The Barley Beanie
PIN it here!!
Fall is in the air and it’s officially market prep time!
I designed this beanie at the tail end of last season and it is going to be one of my top items this year. I intend to make quite a few! It’s probably my most favorite hat design to date and I absolutely LOVE the texture!
This post may contain affiliate links that help me continue to offer free content. To skip the ads and have a printable pdf, you can find this pattern for relatively little cost in both my Etsy and Ravelry shops. Note that the printable pattern also includes instructions for a matching cowl (pictured below).
The instructions for the cowl are included with the printable pdf. This one is made using Lion Brand WET&Q in the color Coney Island.
The main reason I love this design so much is because it literally takes me around 45 minutes to make and it only takes one ball of Lion Brand Woolease Thick & Quick. If you remember from my post on what to make for Spring and Summer vendor markets, one of the most important things to consider is how quickly the item can be made because time is MONEY! The second most important thing to consider when market prepping is the cost of supplies. Since it only takes one ball of yarn, it is definitely cost effective.
Of course you must also consider how well the item will sell in your area. I live fairly high in the mountains near ski resorts and where people engage in quite a bit of outdoor activities. I have found that my customers seem to really love the chunky hats, much more so than they like my hats made with regular size 4 worsted weight yarns. If you live where the climate is warmer, you may want to consider that this might be too warm for their use. Just throwing that out there!
I will also mention that this stitch pattern I use for this hat looks best with chunky and bulky weight yarns. The thinner weight yarns just don’t do the stitch pattern justice. My favorite color way for this set is by far Lion Brand’s Woolease Thick & Quick in the color Coney Island. The natural striping that occurs is stunning, and the best part is that it is perfect as a unisex hat. There aren’t many hat and cowl sets out there that I consider would be good for both men and women. If you see my photo below, I think you can see what I mean.
I can picture this as a slouchy version, especially for any hipster man in your life!
Lion Brand also has come out with some new colors in their Thick and Quick line and they are really beautiful. Just check out this Barley Beanie done in their newer color Flax! This was my first one I ever made and that’s where it got its name. My followers agreed that it looked like barley grains, especially done in the Flax color way. I also plan to order some more colors that I think people will love. Just keep in mind that most people prefer neutral colors when choosing hats and scarves because it will go with more. My top sellers are the colors Oatmeal and Fossil.
The color Flax looks just like barley grains to me!
One more important thing to note before we get to the pattern is that I crochet VERY loosely for this stitch pattern. If you are a tight crocheter (hello all my amigarumi makers!), you may want to go up at least 1-2 hook sizes. If you crochet tightly with this pattern, you are going to be disappointed in the overall appearance of your Barley Beanie.
Let’s make it already!
Supplies Needed:
- Super bulky weight yarn size 6, 106 yds (I love Lion Brand Woolease Thick & Quick best), or you can use triple strands of any worsted weight yarn held together
- Size N 10.0 mm hook (hook size is not imperative since I will be giving you the math needed to customize)
-Size K 6.5 mm hook for hat band (or a few sizes smaller than hook size you used for the body of the hat)
- Tape measure, stitch marker, scissors, yarn needle
Terms Used and Abbreviations:
Pattern is written in US terminology.
Back Loop Only - BLO
Begin(ning) - beg
Chain - ch
Fasten off – FO
Front Loop Only - FLO
Place Marker - PM
Rebound Stitch - RBS
Repeat - rep
Single Crochet – sc
Single Crochet 2 Together - sc2tog
Single Crochet 3 Together - sc3tog
Slip Stitch - sl st
Stitch Marker - SM
Space(s) - sp(s)
Stitch(es) - st(s)
Special Terms and Definitions:
Rebound St- The st pattern formed when you sc2tog over 2 sts, then ch 1 to compensate for the decrease. This particular st pattern is made in the continuous round, and it is imperative that you place your hook in the correct sp or st indicated in order to get the correct look. This term will be used for ease of reference. NOTE: You will need to crochet VERY loosely so that you can see the place(s) to put your hook.
Gauge:
Gauge is not imperative in this particular pattern due to the use of st multiples.
Finished Measurements:
Hat should fit an average adult-sized head of 21-24” in circumference and 9” in length.
Instructions:
Hat is made from the bottom to the top in the continuous round, adding the band last. Using your larger hook, make a ch in multiples of 2 until it measures approx. 21-22” (or in the circumference desired). I am going to include my st counts to help you visualize the math. My foundation ch was 44 and measured 21”.
Round 1: Being very careful to not twist your chain, bring your first st to meet your last st to form a ring and sc2tog over the first 2 sts, PM in st just made, ch 1, * sc2tog over next 2 sts, ch 1; rep from * to SM. Do not sl st to join. [22 sc, 22 ch-1 sps]
Round 2 (RBS Round): Sc2tog over the sc st and the ch-1 sp, PM in st just made, ch 1, * sc2tog over next sc st and ch-1 sp, ch 1; rep from * to SM. Do not sl st to join. [22 sc, 22 ch-1 sps]
Rounds 3-11 (RBS rounds): Rep Round 2. [22 sc, 22 ch-1 sps] NOTE: Rep round 2 until it measures 7” for an adult beanie, or until it measures 8” for an adult slouchy beanie.
Begin decreasing
Round 12: Sc2tog over the sc st and the ch-1 sp, PM in st just made, sc2tog, ch 1, * sc2tog twice, ch 1; rep from * to SM. Do not sl st to join. [22 sc, 11 ch-1 sps]
Round 13: Sc3tog over first 2 sts and ch-1 sp, PM in st just made, ch 1, * sc3tog over next 2 sts and ch-1 sp, ch 1; rep from * to SM. Do not sl st to join. [11 sc, 11 ch-1 sps]
Round 14: Sc2tog over the sc st and the ch-1 sp from the round below, PM in st just made, * sc2tog over next st and ch-1 sp; rep from * to SM. Make an invisible join in st with SM and FO, leaving yourself a tail of approx. 8” for closing the top. [11 sc]
Using your yarn needle, whip st through the FLO of every sc of last round and cinch to close hole. Bring to inside of hat to secure and knot. NOTE: If you wish to have a Messy Bun version, simply weave in your tail and do not whip st.
Make your band
Switch to your smaller hook and join with a sl st in your foundation ch. NOTE: I chose to switch to a smaller hook because I like a tighter band. You may want to play around with different hook sizes until you find the size that meets your desired stretch.
Round 1: Ch 1, sc in every st around. Join with a sl st in first st. [44 sc]
Round 2: Ch 1, sc BLO in every st around. Make an invisible join and FO. Weave in tails. NOTE: See my YouTube video for how I clean up the larger hole the foundation ch gives.
Your Barley Beanie is complete! I would love to see your finished work! If you want to tag me on IG, I’m @dayscrochetnc. You could also use the tag(s) #barleybeanie or #thebarleybeanie to follow what others are making. I can’t wait to see your projects! If you would like to see other versions that I will be making after this publication, be sure to check me out on IG!
This particular Barley Beanie was made using Lion Brand WET&Q in the color Carousel.
Please note that you do not have my permission to sell, share, copy, or duplicate this pattern or my photos in any way. Please do not use this pattern for a video, blog, or class tutorial. Thank you so much for following these simple rules! Please message me on Facebook or send me an email at dayscrochetnc@gmail.com with any questions.
This is also one of my best sellers. It is Lion Brand WET&Q in the color Harvest.
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Did you enjoy making a Barley Beanie? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Hooking!
~Dana