Easy Crochet Hat for Absolute Beginners (Simple Spiral Beanie)

Easy Crochet Hat for Absolute Beginners (Simple Spiral Beanie)

Want to crochet your very first hat without worrying about joins, seams, or fancy stitches? This is the easiest crochet hat I know, and it is perfect if you have only made a scarf or two, or are just learning how to hold a hook. If you can make a chain and a half double crochet, you can absolutely finish this cozy spiral beanie today.

Hi, it’s Christa at The Secret Yarnery, and I am going to walk you through every single step, from that very first loop on your hook to a finished beanie that actually fits your head. No slip stitch joins, no turning, just a smooth spiral.

Before you dive in, tell me in the comments: are you a total beginner, or have you already made a project or two?

Why this Easy Crochet Beanie is perfect for newbies

This hat is designed to be friendly for nervous beginners and relaxing for more experienced crocheters.

Here is what makes it special:

• It uses only chains, single crochet, and HDC.
• The hat is worked in a continuous spiral, so there are no joins, no seaming, and no turning.
• You crochet straight up, then cinch the top closed with simple weaving.
• Sizing is flexible, because you measure the chain around your own head.

If you are still learning HDC and want extra practice, you can pair this tutorial with my detailed HDC tutorial for beginners. I use the same style of teaching there, but on a small coaster project, which is great for warming up.

By the time you reach the last stitch on this beanie, you will feel far more confident with your yarn, your hook, and your tension.

Grab your supplies first

You do not need much to make this hat. Here is what I use in the video:

1. Yarn
   • One ball of worsted weight (size 4) acrylic yarn.
   • Any smooth acrylic is fine, just avoid super fuzzy yarn for your first hat.
   • If you want to use the same style of yarn I use, you can try a similar worsted acrylic like the ones in this roundup of best cheap worsted yarns.
2. Crochet hook
   • 6 mm hook (US J-10) with your size 4 yarn.
   • In the video I use a 6 mm hook with worsted weight acrylic so the stitches are easy to see and not too tight.
   • For something similar, you can use a basic aluminum or ergonomic hook like the ones under the hook recommendation from the video.
3. Yarn needle
   • A blunt-tipped yarn or tapestry needle for sewing in ends and cinching the top.
   • Sharp tip needles like the ones in the tutorial are great if you like them, and you can find similar ones to the sharp tip needles shown.
4. Scissors
   • Any pair that will cut yarn cleanly.
5. (Optional) Strands for cinching
   • I use two strands of the same color as the hat when I gather the top, so that everything blends nicely.

If you prefer to work from a written pattern as well as video, you might also enjoy my printable PDF crochet pattern option in the shop, like this easy crochet hat pattern for beginners. It is another simple design that pairs really well with this beanie.

Choosing your yarn

While bulkier options like bulky weight yarn or chunky yarn can work for quicker projects, beginners should stick to one ball of worsted weight acrylic yarn. Acrylic makes a soft, washable hat that holds its shape, and worsted weight is thick enough to be warm but not bulky or hard to work with.

If you are not sure what to pick for future hats, this guide to the best yarn for crochet hats explains the pros and cons of different fibers in a nice, clear way.

Picking the right hook

I use a 6 mm size hook with my size 4 yarn. The slightly larger hook keeps the fabric soft and gives beginners more space to see and enter each stitch.

If you already crochet quite loosely, you can drop to a 5.5 mm hook. If your tension is very tight, stay with the 6 mm.

Other little must-haves

You will also need:

• A tapestry needle to cinch the top and sew in tails.
• Scissors to trim yarn ends.

Everything in this project is beginner-friendly, and you can reuse the same tools for other simple projects, like my easy crochet cowl for beginners.

Using the timestamps

In the video I include timestamps so you can hop straight to the part you need, such as:

• Materials
• Foundation chain
• First crochet row
• Spiral rounds
• Cinching the top
• Sewing in the ends

You will find the full list of timestamps under the video on YouTube. They are great if you pause your work and want to jump back in at the exact spot later.

Step 1: Make your foundation chain

The base of this hat is a simple chain that goes all the way around your head.

1. Make a slip knot
   Shrink the loop down and pop it onto your hook.
2. Make a chain
   For my head size, I chain 65. In the video I count out loud, “one, two, three…” to get going.
3. Check the fit
   Wrap the chain around your head where a hat normally sits, a bit above your eyebrows and over the widest part at the back of your head.
   • Pull the chain snug, not loose. Crochet fabric will stretch.
   • If the chain touches comfortably when you pull it snug, that is your number.
   • If it is too tight to reach, add a few chains; if it is hanging loose, remove a few.

You do not have to match 65 chains exactly. Your own head is the best guide here.

Pro tip: Avoid a huge hat

If you let the chain sit relaxed and size it that way, you will end up with a very big, baggy beanie. Always pull it just snug when you measure. The chain should gently stretch to fit around your head.

When you are happy with the length, take a moment to look at your foundation chain. You will see little V shapes along one side of the foundation chain row. Those are the front loops. We are going to work into the back loop on the other side.

Step 2: Find the back loops on your chain

To work neatly into the back loops, flip the chain a bit so you are looking at the underside.

When you tilt the chain, you will see a row of little bumps, often called “camel bumps” or simply the back loop. The first one sits right under your working yarn.

For this pattern:

• I skip the very first back loop,
• Go into the second back loop to start.

This gives the bottom edge a neat finish.

Step 3: Start with two single crochets

The very first two stitches at the edge are single crochets, then the rest of the row is half double crochet.

Here is how I do it:

1. Into the second back loop
   • Insert your hook under that bump.
   • Yarn over (or simply bring the yarn back).
   • Pull up a loop so you have two loops on your hook.
   • Yarn over and pull through both loops. That is your first single crochet.
2. Into the next back loop
   • Repeat the same steps for one more.

These two single crochets help smooth out the edge before we switch to hdc for the rest of the hat.

Step 4: Half double crochet along the chain

Now it is time for the main stitch of the hat, the half double crochet (HDC).

If half double crochet is new for you and you want a second visual reference, this photo tutorial on how to half double crochet step by step is another nice resource to keep handy.

Here is how I work each HDC into the back loop of the remaining chains:

1. Yarn over first
   Wrap the yarn around your hook once. This is the main difference from single crochet.
2. Go into the next
   Slide your hook under that bump.
3. Pull up a loop
   Yarn over and bring the yarn back through the stitch so you have three loops on your hook.
4. Push everything up
   Gently slide those loops up onto the thicker part of your hook. This keeps your stitches from being too tight.
5. Yarn over and pull through all three
   Turn your hook slightly downward and glide it through all three loops.

I like to pinch the stitch right under that last loop on the hook while I pull through. This keeps the stitch tall and stops it from shrinking down.

Repeat these steps along the chain until you reach the very last one. Do not skip the final loop, or your edge will pull in.

At this point you have a long strip of stitches from this first row with a clean bottom edge made from those unused front loops.

Step 5: Prepare to work in a spiral

When you finish that first row of stitches into the chain, lay your work out flat on the table like a train track.

• Make sure the pretty side (the side facing you while you worked) is facing up.
• The edge should not be twisted.

Now find the very first stitch you made. We are going to place our next stitch right into that first stitch to start our spiral. This method avoids the need for a slip stitch join.

This next part can feel a bit awkward, but it gets easier right away.

Step 6: Join into a tube without a seam

To turn your strip into a tube and begin the spiral:

1. Yarn over for a half double crochet
   Hold that loop on your hook.
2. Find the first stitch of the row
   It will look like a little V. Insert your hook under both legs of that V.
3. Work a regular half double crochet
   • Yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on your hook).
   • Yarn over, pull through all 3.

You have just started working in the round, and your crochet hat is now joined into a tube.

From here on:

• You do not slip stitch to join at the end of each round.
• You do not turn your work.
• You simply keep going around and around in a smooth spiral.

Continue making one half double crochet into each stitch all the way around. When you reach the area where the ends met, just keep working into each stitch as usual.

I like to hold the bottom edge together with my fingers at that little join area the first time around, then work into the same stitch where the join is and then the next stitch. Once you pass that spot once, it starts to look like any other part of the hat.

If spirals are new for you, you might also enjoy my Speedy Granny Ruth spiral hat pattern, which uses the same idea of working in a continuous spiral on a different stitch pattern.

Step 7: Build the height of the hat

The body of the hat is just repeat rows of half double crochet.

• Work one HDC in every stitch around and around in a spiral.
• Do not worry about the exact number of rounds while you are getting started.
• Keep an eye on your yarn ball. For my sample, I work about 22 rounds in total before the final shaping round.

The more spiral rounds you make:

• The taller the hat becomes.
• The more brim you will have to fold up at the end.

If you love a deep, fold-over brim, keep going for a couple of extra rounds. If you prefer a shorter beanie with no fold, stop a bit earlier.

You can gently line up where your starting join was at the bottom with the height of your rounds. I aim to stop in about the same area vertically as that original join. It does not have to be exact, it just keeps things tidy.

If you want more beginner-friendly practice working in the round before or after this crochet hat project, my quick beginner-friendly crochet hat pattern is another fun option to try.

Step 8: Work the final shaping round at the top

Once you are nearly out of yarn or happy with the height of your hat, it is time for a simple shaping round at the top. This round creates little “boxes” that make it easier to cinch everything closed.

For this last row:

1. Chain 1
   This sits above the stitch you just completed.
2. Skip the next stitch
   Do not work into the stitch directly under that chain.
3. Half double crochet into the following stitch
   That is “the second stitch” from the chain.

So the repeat is:

• Chain 1, skip 1 stitch, HDC into the next stitch.

Work this all the way around until you are back to the area where you began that chain-1.

When you reach that spot:

• Make one last chain 1.
• Cut your yarn, leaving a tail, and pull the tail all the way through that last loop to fasten off.
• Snug the yarn down.

Now you will see neat little spaces between your HDCs. These are what I thread through to close the top.

Step 9: Cinch the top of the hat closed

To gather the top:

1. Cut two strands of yarn
   Choose yarn in the same color as your hat. Each strand should be long enough to go all the way around the top with extra for knotting.
2. Thread both strands onto your yarn needle
   You will be using them together as one thicker strand.
3. Weave under and over the chain spaces
   Work your way around the top edge, passing the needle:
   • Under one “box”,
   • Over the next,
   • Under the next, and so on.

Take care not to pull the tail all the way through by accident. Leave a good length hanging so you can pull both ends later.

Once you have gone all the way around, both ends of your cinching yarn should be coming out near each other. 4. Pull to gather the top
Gently pull on the two ends at the same time. The top of the hat will start to pucker in and close like a drawstring bag. 5. Tie a secure “hockey skate” knot
I make a regular knot, then wrap and knot again before I fully tighten.
Then I pull that knot really snug so it will not slip back open.

Knot it a second time if you like for extra security. The goal is a firm knot that holds the gathered top closed, ready for a pom pom if desired.

Step 10: Hide and secure the top tails

With the top cinched, it is time to move those tails inside the hat.

1. Insert your crochet hook from inside to outside
   Push the hook up through the center of the hat or close to where the tails are.
2. Grab the knot tails
   Catch both strands with your hook and pull them down to the inside of the hat.
3. Tie another knot inside
   On the wrong side, tie those cinching strands together again. This keeps everything extra secure.
4. Trim the yarn and weave in the ends
   Cut the ends short so they do not dangle. They will now be hidden inside the hat.

At this point, the top of your hat should be nicely closed with no big hole, and all the knotting is tucked away on the inside.

Step 11: Close the tiny gap at the brim

You will probably still see a small opening at the very bottom edge where the chain was first joined. That is what the final tail is for.

1. Thread the tail at the brim onto your needle
   This is the yarn tail from where you joined your original strip into a tube.
2. Go under the first stitch or chain on the other side
   Slide your needle under the V at the edge where the gap is.
3. Go back down into the stitch where the tail came from
   This pulls the two sides together and closes that small hole, unlike using a traditional slip stitch join.
4. Weave in the tail properly
   Sew the tail up and down along the direction of the stitches around the brim, not across the brim.
   This is important, because:
   • Up-and-down weaving lets the brim stretch naturally, acting like crochet ribbing.
   • Weaving straight across can stop the edge from stretching and make it feel tight.

Do not pull that tail too tight while you weave. You want the brim to lie flat and even, not scrunch in.

When the tail is secure, trim it close.

If you enjoy learning how small details like this affect fit and stretch, you might like my beginner's guide to crocheting a granny square, where I go into similar finishing touches on a square project.

Step 12: Try on and customize your new beanie

Now the fun part. Turn your crochet hat right side out and try it on.

What you should see and feel:

• A smooth spiral of half double crochet with no obvious seam.
• A snug but stretchy brim that sits nicely around your head.
• A closed top with soft gathers.

You can customize the look in a couple of easy ways:

• Brim depth
  If you worked more rounds before the shaping row, you will have more fabric to roll up for a chunky brim. The layered look creates crochet ribbing with great stretch. If you worked fewer, it will sit flat like a standard beanie.
• Hat height
  Try the hat on before cinching the top next time.
  • If it is too short, add another spiral round or two.
  • If it is too long and feels slouchy, pull back a round before working the chain 1, skip 1 round.
• Color choices
  Use any solid or variegated worsted acrylic you love. For gift hats, you can keep a little notebook with head measurements and chain numbers so you can repeat your favorite fits.

If you ever want a more structured beanie with different shaping, this free half double crochet beanie pattern in all sizes is a good reference to compare top down shaping with the side to side style we just used.

Common beginner questions about this hat

Here are a few things I often get asked when people make this easy pattern for the first time.

How do I know if my starting chain is the right size?

I always say: your head decides.

• Wrap the chain around your head where the hat will sit.
• Pull it snug, not tight and not floppy.
• If the ends meet nicely, that is the right length.

This flexible approach works great for child size too. If you want a slightly looser hat, add two or four chains. If you want it snugger, subtract a few.

What if I lose track of my rounds?

Since we are working in a spiral with no joins, it is easy to forget how many rounds you have done.

You can:

• Lay the hat flat and count the rows of stitches upward from the brim.
• Use a small piece of contrasting yarn as a marker. Just lay it where one round ends and the next begins and move it up as you go.

Why is my edge wavy or tight?

If the brim is rippling or pulling in:

• Check that you are not adding or skipping crochet stitches as you go around.
• Make sure you are not weaving the final tail too tight across the brim.

If your tension is very tight, you can try a slightly larger hook on your next hat or practice keeping a lighter grip on your yarn. My Crochet Class on HDC has extra tips just for that.

Can I use a different yarn?

You can, but the look will change.

• Bulky weight yarn or chunky yarn will make a chunkier, faster hat.
• Thinner yarn will make a lighter hat and you will need more rows.

Try to stick with something in the worsted range until you are comfortable changing stitch counts and measuring on the go. If you want help choosing yarns for hats in general, this guide on how to choose the best yarn for hats is very clear and beginner friendly.

Ready for your next easy project?

You have just crocheted a full beanie using only chains and single crochet, worked in a smooth spiral with no joins. That is a big step in your crochet journey.

If you enjoyed this style of simple, relaxing stitching, here are a few more ideas you might like:

• Try another spiral hat with a different stitch pattern, like my Simple spiral crochet hat for beginners.
• Practice your stitches on a flat project, such as the easy crochet cowl tutorial for beginners, a ribbed wonder worked as a rectangle that uses single, half double, double, and treble crochet.

Each of these patterns builds on the skills you just used in this easy crochet hat.

Wrapping up: your first beanie is just the beginning

You started with a simple loop on your hook and ended up with a cozy custom beanie that you can wear today. You learned how to size a chain to your own head or child size for the rectangle, work half double crochet into the back loops to create a ribbed wonder, crochet in a continuous spiral, shape the top with chain spaces, and close everything neatly without losing stretch at the brim.

Take a moment to admire your crochet hat and give yourself credit for sticking with it. I would love to know what yarn and color you chose, so tell me in the comments and share a photo if you can.

When you are ready, keep going with more beginner projects, and let this hat remind you that you really can learn crochet, one simple stitch at a time.

Left Handed?

More FAQs about this easiest crochet hat

How long does this crochet hat take to make?

If you are a brand‑new crocheter, plan for 2 to 3 hours, including pausing the video and checking your work.
If you already know half double crochet, you can finish it in about 1 to 2 hours.

How much yarn do I need for this beanie?

You only need one ball of worsted weight (size 4) yarn for an adult hat.
For kids or smaller heads, you will use even less. If your ball is on the small side, keep an eye on it and stop a round or two earlier if needed.

What if my hat feels too big after I finish?

If your hat is a bit loose:

• Wash it gently and let it air dry flat, which can sometimes help it settle.
• Fold up a bigger brim to make it feel snugger.
• On your next hat, start with fewer chains so the base is smaller.

You can always use this first hat as a cozy “around the house” beanie and adjust the next one.

What if my hat is too tight?

If your hat is squeezing your head:

• Try stretching the brim gently with your hands.
• Next time, start with a longer chain, or go up to a larger hook size.

Keep a note of how many chains you used and who it fits. That will help you get the size right on future hats.

Can I add a pom pom to this beanie?

Yes, a pom pom looks great with this hat.

• After you cinch the top closed and hide the tails,
• Sew on a yarn pom pom or attach a faux fur pom pom through the top center.

Use a strong knot and weave the ends inside the hat so it stays secure.

Can I use a different stitch instead of half double crochet?

You can, but the look and size will change.

• Single crochet will make a denser, tighter hat.
• Double crochet will make a looser, taller hat with more gaps.

If you change stitches, be ready to adjust the number of rounds and check the fit on your head as you go.

What should I try next after this hat?

Once you finish this spiral beanie, you might enjoy:

• Making the same hat again in a new color for practice.
• Trying another spiral hat pattern with a different stitch pattern.
• Working on a matching cowl or scarf using half double crochet so you can repeat the same motion.

Each project will make your stitches smoother and your tension more even.

Hi, I am Christa Patel, the maker and teacher behind The Secret Yarnery. I learned to crochet as a child, and I still love how a simple hook and yarn can turn into something warm and useful in your hands.

I create simple, step‑by‑step crochet tutorials for people who want clear instructions, close‑up views, and lots of encouragement. My focus is on easy, relaxing patterns that help you build real skills without feeling stressed or confused.

When I am not filming crochet videos or writing patterns, you can usually find me with a fresh ball of yarn, testing a new idea, or answering questions from other crocheters in our community.

If you enjoyed this easiest crochet hat and want more beginner‑friendly projects, you can find more tutorials, patterns, and crochet classes at The Secret Yarnery.