Sweet Nothings Crochet: SHELLED BEANIE

Shelled Beanie - a free crochet pattern from Sweet Nothings Crochet

I have been given a second bag of yarn and requested to make beanies & / or scarves for the homeless. I'm hoping that there's going to be even more yarn - which also means there will be more patterns discovered and written.

This project has a matching cowl HERE

I've used this stitch before to make a taped lace for a top, which is HERE

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Materials used : Today I’ve used ~ 50 gms unbranded 8-ply acrylic with a 4.5 mm crochet hook ; embroidery needle ; fabric glue to seal ends ; crochet stitch markers

For Indians : The yarn I’ve used is similar in thickness to our Vardhaman / Oswal acrylic yarns or Laura knitting cotton .

You could use Anchor , Red rose , 4-ply knitting cotton , or unbranded knitting cotton or White Rose or bamboo knitting cotton , Milk cotton ; Silk yarns ; Baby soft acrylic yarn , Ganga Spectrum as well

General yarn info : The yarn used today is not specific to this pattern.

You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size. Using chunky yarn just means that the project zooms ahead that much faster. So if you want a thicker yarn, just use a few strands together.

International yarns : Among the international yarns I have used in this thickness, I’d suggest Lily Sugar n' Cream cotton yarn, Caron Simply Soft , Bernat Softee chunky.

but I think you could also use Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn

You may just have to tweak the gauge a bit.

Difficulty level : Easy to Intermediate.

Size made : Adult beanie : 22" x 8.25"

Size only given for yarn estimation.

Stitches used :

Starting slip knot : https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

Crab Stitch or Reverse Single Crochet stitch : https://youtu.be/cG3crwyHPnk

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);

[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice. One dc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

Here is a sizing chart for general head sizing :

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/470063279839058772/ OR

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/470063279837764548/

Abbreviations used :

sc : single crochet hdc : Half Double crochet

ch : chain ch-sp : chain space

sp : space rep : Repeat

hk : hook lp (s) : loop(s)

yo : yarn over sl-st : slip stitch

Instructions using U.S terminology

Please note that I start all my rounds with a ch 1 turning chain for ease.

Please check the top of this blog for video tutorials of all the stitches used in today’s pattern.

Please note that I take a lot of trouble to give loads of tips through my pattern sheet, so please read through the full sheet before you pick up your hook n yarn.

What is a slip stitch : https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

Magic circle : https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

Half Double Crochet : Hdc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk) ;

yo, draw through all 3 lps. One hdc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/sDiELJdB2Dg

Chainless start for Half Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 start, and this is what I do to start my row of hdc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/lWXpl1KdbZ8

What is a chain stitch ? https://youtu.be/pXx5ukBjKkY

Start Round 1 : with a magic circle and work 8 hdc in it.

Join with a sl-st to the 1st st. (8 sts)

Round 2 : 2 hdc in the 1st st & in each st all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1st st. (16 sts)

Round 3 : 2 hdc in the 1st st ; hdc in the next st ;

(2 hdc in the next st ; hdc in the next st) ;

rep (to) all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1st st. (24 sts)

Round 4 : 2 hdc in the 1st st ; hdc in the next 2 sts ;

(2 hdc in the next st ; hdc in the next 2 sts) ;

rep (to) all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1st st. (32 sts)

Round 5 : 2 hdc in the 1st st ; hdc in the next 3 sts ;

(2 hdc in the next st ; hdc in the next 3 sts) ;

rep (to) all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1st st. (40 sts)

Round 6 : 2 hdc in the 1st st ; hdc in the next 4 sts ;

(2 hdc in the next st ; hdc in the next 3 sts) ;

rep (to) all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1st st. (48 sts)

Round 7 : 2 hdc in the 1st st ; hdc in the next 5 sts ;

(2 hdc in the next st ; hdc in the next 3 sts) ;

rep (to) all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1st st. (54 sts)

Do a quick circumference check. At this point, I have a diameter of 6"

The shelled pattern opens up, and with a loose stitch tension and a good stretch on your yarn, we will manage a 22" circumference.

In case you are using a thinner yarn, please work one more round.

Check the top of this blog for the head measurement chart or check this cool calculation reference below the pattern instructions.

We will start on our shelled pattern

Single Crochet : Sc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (2 lps on hk); yo, draw through both lps. One sc made. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/ghACqBpA-3k

First stitch for Single Crochet : This is how I like to start my row of sc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/6pVYRfsf4_M

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk); [yo, draw through 2 lps] twice. One dc made. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Round 8 : sc in the 1st hdc ;

(ch 1, sk next 3 hdc, 5 dc in the next hdc ;

ch 1, sk next 3 hdc ; sc in the next hdc) ;

rep (to) all around ;

ch 1, and join to the 1st st with a sl-st

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

Round 9 : 3 dc in the 1st st ;

(ch 1, sk next 2 dc, sc in the next dc ;

ch 1, sk next 2 dc, 5 dc in the next sc) ;

rep (to) till the last sc ;

ch 1, 2 dc in that last/ 1st sc ;

and join to the 1st st with a sl-st

Round 10 : sc in the 1st dc ;

ch 1, sk next 2 dc, 5 dc in the next sc ;

(ch 1, sk next 2 dc ; sc in the next dc ;

ch 1, sk next 4 dc, 5 dc in the next sc ;

rep (to) all around ;

ch 1, and join to the 1st st with a sl-st

Rep Rounds 9 and 10 till you get the length you want for your beanie from crown to brim, ending with a Round 10

You can end right here, or you can work a final round to get a flat finish

Half Double Crochet : Hdc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk) ; yo, draw through all 3 lps. One hdc made. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/sDiELJdB2Dg

Last Round : dc in the 1st sc ;

(hdc in the next dc ; 2 hdc in the next dc ;

sc in the next dc ; 2 hdc in the next dc ;

hdc in the next dc ; dc in the next sc) ;

rep (to) till end.

As I told you at the start, this beanie has a matching cowl at https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/shelled-cowl.html

Shelled Beanie- the set of beanie and cowl

Shelled Beanie and cowl set ready to be shipped out

Head circumference calculations

Here's a great way to check circumference

To check, you are either going to wear the beanie, or check with the head size chart given at the top of this blog.

Remember that yarn stretches - so if it's a bit snug, it's good

1. Hat circumference = measure around the head just above ears and subtract one inch for a nicely fitted finished hat.

2. Crown width = (this is a flat circular top of the hat) you need to divide hat circumference by 3.14 (pi).

3. Hat height = Head circumference / 10 x 4.

So you need to measure circumference of the head (round head measurement) and keep checking the outer circumference of your work.

There is another trick for measuring circumference (without running your measure tape all around the edge of your circle as you are working).

This works for a cap that you are working top down, from the crown of the head.

It works by dividing your round head measure by pi (3.14).

So say your head measurement is 22, divide 22 by 3.14 = 7.

Remember when calculating diameter, you must account for the stretch of your yarn too.

So once the ‘flat portion’ for the crown (or the first few rounds while you are still increasing) of your cap is 7” diameter, you can stop increases and start increasing just the length (without increasing stitches for the round)

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Here are some of my other creations.

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/07/criss-cross-beanie.html

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/07/seed-stitch-beanie-2.html