Ring Around the Hearts Beanie

I have a new free crochet pattern for you all today :) This one even has a bit of a story behind it! As many of you who follow my blog know, I've been doing graph patterns for nearly a year! My very first was the Emy's Beanie which can be found HERE. Since that pattern I've come out with tons of other graph hats! A truck hat for the boys, a shamrock hat, a paw print hat, an Easter symbols hat, and a princess crown hat all of which can be found for free on my blog!

Well, anyways, this one took some figuring out. It's the first in a line of five graph hats I'll be releasing for Valentine's Day (so keep your eyes peeled) and the hearts through me for a bit of a loop at first. I tried upside right, upside down and didn't like that. so I decided to flip them all upside right. This has is one of my favorites and I can't wait to share the rest with you!

Want to hear a special secret? This picture is extra special because today is my daughter's 4th birthday! Not only is she modeling the new hat for me, but this is her 4th birthday picture! <3 

Like this pattern a whole aweful lot? Buy the PDF for just $2.50 and save it to your Ravelry library forever. Then, if I ever discontinue the pattern... you'll never lose it! In addition to that, the PDF includes the drawn graph for those of you who prefer it to the written instructions. Buy your copy HERE.

Hook: I (for toddler) & J (for older children/adults)

Material: Red Heart Super Saver
Gauge: 3 st & 3 rounds = 1” (with I hook)

Hints & Tips:

-          This hat is worked from the top to the bottom – this means that you will sew round 1 together to form the top of the hat.

-          It is normal for the hat to curl as you work it.

-          When working round 11 & 21 use THIS tutorial to help you get the same look to your stitches as mine – otherwise your MC will bleed through your contrast colors and the lines won’t look neat and crisp.

Round 1) Using magic circle, ch 2, 12 dc, pull tight and join to first st with sl st – 12 dc

Round 2) Ch 2, 2 fpdc around every st around, join to first st with sl st – 24 dc

Round 3) Ch 2, *fpdc around next st, 2 fpdc around next st* around, join to first st with sl st – 36 dc

Round 4) Ch 2, *fpdc around next 2 st, 2 fpdc around next st* around, join to first st with sls t – 48 dc

Round 5) Ch 2, *fpdc around next 3 st, 2 fpdc around next st* around, join to first st with sl st – 60 dc

Round 6 – 9) Ch 2, fpdc around every st around, join to first st with sl st – 60 dc

Round 10) Ch 2, fpdc around next st, change to CC, fpdc around next st, *change to MC, fpdc around next st, change to CC, fpdc around next st* around ending with CC, join to first st with sl st – 60 dc

Round 11) Still working with CC, Ch 2, fpdc around next st, change to MC, fpdc around next st, *change to CC, fpdc around next st, change to MC, fpdc around next st* around ending with a MC, join to first st with sl st – 60 dc

Round 12) Ch 2, fpdc around every st around, join to first st with sl st – 60 dc

Round 13) Ch 2, fpdc around next st, *change to CC, fpdc around next st, change to MC, fpdc around next 3 st, change to CC, fpdc around next st, change to MC, fpdc around next 3 st*, repeat from *-* 7 times, fpdc around last 3 st, change to CC in last st, join to first st with sl st – 60 dc

Round 14) Ch 2, *fpdc around next 3 st, change to MC, fpdc around next st, change to CC, fpdc around next 3 st,  change to MC, fpdc around next st, change to CC*, repeat 7 times, change to CC, fpdc around next 3 st, change to MC, fpdc around last st, change back to CC,  join to first st with sl st – 60 dc

Round 15) Ch 2, *fpdc around next 7 st, change to MC, fpdc around next st, change to CC*, repeat from *-* 7 times, change to MC, fpdc around next st, change to CC, fpdc around next 3 st, change to MC, fpdc around last st, join to first st with sl st – 60 dc

Round 16) Ch 2, fpdc around next st, *change to CC, fpdc around next 5 st, change to MC, fpdc around next 3 st*, repeat from *-* 7 times (except the last repeat will only have 2 fpdc in the MC), change to CC, fpdc around next 3 st, change to MC, fpdc in last st, join to first st with sl st – 60 dc

Round 17) Ch 2, fpdc around next 2 st, *change to CC, fpdc around next 3 st, change to MC, fpdc around next 5 st*, repeat from *-* 7 times, fpdc in last 2 st, join to first st with sl st – 60 dc

Round 18) Ch 2, fpdc around next 3 st, *change to CC, fpdc around next st, change to MC, fpdc around next 7 st*, repeat from *-* 7 times, fpdc in last st, join to first st with sl st – 60 dc

Round 19) Ch 2, fpdc around every st around, join to first st with sl st – 60 dc

Round 20) Repeat round 10

Round 21) Repeat round 11

Round 22) Repeat round 12 and tie off.