Free Baby Sun Hat Crochet Pattern (Wide Brim)
A wide, flared brim worked in lightweight cotton, made for shading a baby's face on a walk or at the park, not for warmth.
I wrote this pattern after realizing that most of the crochet baby hats I'd made over the years were built for exactly one season: cold ones. Every soft little beanie in my pattern box was designed to trap warmth, which is exactly the wrong instinct for a hat you actually want for a bright afternoon outside. This one solves the opposite problem, with a brim wide enough to genuinely shade a baby's face rather than just sitting there decoratively.
The construction is simpler than it might look. You start exactly the way you'd start any round crochet hat, with a shrinking-to-growing crown worked in increasing rounds from the center out. The trick is what happens after the crown is done: instead of switching to straight, even rounds to build the sides the way a beanie does, you work a handful of straight rounds and then pick the increase pattern back up, letting the fabric flare outward into a brim instead of staying a cylinder. It's the same basic stitch math as building the crown, just applied a second time in a different place.
Below is the full pattern in US terms, with sizing for three baby stages, a note on why this hat has no chin strap, and the small technique that makes the brim flare cleanly instead of ruffling or curling. If you want a warm, snug hat for a newborn instead, our newborn hat pattern is built for that job specifically; this one is not a substitute for it in cold weather.
Materials
- About 130–150 yards of lightweight (DK or sport weight) cotton yarn
- 3.5mm (US E-4) or 4mm (US G-6) crochet hook
- Yarn needle and scissors
- Stitch marker
Abbreviations (US terms)
| Abbr. | Means |
|---|---|
| ch | Chain |
| sc | Single crochet |
| hdc | Half double crochet |
| inc | 2 sc in same stitch |
| st(s) | Stitch(es) |
See our abbreviations glossary for the full list including UK terms.
Gauge
16 sc and 18 rounds measures about 4in / 10cm square with a 4mm hook and DK-weight cotton. Exact gauge matters less here than for a fitted garment, but a fabric that's too loose won't hold the brim's shape.
Notes
- Worked in continuous rounds (no joining or turning) unless noted. Use a stitch marker to track the start of each round.
- Crown rounds 2-6 and brim rounds 11-15 use the same increase formula; the only difference is that rounds 7-10 in between are worked even instead of increasing.
- Sized for 3-6 months in the main pattern, with adjustments for 0-3 and 6-12 months in the sizing section.
Pattern
Magic ring, 6 sc into the ring. Pull tight, do not join. (6 sts)
2 sc in each stitch around. (12 sts)
[Sc 1, inc] around. (18 sts)
[Sc 2, inc] around. (24 sts)
[Sc 3, inc] around. (30 sts)
[Sc 4, inc] around. (36 sts) This completes the crown.
Sc in each stitch around, no increasing. Repeat for 4 rounds. (36 sts each round) This section forms the sides of the hat that sit over the head, between the crown and the flared brim.
[Sc 5, inc] around. (42 sts) This is the same increase formula used in the crown, simply resumed here instead of continuing straight rounds; it's what turns the fabric outward into a brim instead of a cylinder.
[Sc 6, inc] around. (48 sts)
[Sc 7, inc] around. (54 sts)
[Sc 8, inc] around. (60 sts)
[Sc 9, inc] around. (66 sts) The brim now extends about 2.5-3in / 6-7.5cm out from where the sides ended.
Hdc in each stitch around for 2 rounds. This firmer edge stitch keeps the brim from curling or flopping and gives it a cleaner, more finished line. Join with a slip stitch at the end of round 17, fasten off, weave in ends.
How this differs from our newborn hat
Our newborn hat pattern is a soft, snug hospital-style beanie: a shrinking crown that goes straight into a stretchy ribbed or plain band, built to hold warmth against a very young baby's head. This sun hat shares only the first six rounds of that basic shape, the crown, and then goes in a completely different direction. Where the newborn hat stays a simple cylinder all the way to the band, this pattern deliberately resumes increasing after a short straight section, flaring the fabric outward into a brim nearly twice the finished circumference of the crown. The finished object, the yarn weight, and the season they're each meant for are all different; treat them as two separate hats for two separate jobs rather than variations on the same pattern.
Sizing for 0-12 months
The main pattern above is written for roughly 3-6 months, with a finished head opening of about 15-16in / 38-40cm measured around the sides section (rounds 7-10) before the brim flares out. Baby head sizes vary more than most other measurements at this age, so treat these as a starting point and check against your own baby's head circumference if you have it.
For a newborn (0-3 months, roughly 13-14in / 33-35cm), stop the crown one round early at round 5 (30 sts), work only 3 straight rounds instead of 4, then begin the brim increases at the same 5-stitches-between-increases spacing; the brim will end at 60 sts instead of 66, which keeps it proportional to the smaller crown.
For 6-12 months (roughly 17-18in / 43-46cm), add 1 extra round to the crown (repeat round 6's pattern once more before moving on, reaching 42 sts), work 5 straight rounds instead of 4, and add one more brim increase round at the end ([sc10, inc] around) before the hdc edge rounds.
Why cotton for a sun hat
Cotton is a deliberate choice here, not an interchangeable one. It breathes better than acrylic or wool against a baby's head in warm weather, has less stretch and more structure, which helps the brim hold its flared shape instead of drooping, and it's typically easier to keep looking crisp after repeated summer washes. A lightweight DK or sport-weight cotton gives enough body for the brim without making the finished hat heavy or stiff. If you substitute a different fiber, check that it has similarly low stretch, since a very elastic yarn will make the brim relax back toward a straight cylinder instead of staying flared.
Care & washing
Machine wash on a gentle cycle using a machine-washable cotton yarn, then reshape the brim by hand while the hat is still damp, coaxing it back into its flared curve. Lay it flat to dry on a towel rather than draping it over something round, which can pull the brim out of shape as it dries.
Common mistakes & fixes
Fix: this usually means the increase rounds (11-15) were worked too tightly. Loosen your tension slightly on those specific rounds, or go up half a hook size just for the brim section.
Fix: this is the opposite problem, too many increases relative to the fabric's tension. Double-check the stitch counts at the end of each brim round against the pattern before moving on to the next round.
Fix: measure the baby's head circumference before starting and compare it to the sizing section's numbers, adjusting which size you follow rather than guessing from age alone, since head size varies quite a bit baby to baby.
Fix: place a stitch marker at the very first stitch of round 7, right after the crown is finished; it gives you a clear landmark for counting the straight rounds and knowing exactly when to resume increasing at round 11.
Fix: work the hdc rounds a little looser than your usual tension, since hdc is naturally a tighter, more upright stitch than sc and can visibly tighten a wide, relaxed edge if worked too snugly.
Our pick
Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton Yarn
A lightweight, machine-washable cotton with good stitch definition and enough body to hold a brim's shape, a reliable choice for warm-weather baby items.
View on Amazon →Frequently asked questions
How is this different from your newborn hat pattern?
Our newborn hat pattern is a snug, soft hospital-style beanie worked in a stretchy round for warmth right after birth. This sun hat is a completely different project: a wide, flared brim worked in lightweight cotton for outdoor sun protection, with a much bigger finished circumference at the brim edge and a totally different construction from round 7 onward. They aren't interchangeable and the two patterns don't share stitch counts.
What yarn works best for a baby sun hat?
A lightweight, breathable cotton or cotton-blend yarn in a DK or sport weight is ideal. Cotton has less stretch and more structure than acrylic, which helps the brim hold its flared shape and keeps the hat cooler against the head in warm weather than a wool or heavy acrylic would.
Does this hat have a chin strap?
No, and that's intentional. This pattern is worked with a snug, stretchy crown so it stays on without needing a tie or strap under the chin, since anything worn around a baby's neck is a strangulation risk and this site avoids that design entirely. If the hat slips off during play, that's expected; sun hats work best for supervised outdoor time where you can simply put it back on.
How wide should the brim be?
The pattern below gives a brim that extends about 2.5-3in / 6-7.5cm out from the crown all the way around, which shades the face, ears, and back of the neck. You can stop the brim rounds a round earlier for a narrower brim, or add one more round for extra coverage.
What size baby does this pattern fit?
The main pattern is written for roughly 3-6 months with a head circumference of about 15-16in / 38-40cm. The sizing section gives round-by-round adjustments for a newborn (0-3 months) and for 6-12 months.
Can I machine wash a cotton baby sun hat?
Yes, as long as you use a machine-washable cotton yarn. Wash on a gentle cycle and reshape the brim by hand while damp, then lay flat to dry so it keeps its flared shape rather than drying flat.
Is cotton yarn safe for baby items in general?
Cotton is a popular choice for baby summer items because it's breathable and generally well-tolerated, but as with any yarn, choose a soft, reputable, machine-washable brand and check regularly for any loose fibers or stitches, the same as you would with any baby item.
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