The Freedom in Liberty Cap crochet pattern is a modern take on the Phrygian cap, a hat that has been associated with liberty since antiquity. This pattern is forever free on my blog, but the PDF version is available for free download with coupon code through 2pm Eastern on March 4, 2026 as part of the 4th Annual International Crochet Month Blog Hop.
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One of my favorite things about crocheting is that it connects me with history. There are so many links between crochet (and crafting more broadly) and political, social, and revolutionary movements. In contemporary times, this relationship between making by hand and engaging socially or politically with the world is usually called craftivism.
Scroll down for the free version of the Freedom in Liberty Cap crochet pattern. The Phrygian cap, also known as the liberty cap, has been associated with liberty since ancient Roman times when freed slaves wore them. During the American Revolution, these caps were knit and “became one of the most recognizable symbols of freedom from tyranny.” While the cap is still a symbol that shows up “on the seal of the US Senate, the emblem of the US Army, and the seals of six states,” the Phrygian cap fell out of favor in the US in the 1800s because “[e]nslavers were rightfully worried about such a symbol of freedom, abolition, emancipation, and manumission.” (You can read more about the history of the Phrygian cap here, which is also the source of the quotes above.)
Phrygian caps were also knit during the French Revolution, when they became associated with the color red. Another type of red knit cap called nisselue were worn in Norway as a symbol of protest against fascism and the Nazi occupation in the 1940s. Crocheted and knit pink pussyhats have been made and worn as symbols of women’s rights, resistance, and solidarity since the Women’s March in 2017. And, of course, you may be seeing variations of the nisselue hats made and worn to resist tyranny and fascism in the United States today. The crochet, knit, and Tunisian crochet patterns designed by Needle & Skein, a local yarn shop in Minnesota, have raised over $650,000 in donations for organizations that support immigrants.
The Freedom in Liberty Cap is my modernized take on the Phrygian cap. I chose to use the words freedom and liberty because while they are often used interchangeably, the meanings are subtly different. Freedom is about an absence of constraints or coercion and it can be personal or individual, while liberty is about gaining the right to participate, to have a voice, to be an active and engaged member of society. For me, Freedom in Liberty is about being part of civic life and socially engaged. In other words, your freedom has more than personal meaning because you have rights and you are not oppressed and you can help and support others with your voice.
The Freedom in Liberty Cap crochet pattern can also be styled several ways. In addition to the classic Phrygian cap style with the tip pointed towards the front, you can also wear it towards the back or even pointed up.
This pattern is part of the 4th Annual International Crochet Month Blog Hop. To follow the blog hop…
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If you’re reading this blog post before 2pm Eastern on March 4, 2026, you’re in luck! You can grab the Ravelry PDF version of the Freedom in Liberty Cap for free with coupon code ICEOUT or you can add the pattern with coupon code to your cart HERE or by clicking on the International Crochet Month-Freedom in Liberty Cap collage image below. Be sure your cart is set to $0 before checking out as there will be no refunds for accidental purchases.
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Freedom in Liberty Cap
Liberty Cap Crochet Pattern by Underground Crafter
This liberty cap crochet pattern is a modern take on the Phrygian cap, soft hats that became associated with liberty in our ancient and recent past, including during the American Revolution. It fits snugly like a beanie and the tip can be styled multiple ways. The Freedom in Liberty Cap is the third pattern in the 4th Annual International Crochet Month Blog Hop.
Finished Size
- Teen/Adult: 21” (53.5 cm) circumference x 12″ (30.5 cm) height including tip when extended.
Materials
- Big Twist Value yarn (100% acrylic, 6 oz/170 g, 380 yd/347 m) – 1 skein in Deep Red, or approximately 165 yd (151 m) in any medium weight yarn.
- US Size H-8/5 mm crochet hook, or any size needed to obtain correct gauge.
- US Size I-9/5.5 mm crochet hook, or any size needed to obtain correct gauge.
- I used KnitPro Waves 2.0 hooks (available online at LoveCrafts | Amazon)
- Locking stitch marker.
- Yarn needle.
Gauge
- 10 scBL = 2.25” (6 cm) across with smaller hook. For best fit, always check your gauge.
- 16 hdc3L = 4” (10 cm) across with larger hook. For best fit, always check your gauge.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- 3L – third (back) loop only – A helpful video showing how to identify the third loop in half double crochet is available below.
- If you can’t see the third loop video above, watch it on YouTube.
- BL – back loop only – Fiber Flux has a helpful video tutorial demonstrating how to identify the back loop in crochet here.
- ch – chain
- hdc – half double crochet
- hdc2tog – half double crochet 2 stitches together (decrease) – [Yo, insert hook in next st, yo and draw up a loop] twice, yo and draw through all 5 loops on hook. A helpful video tutorial for this decrease is available below.
- If you can’t see the video for the hdc2tog above, watch it on YouTube.
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- yo – yarn over
- [] Repeat instructions within brackets as indicated.
Pattern Notes
- Photographed sample is shown on a mannequin with 22.5″ (57 cm) head circumference.
- A helpful video tutorial demonstrating the slip stitch seam is available below.
- If you can’t see the video above showing how to join with the slip stitch, watch it on YouTube.
- A helpful video tutorial demonstrating how to crochet around the side of your project is available below.
- If you can’t see the video above showing how to crochet around the side of your project, watch it on YouTube.
- A helpful video demonstrating how to seam with the whipstitch is available below.
- If you can’t see the video above showing how seam with the whipstitch, watch it on YouTube.
Pattern Instructions
Hat
Hat Band
- With smaller hook, ch 11.
- Row 1: Turn, skip 1 ch, sc in next ch and each ch across. (10 sts)
- Row 2: Turn 1, ch 1, scBL in first st and each st across.
- Repeat Row 2 until Hat Band measures approximately 21” (53.5 cm) long, do not fasten off.
- Fold Hat Band so that short edges are touching, turn to short edge, ch 1, join short edges with slip stitch seam (see Pattern Notes). Do not fasten off.
Work Even
- Round 1: Turn to work along long edge of Hat Band, ch 1, evenly work along long edge (see Pattern Notes) to form 69 sc, join with sl st to first sc.
- Switch to largest hook.
- Round 2: Ch 1, hdcBL in same st and in each st around, place stitch marker in last st and move up each round to mark position. Do not join.
- Round 3: Hdc3L in first st and each st around.
- Repeat Round 3 until hat measures 5″ (13 cm).
- Round 4: Repeat Round 3 once.
Decrease to Tip
- Round 5: [Hdc2tog3L, hdc3L in next 21 sts] around. (66 sts)
- Round 6: [Hdc2tog3L, hdc3L in next 9 sts] around. (60 sts)
- Round 7: [Hdc2tog3L, hdc3L in next 8 sts] around. (54 sts)
- Round 8: [Hdc2tog3L, hdc3L in next 7 sts] around. (48 sts)
- Round 9: [Hdc2tog3L, hdc3L in next 6 sts] around. (42 sts)
- Round 10: [Hdc2tog3L, hdc3L in next 5 sts] around. (36 sts)
- Rounds 11-12: Repeat Round 3 twice.
- Round 13: [Hdc2tog3L, hdc3L in next 4 sts] around. (30 sts)
- Rounds 14-15: Repeat Round 3 twice.
- Round 16: [Hdc2tog3L, hdc3L in next 3 sts] around. (24 sts)
- Rounds 17-18: Repeat Round 3 twice.
- Round 19: [Hdc2tog3L, hdc3L in next 2 sts] around. (18 sts)
- Rounds 20-21: Repeat Round 3 twice.
- Round 22: [Hdc2tog3L, hdc3L in next st] around. (12 sts)
- Rounds 23-24: Repeat Round 3 twice.
- Round 25: Hdc2tog3L around, remove stitch marker. (6 sts)
- Fasten off with long yarn tail (approximately 12″/30.5 cm long) for seaming.
Finishing
- Thread yarn needle with yarn from final Round. Join tip with whipstitch seam (see Pattern Notes).
- Weave in yarn tails on wrong side (inside) of hat.
This was a great post. I really appreciate all the links to the histories of the different versions of hats! Thank you.