Here is the long awaited recycled baseball cap. It’s crocheted from plastic grocery bags made into plarn. This ball cap fits snuggly on my head and actually looks better on my head than this picture shows. I added some ribbon but you can add many different embellishments to spice up your hat.
Anyway if you want a cool recycled hat, try out this project.
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Free Recycled Ball Cap Pattern
Materials needed:
One ball of Plarn approx. 20 bags
12 inch piece of ribbon
Hook: N (9 mm) USA size metal hook
Description: Recycled Ball Cap – 21-1/2″ around cap base
Directions:
Ch 3 and join with a Sl St to form a ring.
Rnd 1
Ch 2, then work 9 Hdc in ring, join with a Sl St to top of Ch 2. (10 Hdc as Ch 2 counts as first Hdc)
Rnd 2
Ch 2, Hdc in same st, work 2 Hdc in ea st around, join with a Sl St to top of Ch2. (20)
Rnd 3
Ch 2, Hdc in same st, *Hdc in next st, 2 Hdc in next st*. Repeat between * to end of round, joining with a Sl St to top of Ch 2.
Rnd 4
Ch 2, Hdc in sm st, *Hdc in ea of the next 3 sts, then 2 Hdc in next st*. Repeat between * to end of round, joining with a Sl St to top of Ch 2.
Rnd 5
Ch 2, Hdc in ea st around and join with a Sl St to top of Ch 2.
Rnd 6
Ch 2, Hdc in sm st, *Hdc in next st, then 2 Hdc in next st*. Repeat between * to end of round, joining with a Sl St to top of Ch 2.
Rnd 7-12
Ch 1, Hdc in ea st around, join with a Sl St to top of Ch 1.
Edit to add notes below 2/2014.
Check hat size fit. Is your hat tight or too loose? When I crocheted this hat again with thinner bags, I had to decrease a bit to get the hat tighter on my head. So I worked 2 decrease at the back portion on either side of the joining stitch as follows:
Rnd 13
Ch 1, Hdc in the next 3 sts, work 1 Hdc dec over the next two sts, then hdc in each stitch around to the last 5 sts before the joining st. Work 1 Hdc dec over the next two sts, and then Hdc in the remaining sts of the round. Join and finish off if fit is good and length of the hat is right on your head.
Option:
Rnd 13 (for Larger size hat)
Ch 1, *Hdc in ea next 5 sts, then 2 Hdc in next st*. Repeat between * to end of round, joining with a Sl St to top of Ch 1. Adjust sts to fit head by adding or decreasing sts as needed to fit your head. FO.
Cap Bill
Put joining seam at back of hat, then mark front for bill of cap. (Approx. 8 inches or 21 sts across front)
Row 1 (Bill)
Attach plarn with RS of cap facing into marked st to begin bill. Sc in ea st across (approx. 21 sts) to other mark for edge of bill.
Row 2 – 5
Ch 1, turn. Work 1 SC Dec over first two sts of row. Sc in ea st until the last two sts of row. Work 1 Sc Dec over the last two sts of row.
Row 6
Ch 1, turn. Work 1 SC Dec over the first three sts of row. Sc in ea st until the last three sts of row. Work 1 Sc Dec over the last three sts of row. FO and weave under ends on cap bill.
Option:
Crochet a row of single crochet (SC) along the brim to make the edge smooth. Attach plarn at right side of the first stitch of the bill, SC along in each stitch and space of bill edge. Finish off at side where bill ends.
Cut a piece of ribbon and insert one end into front at either side of hat above bill brim. Weave ends under on inside of hat to secure the ribbon in place.
If you have any questions or find discrepancies in this pattern, please email me using contact tab above.
Abbreviations:
Ch – Chain
Dec – Decrease
Ea – Each
FO – Finish Off
Hdc – Half Double Crochet
Dc – Double Crochet
RS – Right Side
Rnd – Round
Sc – Single Crochet
Sk – Skip
Sl St – Slip Stitch
Sm – Same
St – Stitch
This pattern is copyrighted by Cindy at My Recycled Bags {dot com} and may only be used for private individual use. No commercial sales or use is permitted. Links to this pattern are acceptable and appreciated. ©2009-2016
****Please do not copy my patterns on your blog site or post my patterns on Internet sites. I do not allow my patterns to be republished without expressed written permission. Posting of my patterns, without written permission is in violation of my copyrights and is content theft.
Wow! You are very innovative, aren’t you?
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this is something i’ve been wanting for a long time – and didn’t even know it! thanks a lot
I was looking for a Ball Cap Pattern to crochet for my self and this is the perfect one.I will be holding for this pattern so I can do it in the future.
Nice!
That is incredible Cindy. You come up with the most amazing things!
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Amazing and creative Cindy, very cool !!
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Great looking cap. Is it all right for me to publish a link to your website for our craft project visitors?
@Ruth,
Yes linking to the pattern is fine and I appreciate it. Thank you.
Cindy
This is the neatest one yet! I haven’t crocheted in years but I may have to give this one a try!
Wonderful cap and its made with recycled plastic!
That. is. amazing!
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I love this idea and your site is amazing for discovering unique and usable things to do with those items that (when tossed away) fill our landfills for centuries. Thanks for your inspiration!
as soon as i saw this pattern, i just had to try it! i’m on round 6 so far! 🙂 you’re amazing! keep up the good work!
Leah:
Thanks for posting your progress on the cap pattern. I’d love to see a photo of your finished product.
Oh wow ow! hurts it is so neat! Anyway i wonder if this cap would work up in cloth strips too? I adore the idea of a plastic bag cap. Too fun!
ha! your sooo talented!~
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Wow, that must have taken a while. A good use for those plastic bags though. Mine just collect the doggie droppings, heh.
@Lindsay,
Actually this baseball cap is a pretty fast project. I would estimate that I did it within 2-3 hours at most. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you’ll give the pattern a try if you crochet.
Cindy, This is such a great project!!! And I would suppose that it is waterproof too … although I do suppose also that your hair would get wet in the rain. Still, I love it. Wish you had taken a photo of you wearing it as I would like to see how it sits on your head. Anyway, thanks for a great pattern. I printed it off so I don’t lose it. Have saved a ton of bags and now I know what to do with them.
hi, you have super site.
I love the cap but have a problem. Yours has a nice dome shape and mine comes out boxie. What am I doing wrong?? Really want to add this one to my items for Cancer Fundraiser.
@Mary — Gosh I don’t know why yours is a dome. I do crochet tightly so that might be part of it. You might try shaping the hat on a round ball or something the right shape you want. Then apply some gentle heat from a blow dryer to shape the hat how you want it. Gently smooth out the dome area and flat it with your hands. You can wiggly the stitches a bit too to shape it.
I hope this helps. Otherwise you could adjust your stitches where the dome starts to form to reduce the boxy area but I’m thinking the heat and shaping may be useful for your issue.
hat is clever. one hot fishing trip I was playing with crocheting with the bags. I made a visor. stretches to fit the head, was comfortable, and surprisingly not hot because of the spaces in the crocheting.
I have to say this cap is very different. I never would have thought of using plastic bags to make something like this or your other patterns either. Thanks for giving me new ideas.