Crochet penguin hat pattern

Looking for a cute winter hat with playful charm? This crochet penguin hat pattern is a fun, beginner-friendly project with sweet penguin details and sizes from baby to adult. It’s a cozy choice for cold-weather outfits, gifts, photos, or everyday wear.

Why you’ll love this pattern

• Cute and cozy — the penguin design is playful, sweet, and perfect for winter
• Beginner-friendly — simple stitches and easy rounds make it approachable
• Sizes for everyone — baby, toddler, child, and adult sizes are included
• Fun finishing details — the eyes and beak give it lots of personality
• Great for gifts — perfect for winter outfits, photos, and handmade presents

How this hat is constructed

This hat is worked from the top down in the round, starting at the crown and continuing into the body of the hat. Once the hat is finished, the penguin face pieces are made separately and sewn on at the end. This keeps the hat simple to crochet and makes the final details easy to place.

Crochet penguin hat pattern details

Here’s a quick overview of the materials, sizing, gauge, and pattern notes before you begin.

Skill level

Beginner. The pattern uses basic stitches in basic form and simple repeats in rounds.

Materials needed

• Crochet hook sizes:
  I-9 5.5 mm (hat) or size needed for gauge
  H-8 5 mm (eyes & beak)
• Yarn: Worsted weight yarn #4 in white, black, orange, and blue.
• Yarn needle: Use this to weave in your ends.
• Scissors: Use scissors to fasten off your yarn.
• Stitch marker(s): Optional. Use these to help keep track of your stitches. 

Finished size

Hat size	Crown	Head circumference	Hat height
0–3 months	4.5 inches (11 cm)	13–14 inches (33-36 cm)	5 inches (13 cm)
3–6 months	5 inches (13 cm)	14–15 inches (36-38 cm)	5.5 inches (14 cm)
6–12 months	5.5 inches (14 cm)	16–17 inches (41-43 cm)	6.25 inches (16 cm)
Toddler	6 inches (15 cm)	18–19 inches (46-48 cm)	6.75 inches (17 cm)
Child	6.5 inches (17 cm)	19–20 inches (48-51 cm)	7 inches (18 cm)
Adult	7 inches (18 cm)	20–23 inches (51-58 cm)	7.75 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.

Gauge

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

Crochet abbreviations

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

Pattern notes

• The chain at the beginning of each round does not count as your first stitch. 
• Join each round with a slip stitch to the first stitch made in that round. 
• Repeat instructions between the asterisks (*) for the rest of the round.
• You are crocheting in the round from the top of the hat down.
• The pattern is written in US crochet terms.

Crochet penguin hat pattern instructions

Below are the step-by-step instructions for each hat size.

0-3 months size

Start with black yarn.
Rnd 1: Magic circle, ch 2, 11 dc, join (11 stitches)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st, join (22 stitches)
Rnd 3: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next st*, join (33 stitches)

Rnd 4: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 2 sts*, join (44 stitches)
Rnd 5: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 10 sts*, join (48 stitches)
Rnd 6: Ch 2, dc in each st, join (48 stitches)

Switch to white yarn before starting round 11.
Rnds 7– 13: Repeat round 6 (48 stitches)
Rnd 14: Ch 1, sc in each st, join and fasten off(48 stitches)

3-6 months size

Start with black yarn.
Rnd 1: Magic circle, ch 2, 11 dc, join (11 stitches)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st, join (22 stitches)
Rnd 3: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next st*, join (33 stitches)
Rnd 4: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 2 sts*, join (44 stitches)

Rnd 5: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 10 sts*, join (48 stitches)
Rnd 6: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 11 sts*, join (52 stitches)
Rnd 7: Ch 2, dc in each st, join (52 stitches)

Switch to white yarn before starting round 12.
Rnds 8– 15: Repeat round 7 (52 stitches)
Rnd 16: Ch 1, sc in each st, join and fasten off (52 stitches)

6-12 months size

Start with black yarn.
Rnd 1: Magic circle, ch 2, 11 dc, join (11 stitches)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st, join (22 stitches)
Rnd 3: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next st*, join (33 stitches)
Rnd 4: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 2 sts*, join (44 stitches)

Rnd 5: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 10 sts*, join (48 stitches)
Rnd 6: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 11 sts*, join (52 stitches)
Rnd 7: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 12 sts*, join (56 stitches)
Rnd 8: Ch 2, dc in each st, join (56 stitches)

Switch to white yarn before starting round 13.
Rnds 9– 16: Repeat round 8 (56 stitches)
Rnd 17: Ch 1, sc in each st, join and fasten off (56 stitches)

Toddler size

Start with black yarn.
Rnd 1: Magic circle, ch 2, 11 dc, join (11 stitches)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st, join (22 stitches)
Rnd 3: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next st*, join (33 stitches)

Rnd 4: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 2 sts*, join (44 stitches)
Rnd 5: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 10 sts*, join (48 stitches)
Rnd 6: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 11 sts*, join (52 stitches)

Rnd 7: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 12 sts*, join (56 stitches)
Rnd 8: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 13 sts*, join (60 stitches)
Rnd 9: Ch 2, dc in each st, join (60 stitches)

Switch to white yarn before starting round 14.
Rnds 10– 18: Repeat round 9 (60 stitches)
Rnd 19: Ch 1, sc in each st, join and fasten off (60 stitches)

Child size

Start with black yarn.
Rnd 1: Magic circle, ch 2, 11 dc, join (11 stitches)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st, join (22 stitches)
Rnd 3: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next st*, join (33 stitches)

Rnd 4: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 2 sts*, join (44 stitches)
Rnd 5: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 10 sts*, join (48 stitches)
Rnd 6: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 11 sts*, join (52 stitches)

Rnd 7: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 12 sts*, join (56 stitches)
Rnd 8: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 13 sts*, join (60 stitches)
Rnd 9: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 14 sts*, join (64 stitches)
Rnd 10: Ch 2, dc in each st, join (64 stitches)

Switch to white yarn before starting round 15.
Rnds 11– 19: Repeat round 10 (64 stitches)
Rnd 20: Ch 1, sc in each st, join and fasten off (64 stitches)

Adult size

Start with black yarn.
Rnd 1: Magic circle, ch 2, 11 dc, join (11 stitches)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st, join (22 stitches)
Rnd 3: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next st*, join (33 stitches)

Rnd 4: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 2 sts*, join (44 stitches)
Rnd 5: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 10 sts*, join (48 stitches)
Rnd 6: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 11 sts*, join (52 stitches)

Rnd 7: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 12 sts*, join (56 stitches)
Rnd 8: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 13 sts*, join (60 stitches)
Rnd 9: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 14 sts*, join (64 stitches)

Rnd 10: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next 15 sts*, join (68 stitches)
Rnd 11: Ch 2, dc in each st, join (68 stitches)

Switch to white yarn before starting round 17.
Rnds 12– 21: Repeat round 11 (68 stitches)
Rnd 22: Ch 1, sc in each st, join and fasten off (68 stitches)

Eye patches

After making the eye patches, sew them to the hat.

0-3 months size

Row 1: Ch 8, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each rem ch, turn (7 stitches)
Rows 2- 10: Ch 2, hdc in each st, turn (7 stitches)
Row 11: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc 3, hdc2tog (5 stitches)
Row 12: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc, hdc2tog and then sc around the eye patch

3-6 months size

Row 1: Ch 8, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each rem ch, turn (7 stitches)
Rows 2- 11: Ch 2, hdc in each st, turn (7 stitches)
Row 12: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc 3, hdc2tog (5 stitches)
Row 13: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc, hdc2tog and then sc around the eye patch

6-12 months size

Row 1: Ch 10, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each rem ch, turn (9 stitches)
Rows 2- 11: Ch 2, hdc in each st, turn (9 stitches)
Row 12: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc 5, hdc2tog (7 stitches)
Row 13: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc 3, hdc2tog (5 stitches)
Row 14: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc, hdc2tog and then sc around the eye patch

Toddler size

Row 1: Ch 10, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and each rem ch, turn (9 stitches)
Rows 2- 12: Ch 2, hdc in each st, turn (9 stitches)
Row 13: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc 5, hdc2tog (7 stitches)
Row 14: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc 3, hdc2tog (5 stitches)
Row 15: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc, hdc2tog and then sc around the eye patch

Child size

Row 1: Ch 12, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each rem ch, turn (11 stitches)
Rows 2- 12: Ch 2, hdc in each st, turn (11 stitches)
Row 13: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc 7, hdc2tog (9 stitches)
Row 14: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc 5, hdc2tog (7 stitches)
Row 15: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc 3, hdc2tog (5 stitches)
Row 16: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc, hdc2tog and then sc around the eye patch

Adult size

Row 1: Ch 12, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each rem ch, turn (11 stitches)
Rows 2- 14: Ch 2, hdc in each st, turn (11 stitches)
Row 15: ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc 7, hdc2tog (9 stitches)
Row 16: ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc 5, hdc2tog (7 stitches)
Row 17: ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc 3, hdc2tog (5 stitches)
Row 18: ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc, hdc2tog and then sc around the eye patch

Penguin beak

After making the beak, sew it to the front of the hat.

0-3 and 3-6 months size

Row 1: Ch 9, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each rem ch, turn (8 stitches)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog, turn (6 stitches)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn (6 stitches)
Row 4: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 2, sc2tog, turn (4 stitches)

Row 5: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn (4 stitches)
Row 6: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc2tog, turn (2 stitches)
Row 7: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn (2 stitches)
Row 8: Ch 1, sc2tog, and then sc around entire the beak

6-12 months – adult sizes

Row 1: chain 11, sc in second ch from hook, sc in each rem ch, ch 1, turn [10]
Row 2: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 6, sc2tog, turn (8 stitches)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn (8 stitches)
Row 4: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog, turn (6 stitches)
Row 5: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn (6 stitches)

Row 6: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 2, sc2tog, turn (4 stitches)
Row 7: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn (4 stitches)
Row 8: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc2tog, turn (2 stitches)
Row 9: Ch 1, sc2tog and then sc around entire the beak

Penguin eyes

Start with black yarn.
Rnd 1: Magic circle, ch 2, 11 dc, join (11 stitches)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st, join (22 stitches)
Switch to blue yarn.
Rnd 3: Ch 2, *2 dc, dc in next st*, join (33 stitches)

Use white yarn to add “eye sparkle” to the eyes and sew the eyes to the hat. Then, use black yarn to stitch eyebrows above the eyes.

Finishing

Fasten off and then weave in the ends.

More free crochet animal hat patterns

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

Love making cozy hats? Explore even more free crochet hat patterns that are perfect for every season and style.

Let’s connect!

I’d love to see what you’re making! Share your finished project and follow along for more free crochet patterns and tutorials.

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• YouTube
• Etsy

📌 Don’t forget to pin this pattern for later!
Happy crocheting! 🧶
— Melissa