Moorea Summer Hat- Crochet Pattern

​By Sarah Moreira

We all need a little creativity in our lives because, after all, it makes life infinitely more interesting and far more fulfilling. Needless to say, I love to crochet but I always thought it would be so hard to create a pattern. I can’t even believe I managed to create my first! After I did and undid so many stitches, here is my all-time favorite summer hat, made from natural yarns.

I named it Moorea Summer Hat after one of our favorite islands here in French Polynesia. Close to Tahiti, surrounded by a barrier of coral reef, Moorea has one of those lagoons with turquoise blue waters that we see in postcards. So much life underwater and so much lush green and fresh fruits in the mountains. This is really what paradise looks like for me and that is why we like to spend so much time here. It was with our sailboat anchored in Opunohu Bay, on the Northside of Moorea, that I decided to have a go at creating my favorite summer hat.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Yarn: I used a sisal yarn, approximately 4mm wide. Most yachties will be familiar with this yarn since you can find at any hardware store or at the gardening section of the supermarket. The cool thing about this material is that it's durable and malleable. You can fold it and put it away in your bag, no problem!

But you will need to make a lining inside so it doesn't scratch your head. If your hat turns out too stiff when you finish, I found that you can wet it with fresh water and let it dry completely under the sun that it makes the yarn softer.

Crochet Hook: Size 10

The hat is made in a spiral, starting from the top all the way to the brim. Remember to use something (a crochet marker, a safety pin, or even a piece of leftover yarn) to mark the first stitch of each row so you don’t get lost.

Size (approx):

33cm wide x 13cm tall

Inside it's around 55cm wide - this fits most heads, but you can stretch it up to around 59cm before you put in the lining inside.

Crochet Terms (US):

Chain - Ch

Single Crochet - SC

Slip Stich - SS

Stitch - St

Single Crochet 2 Together (increase) - SC2Tog

Pattern

TOP:

Round 1: Chain 2

Round 2: 6SC in the first chain - total 6sts

Rd 3: SC2Tog in each st - 12sts

Rd 4: *(SC2Tog in first st, 1SC in next st) repeat from * - 18sts

Rd 5: *(SC2Tog, 1SC in each of the next 2 sts) repeat* - 24sts

Rd 6: *(SC2Tog, 1SC in each of the next 3 sts) repeat* - 30sts

SIDE:

Rd 7-9: 1SC in each st (you have the option to crochet only Rd7 on the back loop of all the stitches of the previous row, this will give a different effect, creating a line around) - 30sts

Rd 10: *(SC2Tog, 1SC in each of the next 9 sts) repeat* - 33sts

Rd 11 and 12: 1SC in each st - 33sts

Rd 13: *(SC2Tog, 1SC in each of the next 10 sts) repeat* - 36sts

Rd 14-15: 1SC in each st - 36sts

BRIM:

Rd 16: 1SC in each st (option to crochet on the back loop only to create the effect of the line around) - 36sts

Rd 17: *(SC2Tog, 1SC in each of the next 5 sts) repeat* - 42sts

Rd18: *(SC2Tog, 1SC in each of the next 6 sts) repeat* - 48sts

Rd 19: *(SC2Tog, 1SC in each of the next 7 sts) repeat* - 54sts

Rd 20: *(SC2Tog, 1SC in each of the next 8 sts) repeat* - 60sts

Rd 21: *(SC2Tog, 1SC in each of the next 9sts) repeat* - 66sts

Rd 22: SS all around

Cut and weave in with a needle.

LINING:

Hand stitch a strip of very soft material. I stitched only the bottom part of the strip, I think it accommodates better, and when you wear your hat the lining will fall back in its place.

If you think the hat is a little big on you, you can stitch the lining tighter or you can also tie a scarf, bandana, or yarn on the outside.

Happy sailing & prosperous creating ;)

​Sarah Moreira

Sarah left the city life and office job behind to live a more wholesome life on a sailboat, traveling the world with her husband and their dog since 2015. She is passionate about animals, cooking, yoga and a while ago taught herself to crochet and she hasn’t stopped creating new things ever since!

To find out more about her creations and travel adventures, visit:

@crochetatsea and @sailipanema