Free crochet pattern for newsboy hat: classic cap

The newsboy hat is the cap that never goes out of style: a soft, slightly slouchy crown, a ribbed band, and a short stiff brim that shades your eyes without hiding your face. This free crochet pattern for a newsboy hat makes the cap in soft charcoal tweed with a cream button on top, and it works up in a single afternoon. The crown is a simple circle, the sides are straight double crochet, and the brim is a small panel sewn on at the front.

Why you'll love this free crochet pattern for a newsboy hat

Newsboy hats sit in the sweet spot between a beanie and a baseball cap, and they suit almost everyone. The crown has a gentle puff that gives the hat its relaxed, vintage shape, the ribbed band keeps it snug without squeezing, and the short brim keeps the sun and rain out of your eyes while leaving your ears warm.

The construction is as simple as crochet gets. The crown is a flat circle worked in double crochet, increasing by twelve stitches every round. Once the crown is wide enough, you stop increasing and work straight down for the sides. A round of single crochet pulls the hat in for the band, three rounds of ribbing finish the edge, and the brim is a small rectangle of single crochet sewn onto the front and folded double for stiffness. The button on top is the finishing touch that says "newsboy" at a glance.

Worsted-weight tweed yarn is the perfect pick for this hat. It has a classic, slightly rustic look, it hides small stitch imperfections, and the flecks of color in the tweed give the finished cap depth. Charcoal with a cream button is the version in the photos, but a warm brown tweed, a forest green, or a navy all look lovely.

Materials you'll need

A soft acrylic or acrylic-blend worsted tweed is the best pick here: it holds the crown's shape, survives the washing machine, and will not felt the way wool can. The button is not just decoration: it covers the center of the crown where all the rounds meet.

Yarn amounts by size (approximate): Child — A: 150 yds (1 ball), B: 25 yds. Adult S/M — A: 200 yds (1 ball), B: 30 yds. Adult L — A: 250 yds (2 balls), B: 30 yds.

Size, gauge and skill level

The hat is worked in the round from the top of the crown down. Measure around the head just above the eyebrows, and pick the size closest to that measurement: the hat has a little stretch, so a size slightly smaller than the head is better than a size too big.

• Finished size (Adult S/M): about 22 in (56 cm) around the band, 7.5 in (19 cm) from the top of the crown to the bottom of the band, brim about 2.5 in (6 cm) deep.
• Gauge: 12 dc and 7 rows = 4 in (10 cm) with a 5.5 mm hook, unblocked. Crochet a small circle first: if your crown comes out wider than the table, drop to a 5.0 mm hook; if narrower, go up to a 6.0 mm hook. A hat that is an inch too big will slide down over your eyes.
• Skill level: confident beginner. You should know how to chain, double crochet, single crochet, and slip stitch. The ribbed band is just front-post and back-post double crochet, explained below.

If you have never made a hat before, this is a wonderful first one: the crown is just a circle, and the sides are just more rounds. And if you fall in love with hats, our free crochet hat pattern is a quick everyday hat to try next.

Abbreviations — US terms

A note on working in the round: this pattern is worked in joined rounds: join each round with a slip stitch and chain up for the next. The ch 3 at the start of a double crochet round counts as a double crochet. Place a stitch marker at the join so you can find it again.

The pattern (US terms)

Work the crown as a circle, then the sides straight down, then the band, then the brim. The brim is made separately and sewn on, which keeps it stiff and straight.

Crown — the circle

With color A and a 5.5 mm hook, start with a magic ring (or ch 4 and join with a sl st to form a ring).

• Round 1: ch 3 (counts as dc), 11 dc in the ring. Join with a sl st to the top of the ch 3. (12 sts)
• Round 2: ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around. Join with a sl st. (24 sts)
• Round 3: ch 3, dc in same st, *dc in next st, 2 dc in next st; rep from * around. Join with a sl st. (36 sts)
• Round 4: ch 3, dc in same st, *dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st; rep from * around. Join with a sl st. (48 sts)
• Round 5: ch 3, dc in same st, *dc in next 3 sts, 2 dc in next st; rep from * around. Join with a sl st. (60 sts) — Child stops here.

Adult S/M continues:

• Round 6: ch 3, dc in same st, *dc in next 9 sts, 2 dc in next st; rep from * around. Join with a sl st. (66 sts) — Adult S/M stops here.

Adult L continues:

• Round 6: ch 3, dc in same st, *dc in next 4 sts, 2 dc in next st; rep from * around. Join with a sl st. (72 sts) — Adult L stops here.

Tip: after Round 5, lay the crown flat and check that it lies smooth. If the edges ruffle and wave, you are increasing too fast; work one round with no increases to let the circle catch up. If the edges cup upward like a bowl, you are increasing too slowly; add an extra increase round. A flat crown makes a hat that sits properly on the head.

Sides — straight down

Work even rounds of double crochet with no increases or decreases until the hat measures the crown depth in the size table, measured from the top center of the crown to the bottom edge.

• Sides: ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each st around. Join with a sl st to the top of the ch 3. Repeat for the number of rounds in the table below.

The sides should hang straight down, not flare out. If they flare, your tension has loosened; switch to a 5.0 mm hook for the remaining side rounds. Try the hat on after the fourth side round: the crown should cover your head and the sides should reach just above your eyebrows.

Band — the pull-in round and ribbing

The band pulls the hat in slightly so it grips the head, and the ribbing gives it a neat, finished edge.

• Pull-in round: ch 1, sc in each st around, working a sc2tog decrease every 10th stitch for Child (6 decreases, 54 sts), every 11th stitch for Adult S/M (6 decreases, 60 sts), or every 12th stitch for Adult L (6 decreases, 66 sts). Join with a sl st to the first sc.
• Rib Round 1: ch 2 (does not count as a st), *fpdc around next sc, bpdc around next sc; rep from * around. Join with a sl st to the first fpdc.
• Rib Round 2: ch 2, *fpdc around next fpdc, bpdc around next bpdc; rep from * around. Join with a sl st to the first fpdc.
• Rib Round 3: repeat Rib Round 2 once more. Join with a sl st and fasten off.

The band should feel snug when you try the hat on, but not tight enough to leave a mark. If it is too loose, work the pull-in round with a decrease every 8th stitch instead.

Brim — make 1, then sew on

The brim is worked flat in rows of single crochet, then folded double and sewn to the front of the hat. Working it double is what makes it stiff enough to hold its shape.

With color A and a 5.5 mm hook, chain the foundation chain for your size: Child ch 24, Adult S/M ch 26, Adult L ch 28.

• Row 1 (RS): sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (Child 23 sc, Adult S/M 25 sc, Adult L 27 sc)
• Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc in each st across.
• Row 3: ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (Child 21 sc, Adult S/M 23 sc, Adult L 25 sc)
• Row 4: ch 1, turn, sc in each st across.
• Row 5: ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (Child 19 sc, Adult S/M 21 sc, Adult L 23 sc)
• Row 6: ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Fold the brim in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and whipstitch the two long edges together so the brim is double thickness. Then pin the brim to the front of the hat, centered, with the straight edge against the bottom of the band and the curved edge pointing forward. The brim should span about a third of the hat's circumference. Whipstitch it firmly to the band, then weave in the ends.

Button

With color B and a tapestry needle, sew the button to the very top center of the crown, right where the magic ring closed. Sew through the button four or five times so it cannot work loose, and knot the thread on the inside of the hat.

Finishing touches

Take fifteen unhurried minutes here: it is the difference between a hat that looks handmade and a hat that looks store-bought.

Block it lightly. Lay the hat flat on a towel and shape the crown into a round dome, smoothing the sides down evenly. Mist it lightly with water and let it dry completely before you wear it. Do not block the brim flat: hold it curved over a small bowl while it dries so it keeps its shape.

Check the fit. Put the hat on and look in a mirror. The band should sit just above your eyebrows, the crown should puff without flopping, and the brim should shade your eyes without blocking your view. If the hat slides down, work one more round of ribbing with a hook one size smaller.

Three cute variations to try next

Once you have made one newsboy hat, the formula is yours to play with. Same circle crown, same band, three personalities:

1. Two-tone newsboy. Work the crown in charcoal and the band and brim in cream. The contrast band looks sharp and uses up a half ball of cream from your yarn basket. If you like hat projects, the free ribbed beanie pattern is a quick ribbed beanie in the same yarn.
2. Slouchy newsboy. Work two extra side rounds before the band so the crown is deeper and slouches a little at the back. It looks relaxed and bohemian, and it fits over a low bun. Pair it with our crochet elf hat pattern for a festive hat collection.
3. Tweed and leather. Work the hat in brown tweed and replace the crocheted button with a small leather button, or sew a leather label onto the band. The leather detail gives the hat a handmade-market look. If you like character hats, the crochet cowboy hat pattern free is a fun wide-brim hat in the same construction style.

And if this project gave you the hat bug, the puff stitch crochet hat pattern is a textured hat that uses the puff stitch for a cozy, chunky crown.

Troubleshooting tips

• Your crown is ruffling like a potato chip. You are increasing too fast for your tension. Work one round with no increases, then resume the increase rhythm. The crown must lie flat before you start the sides.
• Your crown is cupping into a bowl. You are increasing too slowly, or your tension tightened up. Add an extra increase round, or switch to a hook one size larger for the remaining crown rounds.
• The hat is too big and slides down over your eyes. Work the pull-in round with more decreases, or work the ribbed band with a hook one size smaller. A hat should grip gently, not slide.
• The hat is too small and pinches. Unpick the pull-in round and rework it with fewer decreases, or skip the decreases entirely and work the band in the full stitch count.
• The brim flops down instead of holding its shape. It is not double thickness, or the stitching is too loose. Make sure the brim is folded and whipstitched firmly along both long edges, and work it in single crochet with a tight tension.
• The button works loose. Sew it through four or five times and knot the thread on the inside of the hat, not the outside.

Frequently asked questions

Is this free crochet pattern for a newsboy hat really free?

Yes, the complete pattern above is free, no email signup, no PDF purchase required.

What skill level is this newsboy hat pattern?

Confident beginner. If you can double crochet and increase, you have every skill this pattern needs. The ribbed band is explained stitch by stitch, and there is no shaping beyond a plain circle.

How long does it take to make?

About 4 hours for Child, 5 hours for Adult S/M, and 6 hours for Adult L, most of it relaxing rounds of double crochet. The brim and button take about 30 minutes.

How much yarn do I need?

For Adult S/M, about 200 yds of the main color and 30 yds of the contrast color in worsted-weight yarn. Child needs about 150 yds and 25 yds; Adult L needs about 250 yds and 30 yds.

Can I make the brim bigger?

Yes. Add two more rows to the brim before the decreases, and start with a chain 4 stitches longer. Keep it under 3 inches deep or it will flop.

Can I wash the newsboy hat?

Yes, if you use acrylic or acrylic-blend yarn. Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle, then reshape the crown and lay flat to dry. Do not put the hat in the dryer, and reshape the brim over a small bowl while it dries.

Can I sell the finished newsboy hats I make?

Yes! You may sell finished newsboy hats made from this pattern in small batches (craft fairs, markets, gifts). Please credit Little Loop Finds as the pattern designer with a link back to this page.

More free patterns to try

If this newsboy hat was fun, keep the hook moving. The free crochet hat pattern is a quick everyday hat, the free ribbed beanie pattern is a cozy ribbed beanie, the crochet elf hat pattern is a festive hat for the holidays, and the puff stitch crochet hat pattern is a textured hat with a chunky puff-stitch crown.