The holidays are the perfect time to have a little fun with your crochet projects — and this one is sure to brighten your season! The Christmas Ornament Beanie (also known as the Christmas Light Hat) is a quick, festive, and free crochet pattern available right here on the blog.
Inspired by those classic, colorful Christmas ornaments we all love, this beanie brings a playful holiday touch to your children’s festive wear. Whether you make it in bold reds and greens, bright retro colors, or your child’s favorite color, it’s a pattern that’s guaranteed to spread cheer wherever you go!
Christmas Ornament or Christmas Light
This beanie is designed to look like a classic Christmas ornament, complete with a fun “metal cap” section at the top to mimic the ornament base. The shape and colors make it instantly recognizable — or is it? Over the years, many people have reached out saying they love the Christmas Light hat! Either way, it is perfect for holiday photos, parties, or festive family matching sets!
The pattern works up quickly and is a great stash-buster project, using small amounts of yarn in a variety of colors. It’s beginner-friendly, with simple stitches and clear instructions — so even if you’re new to crochet, you can still make this bright and merry hat in no time.
Pattern Details & Materials Needed:
- Skill Level: Easy
- Sizes: Multiple sizes available, comes in newborn, 3-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-24 months & child
- Yarn: Worsted weight in festive colors:
- 5 yards of metal topper color
- 30-70 yards of main hat color
- Optional 1 yard of twinkle light color for embroidery only
- Hook: Crochet Hook H (5.00 mm) & Crochet Hook K (6.50 mm)
- Notions: Yarn Needle, Scissors, Measuring Tape
Stitches & Abbreviations Used:
- Sc = Single Crochet
- Hdc = Half Double Crochet
- Ch = Chain
- Slst = Slip Stitch
- Join = this means to join the rounds together with a slip stitch
- St = Stitch
- BL = Back Loop
Check Gauge:
To ensure that your finished hat will fit, it is important to check your gauge. Crochet a swatch that is slightly larger than the mentioned 4″ square check. If your swatch is larger, adjust your hook down a size and recheck. If your swatch is smaller than the stated size, adjust your hook size up and recheck.
Using a crochet hook K, 12 hdc and 9 rows = 4 inches square
Ornament Hat Sizes:
The stated size of the hats does NOT include the loop/ring on the top of the hat. The loop/ring is decorative only and will not affect the sizing of the hat. You may notice the size of the hat is slightly smaller than the circumference of the head measurement. This is correct. For a crochet hat to fit, it should ‘hug’ the head so it will stay on. If it is made “to size” of the head circumference, the finished hat will be loose and not fit correctly.
- Newborn (12 ¼ ” around & 5” high – fits up to 14” circumference)
- 3 to 6 Months (14” around & 5 ½ “ high – fits up to 15″ or 16″ circumference)
- 6 to 12 Months (16″ around & 6” high – fits up to 18″ circumference)
- 12 to 24 Months (17″ around & 6 ½ “ high – fits up to 19″ circumference)
- Child (18” around & 7 ½ “ high – fits up to 20″ circumference)
Christmas Ornament Pattern
All the details about the pattern are above. If you missed them, please review the stitch abbreviations, gauge check, and, of course, the hat sizes. All the hats will begin with the ornament topper hook.
Ornament Topper Pattern
With Hook H and topper color of yarn (grey/silver in samples) begin by chaining 13, slst in 2nd ch from hook and each remaining ch, join in the first ch to form a loop/ring (see image A).
Chain 1, 4 sc in one loop of the joining slst from making the loop/ring, 4 sc in the ‘other’ loop/ring of the joining slst, join in the top of the 1st sc made in this step to form a round, 8 stitches have been crocheted in this round (see image B & C)
Next you will work round 2, Ch 1, 2sc in each st around, join (16) fasten off. (see image D)
Make 2 more circles for the topper base: (see image E)
R1: Ch 2, 8hdc in 2nd ch from hook, join (8)
R2: Ch 1, 2sc in each st around, join (16) fasten off, on 2nd circle leave a long tail of yarn to use to stitch the circles together.
Stack all 3 circles on top of each other, right side up, with the ring on top. Stitch them together, running behind the “v” on top of the stitch (see image F & G).
Join with ornament color of yarn and slst in the outer loop (back loop) of the bottom circle in each st around, (see image H) (16)
Slst around entire row again, join (16)
Crown of the Hat
Switch to Hook K (we will begin counting rounds here)
R1: Ch 1 (do not count the beg ch as a st), 2BLhdc in 1st st, BLhdc in next 2 sts, [2BLhdc in next st, BLhdc in next 2 sts], repeat [ ] around, join (21)
R2: Ch 1, 2hdc in 1st st, hdc in next 2 sts, [2hdc in next st, hdc in next 2 sts], repeat [ ] around, join (28)
R3: Ch 1, 2hdc in 1st st, hdc in next 3 sts, [2hdc in next st, hdc in next 3 sts], repeat [ ] around, join (35)
Newborn size, continue to the main body of the hat. All remaining sizes continue to R4 below. Some sizes will have alternate ways to work a round, so make sure you are following the correct size for your hat.
R4 (3-6 month size only): Ch 1, 2hdc in 1st st, hdc in next 10 sts, [2hdc in next st, hdc in next 11 sts], repeat [ ] one more time, join (38). Continue to the main body of the hat.
R4 (6-12, 12-24, child size): Ch 1, 2hdc in 1st st, hdc in next 4 sts, [2hdc in next st, hdc in next 4 sts], repeat [ ] around, join (42). For the 6-12 month size continue to main body of the hat, 12-24 month and child size continue to R5 specific to your size below.
R5 (12-24 month size only): Ch 1, 2hdc in 1st st, hdc in next 13 sts, [2hdc in next st, hdc in next 13 sts], repeat [ ] around, join (45). Continue to the main body of the hat
R5 (child size only): Ch 1, 2hdc in 1st st, hdc in next 5 sts, [2hdc in next st, hdc in next 5 sts], repeat [ ] around, join (49). Continue to the main body of the hat
Main Body of the Hat
You are now complete with the crown of the hat and increasing your stitches in each round. Follow the instructions for your hat size below:
- Newborn Size R4-9: Ch 1, hdc in each st around, join (35), continue to final round below
- 3-6 Month Size R5-10: Ch 1, hdc in each st around, join (38), continue to final round below
- 6-12 Month Size R5-11: Ch 1, hdc in each st around, join (42), continue to final round below
- 12-24 Month Size R6-12: Ch 1, hdc in each st around, join (45), continue to final round below
- Child Size R6-14: Ch 1, hdc in each st around, join (49), continue to final round below
All Sizes Final Round: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join (35, 38, 42, 45, 49) and fasten off.
Optional Twinkle!
Now that your Christmas Ornament hat is crocheted, you can choose whether to add an embroidery detail. Check out the different looks you can do in the images above. For a simplistic look, leave the hat as is, or add a large twinkle, or a cluster of mini twinkles. All these options are cute and add charm to the hat.
Whether you make one or a dozen, this cute and colorful hat is a fun way to bring the joy of the season to your crochet hook. Add a little sparkle to your winter wardrobe — and maybe a few smiles along the way!
