Hatosaurus Hat in Caron Simply Soft - Downloadable PDF

Hatosaurus Hat in Caron Simply Soft – Crochet Pattern Summary

The Hatosaurus Hat is a fun, dinosaur-themed crochet hat designed for children, available as a free downloadable PDF. Worked in Caron Simply Soft yarn, this beginner-friendly project features a playful dinosaur silhouette complete with earflaps and decorative details for eyes and nostrils. It is sized to fit children aged 2/4, 6/8, and 10/12 years, making it a versatile pattern for a range of little ones.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a children's crocheted dinosaur hat — affectionately named the Hatosaurus — worked from the top down in the round, with earflaps added by working in rows. The finished hat measures approximately 7, 8, or 9 inches (18, 20.5, or 23 cm) in depth depending on the size chosen. The earflaps are shaped with decreases and measure 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) in length. Small accent details in Black yarn are used to create the eyes and nostrils, giving the hat its signature dinosaur character.

Techniques Used

• Working in the round – The hat crown begins at the top and is crocheted in continuous rounds, expanding outward with regular increases until the body of the hat reaches the correct circumference.
• Working in rows – The earflaps are constructed by transitioning from rounds to flat rows, a useful technique for beginners learning to shift between the two methods.
• Shaping with increases – Eight stitches are increased every alternate round during the crown section, a standard method for creating a flat, evenly shaped circle that then curves into a hat.
• Shaping with decreases – The earflaps are tapered using sc2tog (single crochet two together) and sc3tog (single crochet three together) decrease techniques, creating a neat pointed or rounded earflap shape.
• Joining rounds – Each round is closed with a slip stitch to the first single crochet, keeping the work tidy and the stitch count accurate.
• Color work – The pattern uses three colors: Main Color (MC) Chartreuse (9771), Contrast A Kelly Green (9769), and Contrast B White (9701), along with a small amount of Black (9727) for embellished details.
• Embellishment – Approximately 3 yards (2.8 m) of Black yarn are used to add eyes and nostrils, bringing the dinosaur design to life.

Stitches Used

• Chain stitch (ch) – Used to start the hat at the very top and to begin each row or round.
• Single crochet (sc) – The primary stitch throughout the entire hat, used for both the body and the earflaps.
• Slip stitch (sl st) – Used to join rounds and keep the circular construction neat.
• Sc2tog – Single crochet two stitches together; a basic decrease stitch used to shape the earflaps.
• Sc3tog – Single crochet three stitches together; a double decrease used at the center of the earflap for more pronounced shaping.
• Half double crochet (hdc) is listed in the abbreviations, suggesting it may appear in decorative or finishing elements of the full pattern.

Materials

• Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in the following colors, one ball of each per size:
  • Main Color: Chartreuse (9771)
  • Contrast A: Kelly Green (9769)
  • Contrast B: White (9701)
  • Accent: approximately 3 yards of Black (9727) for eyes and nostrils