Purrfectly Cozy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Crocheting a Cute Cat Hat

Is there anything cuter than a cat in a hat? Well, maybe a cat in a hat that you crocheted! This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of creating an adorable, snuggly cat hat. Whether you’re a seasoned crocheter or a curious beginner, this project is a fun and rewarding way to practice your skills and pamper your feline friend. Get ready to unleash your creativity and craft a purr-fectly cozy accessory!

What You’ll Need

Before you embark on this crochet adventure, gather your supplies. Having everything ready will make the process much smoother and more enjoyable. Here’s a list of what you’ll need:

• Yarn: The type of yarn you choose will influence the look and feel of your cat hat. For a cozy and warm hat, opt for a soft, medium-weight yarn such as acrylic or wool blend. Avoid rough or scratchy yarns, as they might irritate your cat. Approximately 50-100 grams (depending on your cat’s size) should suffice. If you plan to add any decorative elements using another color, make sure to acquire a small amount of second color yarn.
• Crochet Hook: Select a hook size that’s suitable for your chosen yarn. The yarn label will often recommend a hook size. Generally, a 4mm (G/6) or 5mm (H/8) hook works well for medium-weight yarn.
• Scissors: A sharp pair of scissors is essential for cutting the yarn.
• Yarn Needle: Also known as a tapestry needle or darning needle. This is a large-eyed needle with a blunt tip used to weave in loose ends.
• Measuring Tape: To ensure a comfortable fit for your cat, a measuring tape will help you to measure your cat’s head circumference.
• Stitch Markers (Optional): These small plastic or metal rings can be used to mark important stitches, especially for beginners.

Getting Started: Measuring Your Cat

Before we dive into crocheting, it’s crucial to get your cat’s measurements to create a perfectly fitting hat. This will ensure that the hat is comfortable and secure without being too tight. The most important measurement is the head circumference, which is the distance around the cat’s head, just above their eyes. If possible, get a second opinion. An extra set of hands can be beneficial with a wriggly cat. Try to get your cat when they’re relaxed. Don’t chase them down if they’re not in the mood, as this will make measuring more difficult for you and more stressful for them.

1. Calm Your Cat: First, ensure your cat is relaxed and comfortable. Perhaps give them a cuddle or play session to put them at ease.
2. Measure Head Circumference: Gently wrap the measuring tape around your cat’s head, just above their eyes, where the hat will sit. Make sure the tape isn’t too tight. Note this measurement.
3. Optional: Measure Head Height: This measurement is less important but you might need it for some variations. To do this measure from your cats forehead to the nape of the neck.

Once you have the measurements, note them down. We’ll refer to these as we progress. Generally, for a small cat a head circumference of 8-10 inches would be adequate. Medium cats are about 10-12 inches in circumference, and large cats go up to 12-15 inches. Adjust your measurements according to your specific cat. Remember that this is just a starting point and some alterations might be needed. It is always advisable to start with an slightly bigger project and then adjust it to fit the cat, if it becomes too big.

Crochet Abbreviations

Before we start the actual crocheting, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with some common crochet abbreviations we’ll be using:

• ch: Chain
• sc: Single Crochet
• inc: Increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
• dec: Decrease (sc two stitches together)
• sl st: Slip Stitch
• st(s): Stitch(es)
• rep: Repeat
• rnd: Round

The Basic Cat Hat Pattern

This pattern creates a basic, simple hat that can be adjusted to different sizes and styles. We’ll start with a magic ring and work in rounds. Feel free to experiment with different colors and decorative add-ons as you gain experience.

Round 1: Magic Ring and Foundation

1. Create a Magic Ring: Wrap the yarn around your fingers twice, creating a loop. Insert your hook into the loop, grab the yarn, and pull through. Then, yarn over, and pull through again. That’s it, you created a magic ring.
2. Crochet 6 Single Crochet into the ring: Insert your hook into the ring, yarn over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops. Repeat five more times.
3. Close the Magic Ring: Gently pull the yarn tail to close the magic ring tightly.
4. Slip Stitch to Join: Join with a slip stitch in the first single crochet. You should have 6 sc stitches.

Round 2: Increasing

1. Chain 1: This doesn’t count as a stitch.
2. Increase in Each Stitch: Place 2 sc stitches in each stitch around. At the end of this round you should have 12 stitches.
3. Slip Stitch to Join: Join with a slip stitch in the first single crochet.

Round 3: Increasing Again

1. Chain 1: Again, this doesn’t count as a stitch.
2. Pattern: *1 sc in the first st, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * around. At the end of this round you should have 18 stitches.
3. Slip Stitch to Join: Join with a slip stitch in the first single crochet.

Round 4: Increasing Again

1. Chain 1: This doesn’t count as a stitch.
2. Pattern: *1 sc in each of the first 2 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * around. At the end of this round you should have 24 stitches.
3. Slip Stitch to Join: Join with a slip stitch in the first single crochet.

Round 5: Increasing Again

1. Chain 1: This doesn’t count as a stitch.
2. Pattern: *1 sc in each of the first 3 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * around. At the end of this round you should have 30 stitches.
3. Slip Stitch to Join: Join with a slip stitch in the first single crochet.

Continuing the Hat Base

Keep increasing each round following this pattern by adding one single crochet in the sequence before the increase stich until you reach the desired size of the hat base. In the next few rounds, you will continue to expand the circle, but you should check the hat base against the measured circumference of your cat’s head. Compare as you work to ensure proper sizing. Lay the hat down, and measure its diameter. The diameter of the circle should be about one third of the circumference of your cat’s head measurement.

The general increase pattern is to increase by six stitches in each round. Continue as follows:

Round 6: *1 sc in the first 4 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * around. (36 sts)

Round 7: *1 sc in the first 5 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * around. (42 sts)

Round 8: *1 sc in the first 6 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * around. (48 sts)

Round 9: *1 sc in the first 7 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * around. (54 sts)

Round 10: *1 sc in the first 8 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * around. (60 sts)

Continue in the manner as described above and create a base that has the approximate diameter as calculated earlier. Once you feel you reached the required size, it’s time to stop increasing and create a cylinder. Now, we will continue crocheting single crochets in rounds without increasing.

Creating the Hat Sides

Once the base has the proper diameter, it’s time to start crocheting straight up, creating the sides of the hat. This is where the hat starts to take its cylindrical shape.

1. Chain 1: This doesn’t count as a stitch.
2. Single Crochet in Each Stitch: Single crochet in every stitch around. This will now create a solid circle of the base with no increases.
3. Slip Stitch to Join: Join with a slip stitch in the first single crochet.

Continue repeating the above round of single crochet stitches without any increases in every round. The length of this section depends on how deep you want the hat to be. Generally, between 3 to 5 inches is a good starting point for an average cat. A general recommendation is to make the hat depth about one third of the measured head circumference. Continue crocheting this until it covers about half of your cat’s ears (if that is the style you want to achieve) or covers the ears completely.

Final Round and Finishing

Now that you’ve reached the desired height for the hat, it’s time to finish it off. This involves creating a neat edge and securing your yarn.

1. Slip Stitch Around: Make a slip stitch into each stitch around the round to make a clean edge.
2. Fasten Off: Cut the yarn, leaving about 6 inches of tail. Pull the yarn tail through the last loop, pull tightly to make a knot. This secures your stitch.
3. Weave in Ends: Thread the yarn tail onto your yarn needle, and carefully weave the tail through the back of a few stitches to hide and secure the end. Once this is done cut off any remaining yarn.

Congratulations! You have completed the basic cat hat. Now, let’s move on to the optional additions and decorations.

Optional Additions and Decorations

Now that you have the basic hat, you can customize it to your cat’s personality. Here are some fun ideas to try:

1. Ear Holes

If you want the hat to be more comfortable for your cat, create ear holes to allow their ears to stick out. If you are going to add ear holes, do so before your final slip stitch round.

1. Locate Ear Points: Place the hat on your cat (gently!) or a model, and mark where their ears naturally sit.
2. Mark Ear Hole Spots: Use stitch markers to mark the two spots where the ear holes will go. Make sure they are equal in distance.
3. Crochet Towards Ear Hole: Crochet as usual until the first stitch marker is reached.
4. Create Ear Hole: Crochet chains to create an opening and then skip the equivalent amount of stitches and continue crocheting. The number of chains will depend on the size of your cats’ ears but generally 5-8 chains is a good starting point.
5. Crochet and Repeat: Continue until the second marked stitch is reached, create the ear hole, skip the indicated stitches, and crochet till the end of the round.
6. Final Round: Make a final slip stitch round to create a clean edge.

2. Cat Ears

Add triangle-shaped ears to the top of the hat for an extra touch of cuteness. These can be made with any color yarn and sewed to the main hat.

Ears (make 2):

1. Start with Magic Ring: Create a magic ring.
2. Round 1: 6 single crochet into ring (6 sts)
3. Round 2: *1 sc in the first st, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * around. (9 sts)
4. Round 3: *1 sc in the first 2 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * around. (12 sts)
5. Round 4: *1 sc in the first 3 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * around. (15 sts)
6. Round 5: 1 sc in each stitch around.
7. Round 6: 1 sc in each stitch around.
8. Round 7: 1 sc in each stitch around.
9. Fasten Off: Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Sewing Ears:

1. Position: Fold each triangle in half. Then using the tapestry needle, attach the base of each triangle to the hat with a long tail. Sew securely.
2. Secure: Make sure that the ear is securely attached to the main hat.

3. Brim

A brim can add a nice touch to your hat. You can crochet one using single crochets or other decorative stitches to add a nice touch.

1. Start After the last round of the hat: Do not cut the yarn from the main part of the hat.
2. Chain 1: Then, begin a new row of single crochet using the same color.
3. Continue Single Crochet in Rows: Create several more rows of single crochet around to build the desired brim length.
4. Fasten Off: Fasten off and weave in the ends when the desired width of the brim is achieved.

4. Pom-Poms

Attach a pom-pom to the top for a fun, playful look.

1. Make Pom-Pom: Wrap the yarn around your fingers multiple times, remove it, and tie it tightly in the middle. Then, cut the looped ends.
2. Trim: Trim to create a round shape.
3. Sew On: Use the yarn tail to securely attach the pom-pom to the top of the hat.

5. Other embellishments

• Use different colors to create stripes, patterns, or even a festive theme for your cat’s hat.
• Sew on small fabric shapes like stars or hearts.
• Add beads or sequins using strong, secure stitching methods.

Important Considerations

• Safety First: Always supervise your cat while they’re wearing the hat. Ensure it’s not too tight and that there are no small parts that could be ingested.
• Comfort: Use soft yarn to prevent irritation. If your cat is resistant to wearing the hat, don’t force it.
• Proper Fit: A hat that is too tight can be uncomfortable and unsafe for your cat.
• Slow Introduction: Let your cat get used to the hat slowly. Start with short durations and reward them for good behavior.
• Durability: Ensure that all stitches are secure and that no loose threads are present, which could be a danger to the animal.

Tips for Success

• Practice Makes Perfect: If you’re new to crocheting, practice the basic stitches before starting on the hat.
• Check Your Tension: Maintain consistent tension to ensure even stitches and a uniform hat.
• Count Stitches: Count your stitches, especially in the increasing rounds, to avoid mistakes.
• Take Breaks: Don’t try to finish the hat in one sitting. Take breaks to avoid eye strain and hand fatigue.
• Have Fun: Enjoy the process and the creative possibilities. Your cat will appreciate the effort you put in!

Final Thoughts

Crocheting a cat hat is a delightful project that combines creativity with a love for our feline friends. With patience and a little practice, you can create a hat that’s both stylish and functional. Remember to prioritize your cat’s comfort and safety above all. Share your creations online, and don’t hesitate to experiment and make it your own. Happy crocheting, and happy cats!