first hdc here and throughout), hdc in same st as joining, *FPdc around next dc, BPdc around next dc, Pop (see Special Stitches above) in next dc, BPdc around next dc, FPdc around next dc, hdc in next 2 dc, rep from * to last 5 sts, FPdc around dc in row below, BPdc around dc in row below, Pop in next sc, BPdc around dc in row below, FPdc around dc in row below, sl st to first hdc.
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first sc: 77 sc.
Round 3: Ch 2, sk first sc, hdc in next sc, *FPdc around dc in row below, BPdc around dc in row below, Pop in next sc, BPdc around dc in row below, FPdc around dc in row below, hdc in next 2 sc, rep from * to last 5 sts, FPdc around dc in row below, BPdc around dc in row below, Pop in next sc, BPdc around dc in row below, FPdc around dc in row below, sl st to first hdc.
Rounds 4-15: Rep rounds 2-3.
Round 16: Ch 1, *sc2tog (see Special Stitches above), sc in next 5 sts, rep from * around, sl st to first sc: 66 sc.
Note: There are very subtle differences in these decreasing rounds so I’ll give clues to help you out. The next round has 1 hdc separating the columns instead of 2.
Round 17: Ch 2, sk first sc, *FPdc around dc in row below, BPdc around dc in row below, Pop in next sc, BPdc around dc in row below, FPdc around dc in row below, hdc in next sc, rep from * to last 5 sts, FPdc around dc in row below, BPdc around dc in row below, Pop in next sc, BPdc around dc in row below, FPdc around dc in row below, sl st to first hdc.
Round 18: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first sc: 66 sc.
Note: This next round omits the first BPdc before the Popcorn.
Round 19: Ch 2, sk first sc, *FPdc around dc in row below, sk next sc, Pop in next sc, BPdc around dc in row below, FPdc around dc in row below, hdc in next sc, rep from * to last 5 sts, FPdc around dc in row below, sk next sc, Pop in next sc, BPdc around dc in row below, FPdc around dc in row below, sl st to first hdc.
Round 20: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first sc: 55 sc.
Note: The next round omits the second BPdc after the Popcorn.
Round 21: Ch 2, sk first sc, *FPdc around dc in row below, Pop in next sc, sk next sc, FPdc around dc in row below, hdc in next sc, rep from * to last 4 sts, FPdc around dc in row below, Pop in next sc, sk next sc, FPdc around dc in row below, sl st to first hdc.
Round 22: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first sc and in next sc: 44 sc.
Note: The hdc separator is removed next.
Round 23: Ch 1, *FPdc around dc in row below, Pop in next sc, FPdc around dc in row below, sk next sc, rep from * around, sl st to first dc.
Round 24: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first sc and in next sc: 33 sc.
Note: The post stitches are drawn to a point by working them together.
Round 25: Ch 1, *Pop in sc, Fpdc (worked around 2 dc at the same time), rep from * around, sl st to Pop.
Round 26: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first sc: 22 sc.
Round 27: Ch 1, *Pop in sc, FPdc around dc in row below, rep from * around, sl st to Pop.
Round 28: Ch 1, [sc2tog] around, sl st to first sc: 11 sc. Fasten off, leaving a 15″ strand.
Finishing
With yarn needle, weave yarn through the tops of each stitch on the final round. Carefully pull to cinch together the top and secure.
Weave in all ends securely. Attach pom pom, if desired.
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