Peach Pixie Folded Brim Beanie Free Crochet Pattern for Medium Dogs

Peach Pixie Folded Brim Beanie: A Free Crochet Pattern for Medium Dogs

Introduction

If you have ever wanted to dress your dog in something handmade but worried that a full sweater was too much for your first project, this Peach Pixie Folded Brim Beanie is exactly the gentle next step you have been looking for. It is perfect for an advanced beginner who has already made a few simple squares or scarves and is ready to learn one new skill: post stitches. The finished beanie is a stretchy little tube in warm peach cotton, finished with a wide apricot band that folds up into a bold two-tone brim. The top closes into a flat oval crown, and the two corners are pinched into soft triangular pixie points that give it a playful, storybook look. It feels snug and springy around the head, and the deep vertical ribbing means it stretches to fit comfortably without squeezing.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Worsted weight (Category 4) cotton yarn, approximately 110 yards total — 70 yards peach and 40 yards apricot. Cotton gives crisp stitch definition and a matte finish; a cotton-blend also works.
• Crochet hook: 5.0 mm (US H-8).
• Yarn needle (tapestry needle): A blunt-tipped needle with an eye large enough for worsted yarn, used for seaming and weaving in ends.
• Stitch markers: At least 2, to mark the first stitch of each round.
• Scissors: Sharp, small snips are easiest.
• Finished size: Fits medium dogs with a head circumference of 15–17 in (38–43 cm). The hat measures approximately 16 in (41 cm) around unstretched (stretches to 18 in / 46 cm) and 7 in (18 cm) tall before folding the brim. The brim folds up approximately 2 in (5 cm).

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch — chain. Make a loop with the yarn, pull a new loop through it. Each loop you pull through is one chain.
• hdc — half double crochet. Yarn over (wrap yarn around hook), insert hook into the stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over again, pull through all 3 loops at once. One hdc made.
• FP hdc — front post half double crochet. Instead of going into the top of the stitch, you work a half double crochet around the vertical post of the stitch, inserting your hook from the front of the fabric to the back. This pushes the stitch forward and creates a raised ridge.
• BP hdc — back post half double crochet. Same as above, but you insert your hook from the back of the fabric to the front, working around the post from behind. This pushes the stitch backward and creates a recessed ridge.
• sl st — slip stitch. Insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, and pull the loop straight through both the stitch and the loop on your hook. Used here to join rounds.
• st(s) — stitch(es).
• yarn over — wrapping the working yarn around your hook from back to front.
• join — connecting the last stitch of a round to the first with a slip stitch so the work forms a closed ring.
• fasten off — cut the yarn a few inches from the work, then pull the tail through the last loop to lock it.
• whipstitch — a simple over-and-over stitch used to sew edges together or close a corner.
• gathering stitch — a running stitch worked through the edge of the fabric; when pulled tight, it draws the opening closed.

Gauge

16 sts x 12 rows = 4 in (10 cm) in front/back post hdc ribbing, unstretched.

Gauge matters because it tells you whether your hat will actually fit the dog. If your stitches are bigger than the pattern expects, the hat comes out too loose and slides off; if they are smaller, it will be too tight to stretch over the head. To check, crochet a small swatch: chain 20, then work about 12 rows of the FP hdc / BP hdc ribbing exactly as in Round 2 below. Lay the swatch flat without pulling it, and measure 4 inches across the middle with a ruler. Count the stitches in that 4 inches. If you have more than 16, try a larger hook; if fewer, try a smaller hook. Always measure unstretched, because ribbing relaxes when you tug it.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Count your chain carefully. You need exactly 64 chains before joining. Count in groups of 10 and place a marker every 10 chains so you do not lose your place.
• Do not twist the ring. Before you join the chain into a circle, lay it flat on the table and make sure all the chains face the same way, like a flat ribbon, not a spiral.
• Use a stitch marker. Place a marker in the first stitch of each round so you always know where the round begins and ends.
• Keep your tension relaxed. Post stitches are worked around the post, and if you pull the yarn too tight the ribbing becomes stiff and hard to stretch. Let the yarn flow.
• Watch which side you are on. FP hdc is always worked from the front and BP hdc from the back. If a ridge looks wrong, you probably worked around the wrong side of the post — simply undo that stitch and try again.
• Try it on as you go. After a few rounds, slip the tube over the dog's head (gently!) to check the fit before you commit to the full height.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Body of Hat (Peach)

Note on ribbing: The hat is worked as a flat tube in joined rounds. Every round alternates FP hdc and BP hdc to create a deep vertical rib that stretches around the dog's head. The first stitch of each round is a ch 2 (counts as first hdc) unless otherwise noted.

With peach, ch 64. Join with sl st to first ch, being careful not to twist the chain.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as first hdc here and throughout), hdc in each ch around. Join with sl st to top of ch 2. (64 sts)

Round 2: Ch 2, FP hdc around the post of the next st, *BP hdc around the next st, FP hdc around the next st; repeat from * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 2. (64 sts)

Rounds 3–18: Repeat Round 2, keeping the rib pattern aligned (FP hdc over FP hdc, BP hdc over BP hdc). Do not fasten off. Piece measures approx. 6 in (15 cm) tall. (64 sts)

Brim (Apricot)

Change to apricot.

Rounds 19–24: Repeat Round 2 for 6 more rounds. Do not fasten off. Piece now measures approx. 8 in (20 cm) tall total. (64 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a 24 in (60 cm) tail for seaming.

Shaping the Crown

Step 1: Turn the tube inside out so the wrong side faces you.

Step 2: Thread the long apricot tail onto the yarn needle. Run a gathering stitch through the top edge of the last round, going through both loops of every stitch. Pull tightly to close the top opening completely; secure with a few small stitches and knot.

Step 3: Turn the hat right side out. The closed top now forms a flat oval crown.

Making the Pixie Points

Step 1: Lay the hat flat so the closed crown forms a straight horizontal seam across the top.

Step 2: The two outer corners of that seam are the pixie points. With a 12 in (30 cm) length of peach yarn and the yarn needle, pinch each corner and sew it closed with 3–4 small whipstitches, pulling the corner into a soft triangular point approx. 1.5 in (4 cm) long.

Step 3: Weave in all ends securely.

Folded Brim

Fold the apricot section up and outward approx. 2 in (5 cm) so the apricot band sits against the peach body. The fold should be even all the way around; tack the fold in place at 4 evenly spaced points with tiny hidden stitches if desired.

Assembly and Finishing

This hat is almost seamless — the only sewing is the crown closure and the two pixie points. Here is how to finish each step cleanly.

Closing the crown: With the tube inside out, thread the long apricot tail onto your yarn needle. Work a running stitch (a simple in-and-out stitch) all the way around the top edge, passing through both loops of each of the 64 stitches. When you return to where you started, pull the tail firmly. The opening will gather into a tight circle and close completely. Hold the tension and take 3–4 small stitches across the gathered center to lock it, then knot on the inside.

Sewing the pixie points: Turn the hat right side out and lay it flat so the gathered crown forms a straight seam. At each outer corner, pinch the fabric into a triangle and, using the 12 in peach length, sew 3–4 whipstitches from the tip inward to hold the point. Keep the stitches small and even so they disappear into the ribbing.

Weaving in ends: Thread each remaining tail onto the yarn needle and run it through the back of several stitches (about 1 inch / 2.5 cm), then reverse direction and run it back through a few more stitches to lock it. Trim close to the fabric. Never knot on the outside where it can rub the dog.

Blocking: Gently steam-block the ribbing to even out the stitches. Hold a steam iron or steamer an inch above the fabric (never press the iron directly onto cotton ribbing, or you will flatten the ridges). Pat the ribbing straight with your hands and let it dry completely. Be careful not to flatten the pixie points — steam around them, not on them.

Final fit: Slip the beanie onto the dog and adjust the brim so it sits just above the eyes. The ribbing should stretch gently over the head and spring back.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Swap peach and apricot for any two contrasting shades — mint and cream, charcoal and mustard, or lavender and white. Keep one color for the body and one for the brim so the folded contrast stays bold.
• Adjust the size: The stitch count is a multiple of 2, so you can resize easily. For a smaller dog, chain 56 and work the same rounds; for a larger dog, chain 72. Every round still has the same stitch count as your starting chain, so the math stays simple.
• Substitute the yarn: A worsted acrylic or acrylic-cotton blend works well and is often softer against the skin. Avoid anything fuzzy or hairy, which hides the ribbing texture and can mat against the dog's coat.
• Make the brim wider or narrower: Add or remove rounds in the apricot section (Rounds 19–24) to change how deep the folded brim sits. Each extra round adds about ⅓ in (0.8 cm) of height.