It's A Goal, Crochet Net Ball Hat

My step daughter Bek asked me to make her a hat in the form of a netball. My answer was, that I would have to do some research and see what I can come up with.

I haven't touched a netball in years so I scanned the internet for netball images as part of my research.

And here is the design I came up with.

A netball shot for a goal.

Below is an image I used to assist with the black lines of the ball. Netball twirling.

This little charm really gave me the idea for the look of the hat.

I had some yarn that was close to a netball color.

I gave the hat a ribbed cuff.

More detailed instructions at the bottom of the post

I used a 4.00mm hook

8 ply yarn.

1 50gm ball of orange, small amount of black and white.

I began with 12 dc in a ring and incresed in each round with the formula below.
12=24=36=48=60=72
I then worked 6 rows around in dc with out increasing.
I changed to black yarn for the ribbed cuff and alternated fpdc, bpdc for 3 rounds, then finished the hat.
fpdc= front post double crochet
bpdc= back post double crochet

Using the picture of the netball twirling I began to sew the lines into the hat.

Not a perfect job, but close enough, my sewing skills are limited.

I had some thick white medium for the hoop of the goal.

Or you could crochet a white, single crochet foundation chain that fits around the hat.

I attached the white yarn to the hoop with a slip st.
Chained 8, sc around the hoop, chained 8 sc around the hoop repeated this in an even manner and joining to the beginning sl st, about 16 ch 8 loops in total.
I then sl st to the centre of the first ch 8,
ch 8, sc into the 4th chain of the next ch 8, continuing around to where I first sl st into the ch 8.
I did 2 more rows of the chain and finished off the goal netting.

Wear the net on, or wear the net off, it's up to you, but I know that my step daughter will be wearing this hat whilst playing netball and the net may get into her way.

You can always sew it on if you like.

To make the basic hat.

US crochet terms used.

beginning ch 3 is the first dc of the round

r1. Ch 4, work 11 dc into 1st ch of ch 4, sl st to top of ch 3 to join ring (12 dc)

r2. ch 3 and work 1 dc in same place as ch 3, work 2 dc in each dc around, sl st to top of ch 3 to join,

( 24 dc)

r3. ch 3, work 2 dc in next dc, *work 1 dc in next dc, work 2 dc in next dc* repeat from *to* around sl st to join. ( 36 dc)

r4. ch 3, work 1 dc in the next dc, work 2 dc in the next dc, *work 1 dc in the next 2 dc, work 2 dc in next dc,* repeat from *to* around, sl st to join ( 48 dc)

r5. ch 3 work 1dc in the next 2 dc, work 2 dc in the next dc, *work 1 dc in next 3 dc, work 2 dc in next dc,* repeat from *to* around, sl st to join (60 dc)

r6. ch 3,work 1 dc in the next 3 dc, work 2 dc in next dc, *work 1 dc in next 4 dc, work 2 dc in next dc,* repeat from *to* around, sl st to join (72 dc)

rnd 7, to rnd 12. (6 rounds) ch 3, work 1 dc in each dc around sl st to join

Change to black yarn.

Work 3 rows as follows.

ch 2 to step up to the row you are beginning, this is not counted as a stitch.

r1. fpdc around ch 3 of row below, bpdc around the dc of the row below, *fpdc around the dc of the row below, bpdc around the dc of the row below,* repeat from *to* sl st to join into the first

fpdc

r2 and r3. (ch 2 to step up to this row) *fpdc around fpdc, bpdc around bpdc* repeat from *to* around, sl st to beginning fpdc to join.

finish off, weave in ends.

Use the above pictures and instructions to decorate your hat.

Special stitches used.

FPDCInstructions: yo, insert hook behind post of stitch (from front to back), yo, pull through, bring up even with last stitch completed, yo, pull through 2 loops, (2 loops on hook), yo, pull through rem 2 lps to complete stitch

BPDCInstructions: yo, insert hook behind post of stitch (from back to front), yo, pull through, bring up even with last stitch completed, yo, pull through 2 loops, (2 loops on hook), yo, pull through rem 2 lps to complete stitch