Recycled Plastic Baseball Cap
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.
Tags: baseball cap, free-pattern, hat pattern, plarn
Feb 19, 2009
Wow! You are very innovative, aren’t you?
Lynne’s last blog post..
Feb 19, 2009
this is something i’ve been wanting for a long time – and didn’t even know it! thanks a lot
Feb 20, 2009
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!
Feb 22, 2009
That is incredible Cindy. You come up with the most amazing things!
Stephanie’s last blog post..Fresh & Clean Laundry Soap
Feb 22, 2009
Amazing and creative Cindy, very cool !!
bernie kasper’s last blog post..†Pastel Stamen “
Feb 23, 2009
Great looking cap. Is it all right for me to publish a link to your website for our craft project visitors?
Feb 23, 2009
@Ruth,
Yes linking to the pattern is fine and I appreciate it. Thank you.
Cindy
Feb 23, 2009
This is the neatest one yet! I haven’t crocheted in years but I may have to give this one a try!
Feb 23, 2009
Wonderful cap and its made with recycled plastic!
Feb 24, 2009
That. is. amazing!
Condo Blues’s last blog post..Crochet Your Own Doctor Who Dolls
Feb 26, 2009
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!
Feb 26, 2009
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!
Feb 27, 2009
Leah:
Thanks for posting your progress on the cap pattern. I’d love to see a photo of your finished product.
Feb 28, 2009
[…] Recycled Plastic Baseball Cap […]
Mar 04, 2009
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!
Mar 05, 2009
ha! your sooo talented!~
harleyblues’s last blog post..Better have some BANK if you wanto to see Paul McCartney & Ringo-David Lynch Foundation
Mar 05, 2009
Wow, that must have taken a while. A good use for those plastic bags though. Mine just collect the doggie droppings, heh.
Mar 06, 2009
@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.
Mar 15, 2009
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.
Apr 03, 2009
hi, you have super site.
Jul 23, 2009
[…] habe ja schon Taschen aus Plastiktüten vorgestellt (s. Links unten), aber ein Baseballcap aus gehäkelten Plastiktüten finde ich auch toll. Das richtige für den Sommer 🙂 […]
Jul 23, 2009
[…] presented bags/purses/totes made from plastic bags already (see links below), but I like a base cap from crocheted plastic bags very much, too. Just the thing for summer 🙂 […]
Jun 21, 2010
[…] One common use for plarn is to make a sturdier, reusable plastic bag, but the possibilities are limited only by your creativity. For example, check out these adorable sandals (with instructions) made out of plastic bags. Or how about a plarn baseball cap? […]
Oct 19, 2012
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.
Oct 19, 2012
@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.
Dec 04, 2012
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.
Nov 20, 2013
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.