It’s the most popular, one-hour messy bun hat on the internet and it’s been updated with instructions for making it without an elastic or with closed top for a cozy winter hat. And, I made the bun beanie version free, below, just for you!

Hi, It’s Pam from Made with a Twist and it is time to celebrate! I’m so glad you stopped by during this exciting time. 🙂

Oh, what’s to celebrate?

Well, last week, you helped me reach over 22,000 sales on Etsy! 22,000! (Actually, as I update this post, we’re inching up on 26,000!)

That is just a crazy number of sales and, honestly, when I started my shop in 2013, I never would have believed it if you told me I would be able to retire my private counseling practice in order to become a full-time crochet business owner making exponentially more with crochet that I ever did as a psychotherapist.

I mean, who could dream that up?!

Well, we did it…you and me. And that’s why I’m sharing my most popular pattern with you today, for free!

This Viral Messy Bun Hat’s Backstory

Do you recognize that video? I’m pretty sure you’ve seen that messy bun hat presentation before, haven’t you?

Well, it’s been seen by over 100 million viewers on Facebook alone! So, I thought maybe…

Anyway, when that video went viral in 2016, crocheters all over the world rushed to Etsy (and elsewhere) to get their hands on the pattern for this revolutionary ponytail hat.

And did they ever! Over 11,000 people purchased the pattern on Etsy alone and they got to working making this design the most popular messy bun hat in the marketplace.

It was even featured on Marketplace Pulse, Buzzfeed, and Fox 21 News and made me the #1 seller on Etsy WORLDWIDE for three days in a row!

So, I thought it would be most fitting if I shared this pattern with you for free in order to celebrate another successful year at Made with a Twist.

And, I’ve updated the pattern with instructions for striping as well as for making it with an elastic closure and without an elastic. Plus, when you grab the downloadable PDF, you’ll also receive instructions for closing up the hat to make a cozy, winter hat with no opening.

I sure hope you enjoy and I hope you know how humbled I am for your continued support of Made with a Twist. I’m so grateful for you! <3

Skill Level

Easy/Intermediate

Materials

• Lion Brand Hometown USA, super bulky weight #6 yarn. (100% acrylic, 85 yds/74 m per 5 oz/142 g skein)
  • 1 skein each Chicago Charcoal (M), Tampa Spice (A), Houston Cream (B), and Dallas Grey (C)
• 9.00 mm (M/N) Crochet Hook
• Scissors
• Sewing needle
• Standard size hair tie (Goody) (optional)
• Branded product tag (optional)
• Printable PDF for the Jessie Bun Hat and Beanie

Gauge

3 HDC rows x 4 HDS sts = 2″ sq.

Sizes/Finished Measurements

Women’s: fits head circumference 20″- 22″

Finished measurement 9″ wide x 8.5″ tall

Stitch Abbreviations

beg – Beginning

CH – Chain

HDC – Half-double Crochet

HDC2TOG – Half-double Crochet two Sts together

RND – Round(s)

SC – Single Crochet

SLST – Slip Stitch

st(s) – Stitch(es)

XST – Cross-stitch (instructions below)

Pattern Notes

• Skill Level: Easy/Intermediate
• US Terminology 
• Sts worked through both loops unless otherwise indicated.
• When a row beg with a CH1, it does not count as a st. 
• Work one color for solid hat or follow color changes (M, A, B, C) for multi-colored hat.
• Please read through the entire pattern to be sure you understand what’s needed before starting.

Special Stitches

HDC Cross-stitch (XST):

Step 1: Skip a st, SLST into the next st and CH2.

Step 2: Yarn over and insert hook into the previously skipped st, draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through all three loops on the hook. (XST made)

HDC 2 sts together (decrease) (HDC2TOG):

Step 1: Yarn over, insert hook in next st, yarn over and pull up loop,

Step 2: Yarn over, insert hook in next st, yarn over and pull up a loop,

Step 3: Yarn over and draw through all loops on hook. Decrease made.

How to Make the 1-Hour Jessie Bun Beanie

With 9.00 mm hook

MAKE THE BRIM

With brim with color M, CH6

ROW 1:(working in the back loop only) SC in 2nd CH from hook and each CH across. (5 SCs)

ROW 2: (working in the back loop only) CH1, turn, SC in each ST across. (5 SCs)

ROW 3 – 34: (working through the back loop only) Repeat ROW 2. (5 SCs)

Band should measure 17 – 17.5″

Seam

CH1, SLST by matching stitches from ROW 1 and RND 34 to create banded collar.

Turn the seam to the inside and turn brim 90 degrees so you’ll be working the next round around the edge of the brim.

RND 1 – color M: CH1, SC into the first st, SC, SC, SC, 2SC, *SC, SC, SC, SC, 2SC* repeat from * to * around 4 more times, SC in the next 4 sts. Join with a SLST to beg SC. (40 SCs)

RND 2 – color A: CH2 (counts as HDC here and throughout), HDC in the next st and each st around. Join with SLST to top of beg CH2. (40 HDCs)

RND 3 – color B: Skip the first st and SLST into the next st, CH2, HDC in the skipped st (XST made). *Skip the next st, HDC in the skipped st.* Repeat from * to * around. Join with SLST to top of beg CH2. (20 XSTs)

RND 4 – color C: Repeat RND 2 (40 HDCs)

RND 5 – color M: Repeat RND 3 (20 XSTs)

RND 6 – color A: (decrease) CH2, HDC in next st, HDC2TOG across the next 2 sts, *HDC in the next

2 sts, HDC2TOG across the next 2 sts,* Repeat from * to * 8 more times. Join with SLST to

top of beg CH2. (30 HDCs)

RND 7 – color B: Repeat RND 3 (15 XSTs)

RND 8 – color C: (decrease) CH2, HDC in next st, HDC2TOG across the next 2 sts, *HDC in the next

2 sts, HDC2TOG across the next 2 sts,* Repeat from * to * 5 more times, HDC2TOG across

the next 2 sts. Join with SLST to top of beg CH2 (22 HDCs)

RND 9 – color M: Repeat RND 3 (11 XSTs)

RND 10 – color M: CH1, (holding the hair tie behind the loops of the previous round and catching the hair tie within the stitches, optional), SC in each stitch around. Join with SLST to beg SC. (22 SCs)

If adding the hair tie (elastic), you will need to stretch the band as the opening is larger than the tie.

Finish off. Tuck ends. Embellish, as desired.

Get the Downloadable, Ad-free PDF of this Design

If you’d love to make this gorgeous chunky poncho, I’ve created a beautifully formatted, large print, ad-free PDF of this pattern for you to use at your convenience and you can get it on Ravelry for less than the cost of a cup of coffee…or join the Made with a Twist Makers Club to get lifetime access to all Made with a Twist PDF patterns for just $25!

Copyright notice: This pattern and its images are copyright protected and the sole property of Made with a Twist by Crochetpreneur®, a division of Montgomery Grice Enterprises, Inc. Please do not redistribute, transfer, or sell the pattern, or alter it to claim as your own  You may sell any products you create from this pattern. Please credit the designer by linking online listings to www.madewithatwist.com or tagging @madewithatwist.

Suggested Pricing: a Guide for Crochet Sellers

Permission is given (even encouraged) to sell your handmade products created from this original Made with a Twist pattern. I only ask that you give credit to Pam Grice from Made with a Twist as the designer, when possible, and link back to www.madewithatwist.com and/or @madewithatwist (on social media) when selling and sharing images online.

Suggested Retail Price

*Note

• Marketing to bargain shoppers is not recommended.
• Increase value for boutique buyers with luxury yarns, packaging, and/or embellishments for boutique shoppers.

More Bun Hats You’ll Love to Sell or Gift

I love seeing your finished projects!  If you enjoyed making the Jessie Messy Bun Hat, I’d love to see yours on Instagram. To be sure I don’t miss it, please tag me, @madewithatwist, when you post your photos!

©2021 Montgomery Grice Enterprises, Inc | Made with a Twist | Pamela Grice This pattern and its associated images are copyright protected. The pattern is for your personal use only. Please do not copy/paste, distribute, or alter and claim as your own.