4 Crochet Mesh Sun Hat Patterns for Summer

A mesh sun hat trades some sun coverage for airflow, the open stitches let heat escape while the crown and brim still take the edge off direct sun. These four patterns get there with different stitches, from a simple chain-space mesh to a full V-stitch lace, and cover sizes from newborn through adult.

Mesh sun hat patterns to explore

1. Lightweight Cotton Sun Hat

Hannah Cross at HanJan Crochet builds the mesh from simple chain spaces and double crochet, worked in Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton on a 4mm hook. It’s graded from newborn through large adult, which makes it the widest size range of any pattern on this list if you’re making one for the whole family.

2. Peekaboo Sunhat

Guest designer Chantal Barnett, published on Joy of Motion Crochet, uses a finer 3.25mm hook with worsted cotton, which gives a denser mesh than the other patterns here. A picot edge finishes the brim, adding a decorative detail most mesh hats skip in favor of a plain edge.

3. Floppy Eyelets Sun Hat

Katie Clary sized this one specifically for kids, ages 4 to 12, in one skein of cotton on a 5.5mm hook. The eyelet crown pairs with a solid brim, so only the top of the head gets the breathable mesh treatment while the brim still gives full shade.

4. Ciuci Sun Hat

Kinga Erdem uses an hdc-V stitch instead of plain chain spaces, which gives the mesh a more structured, diamond-like texture rather than square gaps. It’s adult-sized on a 3.5mm hook with DK cotton, and includes an optional braided cord for securing it in wind.

Choosing by texture and size

For the widest size range, HanJan’s version covers newborn to adult in one pattern. For kids specifically, Katie Clary’s eyelet-crown design is purpose-built for smaller heads. If you want a denser, more decorative mesh rather than open squares, Chantal Barnett’s picot-edged Peekaboo or Kinga Erdem’s V-stitch Ciuci both give a more structured look than a plain chain-space mesh.

What mesh actually blocks, and what it doesn’t

Worth knowing before you commit to a fully open, chain-space mesh crown: those gaps let a real amount of UV through, unlike a solid-crocheted hat, mesh isn’t meant for serious sun protection on the scalp itself, it’s meant for airflow, with the brim doing the actual shading work. That’s exactly why patterns like the Floppy Eyelets Sun Hat only mesh the crown and keep the brim solid, the brim is what’s actually blocking sun from your face and shoulders, while the mesh crown just keeps your head from overheating underneath. If sun protection on the scalp matters more to you than breathability, look for a pattern with a denser stitch, Chantal Barnett’s picot-edged Peekaboo or Kinga Erdem’s V-stitch Ciuci, both noted above as tighter than a plain chain-space mesh, block more light than an open grid does.

Cotton is the right fiber choice across all four of these for a reason beyond comfort: cotton doesn’t stretch out of shape in heat and humidity the way some acrylics can, and it holds its structure through repeated summer wear and washing better than a wool blend would in hot weather.

Keeping the brim from flopping

A wide crochet brim tends to droop rather than stand out horizontally unless you reinforce it. Working the brim in a firmer stitch than the crown (single or half-double crochet instead of an open mesh), as several of these do, is the first line of defense. Beyond that, a round of starch spray or diluted fabric stiffener worked into just the brim, then blocked flat and left to dry completely, will hold a crisp shape through a full season of wear far better than an unstiffened brim, which tends to soften and droop again after a few wears and washes.