Lightweight Crochet Mesh Hat for Beginners: Easy Lace Beanie Tutorial

This lightweight crochet mesh hat from ABoC Studio is an airy, lacy beanie that beginners will love. It starts with a small ring at the top of the crown and grows round by round into a pretty petal pattern, then the sides are worked straight down for an easy, relaxed fit. Made in a soft cotton, it is perfect for spring and summer, or as a light layer for cool evenings.

Mesh Hat at a Glance

• Designer: ABoC Studio (A Bowl of Crochet)
• Skill level: beginner
• Construction: worked top down in joined rounds, starting from a ring
• Stitches: chain, slip stitch and double crochet (US terms)
• Finishing: optional decorative charms
• Video length: about 40 minutes, with chapters and the written rounds shown on screen

What You'll Need

• A light to medium weight cotton or cotton-blend yarn, so the hat stays breathable
• A crochet hook in the size recommended for your yarn
• A stitch marker, a yarn needle and scissors
• Optional: small charms or beads to decorate the hat

In the video, ABoC Studio goes through the materials and setup at the very start, and shows every round in writing on the screen, so it is easy to pause and check where you are.

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How the Mesh Hat Is Made

1. The center (1:39): double crochet stitches are worked into a ring to form the top of the crown.
2. Expanding the crown (5:57 to 15:00): each round builds groups of two double crochets with a small chain space in the middle, which become the "petals" of the lace pattern.
3. Increasing (14:52): instead of adding stitches, the chains between the petals get one chain longer each round. This is what makes the crown grow flat and open.
4. The sides (28:14): once the crown is the right size, the rounds continue without increasing to form the sides of the hat.
5. Finishing (33:19 to 37:00): bind off, weave in the ends, and add decorative charms if you like.

Tips for a Perfect Fit

• Check the crown size. Stop increasing when the flat crown is about the width of the top of your head; then work the sides.
• Join each round neatly. ABoC Studio points out a common mistake in the video: forgetting to join a round with a slip stitch, which makes the hat spiral.
• Work only into the center spaces. When the instructions say so, place the stitches only in the chain space in the middle of each petal, not in the spaces between petals.
• Block lightly. A quick steam or wet block opens up the lace and evens out the petals.

Images and patterns courtesy of ABoC Studio

Enjoy the Video Tutorial

Source: ABoC Studio

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a mesh hat good for beginners?
Yes. It uses only basic stitches, the rounds repeat, and the open fabric makes it easy to see where to place your hook.

Can I sell hats made from this pattern?
ABoC Studio allows you to sell your finished hats, as long as you credit ABoC Studio as the designer.

Will the hat keep me warm?
It is a light, breathable hat, best for spring, summer and mild days. For winter, work it in a thicker wool yarn.

More Projects from ABoC Studio

For more from ABoC Studio, see the crochet balaclavas and cowls roundup and the three stylish summer hats. You will find many more hats in our crochet hats and beanies collection.