4 min read

CHEQUERED ELF HOOD CROCHET PATTERN

Updated: Dec 3

Hello friends! Welcome to this free checkered elf hood crochet pattern <3

Whether you're a seasoned crochet pro or just starting out, this pattern is fairly simple— using mainly half double crochets (in US terms) for the main body. The edging is a simple shell pattern which is just half double crochets and slip stitches.

It is also quite quick to work up—it took me around six hours to complete. So, grab your crochet hook and yarn, and let's begin creating this cute and comfy hood...

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WHAT I USED:

I used scrap yarn for this project, one ball of each colour was more than enough.
5.5mm hook—feel free to use the recommended hook size on your yarn, though I tend to go a little bigger than what is listed.

The size of your stitches depends on the yarn weight and hook size; the above is what I used to get the size in the pictures.

Notes:

The two different colours are written as yarn 1 and yarn 2.

Stitches (US):

Half Double Crochet (HDC)

Chain (CH)

Slip Stitch (SLST)

ROW 1 - THE WIDTH

Start with a slip knot and chain 43.

Adjusting size:

Each square is 6 stitches across and there are 7 squares in a row, so if you would like a smaller/bigger size, start with a smaller or bigger multiple of 6, plus one extra stitch as a turning chain.

For example, 36 plus 1 = 37 for a row of 6 squares, or 48 plus one = 49 for a row of 8 squares. This effects the depth of your hood.

ROW 2

Skip one stitch and add 5hdc to begin your first square.

On the sixth hdc, start it as normal, but when you have three loops on your hook (when you would usually pick up one last loop and pull through them all to complete the stitch) pull up a loop of your other colour and finish the hdc with yarn 2. This ensures a nice transition into the other colour.

Then continue putting in another 5hdc as normal, crochetting over yarn 1 as you go.

On the sixth, as before, complete your hdc using yarn 1.

Continue until you have 7 alternating bases of 6hdc each, then on the last stitch, chain one and turn your work.

(optional: before you begin your last square, you can leave the other yarn there rather than crochetting over it as you won't need it until you get back to that spot anyway)

ROW 3

Continue using the colour you turned with (which will be yarn 1 if you are following this size/working with an odd number of squares) until you get to the stitch before yarn 2, then transition as you have been doing and keep going until the end of the row.

This repeats for 4 or 5 rows. I go by eye to see when it seems 'square' enough before alternating the colours.

ROW 4/5

At the beginning of this row, you will switch yarns to start a different coloured square. Make the switch as you have been doing for the last rows.

Make 4 or 5 of these rows too, keep going until you have enough to cover your head — make sure it reaches your shoulders. For me, this was 16 squares in length.

JOINING THE HOOD

Once you have finished your squares, you will be left with a long scarf-like rectangle. Fold it in half, and single crochet along the side, ensuring the squares are aligned with each other.

It can be difficult to see the individual stitches, so just pop them in wherever, as long as you keep the squares aligned.

After you finish, you will flip the hood inside out to hide these stitches, so make sure you choose which side you like better and ensure you fold it right sides together.

Fasten off and trim your end once you have finished this step.

ADDING THE TIE ALONG THE BOTTOM

Using the yarn colour of your choice, make a long chain of stitches then go back along the chain with single crochets to make a tie. I just eyeballed the length so that it is long enough to go around the bottom of the hood, and tie.

Starting at one end of the bottom of the hood, do one row of single crochets in each stitch to even it out.
Then turn your work, ch3 (counts as 1dc, ch1) and do one row of (1dc ch1), skip stitch.
Once you have completed this row, you can add an optional row of 1hdc in each stitch to complete the bottom.