I’m joining the tenth annual Crochet Cancer Challenge with Sweet Potato 3 by sharing the crochet slouchy beanie hat pattern for the Salvatore Slouch. This pattern uses basic stitches, making it perfect for new crocheters, or “production” crocheters who want to make a lot of hats to donate, gift, or sell.
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. I am a King Cole Brand Ambassador and this post is part of our ongoing collaboration. Additional supplies for this post were generously provided by Nelsonwood.
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know that crocheting for a cause is important to me. For years, I had a monthly crochet charity spotlight with a featured charity that accepts handmade donations and a free crochet pattern ideal for donating. This year, I’ve designed the Sectional Blanket Mystery Crochet Along to share a weekly pattern for a 7″ x 9″ block perfect for donating to Warm Up America. And, this is my fifth year participating in Sweet Potato 3’s annual Crochet Cancer Challenge. If you’re new to the Crochet Cancer Challenge, you can get all the details about this year’s event here.
For the past years of the Crochet Cancer Challenge, I have been sharing the story of my maternal grandmother who passed away from pancreatic cancer. I thought this year I would do something different, and share the story of my paternal grandfather. He had colon cancer, though he passed away from an infection due to his immune system being weakened. My grandfather was a very important part of my childhood, and I have countless happy memories of spending time with him. As an adult, I have learned that there are screenings such as colonoscopies that can help detect colon cancer at earlier stages.
I wanted to design a more masculine hat in honor of my grandfather for this year, and as luck would have it, the awareness color for colon cancer is a dark blue. I chose King Cole Subtle Drifter Chunky, a very soft, multi-fiber yarn, in 4669 Midnight as the main color and 4670 Denim as the accent color. King Cole Subtle Drifter Chunky is available from your local yarn shop or online at Wool Warehouse UK.
I chose a very understated stitch pattern which I usually call the pebble stitch, though it is also known online as the lemon peel stitch, for most of the pattern, combined with single crochet in the back loop. These are beginner-friendly stitch patterns that make this crochet slouchy beanie hat pattern easy. It’s perfect for making up a batch of hats to donate to your local cancer treatment center!
Scroll down to get the free pattern for the Salvatore Slouch. This pattern is part of the tenth annual Crochet Cancer Challenge with Sweet Potato 3. Get all the details, including links to patterns you can download for free in exchange for your pledge to donate a hat, HERE.
Through 11:59 pm Eastern on Monday, October 31, 2022, use coupon code CCC22 to get 75% off the Ravelry patterns and ebooks that have been part of the the Crochet Cancer Challenge in previous years.
- Auntie Em Twister Hat – buy on Ravelry – as free blog pattern
- 6 Hats for Healing ebook – buy on Ravelry – links to all 6 free blog patterns
- Triumphant Textures Beanie – buy on Ravelry – as free blog pattern
- Herringbone Slouchy Beanie – available for free exclusively to my newsletter subscribers – sign up here
If you make your own Salvatore Slouch, I’d love to see it! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Facebook as @Underground Crafter on on Instagram as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and private access to my vault of subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!
Add the Salvatore Slouch to your favorites or queue, or buy the ad-free PDF on Ravelry.
Salvatore Slouch
Crochet Slouchy Beanie Hat Pattern by Underground Crafter
This crochet slouchy beanie hat pattern uses simple stitch combinations. The fabric is dense enough to wear as a “chemo cap” or to keep the head warm on a chilly day.
Finished Size
- Teen/Adult: 21” (53.5 cm) circumference x 8.5” (21.5 cm) height.
Materials
- King Cole Subtle Drifter Chunky yarn (25% cotton, 6% wool, 69% acrylic, 3.5 oz/100 g, 170 yd/156 m) – 1 skein each in 4670 Denim (CA) and 4669 Midnight (CB), or approximately 110 yd (100.5 m) in CA and 155 yd (142 m) in CB in any bulky weight yarn.
- Subtle Drifter Chunky is available from your local yarn shop or online at Wool Warehouse UK.
- Nelsonwood US Size H-8/5 mm crochet hook, or size needed to obtain gauge.
- Nelsonwood US Size I-9/5.5 mm crochet hook, or size needed to obtain gauge.
- Clover bent-tip yarn needle.
Gauge
- 10 sts = 2.5” (6.5 cm) with smaller hook in pattern for Hat Band. For best fit, always check your gauge.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- BL – back loop only – Fiber Flux has a helpful video tutorial for identifying the back loop here.
- CA – Color A
- CB – Color B
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- rep – repeat
- Rnd(s) – Round(s)
- RS – right (front) side
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- WS – wrong (back) side
- [] Repeat instructions between brackets as indicated.
Pattern Notes
- Ch 1 at start of rows or rounds and sl st at end of rounds do not count as stitches.
- A helpful photo tutorial for using the “cinch method” to close a slouchy hat is available here.
Pattern Instructions
Hat Band
- With CA and smaller hook, ch 11.
- Row 1: Turn, skip 1 ch, [sc in next ch, dc in next ch] across. (10 sts)
- Row 2: Turn, ch 1, starting in first st [scBL in next dc, dcBL in next sc] across.
- Rep Row 2 until Hat Band measures approximately 21” (53.5 cm).
- Fasten off CA with long yarn tail (approximately 12”/30.5 cm) for seaming.
- Thread yarn needle with yarn tail in CA. Fold Hat Band in half so that short edges are together. With yarn needle, seam short edges together with mattress stitch (see video below).
- If you can’t see the video tutorial for the mattress stitch above, click here to watch it on YouTube.
- Designate one side as RS. With yarn needle, weave in yarn tails on WS.
Pick Up Stitches
- With smaller hook, join CB with sl st on RS next to seamed edge.
- Set Up Rnd: Ch 1, evenly work 72 sc around (see video below) long edge, join with sl st to top of first sc.
- If you can’t see the video tutorial for crocheting around the side of your project above, click here to watch it on YouTube.
Work Even
- Continue with larger hook.
- Rnd 1: (RS) Ch 1, starting in first st [sc in next st, dc in next st] around, join with sl st to top of first sc.
- Rnd 2: Turn to WS, ch 1, [sc in next dc, dc in next sc] around, join with sl st to top of first sc.
- Rnd 3: Turn to RS, ch 1, [sc in next dc, dc in next sc] around, join with sl st to top of first sc.
- Rnds 4-7: Rep Rnds 2-3 twice.
- Rnd 8: Rep Rnd 2, join CA with sl st to top of first sc. Drop CB to WS.
- Rnd 9: Turn to RS, ch 1, sc in first st and in each st around, join with sl st to BL of first sc.
- Rnd 10: (RS) Ch 1, scBL in first st and in each st around, join with sl st to BL of first sc.
- Rnd 11: Rep Rnd 10, join CB with sl st to top of first sc. Drop CA to WS.
- Rep Rnds 1-11 until hat measures approximately 8.5” (21.5 cm) in height, ending after any RS repeat (Rnd 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, or 11).
- Fasten off with long yarn tail (approximately 24”/61 cm) for seaming.
- Thread yarn needle long yarn tail. Weave yarn needle through each stitch on finished edge of hat (top of final Rnd). Slowly tighten yarn tail to pull top of hat closed (see Pattern Notes for “cinch method” tutorial). You may need to sew top of hat closed after tightening yarn tail.
- With yarn needle, weave in remaining yarn tails on WS/inside of hat.