Coastal Cloche with Bobble Trim: Free Crochet Pattern for Large Dogs

Coastal Cloche with Bobble Trim: Free Crochet Pattern for Large Dogs

Introduction

This cozy little cloche is made for the big dogs in your life—the ones who deserve a hat as handsome as they are. Worked in bulky denim blue wool with a single row of cream bobbles along the brim, it has a soft, beachy look that feels warm and wears easily. The half-sphere crown and straight body keep the shape simple, while two neat ear holes let those ears sit comfortably where they belong. It’s a beginner-friendly project you can finish in an evening or two, and it makes a sweet gift for a chilly-weather walker.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Bulky weight wool, approximately 120 yards (110 m) total: 100 yards (91 m) denim blue (A), 20 yards (18 m) cream (B).
• Hook: 6.5 mm (K-10.5) crochet hook.
• Notions: Stitch marker, tapestry needle, scissors.
• Finished size: Circumference 20 inches (51 cm), height 8 inches (20 cm) from crown to brim; fits head circumference 18–22 inches (46–56 cm).

Abbreviations

• MR – magic ring: an adjustable loop you crochet into to start a round.
• sc – single crochet.
• inc – increase: work 2 single crochet into the same stitch.
• ch – chain.
• sp – space.
• st(s) – stitch(es).
• rnd – round.
• bobble – bobble stitch: work 4 partial single crochet stitches into the same stitch (each time pulling up a loop and leaving it on the hook), then yarn over and pull through all 5 loops on the hook at once. This makes one small raised bump.

Gauge

12 stitches and 12 rounds = 4 inches (10 cm) in single crochet. To check, crochet a small flat swatch in single crochet and measure a 4-inch section; if you have more stitches than 12, go up a hook size, and if you have fewer, go down.

Tips Before You Start

• Work in continuous rounds without joining unless you prefer to join—just keep a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round so you never lose your place.
• Count your stitches at the end of every increase round; the hat only fits if rounds 2–10 land on 60 stitches.
• Try the hat on your dog (or measure the head) before the ear-hole round so you can shift the openings slightly if needed.
• Keep your bobbles loose enough to pop out—if they pull tight, the brim will pucker.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Hat (Color A, then Color B)

Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into the ring (6 sts).

Rnd 2: inc in each st around (12 sts).

Rnd 3: [sc, inc] x6 (18 sts).

Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] x6 (24 sts).

Rnd 5: [3 sc, inc] x6 (30 sts).

Rnd 6: [4 sc, inc] x6 (36 sts).

Rnd 7: [5 sc, inc] x6 (42 sts).

Rnd 8: [6 sc, inc] x6 (48 sts).

Rnd 9: [7 sc, inc] x6 (54 sts).

Rnd 10: [8 sc, inc] x6 (60 sts).

Rnds 11–24: sc in each st around (60 sts). Do not fasten off.

Rnd 25 (ear holes): sc 12, ch 6, skip 6 sts, sc 24, ch 6, skip 6 sts, sc 12 (60 sts, counting the chains as stitches).

Rnd 26: sc 12, sc 6 into the ch-6 space, sc 24, sc 6 into the ch-6 space, sc 12 (60 sts).

Rnd 27: sc in each st around (60 sts). Change to Color B.

Rnd 28 (bobble trim): [sc 4, bobble] x12 (60 sts). Fasten off.

Assembly and Finishing

This hat is worked as a single piece, so there is nothing to seam. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, tucking the Color B tail neatly behind the bobble round. Block lightly by misting the hat and shaping it over a bowl or rounded form to hold the domed crown; let it dry fully. Gently poke the bobbles out from the inside so they sit proud of the brim, and try the hat on your dog to check that both ear holes line up comfortably.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Swap the cream bobbles for a contrasting mustard or rust to change the coastal look without changing the pattern.
• Add a second bobble round one round above the first for a fuller, chunkier trim.
• For a snugger fit on smaller large-breed heads, stop the increases at Round 9 (54 sts) and work the body straight from there.