Tutorial: Making the Fuzzy Grey Hat

Well, I've published one crochet pattern on the blog, so I might as well cement my descent into middle-age-ness by publishing this one too...

A dodgy photo requiring changing to B+W? NEVAH! 

To make your very own Fuzzy Grey Hat, you will need:

• 4.0mm crochet hook
• Fuzzy Grey Yarn! I used a skein of Debbie Bliss Alpaca that Bagpuss the cat had decided to have a party with some time ago. He's not yet been forgiven. It took well under 1/2 a skein to make this hat. 
• Scissors.
• To know how to do a magic loop cast-on, single and double crochet.

Once again, I'm not going to be teaching you how to crochet. There are some excellent books out there on the subject (see Bear Hat post for details) or loads of videos on You Tube for you to peruse. I find crochet much easier to knitting and it was really, really fast to pick up. 

Here we go then... arm yourselves. Have a read through all of the instructions before you start... 

Create 6 single crochet stitches into a magic loop. Pull the loop tight. 

Increase [Inc] all six stitches using single crochet; this means you work two single stitches into every stitch, giving you a total of 12 stitches.
Single crochet 1 into the first stitch, then Increase 1 into the next stitch around the 12 stitches [Sc1, Inc 1]  

For the next round, you're first going to chain 3 stitches. Then work in double crochet in the increasing pattern of  [Dc 2, Inc 1]. Your first double crochet stitch will be into the 4th loop from the hook (i.e don't work into the chain you've just created). For the increases, simply work two double crochet stitches into the same loop of the stitch on the row below.

Next round, back to single crochet: [Sc 3, Inc 1]

Next round we're doubling! Remember to chain 3 to start, then [Dc 4, Inc 1] 

Next round! Singles again. [Sc 5, Inc 1]
Increasing done, phew! Chain 3 stitches and work a round of all double crochet, then a row of all singles to finish. Tie off and weave in ends.

You may find you want less height on the hat than this; if you do, leave out the last doubles and just work another single round.
For a more snug fit, you can take a decrease at a couple of points in the last two rounds. I did this in the double row at 2 opposite points.

Now have fun embellishing your hat. I think a cluster of beads would look great... or how about covering the whole darned lot in sequins? Rock and roll!