Wren's Hat Duo

Wren's Hat Duo Crochet Pattern by Tricia Dodge

What Is Being Made

Wren's Hat Duo is a downloadable crochet pattern designed by Tricia Dodge that provides instructions for creating two coordinated hat styles. The pattern accommodates multiple sizes, including adult, child, and toddler options, making it a versatile design suitable for gift-giving or personal wardrobe building. Both hats in the duo share the same foundational construction techniques while offering distinct finished looks.

Craft and Primary Technique

This is an intermediate-level crochet project. Crochet is a fiber craft that uses a single hook to create interlocking loops of yarn into fabric. The Wren's Hat Duo pattern demonstrates fundamental crochet construction methods, building hats from the bottom up using a banded approach. The intermediate difficulty level indicates that crafters should have basic crochet experience and familiarity with reading pattern instructions before beginning this project.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes a range of essential crochet stitches to construct the hats:

• Chain (ch) – The foundation stitch used to create the initial loops
• Half Double Crochet (hdc) – A medium-height stitch that forms the primary fabric of the band
• Single Crochet (sc) – A short, tight stitch used for shaping and detail work
• Double Crochet (dc) – A taller stitch that adds height and drape to the hat crown
• Slip Stitch (sl st) – Used to join rounds and create seamless transitions
• Double Crochet Decreases (dc2tog and dc3tog) – Techniques for reducing stitch counts to shape the crown of the hats
• Back Loop Only (BLO) – A variation worked through only the back loop of stitches for textural effects

Materials and Tools

The Wren's Hat Duo pattern requires worsted weight yarn, with 250 yards of yarn being sufficient to complete either hat size. The designer used Lion Brand Heartland yarn for the original sample. An I (5.5mm) crochet hook is the appropriate tool size for this project. Additional supplies include a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and a pom pom maker for adding decorative finishing touches to the completed hats. The pattern specifies a gauge of 8 half double crochet stitches and 5 rows measuring 2 inches in a square, worked off the band section.

Pattern Construction Details

The hat construction begins with a band created by chaining either 11 stitches for adult and child sizes or 9 stitches for toddler size. The band is worked in half double crochet, establishing the base circumference that will fit around the wearer's head. From this foundation, the pattern progresses upward to create the crown of the hat, incorporating the various stitch types and decreasing techniques to shape the top. The use of pom pom finishing adds a playful, classic element to the completed designs.