Landscape featured image showing a crochet lion hat with a golden face, brown yarn mane, round ears, black eyes and nose, and white muzzle beside bold text reading “Crochet Lion Hat Pattern.”

Crochet lion hat pattern

ByMelissa Hassler

This crochet lion hat pattern turns a simple golden yellow beanie into a playful lion with a white snout, round ears, whiskers, and a shaggy brown mane. With baby, toddler, child, and adult sizes, it’s a fun choice for gifts, dress-up, costumes, photos, or everyday wear.

Quick answer

This advanced beginner crochet lion hat pattern uses worsted weight (#4) yarn and includes baby, toddler, child, and adult sizes. The hat is worked from the top down in joined rounds with an I-9 (5.5 mm) crochet hook. The snout, nose, eyes, and ears are crocheted separately with an H-8 (5 mm) hook, while the whiskers, smile, and brown yarn mane are added during finishing.

Crochet lion hat pattern details

Skill level

Advanced beginner — The basic hat uses simple crochet stitches worked in joined rounds. The lion details include basic shaping, decreases, sewing, and yarn embroidery.

Materials needed

  • I-9 (5.5 mm) crochet hook — for the hat
  • H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook — for the snout, nose, eyes, and ears
  • Worsted weight yarn (#4) — golden yellow for the hat and ears; white for the snout and eye highlights; black for the nose, eyes, smile, and whiskers; and brown for the mane
  • Yarn needle
  • Scissors

Size guide

  • Baby — Fits a 14–15 inch (36–38 cm) head circumference; finished hat height is 6 inches (15 cm).
  • Toddler — Fits an 18–19 inch (46–48 cm) head circumference; finished hat height is 7 inches (18 cm).
  • Child — Fits a 19–20 inch (48–51 cm) head circumference; finished hat height is 7.75 inches (20 cm).
  • Adult — Fits a 20–23 inch (51–58 cm) head circumference; finished hat height is 8 inches (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.

Looking for more baby sizing options? You may also like my 6-size crochet lion hat pattern, which includes 0–3 month, 3–6 month, 6–12 month, toddler, child, and adult sizes.

Gauge

15 dc stitches and 9 rounds = 4 inches (10 cm)

Learn how to check crochet gauge before you begin so you can adjust your hook size if needed.

Crochet abbreviations

Pattern notes

  • The hat is worked from the top down in joined rounds.
  • The beginning ch 2 does not count as a stitch.
  • Join each round with a sl st to the first stitch made in that round.
  • Repeat from the asterisk (*) as indicated.
  • The snout, nose, eyes, and ears are crocheted separately and sewn to the finished hat.
  • The snout, nose, eyes, and ears are the same for all four hat sizes.
  • The smile and whiskers are stitched onto the finished hat with black yarn.
  • Brown yarn strands are attached around the sides and back of the hat to create the mane.
  • The pattern is written in US crochet terms.
Pinterest pin showing a bright yellow crochet lion hat with brown fringe mane, round ears, black facial features, white muzzle, and colorful text reading “Crochet Lion Hat Pattern.”

Crochet lion hat pattern instructions

Use the I-9 (5.5 mm) crochet hook and golden yellow yarn for the hat.

Rounds 1–5

These rounds are the same for all four sizes.

Round 1: Make a magic circle. Ch 2, work 11 dc into the ring. Join with a sl st to the first dc. (11 sts)
Round 2: Ch 2, work 2 dc in each st around. Join. (22 sts)
Round 3: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next st; repeat from * around. Join. (33 sts)
Round 4: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts; repeat from * around. Join. (44 sts)
Round 5: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 10 sts; repeat from * around. Join. (48 sts)

Baby

Rounds 6–14: Ch 2, dc in each st around. Join. (48 sts)

Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Toddler

Round 6: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 11 sts; repeat from * around. Join. (52 sts)
Round 7: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 12 sts; repeat from * around. Join. (56 sts)
Rounds 8–17: Ch 2, dc in each st around. Join. (56 sts)

Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Child

Round 6: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 11 sts; repeat from * around. Join. (52 sts)
Round 7: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 12 sts; repeat from * around. Join. (56 sts)
Round 8: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 13 sts; repeat from * around. Join. (60 sts)
Rounds 9–18: Ch 2, dc in each st around. Join. (60 sts)

Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Adult

Round 6: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 11 sts; repeat from * around. Join. (52 sts)
Round 7: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 12 sts; repeat from * around. Join. (56 sts)
Round 8: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 13 sts; repeat from * around. Join. (60 sts)
Round 9: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 14 sts; repeat from * around. Join. (64 sts)
Rounds 10–19: Ch 2, dc in each st around. Join. (64 sts)

Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Lion snout

Make 2 using the H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook and white yarn.

Round 1: Make a magic circle. Ch 2, work 9 dc into the ring. Join with a sl st to the first dc. (9 sts)
Round 2: Ch 2, work 2 dc in each st around. Join. (18 sts)
Round 3: Ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc in next st; repeat from * around. Join. (27 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Position the two snout pieces in the center of the front of the hat. Sew them securely in place using the long white yarn tails.

Lion nose

Use the H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook and black yarn.

Row 1: Ch 7, hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each remaining ch. Turn. (5 sts)
Row 2: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc in next st, hdc2tog. Turn. (3 sts)
Row 3: Ch 2, hdc3tog. (1 st)

Ch 1 and sc evenly around the entire nose. Join with a sl st to the first sc.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Position the nose just above the snout pieces and sew it securely in place using the long black yarn tail.

Lion eyes

Make 2 using the H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook and black yarn.

Round 1: Make a magic circle. Ch 2, work 9 dc into the ring. Join with a sl st to the first dc. (9 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Using a small piece of white yarn and a yarn needle, stitch a small highlight onto each eye. Secure the white yarn on the back and weave in the ends.

Position the eyes above the snout and sew them securely to the hat using the long black yarn tails.

Lion ears

Make 2 using the H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook and golden yellow yarn.

Row 1: Ch 8, hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each remaining ch. Turn. (6 sts)
Rows 2–4: Ch 2, hdc in each st across. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 5: Ch 2, hdc2tog 3 times. (3 sts)

Ch 1 and sc evenly around the entire ear. Join with a sl st to the first sc.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Position the ears near the top of the hat and sew them securely in place using the long golden yellow yarn tails.

Add the smile and whiskers

Using black yarn and a yarn needle, stitch the smile and whiskers onto the lion’s face.

Fasten off securely on the inside of the hat and weave in the ends.

Add the lion mane

Cut strands of brown yarn to your desired length.

Attach the yarn strands around the sides and back of the hat by looping them through the crochet stitches.

Continue adding strands until the mane is as full as you would like. Trim the ends evenly as needed.

Finishing

Make sure all of the lion details are securely attached to the hat.

Weave in all remaining yarn ends and trim any excess yarn. Gently shape the ears, face, and mane before wearing.

Golden yellow crochet lion beanie with fluffy brown mane, rounded ears, and a bold lion face detail.

Printable PDF version

If you prefer an easy, print-friendly version of this crochet lion hat pattern, a printable PDF is available in my Etsy shop.

More free crochet animal hats

Looking for more safari-inspired designs? Browse my safari animal crochet hat patterns for lions, monkeys, giraffes, zebras, tigers, and other playful animal hats.

You may also like my crochet giraffe hat pattern, crochet hippo hat pattern, crochet monkey hat pattern, crochet elephant hat pattern, or crochet tiger hat pattern, all available in four sizes from baby through adult.

For even more ideas, explore my full collection of crochet animal hat patterns or browse all of my crochet hat patterns for babies, kids, and adults.

Pinterest pin featuring a golden crochet lion hat with round ears, shaggy brown yarn mane, black eyes and nose, white muzzle, and bold text reading “Crochet Lion Hat — Cute Animal Hat Pattern.”