Beary Adorable.

I recently got a request for a trio of bear hats. I was so excited to try it out as I've been seeing patterns for bear hats everywhere. The customer wanted a specific look. At first the task was daunting. I couldn't find a hat pattern that worked. I finally decided on a hybrid. I used this pattern for the hat, and this pattern for the ears. I've made a couple changes to the pattern so I decided to post it here. I do have another pattern in pictures in the works. I just have to finish these hats.


Beary Adorable Earflap Hat

Materials:
G (4 mm) hook (for ears)
J hook (for hat)
around 3.5 oz of worsted weight yarn
tapestry/yarn needle

Abbreviations:
ch= chain
sl st = slip stitch
dc = double crochet
hdc = half double crochet
hdc dec = half double crochet decrease
rnd = round
sc = single crochet

Pattern Notes:
Crochet the hat holding two strands of yarn together. Use only one strand for the ears.

Ch 3, sl st to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as first dc here and throughout) 9 dc in ring. Join with a sl st to the top of beginning ch 3. (10 dc)
Rnd 2: Ch3, dc in same st as join. 2 dc in each stitch around. (20 dc)
Rnd 3: Ch3, *2 dc in next st. dc in next st* Repeat *-* around. (30 dc)
Rnd 4: Ch3, dc in next st *2 dc in next st, dc in next 2 stitches* Repeat *-* around. (40 dc)
Rnd 5: Ch3, dc in next 2 stitches, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 3 stitches* Repeat *-* around (50 dc) [for *bigger sizes check Options at end of pattern]
Rnd 6-10: Ch3, dc in each st around. (50 dc) If your hat looks a little shallow, add more rnds here.
Rnd 11: Ch3, dc in each of next 35 stitches. Ch 3, turn.

Now you'll be working in rows.
Row 1: skip 1st dc. dc in each st around. Ch 3, turn. (34 dc)
Row 2: skip 1st dc. Dc in next 10 stitches. (10 dc) (Beginning of earflap)
Row 3: work a dc decrease in first 2 stitches. dc in each st across until last 2 stitches. Work a dc decrease in last 2 stitches.
Continue in this fashion until you only have 2 decreases. Fasten off.

Join yarn on the other side of the hat. (15 stitches from previous earflap) 12 stitches in. Follow the same instructions for the previous earflap, except for Row 2. Work Row 1 as follows:

Row 1 of second earflap: Ch 3, dc in each of next 1o stitches. Skip last dc. (10 dc total, not counting beginning ch 3)


Ear: (Make 2) These are worked in a spiral. Don't join the rounds.
Rnd 1: make a magic ring/adjustable ring sc 5 in ring. (5 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 hdc in each st around. (10 hdc)
Rnd 3: 2 hdc in each st around. (20 hdc)
Rnd 4: hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st (30 hdc)
Rnd 5 & 6: hdc in each st around (30 hdc)
Rnd 7: work [hdc, hdc dec] around (20 hdc)
Rnd 8: hdc dec in each st around (10 hdc)

Fasten off, leaving a tail long enough to sew the ears closed and sew them to the hat. The ears will look like a mushroom cap while you're crocheting them. Don't worry! You can squish them down and mold them into perfect little bear ears.


This is where you really get to personalize it. You have lots of options in regards to the rest of the hat. You can find a contrasting yarn and crochet a slip stitch or single crochet border around the bottom of the hat. You can add a chin strap that attaches to either velcro or a cute button. These are some of the options for the hat.

Options:

*to make an adult sized hat, add as many more increasing rows as you need. Just continue in the same fashion as the 3-5 rounds, adding a single crochet between increases (2 dc in one stitch) Then work the hat the same way you'd make the kids' sized hat. Add a few more rows worked even (1 dc in each st around) if needed. Everything else can be worked the same.

For a simple chin strap for any hat, ch as many as needed to go under the chin with a few extra. Ch 3 and dc in each of the chs. Once you get to the end, ch 5, sl st in the first ch you made and fasten off your work. Sew it to the hat so the side with the ch 5 on the same side as the button.

For simple but eye catching straps, take the end of your yarn and hold it in the webbing between your thumb and index finger. Wrap the yarn around your elbow and bring it back up to your thumb and index finger 6 times. cut the yarn you have bunched at your thumb and index finger. You're essentially making really long fringe. Take 3 strands and fold them in half. Insert your hook into the end of an ear flap and pull the bend of the fringe through. Now pull the ends of the fringe through the loop you just made. Pull it as tight as you can, now separate the 6 strands of yarn into 3 groups of 2 and braid them. Tie a knot at the end. Repeat for remaining 3 pieces of fringe on other ear flap.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!
an option within the options: If you decided to do a border in a contrasting color, and you want to do the ties, Make 4 pieces of long fringe in the main color, and 2 in the alternate color. Follow the same instructions for the ties, except you'll have 2 strands of main color and 1 of the alternate color. (obviously, you can reverse the colors if that's your preference.)


Enjoy, and as always email any questions or pictures of finished products to me at armyofowls@gmail.com