Crocheted Sunhat in Bergere de France Sonora - 25 - Downloadable PDF

Crocheted Sunhat in Bergere de France Sonora – Pattern Summary

This pattern from Bergere de France provides instructions for crocheting a classic sunhat sized for children aged 6 to 8 years. Worked in the round from the crown downward, the hat features a structured crown and a wide, floppy brim that makes it ideal for sunny days. The design is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it a rewarding project for crocheters who are comfortable working in the round and reading stitch pattern repeats.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Bergere de France Sonora in shade Gardénia (246.671) – an aran weight yarn. You will need 2 balls.
• Hooks: A 3.0 mm crochet hook for the crown section and a 4.0 mm crochet hook for the brim, allowing the brim to open up with a looser, more flexible drape.

Construction and Structure

The hat is begun by forming a magic ring (closed ring), into which the first round of stitches is worked. The crown is built up over multiple rounds, with each round adding stitches at regular intervals to create a flat, circular top. As the rounds progress, the shaping transitions into the sides of the hat before the brim is worked outward with increasing stitch counts to create the characteristic wide sunhat silhouette.

The pattern is worked entirely in the round, with each round closed using a slip stitch to the beginning chain. Odd-numbered rounds introduce shaping increases, while even-numbered rounds maintain the established stitch count, creating a rhythmic and structured pattern repeat that is easy to follow once the sequence is established.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Chain stitch (ch / ch st) – used throughout for foundation chains, turning chains, and to create the decorative chain-1 spaces that form the lace-like mesh texture of the hat.
• Slip stitch (sl st) – used to close each round and to reposition the working yarn at the beginning of certain rounds.
• Double crochet (US) / Treble crochet (UK) – dc / tr – used in the very first round worked into the ring to establish the crown centre, producing 11 stitches in total.
• Half double crochet (US) / Half treble crochet (UK) – hdc / hlf tr – the primary stitch used throughout the body and brim of the hat, worked into chain spaces to build up the mesh fabric.
• Crab stitch (reverse single crochet) – referenced as a finishing technique, worked from left to right rather than the usual direction, creating a neat, rope-like edging around the brim. The pattern directs readers to the basic instruction pages for full guidance on this technique.
• Chain-1 spaces – integral to the overall lace mesh structure; stitches are worked into these spaces rather than into individual stitches, giving the fabric its open, airy quality suited to a summer hat.

Pattern Detail and Shaping

From Round 1, the crown is established with 10 double crochet (UK: treble) stitches worked into the ring, plus the starting chain, giving 11 stitches total. From Round 2 onward, the pattern alternates between increase rounds and plain rounds. Increase rounds (Rounds 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and beyond) add extra hdc/hlf tr and ch combinations at evenly spaced intervals by working two hdc stitches with a chain between them into a single chain space, effectively doubling the stitch count at those points.

By Round 13, the pattern introduces a more complex increase sequence, with groups of 8 chain spaces worked plain before a double stitch is placed into a corner space, and this repeat is worked multiple times around the circumference. By Round 19, the stitch count has grown to 79 chain-1 spaces, reflecting the expanded diameter of the brim. The switch to the larger 4.0 mm hook for the brim rounds helps ensure the fabric remains supple and the brim fans out naturally rather than pulling inward.

Sizing and Fit