Missing Links Crochet Hat Pattern

The light and lively Missing Links hat is the one you’ll reach for all season. Airy rounds of regular double crochet pop against a structured linked double crochet background. Make it in 6 sizes, from preemie to adult. With textured stripes and a fold-up brim, this cozy crochet hat pattern is as fun to make as it is to wear!

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Scarf and Hat of the Month Club

I designed this hat for the 2026 Scarf and Hat of the Month Club crochet along (CAL). This year-long event is hosted by Rhondda from Oombawka Designs and Amy from The Stitchin Mommy. Follow along for 3 new scarf and 3 new hat patterns every month!

The other two hat patterns this month are the Textured Rows Hat by Rhondda and the October Harvest Beanie by Amy.

Make the Matching Cowl

Make it a matched set with the Missing Links Cowl! It uses the same textured stripe pattern, and can easily be made to any length.

Free PDF with Coupon Code!

As part of the CAL, you can get the pdf version of this crochet hat pattern for FREE on Ravelry with a coupon code! But hurry, this code is only valid for a short time and then it’s gone!

Coupon Code: OctoberHat

Terms: This code expires at 11:59 pm Eastern time on Monday, October 26, 2026. Please make sure the discount shows in your cart before completing checkout. Due to the fees involved, I cannot refund accidental purchases.

Premier Yarns Superwash Worsted Yarn

I made this crochet hat with some leftover Superwash Worsted yarn that Annie’s Attic had sent me for a previous project. It’s a buttery soft wool that feels smooth and silky while working with it. It feels a bit on the light side of worsted, so may work up a bit smaller than other worsted yarns. The yarn comes in 2-packs on the Annie’s Attic site, which is more than enough to make both the hat and the matching cowl!

Linked Double Crochet

Linked double crochet stitches form the main body of this hat pattern. Each stitch is linked to the stitch before it by connecting to the horizontal bar in the middle. Instead of starting the stitch with a yarn over, pull up a loop in the horizontal bar of the previous stitch, treat that loop as a yarn over, and finish your stitch like normal. For a closer look, see this Linked Double Crochet tutorial.

Invisible Joins

Avoid the extra bump that a slip stitch makes when joining rounds! Use this invisible join technique instead.

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Missing Links Hat

Yarn weight and project level images source: Craft Yarn Council

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Project Level

Intermediate: Decreases in linked double crochet, slip stitch in back loops only ribbing.

Sizes

Preemie [Newborn, Baby, Toddler, Child/Teen, Adult]

To Fit Head Circumference: 10-12 [12-14, 14-16, 17-19, 19-21, 21-24]” / 25-30 [30-35, 35-40, 42.5-47.5, 47.5-52.5, 52.5-60] cm

Hat Circumference: 10 [12, 14, 16, 18, 20]” / 25 [30, 35, 40, 45, 50] cm

Hat Height (with Brim folded up): 5.25 [6.25, 6.25, 7, 8, 9]” / 13.5 [15.5, 15.5, 18, 20, 22] cm

Brim Height: 2 [2, 2, 2.5, 2.5, 3]” / 5 [5, 5, 6.5, 6.5, 7.5] cm

Gauge

In pattern: 12 ldc = 4″ / 10 cm after blocking, 9 rnds (7 ldc rnds and 2 dc rnds) = 4″ / 10 cm after blocking.

Abbreviations used

This pattern uses US terms.

blo	back loop only
ch	chain
dc	double crochet
dc2tog	double crochet next 2 sts (or 2 indicated sts) together
ldc	linked double crochet
ldc dec	linked double crochet decrease
rep	repeat
rnd	round
RS	right side(s)
sc	single crochet
sl st	slip stitch
st(s)	stitch(es)
WS	wrong side(s)
yo	yarn over

Recommended Resources

• How to Crochet into the Back Bump of a Chain
• Linked Double Crochet (ldc)*
• Join Crochet Rounds Without a Slip Stitch (Invisible Join)
• Invisible Join for Crocheting in the Round (Finishing Join)

*In the Linked Double Crochet tutorial, the turning ch-3 is counted as the first st. In this pattern it is not.

Special Stitches / Techniques

Linked Double Crochet (ldc): Insert hook in 2nd ch of turning ch-3 (for first ldc of rnd) or in horizontal bar of previous ldc (for all remaining ldc), yo and pull up a loop, insert hook in next st, yo and pull up a loop, [yo and pull through 2 loops on hook] twice.

See this Linked Double Crochet tutorial for a closer look. Note that in the tutorial, the ch-3 counted as the first st, but in this pattern it does not.

Linked Double Crochet Decrease (ldc dec): Insert hook in 2nd ch of turning ch-3 (for first ldc of rnd) or in horizontal bar of previous ldc (for all remaining ldc), yo and pull up a loop, [insert hook, yo and pull up a loop] in each of next 2 sts (4 loops on hook), yo and pull through 3 loops on hook, yo and pull through 2 loops on hook.

Invisible Join: Remove working loop from hook. Insert hook from back to front through first st of rnd, place working loop back on hook and pull through from front to back. See this Joining Rounds tutorial for a closer look.

Instructions

Brim

Row 1 (RS of Brim): Ch 10 [10, 10, 12, 12, 14], sl st in back bump of 2nd ch from hook and each ch across. (9 [9, 9, 11, 11, 13] sl sts)

Rows 2-30 [36, 42, 48, 54, 60]: Ch 1, turn, sl st in blo of each sl st across.

Turn work and fold Band in half with RS together so bottom of Row 1 meets top of last row, with last row in front.

Joining Row (WS of Brim): Ch 1, working through both layers, in blo of last row and both loops at bottom of Row 1, sl st in each st across, do not fasten off, do not turn work.

Body

Since Brim is meant to be folded up, RS of Brim is WS of Body. When folded up, seam from Joining Row will be on inside, though it should be camouflaged well enough to be able to be worn either way.

All rnds of Body are worked on the RS. Do not turn work at end of rnds. It may be helpful to mark first st of each rnd with a stitch marker.

Rnd 1 (RS of Body): Ch 1, rotate to work into ends of rows, sc in each row around, join with invisible join. (30 [36, 42, 48, 54, 60] sts)

Rnds 2-4: Ch 3 (does not count as a st throughout), ldc in each st around, join with invisible join.

Rnd 5: Ch 2 (does not count as a st throughout), dc in each st around, join with invisible join.

Rnds 6-9 [13, 9, 13, 13, 17]: [Rep Rnds 2-5] 1 [2, 1, 2, 2, 3] time(s).

Crown

Size Preemie Only

Rnds 10-11: Rep Rnds 2-3.

Rnd 12: Ch 3, ldc in first st, [ldc dec, ldc in next 3 sts] 5 times, ldc dec, ldc in last 2 sts, join with invisible join. (24 sts)

Size Newborn Only

Rnd 14: Ch 3, ldc in first st, [ldc dec, ldc in next st] 11 times, ldc dec, join with invisible join. (24 sts)

Size Baby Only

Rnds 10-12: Rep Rnds 2-4.

Rnd 13: Ch 2, dc in first 3 sts, [dc2tog, dc in next 5 sts] 5 times, dc2tog, dc in last 2 sts, join with invisible join. (36 sts)

Rnd 14: Ch 3, ldc in first st, [ldc dec, ldc in next st] 11 times, ldc dec, join with invisible join. (24 sts)

Size Toddler Only

Rnd 14: Rep Rnd 2.

Rnd 15: Ch 3, ldc in first 2 sts, [ldc dec, ldc in next 2 sts] 11 times, ldc dec, join with invisible join. (36 sts)

Rnd 16: Ch 3, ldc in first st, [ldc dec, ldc in next st] 11 times, ldc dec, join with invisible join. (24 sts)

Size Child/Teen Only

Rnds 14-15: Rep Rnds 2-3.

Rnd 16: Ch 3, ldc in first 4 sts, [ldc dec, ldc in next 7 sts] 5 times, ldc dec, ldc in last 3 sts, join with invisible join. (48 sts)

Rnd 17: Ch 2, dc in first 2 sts, [dc2tog, dc in next 2 sts] 11 times, dc2tog, join with invisible join. (36 sts)

Rnd 18: Ch 3, ldc in first st, [ldc dec, ldc in next st] 11 times, ldc dec, join with invisible join. (24 sts)

Size Adult Only

Rnd 18: Ch 3, ldc in first 2 sts, [ldc dec, ldc in next 3 sts] 11 times, ldc dec, ldc in last st, join with invisible join. (48 sts)

Rnd 19: Ch 3, ldc in first st, [ldc dec, ldc in next 2 sts] 11 times, ldc dec, ldc in last st, join with invisible join. (36 sts)

Rnd 20: Ch 3, ldc in first st, [ldc dec, ldc in next st] 11 times, ldc dec, join with invisible join. (24 sts)

All Sizes

Last Rnd: Ch 2, turn, dc2tog in first 2 sts, dc2tog around, do not join, fasten off leaving a 6″ (15 cm) tail. (12 sts)

With tapestry needle, sew tail through each st of last rnd and pull tight to close top of hat. Sew through each stitch one more time, then weave in end.

Optional Join/Seam Finishing:

This covers up the visible line where the rnds of ldc were joined by creating the missing “link” between the first and last st of each rnd.

Thread a length of yarn at least 3 times the height of the hat (not including Brim) onto tapestry needle. Starting at bottom of Body, sew horizontal bars between first and last st of ldc rnds to hide join as follows: Bring needle up below horizontal bar of st on left side of join, and down above horizontal bar of st on right side of join. Repeat for each following ldc rnd. When crossing over a dc rnd, weave yarn through st at back of work to get to next ldc rnd.

Finishing

Weave in all ends.

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