Crochet bear hat pattern – baby to adult (4 sizes)

Need a cute winter hat that works up fast and makes everyone smile? This crochet bear hat pattern is a quick, cozy beanie with an adorable bear face and ears.

It’s worked top down in the round using simple double crochet repeats, so it’s beginner-friendly and easy to size. Make one for a baby, or stitch up matching hats for the whole family—baby through adult.

Looking for more cute designs? Explore my full collection of crochet animal hat patterns.

Quick answer
This crochet bear hat pattern is worked top down in the round using worsted weight yarn (#4) and an I-9 (5.5 mm) hook. It includes four sizes—baby, toddler, child, and adult. After the beanie is finished, you’ll crochet the snout, nose, eyes, and ears with an H-8 (5 mm) hook, then sew the pieces on to create the bear face.

Vertical Pinterest pin for a crochet bear hat pattern with text that says “Crochet bear hat pattern,” “Baby to adult sizes!,” and “beginner-friendly,” plus a photo of a brown crochet bear hat and a green “FREE” badge.

Why you’ll love this pattern

Beginner-friendly stitches — made with basic double crochet stitches
Four sizes included — baby, toddler, child, and adult
Cute bear face details — snout, nose, eyes, and ears make it extra fun
Great for gifts — birthdays, winter photo props, and matching family hats
Easy to customize — change colors to make a teddy bear, polar bear, or classic brown bear

Who this pattern is best for

Crocheters who want a beginner-friendly animal hat with simple stitches
Anyone making a cute gift for a baby shower, birthday, or winter photo shoot
Parents and grandparents who want matching hats in baby, toddler, child, and adult sizes
Craft fair makers looking for a fun, eye-catching hat that people actually buy
You, if you want a quick, cozy project with an adorable bear face and ears

How the hat is constructed

The beanie starts at the crown with increase rounds, then you keep working even rounds to build the height. Once the hat is finished, add the bear details by sewing on the snout, nose, eyes, and ears, then stitch a simple smile.

Pattern details

Here’s everything you need to know before you start—skill level, materials, sizing, and gauge—so your bear beanie fits well and the face details land in the right spot.

Skill level

Beginner — This crochet bear hat pattern uses basic stitches worked in simple repeats in the round.

Materials needed

Crochet hook size I-9 (5.5 mm) — for the hat
Crochet hook size H-8 (5 mm) — for the snout, nose, eyes, and ears
Worsted weight yarn (#4) — in black, white, brown, and tan
Yarn needle — for weaving in ends neatly
Scissors — to cut your yarn
Stitch markers (optional) — helpful for keeping track of rounds and stitch counts

Finished size

This crochet beanie pattern includes four sizes.

Baby — 14–15 inches (36–38 cm) head circumference, 6 inches tall (15 cm)
Toddler — 18–19 inches (46–48 cm) head circumference, 7 inches tall (18 cm)
Child — 19–20 inches (48–51 cm) head circumference, 7.75 inches tall (20 cm)
Adult — 20–23 inches (51–58 cm) head circumference, 8 inches tall (20 cm)

Need help sizing your crochet animal hat?

Getting the right fit is one of the most important parts of making a crochet hat, especially for animal hats with ears and face details.

If you’re unsure about head circumference, hat height, negative ease, or which size to make, check out my full crochet hat sizing guide. It walks you through the sizing basics step by step and makes it easier to choose the best fit from baby to adult.

You’ll learn:

How to measure head circumference correctly — so you pick the right size
How to choose the right crochet hat size (baby to adult) — using your measurements
How hat height affects fit and comfort — so it doesn’t feel too short or too tall
How much negative ease to use — for a snug, comfy fit
How to adjust a crochet hat pattern — if your hat feels too tight, loose, or short

If your hat feels too tight, too loose, or too short, the sizing guide will help you make simple adjustments with confidence.

Gauge

15 stitches and 9 rows = 4 inches (10 cm)

If your swatch has too many stitches, try a larger hook.
If your swatch has too few stitches, try a smaller hook.

How to get the best fit

Make sure the hat fits first. Then you can place the ears and face pieces exactly where you want them.

Measure head circumference — wrap a measuring tape around the widest part of the head (above eyebrows and ears).
Choose the size by head circumference — if between sizes, pick the size closest to the actual measurement.
Check hat height — a hat can be the right width but feel “off” if it’s too short or too tall.
Use gauge as your cheat code — if your hat is turning out too small, try a larger hook; if it’s too big, try a smaller hook.

Tips for placing the bear face (so it looks centered)

Find the front of the hat first — lay the hat flat with the join seam centered in the back.
Pin before sewing — use stitch markers or spare yarn to “pin” the snout, eyes, and ears in place.
Start with the snout — center it, sew it down, then add the nose and eyes.
Save the smile for last — once everything else is attached, stitch the smile where it looks cutest.

Crochet abbreviations

dc = double crochet stitches
hdc = half double crochet stitches
hdc2tog = half double crochet decrease
sc = single crochet stitches
ch/chs = chain/chains
st/sts = stitch/stitches
sl st = slip stitch

Pattern notes

Use an I-9 (5.5 mm) crochet hook for the hat
Use an H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook for the snout, nose, eyes, and ears
Rounds 1-5 of the hat are the same for all sizes
The pattern is worked in the round from the top of the hat down
Repeat the instructions between the asterisks (*) for the rest of the round
Unless otherwise stated, the face pieces are the same for all sizes
The pattern is written in US crochet terms

Printable PDF pattern

If you prefer an easy, print-friendly version of this crochet bear hat pattern, a printable PDF is available in my Etsy shop. The PDF includes the full pattern instructions in a clean, ad-free format, making it perfect for printing or saving on your device.

Crochet bear hat pattern instructions

Rounds 1-5 are the same for all sizes.

Rounds 1-5

Round 1: Magic circle, ch 2, 11 dc, join with sl st to the top of the first dc (11 stitches)
Round 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st, join (22 stitches)
Round 3: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next st*, join (33 stitches)
Round 4: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 2 sts*, join (44 stitches)
Round 5: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 10 sts*, join (48 stitches)

Baby size

Rounds 6-14: Ch 2, dc in each st, join (48 stitches)

Fasten off and weave in your ends.

Toddler size

Round 6: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 11 sts*, join (52 stitches)
Round 7: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 12 sts*, join (56 stitches)
Rounds 8-17: Ch 2, dc in each st, join (56 stitches)

Fasten off and weave in your ends.

Child size

Round 6: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 11 sts*, join (52 stitches)
Round 7: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 12 sts*, join (56 stitches)
Round 8: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 13 sts*, join (60 stitches)
Rounds 9-18: Ch 2, dc in each st, join (60 stitches)

Fasten off and weave in your ends.

Adult size

Round 6: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 11 sts*, join (52 stitches)
Round 7: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 12 sts*, join (56 stitches)
Round 8: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 13 sts*, join (60 stitches)
Round 9: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 14 sts*, join (64 stitches)
Rounds 10-19: Ch 2, dc in each st, join (64 stitches)

Fasten off and weave in your ends.

Bear snout

Use tan yarn.

Round 1: Magic ring, ch 2, 11 hdc, join with sl st to the top of the first hdc (11 stitches)
Round 2: Ch 2, 2 hdc in each st, join (22 stitches)
Round 3: Ch 2, *2 hdc, hdc in next st*, join (33 stitches)
Round 4: Ch 2, *2 hdc, hdc in next 2 sts*, join (44 stitches)

Sew the snout to the front of the hat. Make sure it is centered.

Bear nose

Use black yarn.

Round 1: Magic circle, ch 1, 6 sc, join with sl st to the top of the first sc (6 stitches)
Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st, join (12 stitches)
Round 3: Ch 2, 2 hdc in first 2 sts, sc in the next 4 sts, 2 hdc in next 2 sts, sc in rem 4 sts, join (16 stitches)

Sew the nose to the snout.

Bear eyes

Use black yarn. Make 2.

Round 1: Magic circle, ch 2, 9 hdc, join with sl st to the top of the first hdc (9 stitches)

Use scrap pieces of white yarn to add the eye sparkle.

Sew the eyes to the hat.

Bear ears

Use brown yarn. Make 2.

Row 1: Ch 10, hdc in 3rd ch from the hook and in each rem ch, turn (8 stitches)
Rows 2-4: Ch 2, hdc in each st, turn (8 stitches)
Row 5: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc in 4 sts, hdc2tog, turn (6 stitches)
Row 6: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc in 2 sts, hdc2tog, turn (4 stitches)
Row 7: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc2tog, (2 stitches)

Single crochet around the entire shape and fasten off. Leave a long tail for sewing.

Sew the ears to the hat.

Adding the smile

Use black yarn and a yarn needle to stitch a smile onto the bear face.

Finishing

Weave in all of your ends.

Close-up photo of a brown crochet bear hat with rounded ears, black safety eyes, and a cream snout with a black nose, shown on a light gray background.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make this bear hat with a different yarn weight?
Yes, but the size will change. For the same finished sizing, stick with worsted weight yarn (#4). If you use a thicker or thinner yarn, plan to adjust hook size and expect a different fit.

Do I have to use two hook sizes?
Using I-9 (5.5 mm) for the hat and H-8 (5 mm) for the face pieces helps the details look tighter and cleaner. You can use one hook, but the face pieces may look looser.

Can I make the hat without the bear face pieces?
Absolutely. You’ll have a simple crochet beanie, and you can still add just the ears for an easy bear ears beanie look.

How do I adjust the hat if it feels too short or too tall?
Add rounds to make it taller, or remove rounds to make it shorter. Do this in the even rounds after the crown is finished.

How do I adjust the hat if it feels too tight or too loose?
The crown rounds control the width. If your gauge is correct and you want a slightly bigger hat, add one more increase round, then work even rounds. For a slightly smaller hat, stop increasing one round earlier.

Can I use safety eyes instead of crocheted eyes?
No—I don’t recommend safety eyes for hats. They have a hard plastic post and backing on the inside of the hat, which can poke or rub your forehead when the hat is worn and stretched. For a soft, comfortable finish, stick with crocheted or stitched eyes.

How should I wash this crochet bear hat?
If you use a machine-washable acrylic yarn, a gentle cycle in cold water usually works well. Lay flat to dry to help the face pieces keep their shape.

Can I sell finished hats made from this pattern?
If you want, you can add a short note in your pattern permissions section that matches your preference.

More free crochet animal hats

Love cute animal hats? You’re in the right place! This collection of free crochet animal hat patterns includes fun designs for every season and personality, from sweet farm animals to wild zoo favorites.

Each pattern is beginner-friendly and written in baby to adult sizes, so you can make matching hats for the whole family. They’re great for gifts, dress-up, photo props, school spirit days, and everyday cold-weather fun.

Pick your favorite animal and start crocheting a hat that makes everyone smile.