Free Pattern: Satellite Dish Crochet Beret for Cats

Satellite Dish Crochet Beret for Cats: A Beginner-Friendly Free Pattern

If you have never held a crochet hook before, this is the perfect first project to fall in love with. The Satellite Dish Beret is a tiny, whimsical hat for your cat: a flat, textured circle in forest green and rust that gathers into a softly raised center, then finishes with a narrow rust band. It looks like a little space-age satellite dish perched on your cat's head, slightly tilted to one side for that stylish autumn look. The alpine stitch creates raised vertical bars that feel bumpy and cozy in bulky wool, and because the hat is small, you can finish it in just a few evenings. Best of all, every single stitch is explained below, so you truly cannot go wrong.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Bulky (weight 5) wool, approximately 90 yd (82 m) total: 55 yd (50 m) forest green and 35 yd (32 m) rust.
• Crochet hook: Size J/10 (6.0 mm), or the size you need to match gauge.
• Stitch markers: At least 2, to mark the first stitch of each round.
• Tapestry needle: A blunt-tipped yarn needle for weaving in ends and gathering the center.
• Scissors: Any sharp pair for cutting yarn.
• Optional: A small 3/4 in (2 cm) covered button or felt disc for the center, and two small snap clips for pinning.
• Finished size: Flat crown diameter approx. 6 in (15 cm). Ribbing band circumference approx. 9 in (23 cm) unstretched, stretching to 12 in (30 cm). Fits an average adult cat head of 9–12 in (23–30 cm).

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch – chain: wrap yarn over the hook and pull it through the loop on your hook. This makes a small link.
• sc – single crochet: insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops. One loop remains.
• dc – double crochet: yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through 2 loops, yarn over, pull through last 2 loops.
• fpdc – front post double crochet: work a double crochet around the post (the vertical body) of a stitch from a lower round instead of into the top of a stitch. Insert your hook from front to back around that post, then complete a double crochet as usual. This makes the raised bar.
• sc2tog – single crochet 2 together (a decrease): insert hook into the first stitch, pull up a loop, insert hook into the next stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all 3 loops. This turns two stitches into one.
• sl st – slip stitch: insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at once. Used to join rounds.
• st(s) – stitch(es).
• beg – beginning.
• rep – repeat.
• RS – right side: the outside, public face of the hat.
• magic ring – an adjustable loop of yarn you crochet into, then pull closed so there is no hole in the center.

Gauge

Alpine stitch: 10 sts and 8 rounds = 4 in (10 cm) after light steaming. Ribbing: 12 sc and 12 rounds = 4 in (10 cm).

Gauge simply means how big your stitches turn out. If your stitches are bigger than the pattern's, the hat will be too loose and slide off; if smaller, it will be too tight. To check, crochet a small square about 4 in (10 cm) wide in alpine stitch, steam it lightly, lay it flat, and count the stitches across 4 in and the rounds up 4 in. If you have more stitches than 10, try a larger hook; if fewer, try a smaller hook.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use a stitch marker. Place one in the first stitch of every round so you always know where the round begins and ends.
• Do not pull the yarn too tight. Relaxed, even tension keeps the alpine bars puffy and the band stretchy enough to slip over ears.
• Count after every round. The stitch counts in parentheses tell you exactly what you should have. If you are off, fix it before moving on.
• Carry the unused color loosely. When you change colors, let the resting yarn trail up the inside without pulling it snug, or the hat will pucker.
• Work the fpdc around the post two rounds below. Skip the single-crochet round in between; that is what creates the raised texture.
• Keep pets supervised. This hat is for photos and short, supervised wear only.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Special Stitch: Alpine Stitch (worked in the round)

Round A (RS): Ch 2 (does not count as a st), dc in each st around, join with sl st to first dc.
Round B: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st to first sc.
Round C: Ch 2, fpdc around each dc of the round two rounds below, join with sl st to first fpdc.
Round D: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st to first sc.
Repeat Rounds C and D for the pattern. Each fpdc round pushes the raised vertical bars to the right side.

Color Sequence

Work Rounds 1–2 in rust, Rounds 3–6 in forest green, Rounds 7–10 in rust, Rounds 11–14 in forest green, and Rounds 15–16 in rust. Carry the unused color loosely up the inside; do not cut between stripes.

Crown (Flat Circle)

With rust, make a magic ring.

Rnd 1 (RS): Ch 2, 8 dc into ring, join with sl st to first dc. (8 dc)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st around, join. (16 dc)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (16 sc)
Rnd 4: Ch 2, fpdc around each dc of Rnd 2, join. (16 fpdc)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (16 sc)
Rnd 6: Ch 2, [fpdc around next dc two rounds below, 2 fpdc around next dc two rounds below] 8 times, join. (24 fpdc)
Rnd 7: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (24 sc)
Rnd 8: Ch 2, [fpdc around next 2 dc two rounds below, 2 fpdc around next dc two rounds below] 8 times, join. (32 fpdc)
Rnd 9: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (32 sc)
Rnd 10: Ch 2, [fpdc around next 3 dc two rounds below, 2 fpdc around next dc two rounds below] 8 times, join. (40 fpdc)
Rnd 11: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (40 sc)
Rnd 12: Ch 2, [fpdc around next 4 dc two rounds below, 2 fpdc around next dc two rounds below] 8 times, join. (48 fpdc)
Rnd 13: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (48 sc)
Rnd 14: Ch 2, [fpdc around next 5 dc two rounds below, 2 fpdc around next dc two rounds below] 8 times, join. (56 fpdc)
Rnd 15: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (56 sc)
Rnd 16: Ch 2, [fpdc around next 6 dc two rounds below, 2 fpdc around next dc two rounds below] 8 times, join. (64 fpdc)

The crown now measures approx. 6 in (15 cm) across. Do not fasten off.

Gathered Center

Thread a tapestry needle with a 12 in (30 cm) tail of rust and run it through the front loops of the 8 dc of Rnd 1. Pull firmly to close the center into a small raised dome, then secure it on the inside. Weave in the end.

Ribbing Band (Rust)

Rnd 1: With rust, ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (64 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (64 sc)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [sc in next 6 sts, sc2tog] 8 times, join. (56 sc)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (56 sc)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, [sc in next 5 sts, sc2tog] 8 times, join. (48 sc)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (48 sc)
Rnd 7: Ch 1, [sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog] 8 times, join. (40 sc)
Rnd 8: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (40 sc)
Rnd 9: Ch 1, [sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog] 8 times, join. (32 sc)
Rnd 10: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (32 sc)
Rnd 11: Ch 1, [sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog] 8 times, join. (24 sc)
Rnd 12: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (24 sc)

The band measures approx. 1 1/2 in (4 cm) deep and 9 in (23 cm) around unstretched. Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25 cm) tail.

Assembly and Finishing

Weave in ends: Thread each loose tail onto the tapestry needle and run it back and forth through the inside of the fabric for about 1 in, then trim close. Never knot on the outside.

Steam the crown: Hold a steam iron or kettle steam a few inches above the crown only, avoiding the ribbing, to settle the alpine texture. Do not press the iron directly onto the stitches.

Add the center detail: If you like, sew a small covered button or felt disc to the gathered center with a few stitches of matching thread.

Add clips: Sew two small snap clips to the inside of the band so the beret can be pinned slightly to one side of the ears.

Wear: Slip the hat over your cat's head, easing the ribbing gently over the ears. Never leave a pet unattended while wearing the hat.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Swap forest green and rust for any two bulky wool shades. Try charcoal and mustard for a different autumn palette, or cream and dusty blue for a winter look.
• Adjust the size: For a smaller cat, stop the crown after Rnd 14 (56 sts) and begin the band from 56 sts, adjusting the decrease rounds to match. For a larger cat, add one more increase round before the band.
• Substitute yarn: Any bulky (weight 5) wool or wool-blend works. Always crochet a gauge swatch first, since fiber content changes how much the band stretches.
• Make it a set: Use the leftover yarn to crochet a tiny matching coaster or a second beret in reversed colors for a friend's cat.