Free Crochet Pattern for Newborn Baby Beanie Hat

when my mother in law asked me to crochet preemie hats for the newborn babies in the hospital how could I refuse? These little crochet hats are just too cute, and I have included a finish for boys and girls.
I can sit at night and do a couple of these easy to make crochet hats.
 If you do crochet please consider making some of these little hats and handing them in to your local hospital for the NICU wards.
 (PLEASE phone your local ward in advance and check their requirements)

Happy crocheting.
The terms used in this pattern are US
DC= double crochet
ch= Chain
Always use the ch 3 to slip stitch into
Please NOTE: You will work the DC of each round into the (bar)space between the dcs of the previous rounds.


 For Newborn I used a 4.00mm Hook
For preemie I use a 3.5mm Hook
and DK Yarn (Stylecraft)

Rnd 1:
Magic ring  16 DC
or you can start with 
(Chain 4, and join with a slip stitch to form a ring. Chain 3, ( then make 16DC  inside ring.)
Join with a slip stitch in top of  chain 3 (16 double crochets = ch3)

Rnd 2:
Ch 3, DC into the same st of join * 1 DC in next space, 2DC in next space *,  Repeat from ** around
 Join with a slip stitch in top of ch 3 of the previous rnd. (24)

Rnd 3: 

Ch 3, DC into the same st of join * 1 DC in next DC, 2 DC in next DC*,  Repeat from ** around   (36)

Rnds 4 - 10: Ch 3 and make a dc in the 1st available space. dc in each space around (finish each round with a dc in the previous rounds JOINING slip stitch, this increases each round by 1 stitch.

Finish for girls 

Rnd 11

ch 4 skip a dc, sc into the next, ch 4, skip a dc, sc into the next etc.


add for cuteness a crochet flower: 

Ch 8, join with a sl st in the first chain, ch 8, join again in that first chain, repeat to make 6 loops/petals. Thread the 2 ends (starting and ending yarn) into the hat, about 1 dc apart.  Tie them together 3 times inside the hat.  

Finish for Boys
Or for boys sc around for an 11th row using an alternative color or
You can also do rnd 10 using an alternating front post and back post dc.