Pennington Hat in Lion Brand Mandala Thick & Quick - L80171 - Downloadable PDF

Pennington Hat in Lion Brand Mandala Thick & Quick – Free Crochet Pattern L80171

The Pennington Hat is a free, beginner-friendly crochet pattern designed by Teresa Chorzepa and published by Lion Brand Yarn Company (Pattern Number L80171). This cozy, casual beanie is worked flat in simple rows and then seamed and gathered to create a classic hat shape, topped with a fun handmade pom-pom. It is an ideal project for new crocheters looking to build confidence, or for experienced makers who want a quick, satisfying make.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a single crochet beanie-style hat with a finished circumference of approximately 19 inches (48.5 cm), designed to stretch and fit a range of adult head sizes. The finished height is approximately 12 inches (30.5 cm). The hat features a gathered crown and a decorative pom-pom at the top, giving it a playful, textured look.

Materials Used

• Yarn: Lion Brand Mandala Thick & Quick (Art. #528), colorway 211 Pocket Watch – 2 cakes required. This is a super bulky (weight 6) yarn, known for its self-striping, multicolor gradients that create beautiful color transitions without any extra effort from the crocheter.
• Hook: Lion Brand crochet hook size N (10 mm), which pairs perfectly with the super bulky yarn weight for a fast, satisfying work-up.
• Notions: A Lion Brand large-eyed blunt needle for seaming and weaving in ends.

Techniques Used

• Flat construction: Rather than working in the round, this hat is crocheted flat in rows, then seamed along the short ends to form a tube. This approach is particularly accessible for beginners who are not yet comfortable with working in the round.
• Gathering the crown: Once the flat piece reaches the correct length, a long yarn tail is threaded onto the blunt needle and woven through the ends of rows along one long edge. Pulling this thread gathers the fabric to form the top of the hat — a simple and effective technique that creates a neat, rounded crown without complex shaping or decreases.
• Seaming: The short ends of the rectangle are joined together to complete the hat's cylindrical shape.
• Pom-pom making: A pom-pom is created following the package directions included with the Lion Brand Mandala Thick & Quick yarn and tied securely to the gathered crown for a decorative finishing touch.
• Weaving in ends: Standard finishing technique to secure all yarn tails neatly inside the work.

Stitches Used

• Chain stitch (ch): Used to create the foundation chain of 25 chains at the start of the pattern.
• Single crochet (sc): The only stitch used throughout the body of the hat, making this an excellent pattern for absolute beginners. The gauge is 8 single crochet to approximately 4 inches (10 cm).
• Back loop only (BLO) single crochet: From Row 2 onward, every single crochet is worked through the back loop only. This technique creates a subtle horizontal ribbing effect across the fabric, adding visual texture and a slight elasticity to the finished hat that helps it conform comfortably to the wearer's head.

Skill Level and Pattern Format

This pattern is rated Easy by Lion Brand, making it well-suited for beginners who have mastered the chain stitch and single crochet. The repetitive nature of the rows — working single crochet in the back loop only across each row — means there is very little to memorize, and the project works up quickly thanks to the super bulky yarn and large 10 mm hook. The Pennington Hat is available as a free downloadable PDF, pattern number L80171, from Lion Brand Yarn Company.

Why Back Loop Only Crochet