Valley Yarns Upward Spiral Beanie Crochet Pattern

Valley Yarns Upward Spiral Beanie

Project Overview

The Valley Yarns Upward Spiral Beanie is an advanced beginner crochet hat designed by Vickie Howell. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a finished beanie with approximately 22 inches circumference and 10 inches length, making it a classic winter accessory. The design showcases a modern spiral rib texture worked in the round from the top down, combining two coordinating colorways for visual interest.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a structured crochet beanie featuring a distinctive spiral rib stitch pattern. The hat is worked in the round beginning at the crown and progressing downward to the brim. The finished piece includes a decorative pompom sewn to the top, adding dimension and a playful element to the design.

Yarn and Materials

The Upward Spiral Beanie is constructed using Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Super Bulky, a 100% Superwash Wool yarn with 55 yards per ball. The pattern calls for 3 balls of Grey Gardens by Vickie Howell (color A) and 1 ball of Moontower Mustard by Vickie Howell (color B). The superbulky weight yarn creates a quick, satisfying project while the superwash treatment ensures easy care for a frequently worn hat.

Tools Required

Crochet work is completed using a US size N/P (10.00 mm) crochet hook or the size needed to achieve proper gauge. Additional finishing tools include a tapestry needle for seaming and weaving in ends, and materials for creating a pompom using the crafter's preferred method.

Techniques Used

• Top-Down Construction: The beanie is worked from the crown downward, allowing for easy customization of length and simplified finishing at the brim.
• Worked in the Round: Circular crochet creates a seamless fabric without side seams, producing a professional appearance and comfortable fit.
• Stripe Pattern: Color changes are introduced at specific points in the pattern, creating horizontal stripes that enhance the visual appeal of the spiral rib texture.
• Post Stitches: Front post and back post half-double crochet stitches create the distinctive ribbed texture that gives the beanie its dimensional, sculptural quality.
• Pinch-Top Closure: The crown is finished using a specialized seaming technique where the top is pinched into a star formation and stitched closed, creating a neat, gathered finish at the peak.

Stitches Used

• Chain (ch): Foundation and turning chain stitches that structure each round.
• Half-Double Crochet (hdc): The primary stitch used throughout the pattern, providing a medium height and dense fabric suitable for a warm hat.
• Front Post Half-Double Crochet (FPhdc): Worked around the post of the previous row's stitch from the front, this stitch creates raised vertical lines that contribute to the spiral rib effect.
• Back Post Half-Double Crochet (BPhdc): Worked around the post of the previous row's stitch from the back, alternating with front post stitches to create the ribbed texture.

Gauge and Pattern Details

The pattern is worked to a gauge of 7 stitches and 3 rows equaling 4 inches in the Spiral Rib stitch pattern. Maintaining proper gauge is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements and ensuring the beanie fits appropriately. The Spiral Rib pattern is established over rounds 2 through 9 and then repeated with color changes, creating a cohesive design throughout the hat.

Construction Steps

The beanie begins with a chain of 44 stitches joined into a round. The first round establishes 44 half-double crochet stitches as the foundation. Rounds 2 and 3 introduce the spiral rib pattern using alternating front and back post stitches. The pattern continues with variations in the post stitch sequence through rounds 4 through 7, establishing the distinctive ribbed texture. At round 8, color B is introduced, and the pattern shifts slightly before returning to color A for additional rounds. The beanie is worked until it measures 10 inches from the beginning edge. The top is then seamed using a pinch-and-stitch technique that creates a star formation, and a pomp