Aspen Hat in Schachenmayr Bravo Big Color and Boston Style - DC1011

Aspen Hat – Crochet Pattern in Schachenmayr Bravo Big Color and Boston Style (DC1011)

This free downloadable PDF crochet pattern creates a chunky, textured winter hat designed to fit a head circumference of approximately 49 cm and standing approximately 20.5 cm tall. The design combines two Schachenmayr yarns to produce a striking two-tone effect, making it a stylish and practical cold-weather accessory. The pattern is worked entirely in the round, making it an approachable project for crocheters comfortable with basic crochet construction techniques.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a crocheted hat with a defined structure and textural surface interest. The finished piece includes what appears to be an ear flap detail, adding both warmth and visual character to the design. The hat is sized for an adult head of roughly 49 cm circumference, making it a versatile everyday winter accessory.

Yarns and Materials

• Schachenmayr original Bravo Big Color in colorway Tropical Print Color, Fb 00094 – 200 g (1 skein), a super chunky weight yarn that forms the main body of the hat and provides the bold, multicolor base
• Schachenmayr original Boston Style in colorway Pflaume Color, Fb 00549 – 50 g (1 skein), a chunky weight yarn used as a contrast color, likely for the ear flap and edging details
• Milward crochet hook size 6.5 mm – used for finer detail sections, including the ear flap construction
• Milward crochet hook size 10 mm – used for the main body of the hat, appropriate for the super chunky Bravo Big Color yarn
• A blunt-tipped tapestry needle (Wollsticknadel ohne Spitze) for weaving in ends

Techniques and Construction

The hat is worked in the round from the top down or base up using a combination of crochet stitches and a distinctive textural technique. The construction method involves joining each round with a slip stitch (Kettmasche) into the top chain of the turning chain that replaces the first double crochet of each round.

A key design feature of this pattern is the use of back loop only crochet – from the second round onward, each stitch is worked by inserting the hook into only the back loop (hinteres Maschenglied) of the stitch in the previous round. This technique creates a pronounced ribbed, ridged texture across the surface of the hat, giving it a handcrafted, artisanal appearance while also adding structural density and warmth.

Stitches Used

• Double crochet / Treble (Stäbchen) – the primary stitch used throughout the main body of the hat, worked in the round with back loop only insertion from round two onward
• Chain stitch (Luftmasche) – used to replace the first double crochet of each round (3 chain stitches as a turning chain substitute) and for foundational construction
• Slip stitch (Kettmasche) – used to close each round by joining into the top chain of the starting chain
• Single crochet (Feste Masche) – used in the ear flap section, where decreases are worked to shape the flap
• Single crochet two together / decrease (2 feste Maschen zusammenhäkeln) – a standard decrease technique used to shape and taper the ear flap over several rows
• Relief stitches worked from the front (Reliefstäbchen von vorne) – a raised crochet stitch technique where the hook is inserted around the post of the stitch in the previous round from the front, right to left, creating a raised or embossed texture on the fabric surface; this is a hallmark of decorative crochet stitch work

Ear Flap Construction

The ear flap is shaped using single