Kitty-Eared Baby Hat Tutorial

Make a cute kitty hat for your baby! This free crochet pattern has both a 0-3 month size and a 3-6 month size!

What you need:

• 4.0mm crochet hook for 0-3 month size
• 4.5mm crochet hook for 3-6 month size
• four stitch markers 
• a large button
• 2 colors of worsted weight yarn (50 yards each, just to be safe)
• yarn needle to weave in ends
• cute baby to place hat on

Terms Used:

• ch - chain
• hdc- half double crochet
• sl st- slip stitch
• st- stitch
• hdc2tog- half double crochet two together (decrease) 

Pattern:

Chain 51. Use the 4.0mm hook if making the 0-3 month size and the 4.5mm hook if making the 3-6 month size. 

R1: Skip the first ch, and hdc into the second ch and every ch down the row (50 sts) At the end of row one, measure your fabric. It should be 13-14 inches wide for the 0-3 month size and 15-16 wide inches for the 3-6 month size. If it's not, go up or down a hook size to meet gauge. 

R2: ch 1, and turn. 50 hdc. 

Repeat row two until your hat measures 4.5 inches long for the 0-3 month size and 5 inches long for the 3-6 month size. 

Now using the end of the yarn sew up two sizes to create a hat. 

Ears: Grab your stitch markers. (see video if confused for visual example) Lay hat flat so each ear is at a corner, and count four stitches from the left side. Place a stitch marker on this 4th stitch. Counting from the st next to the one you just placed the stitch marker on, count 19 stitches to the right. Place a st marker on this 19th stitch. Now turn hat over, and count 12 stitches from each stitch marker, using the previous st marker as stitch 1, and place st markers on that 12th stitch. So you should have a hat with 10 stitches between each marker--12 stitches if you could the stitches the marker is actually on. 

These 12 stitches on each side will make the ears.

(do following rows for each ear)

Ear R1: pull up a loop in the first st, the one with a st marker on it. Ch 1, do 12 hdc. Remove all st markers. (12 sts)

Ear R2: Ch 1, skip ch and first st. 8 hdc. Hdc2tog. (10 sts)

Ear R3: Ch 1, skip ch and first st. 6 hdc. Hdc2tog. (8 sts)

Ear R4: Ch 1, skip ch and first st.  4 hdc. Hdc2tog. (6 sts)

Ear R5: Ch 1, skip ch and first st.  2 hdc. Hdc2tog. (4 sts)

Ear R6: Ch 1, skip ch and first st.  Hdc2tog. (2 sts)

Ear R7: Ch 1, Hdc 2 tog (1 sts) 

(first ear only) Ch 1 and cut yarn.

(second ear only) On second ear, ch 13 for 0-3 month size and 16 for 3-6 month size

Now, hdc all the way around using your second color. Add a button and make a slip knot with your chain to attach! Like all my tutorials for babies, do not leave on baby unattended, as hat could get in the way of breathing.

Happy Crocheting! View this pattern on Ravelry here!

Some Thoughts On Motherhood

Almost daily I am shocked by the fact that I have a child. I catch myself looking at Reuben and wondering why he is still there, or realizing that he is still there and that he is mine. It's weird and wonderful. I am still not used to it but I could never dream of life without him.

It's also funny how many odd expectations I had about motherhood that turned out to be totally wrong. It's like I don't know myself, and on a daily basis I have to reevaluate who I am.

Bed sharing, for example. I waxed eloquent on how I couldn't wait to bed share. I googled safe bed sharing and talked to my husband about it and honestly eagerly awaited the moment I could sleep all night with my son tucked safely beside me. I laughed in people's faces when they told me my little one would die if I bed shared, and I rolled my eyes at the hospital pediatrician who said it was unsafe (my pediatrician is perfectly fine with it, not that her opinion on how I sleep with my son matters). I talked to friends who share their beds with their newborns and they told me about all the wonderful night breast feeding where their little one suckled and they got to sleep peacefully though the night.

I hate bed sharing. And not because it's scary. I mean, the first few times it was a little scary, but I'd done enough research to know how to do it safely and I was not concerned about that factor. I hate it because by the end of the day I am so worn out of having my baby touching me. I just want to sleep by myself with nothing touching me or wanting to nurse. Co-sleeping, on the other hand is so wonderful I could write eons and eons about it. The baby is next to me but in his own bassinet, close enough that he can smell me and I can hear when he cries but far enough away that I can get my own personal space bubble all nice and empty of everything but myself and my blanket. It's bliss.

Can we also talk about my taste buds? They have seriously changed. And it's weird. It's like I'm discovering food I've eaten my whole life for the first time. For one, I've hated popcorn my entire life. Entire. Life. Suddenly during pregnancy I craved popcorn with the undying love of a teenager. It's bad. I still, even 3 months postpartum, can't get enough of the stuff. I ask my husband to pop me a bag almost every night. Last night he said we were out and I almost cried. It was that bad.

I also like coffee. Let me repeat that. I like coffee. What is wrong with me? Who am I anymore? I have never ever ever liked coffee. But it tastes AMAZING. Please help. I remember how it used to taste, like bitter hot stuff. But now it tastes like the nectar of the gods and I even dream about drinking it. It started when a Muse (local coffee shop) employee gave me a coffee for free when I was out with two friends. I tried it and it was so good. I thought it was just that particular kind or something (it was an organic columbian dark roast) but then yesterday I tried Chick-fil-a coffee and it also tasted like the nectar of the gods. I felt like I was in the twilight zone.

Some things that I used to like I don't anymore. Like raisins. I just put raisins in my oatmeal and now I am wondering why on earth I would ever do that. It seriously is like I regenerated and have to figure out what in the world my new taste buds like. I know how the Doctor feels now every time he regenerates. Raisins are disgusting.

I hope this does not happen every time I procreate, or it's going to get old fast.

Let's Play Catch-Up

I've been knitting and crocheting a lot more than I thought I would, after baby. Mostly simple things, but I am about to make myself a pair of tardis mitts (from this pattern) to satisfy my complex knitting craving.

First off I finished the black cowl that I wanted to crochet for slow fashion october. The yarn is not locally sourced but it is 100% wool and I did hand-make it, and that satisfies me. I love it. It's very very warm and I will wear it a lot this winter, and in many winters to come. And true to it's nature it goes with literally everything. For the few things it does not go with...well, I've already ordered yarn in the color "wine" to make myself a burgundy one. As a bonus, it doubles as a breastfeeding cover as well.

I know I already blogged about these gloves, but I finally took more professional photos and I still love them. They are cozy and an easy crochet project for an evening.

I also made more hats. The black one is a Christmas gift, and the purple one was just a I-have-yarn-and-free-time project. Or more like nursing busywork, because I don't really get free time anymore with an infant. At least not like before.

I love knitting. I love crochet. I can't wait to make more things, all the days of my life, and to teach my children the love of fiber.