Crochet bear hat pattern
This crochet bear hat pattern is a beginner-friendly beanie worked from the top down in the round using worsted weight yarn. With baby, toddler, child, and adult sizes, it features cute bear face details and ears for a cozy animal hat that’s great for gifts, matching family sets, and everyday winter wear.
Quick answer
This crochet bear hat pattern is a beginner-friendly hat worked from the top down in the round using worsted weight yarn (#4) and an I-9 (5.5 mm) crochet hook. It includes baby, toddler, child, and adult sizes and is finished with separate bear face pieces like the snout, nose, eyes, and ears.
Best for: Beginners
Style: Top-down animal hat with sewn-on face pieces
Includes: 4 sizes, written instructions, gauge, and finishing notes
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
How the hat is constructed
The hat is worked from the top down in the round. You’ll increase to shape the crown, then work even rounds for the body. Once the hat is finished, the bear face pieces are crocheted separately and sewn on to complete the look.
Crochet bear hat pattern details
Here’s a quick overview of the materials, sizing, gauge, and pattern notes before you begin.
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 with sizing? Check out my crochet hat sizing guide to measure head circumference, use negative ease, and adjust crown diameter and hat height for the best fit.
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.
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
- hdc = half double crochet
- hdc2tog = half double crochet decrease
- sc = single crochet
- 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
Quick links
Rounds 1-5
Baby size
Toddler size
Child size
Adult size
Bear snout
Bear nose
Bear eyes
Bear ears
Adding the smile
Finishing
FAQs
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.
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.
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.
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.
Looking for more cute designs? Explore my full collection of crochet animal hat patterns.
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📌 Don’t forget to pin this pattern for later!
Happy crocheting! 🧶
— Melissa