The “messy bun” hat has taken the crochet world by storm, and for the last few weeks the requests for a Moogly version have been pouring in. Well, you know I had to add my own spin to it – and that’s the Pick Your Pony Beanie!
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links.
Why the weird name? Well, it’s a ponytail hat/messy bun hat that doesn’t require your ponytail to stay put! You get to decide where your bun or ponytail is on your head – this hat works with every style. Even side ponytails (hey, everything comes around again… right?)!
The key is a slit all the way up the hat, closed with a big button on the brim. You can even put it on before you button it, so your hairstyle stays perfect, hat on or off! Here’s a photo of it laid flat, all buttoned up:
The opening in the Pick Your Pony Beanie is made by working the hat in increasing rows, rather than rounds. With two buttons on the brim, you can adjust this hat to fit every hairstyle, and the thick ribbing keeps your noggin and ears warm and cozy. And it’s just about as easy as can be, in two sizes to fit just about anyone old enough to have hair!
Pick Your Pony Beanie
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- US – N, 9.0mm hook (Furls Fiberarts used)
- 70 – 90 ydsLion Brand Homespun (Bulky/”5″/UK 12-14 ply; 185 yds/169m; 6 oz)
Colorways used: Sundae Stripes (child size) and Tudor (adult size) - Buttons – 2 per hat (Favorite Findings Meadow Flowers used)
- Gauge: 8 sts x 6 rows = 4 in/10 cm
- Sizes: Child (19-21″); Teen/Adult (21-24″)
- Helpful Tutorials: magic circle; skip (how to skip stitches); fpdc & bpdc (front post double crochet & back post double crochet); keeping a magic circle closed
- Crochet Abbreviations
- Click here for the tutorial video
CHILD SIZE INSTRUCTIONS:
Row 1: Make a magic circle, ch 1, hdc 11 in the ring; turn. (11 sts) (NOTE: Pull the magic circle closed, but note that this pattern is worked in rows, without joining.)
Row 2: Ch 1, hdc in the 1st st, 2 hdc in each of the next 9 sts, hdc in the last st; turn. (20 sts)
Row 3: Ch 1, hdc in the 1st st, *hdc in the next st, 2 hdc in the next st; repeat from * until 1 st remains, hdc in last st; turn. (29 sts)
Row 4: Ch 1, hdc in the 1st st, *hdc in the next 2 sts, 2 hdc in the next st; repeat from * until 1 st remains, hdc in last st; turn. (38 sts)
Row 5 – 9: Ch 1, hdc in each st across; turn. (38 sts)
Row 10: Ch 4, skip the ch closest to the hook, hdc in next 3 chs, hdc in each st across; turn. (41 sts)
Row 11: Ch 1, hdc in the 1st 5 sts, [bpdc in the next st, hdc in the next st] 16 times, hdc in the last 4 sts; turn. (41 sts)
Row 12: Ch 1, hdc in the 1st 2 sts, ch 1, skip 1, hdc in next 2 sts, [fpdc in the next st, hdc in the next st] 16 times, hdc in the last 4 sts; turn. (40 sts and 1 ch)
Row 13: Ch 1, hdc in the 1st 5 sts, [bpdc in the next st, hdc in the next st] 16 times, hdc in the next st, hdc in the ch-1 sp, hdc in the last 2 sts; turn. (41 sts)
Row 14: Ch 1, hdc in the 1st 5 sts, [fpdc in the next st, hdc in the next st] 16 times, hdc in the last 4 sts; break yarn leaving long tail. (41 sts) Use long tail to sew on buttons as shown in photos.
TEEN/ADULT SIZE INSTRUCTIONS:
Row 1 – 4 as for Child Size.
Row 5: Ch 1, hdc in the 1st st, *hdc in the next 3 sts, 2 hdc in the next st; repeat from * until 1 st remains, hdc in last st; turn. (47 sts)
Row 6 – 10: Ch 1, hdc in each st across; turn. (47 sts)
Row 11: Ch 4, skip the ch closest to the hook, hdc in next 3 chs, hdc in each st across; turn. (50 sts)
Row 12: Ch 1, hdc in the 1st 5 sts, [bpdc in the next st, hdc in the next st] 21 times, hdc in the last 3 sts; turn. (50 sts)
Row 13: Ch 1, hdc in the 1st 2 sts, ch 1, skip 1, hdc in next st, [fpdc in the next st, hdc in the next st] 21 times, hdc in the last 4 sts; turn. (49 sts and 1 ch)
Row 14: Ch 1, hdc in the 1st 5 sts, [bpdc in the next st, hdc in the next st] 21 times, hdc in the ch-1 sp, hdc in the last 2 sts; turn. (50 sts)
Row 15: Ch 1, hdc in the 1st 4 sts, [fpdc in the next st, hdc in the next st] 21 times, hdc in the last 4 sts; break yarn leaving long tail. (50 sts) Use long tail to sew on buttons as shown in photos.
And that’s the Pick Your Pony Beanie! Even if you let your hair down, I hope you enjoy this free crochet ponytail hat pattern!
Written pattern copyright Tamara Kelly 2016, all rights reserved. Please do not reprint or repost this pattern, but please do link to this page to share this pattern with others. To print this pattern for personal use, please use the green Print Friendly button at the bottom of the pattern. If you wish to make items for sale from this pattern, or translate it to another language, please visit the About page for details. Thank you to Lion Brand Yarn for providing the yarn for this pattern!
Nancy McQuade says
I knew you would eventually come up with one of these. I have waiting patiently! Thanks, Tamara.
Tamara Kelly says
😀 Thank you Nancy!
susan hahaj says
love your work! and appreciate the free patterns. great idea to not have pull long hair thru a hole 🙂
i’m not real good at reading/following crochet patterns; i’m a very basic crocheter but experienced knitter. is this basically an open down the back hat with button closure?
thanks.
Tamara Kelly says
Hi Susan! Thank you! Yes, you have it correct. There will be a video tutorial this coming Wednesday! 🙂
amy Jost says
where is the video tutorial?
Tamara Kelly says
It’s linked above in the bullet points and also at https://www.mooglyblog.com/pick-pony-beanie-tutorial/
Nikki says
Love this! It just went to the top of my to-do list! Do you have a PDF available somewhere? I tried the print friendly button but it is the same as the blog page.
Tamara Kelly says
Hi Nikki! Thank you! The Print Friendly window has a PDF download option, and you can click on anything you don’t want to download/print. 🙂
Denise says
Hi Tamara, Thanks so much for designing this!!! I work in a conservative office and often wear my hair in a low ponytail or bun. there was no way that I could wear one of the other messy bun hats, but its too cold to go out without something on. This is so perfect! Cant wait to make this! Once again, you’ve designed an awesome pattern. Thanks again!
Tamara Kelly says
Thank you so much Denise! 😀 I’m so glad you like it!!
Mar says
Could worsted weight yarn be used in place of bulky yarn? Would the sizing change?
Tamara Kelly says
Hi Mar! Yes, the sizing would change – I would recommend holding 2 strands of worsted together to make your own bulky. 🙂
Katie says
How would I adjust the pattern to use worsted yarn with a small hook? Which rows can I increase?
Tamara Kelly says
Hi Katie! You would want to just keep increasing in pattern after Round 4 until you have the circumference needed. 🙂
Lucille Klocek says
Thank you for your wonderful patterns they are always easy to follow.
Tamara Kelly says
Thank you so much for saying so Lucille! 🙂
Clotilde Menendez/Craftybegonia says
That is so cute! Instead of having a bulge at the top of your head, you can let your ponytail out of your hat. Cute rendering of a great idea, Tamara.
Tamara Kelly says
🙂 Thank you so much Clotilde!
Jess says
Thanks for the pattern!
Just wondering if the buttons should be a certain size? Just looking to get some buttons before I start the hat
Tamara Kelly says
Hi Jess! I would recommend bigger ones – these are 1-1/4″ wide. If you pick small ones, you can just skip the button hole in the pattern and slip the button between the stitches! 🙂
Michaela says
Did you post a video already?
Tamara Kelly says
Yes! Sorry I forgot to add the link here, I’ll do that now!
Lois says
What would be the number of stitches and correct hook size to make a hat to fit ages 6-10
.
Inbetween child and teens. Help would be appreciated.
Tamara Kelly says
The child size goes up to 21″ and the adult size goes down to 21″, so it just depends on how big their heads are! 🙂
Jeannie says
your printer friendly button doesn’t work. I love your patterns
Tamara Kelly says
It sounds like it was glitching over the weekend, sorry about that! It is working fine now!
Sonya says
Hello! Do you turn after row 1 or do you join into the first stitch?
Tamara Kelly says
Hello Sonya! At the end of the first row you turn. Row 1: Make a magic circle, ch 1, hdc 11 in the ring; turn. (11 sts) (NOTE: Pull the magic circle closed, but note that this pattern is worked in rows, without joining.)
Sonya Breaum says
Thank you!! Love the pattern!!
Tamara Kelly says
😀 I’m glad to hear it, thank you!
Cassie says
FYI the Print friendly button just printed out 22 pages. I needed only about 5 of those. Lots of wasted ink and paper…
GREAT PATTERN THOUGH> I Suggest to copy and paste into word processor and not use the print friendly tab. Thanks 🙂
Tamara Kelly says
Oh dear! Please remember that before you hit Print you can click on anything in the Print Friendly window that you don’t want to include in the printed version and it will take it right off!
Eden Brown says
This is an amazing pattern!!! Made two last year and will be making more this winter. It’s especially nice to have a pattern that wraps around your head for us curly/big hair girls!!! I can’t pull my hair through a small pony tail hole! Thank you, I always enjoy your patterns!
Tamara Kelly says
😀 Thank you so much Eden!
Diana Evans says
I just made this. Only took about 2 hrs.
I used the Size N hook. I was HUGE!
Did you use the regular Homespun yarn?
Now to do some Frogging 🐸
Love the pattern though.
Thank you so much!!!
Tamara Kelly says
Oh dear! Sounds like we must have very different gauges. I did use standard Homespun, but it sounds like you should perhaps try a smaller hook. 🙂
Moriah says
I just made this as well and mine came out huge as well. Lots of frogging as well😩
Karen says
Thank You for this pattern :), however I needed to add more to it because the adult size still didnt fit my tiny head lol, Thank You again.
Tamara Kelly says
Oh my! I hope it was easy enough to upsize! 🙂
Sabrina says
Hi! Thanks so much for sharing this pattern! I love it!!! I have a terrible time figuring out gauge sizes, if you wouldn’t mind helping me …. if I am using I Love This Yarn medium 4, 7 oz, for an adult…what size hook would you suggest? Also if I need it a little larger than normal adult where would I increase for the best look? Again, thank you!!!
Tamara Kelly says
Hi Sabrina! That yarn is a lot thinner, so I would recommend holding it doubled and not changing the hook size. 🙂 To make it bigger, you’d want to add another increase row or two before going to Row 10.