This will be the yarn I prefer to use when creating luxurious gifts for friends from now on. It is so incredibly soft, yet still has great elasticity to retain its shape. I had to try it out on our most basic hat pattern, and it is a massive win in my book. This is Caron Simply Me Merino!

The Caron line of yarn from Yarnspirations has always been a favorite for me. My beginning crochet journey, which dates back to my childhood, started with Caron Simply Soft. I remember my mom using it for all her baby blankets, so when I started making baby blankets for the grandbabies, that was my go-to.

Now Caron has introduced a new line called Simply Me. And in the Simply Me line, there are Simply Me Merino, Simply Me Luster, and Simply Me Mosaic. I have worked with the original Simply Me, which is a five-weight blend of 62% acrylic, 20% nylon, and 18% wool. That yarn is excellent for hats, too, and I will be making more with it. However, the Merino line is a 3-weight blend of 50% acrylic and 50% merino wool, which to me makes it on the luxurious side.

The easiest way to finish off the hat is to have the fur pom poms on hand that have a snap. These have also been a game-changer for me. I have them in all sorts of sizes and colors, so I’m ready for whatever hat I’ve made. I buy them on Amazon and will link you to them here:

*Pom Pom with Snaps

*as an amazon associate we may earn from qualifying purchases

Be sure to browse the various sizes they offer on Amazon as well. I have them ranging from 4 inches to 6 inches.

Okay let’s get to the pattern!

Materials

Caron Simply Me Merino (50% Acrylic, 50% Merino Wool, Ball Size: 100g / 3.5 oz, 197 meters / 215 yards)

1 skein any color

size H, 5mm hook, scissors, tapestry needle, pom pom with a snap

Stitches

Slip Stitch (SL ST): Insert your hook, YO, pull up a loop and pull directly through loop on hook.

Half Double Crochet (HDC): Yarn over (YO), insert your hook, YO and pull up a loop, YO and pull through three loops.

Size Chart

Pattern

Chain 50 for the Medium Adult 22-inch head circumference.

Row 1: In the 2nd chain from the hook, work 1 SL ST. Work 1 SL ST into each of the next 4 chains. HDC into each of the remaining chains. CH 1 and turn.

Row 2: HDC into the back loop of each HDC across the row. Work SL ST into the back loop of each of the 5 SL STs, CH 1 and turn.

Row 3: Work SL ST into the back loop of each of the 5 SL STs. Work HDC into the back loop of each HDC across the row, CH 1 and turn.

Repeat rows 2 and 3 until your hat is approximately 17 inches wide. Or if you have a larger head work a few more rows.

To finish

Fold the hat in half lengthwise, matching the two sides together. Slip stitch the two sides together. When you reach the top, tie off with a long tail. Use your tapestry needle to close the top of the hat. Sew one half of the snap onto the top of the hat. Attach the pom pom. If the pom-pom looks smashed from shipping, use a hot blow dryer to fluff it up.

For more information, or to watch how I sew the top of the hat and attach the pom pom, watch the YouTube video here: