abbycrochet - Pattern

Here's the pattern to a slouchy hat i improvised last night.

TEXTURED SLOUCH HAT
worsted weight yarn- about 250 yards
I hook
yarn needle

This hat is worked in rounds, alternating double crochet and half double crochet, for a nice textured look that makes the stitches really pop out. the decreasing is all done in half double crochet.
note about hook choice: i have no gauge for this pattern, but something to think about is that i crochet somewhat tightly.  i usually have to go up a hook size for most patterns to meet the gauge (sometimes 2), so if you crochet loosely you may want to go down one, but it doesn't really matter.

remember to continually try on your hat as you make it, to make sure it's coming out to fit you.  If you have a large head, increase a row or 2 more, a smaller head, dec a row or 2 more at the end. this hat is extremely modifiable, and its easy to make it slouchier or to know how many decrease rows you need.
EDIT: i really stress trying on the hat as you go. everyone has different size heads and different preferences of slouchyness, etc.  hats are just a formula, and its really easy to modify it the way you want.  this hat was to fit my head- not necessarily to fit yours.

1) ch 4, sl st into 1st st. ch 2, dc 9 into ring, join with sl st to top of ch. (10)

2) ch 1,1  hdc in same spot as ch, 2 hdc in each st around, sl st to top of ch. (20)

3) ch 2,  2 dc in next stitch *1 dc second st, 2 dc third* rep from * around, sl st to top of ch. (30)

4) ch 1, 1 hdc next st, *2 hdc  in  2nd st, 1 hdc next 2* rep from * around, sl st to top of ch (40)

5) ch 2, dc next 2 sts *2 dc next st, 1 dc next 3 sts* rep from * around, sl st to top of ch (50)

6) ch 1, 1 hdc next 3 sts, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc next 4* rep * around, sl st to top of ch (60)

7) ch 2, 1 dc next 4 st, *2 dc next st, 1 dc next 5* rep from * around, sl st to top of ch. (70)

at this point (or after 6th round, depending on size of your head, you can stop increasing and alternate hdc and dc each around till long enough for a beanie.
general rule for beanie hats: stop increasing when circle is about the size of your hand.

8) ch 1, 1 hdc next 5 st  *2 hdc, next st, 1 hdc next 6 st* rep from * around, sl st to top of ch. (80)

9) ch 2, 1 dc next 6 sts *2 dc next st, 1 dc next 7 sts* rep from * around, sl st to top of ch. (90)

stop increasing at this point.

10) ch 1, 1 hdc in each st around, sl st to top of ch. (90)

11) ch 2, 1 dc in each st around, sl st to top of ch. (90)
 
rep rows 10 and 11 3 more times. 

18) ch 1, hdc in each st around, sl st to top of ch. (90)

19) ch 1, hdc next 6 sts, *hdc dec over next 2 st, 1 hdc next 7* rep from * around, sl st to top of ch. (80)

20), ch 1, hdc next 5 sts, *hdc dec over next 2 st, 1 hdc next 6* rep from * around, sl st to top of ch. (70)

21) ch 1, hdc next 4 sts, *hdc dec over next 2 sts, 1 hdc next 5* rep from * around, sl st to top of ch. (60)

22) ch 1, hdc next 3 sts, *hdc dec over next 2 sts, 1 hdc next 4* rep from * around, sl st to top of ch. (50)

23) rep row 22 if not tight enough for your head yet. 


fasten off, sew in ends.


ABBREVIATIONS: 
ch- chain
sl st- slip stitch
st- stitch
dc- double crochet
hdc- half double crochet
dec- decrease
rep- repeat