I know winter is basically over and spring is upon us, but I’ve still got winter on my mind.. especially after proudly finishing the Polar Crochet Quiet Book! 🐻❄️
So you’ve seen the popular Matrixx Hood by now, right? It’s a hood top with a cowl, kept on by straps that attach under your arms. The original Matrixx Hood crochet pattern belongs to Creatrix in the Matrixx (Etsy) and you might have seen the finished product for sale from other makers and sellers online. I recently got confident enough to make something like this so I purchased it and got right to work! I’m so happy with the finished piece.
Photos
I started this crochet project with one goal in mind: get this done before my early March trip to Tokyo and Seoul. I banged it out in a week — a personal record for getting anything crochet done! This meant it came with me on my trip, thank GOODNESS, as the coldest temperatures I was in were the single-digit degrees Fahrenheit while visiting the Japanese onsen town of Kusatsu. The photos on this post are from that amazing and memorable trip 🥰
First, a hurried selfie that shows how spacious the inside is. My head + my earmuffs fit with room to spare!
Here’s what it looks like with the hood and cowl rolled down when I sat down to eat:
Materials
The pattern calls for approx. 450 yards of super bulky size 6 weight yarn. My yarn of choice was this 100% Merino wool MillaMia Naturally Soft Super Chunky yarn in the color Seagull from LoveCrafts. Since the 10 Ball Value Pack was 547 yards, I got that and used up almost all of it — I just have a softball-sized amount of yarn left, whew 😅
The yarn says to use a size N 10mm crochet hook but the pattern called for an 8mm one; I went with what the pattern said. I bought the Ergonomic Aluminum Crochet Hook by Loops & Threads® from Michaels (remember to always look for a coupon when shopping at Michaels!). I love the grip on this hook — I would recommend!
The last thing I didn’t have was the buckles. I saw that mostly everyone uses the same standard clips, but I wanted something a little different. I found alternative style clips on AliExpress that worked just as well but look different enough to feel unique. They are unfortunately no longer available so I can’t link you to them, but here’s a photo for reference:
The Matrix Hood Crochet Pattern
The purchase from Etsy is an instant download, so after you make the digital purchase and gather your supplies, you’re good to go. The great news for this pattern is that there is a video tutorial to accommodate the written instructions which I found VERY helpful! I don’t know that I would have been able to get by without it.
One important note for those who watch the video: As of the writing of this blog post (March 2024), the video shows the creator doing back loops only near the start. I did not see that the pattern called for it, and my confusion was cleared up in a comment in the video that mentioned the BLO. The creator confirmed there should be no back loop only stitches in the final product.
More information about the stitches you need to be familiar with are in one of the photos in the Etsy listing. I’d just like to share that there is the video to fall back on which helped my confidence. I didn’t quite follow all of the instructions to a T, such as when attaching the hood to the shoulder piece; the stitch count was not correct but it turned out just fine. Also, I was bad and did not gauge swatch 🙃 I did, however, do a fitting halfway through:
Lessons from my first time crocheting the Matrix Hood
- Wearing ~500 yards of 100% super chunky Merino wool is HEAVY! The weight of the entire 10 yarn ball pack is 1000g or 35 ounces. That’s 2+ pounds on my head and shoulders. That being said, it was very warm and I was well suited in the snowy weather! But next time, I will try for a lighter weight yarn so I can wear it even when it’s above freezing but still cold 🧣🧤
- There’s definitely room for customizations — do more dry fits. The next time I make this, for example, I don’t think I’ll make the cowl so tall. I’m not sure if my face is short or if this is just a stiffer yarn or what, or maybe I even miscounted the rows?, but unrolled, the cowl has the potential to go all the way up past my eyes depending on the angle of my head 😶🌫️
- I’m not sure if this would happen with a lighter yarn (in fact, I doubt it), but it was hard to look down due to all the material. Not a dealbreaker, just something I didn’t know to expect. Just another note on the heavy, stiff material.
Final Thoughts: Would I Recommend You to Crochet the Matrix Hood?
It’s a popular product for a reason! It’s a unique article of clothing. The pattern is one that comes with clear visuals and doesn’t take that long to work up. I say go for it!
Still on the fence? Here’s one last photo that might convince you:
Happy crocheting!
