I belong to a wonderful group on Facebook – Elk Studio Crocheters, founded by Kathy Lashley of Elk Studio Handcrafted Crochet. There is a charity event monthly called Elk Studio-From The Heart. Anyone can join in the gift of giving by going to the linked webpage.

This month’s charity is Project Sweet Peas, organized by my dear friend, Maria Bittner of Pattern Paradise. The charity has conveyed their needs and one of the requests was for “character hats”, as the loving nurses in the NICU <3 to dress up the newborn babies in their care for Halloween. So I hunted around for free “character hat” patterns – and there are a lot out there – in fact so many, I was overwhelmed. With that being said, I put my designing mind to work and with hook to yarn, came up with “character” pom-pom hats. Oh, goodness – what fun I had making these tiny little newborn hats and decided I would share my design with you as a free pattern. I encourage you to use this pattern not only for personal use, but to also make “character hats” for newborns and donate to your local NICU, as most NICUs all over the country like to dress their babies up for the fall holiday! I learned something years ago when I was making handcrafted greeting cards – since you have all the supplies at the “ready”, why not make two or three at the same sitting – this applies now to my crochet projects, too. So while you’re making one of these hats for a newborn, why not make two or three or TEN, and gift some to your local hospital’s NICU.  Your generosity would be greatly appreciated, especially by the family of the newborns staying in the NICU! Please visit the Project Sweet Peas website to learn more about how you can help in their efforts.

So without further ado, here is the free newborn “character” hat pattern.

MATERIALS

Worsted weight yarn (“red character”-black, red, yellow, white; “pink character”-black, pink, white)

Size H hook (8/5.00mm)

Yarn needle

Fiberfill – optional

ABBREVIATIONS

Ch=chain

Hdc=half double crochet

Sc=single crochet

Sk=skip

Sl st=slip stitch

St=stitch(es)

HOW TO READ THIS PATTERN

• When a number precedes the st, that number of sts need to go in the next st. When you see directions in **, that instruction needs to be worked as a set. The number in () at the end of a round is the number of sts for that round.
• Newborn size fits head circumference 12-13”
• Using the nearly seamless round technique inspired by Cre8tion Crochet. For the hdc using this technique, I sl st into both top loops. See the videotutorial for a visual reference.

HAT (directions for “red character”; “pink character” options below)

R1: With black start with a magic ring, hdc 10 into ring, join with sl st to 1^st hdc. Tighten ring. (10)

R2: ch1, sk1, 2hdc each st to last st. Working over ch1, place last 2hdc in sk st, join with sl st to 1^st hdc. (20)

R3: ch1, sk1, *hdc 1, 2hdc*, repeat ** around to last st. Working over ch1, place last 2hdc in sk st, join with sl st to 1^st hdc. (30)

R4: ch1, sk1, *hdc 2, 2hdc*, repeat ** around to last st. Working over ch1, place last 2hdc in sk st, join with sl st to 1^st hdc. (40)

R5: ch1, sk1, hdc each st around to last st. Working over ch1, place last hdc in sk st, join with sl st to 1^st hdc. (40)

R6-R8: repeat R5. (40)

Fig. 1 working “beneath” (over) R14

R9-R13: Change color to red. ch1, sk1, hdc each st around to last st. Working over ch1, place last hdc in sk st, join with sl st to 1^st hdc. (40)

R14: Change color to yellow. Ch1, sl st each st around, join with sl st to 1^st sl st. (40)

R15: Ch1, turn. Working beneath R14, work 1 sc each st around, join with sl st to 1^st sc. (40)- see Fig 1

R16-R20: ch1, work 1 sc each st around, join with sl st to 1^st sc. R20 Finish off leaving a 36” tail for sewing. (40)

BUTTONS (make 2)

R1: With white start with a magic ring, sc 8 into the ring, sl st to 1^st sc. Tighten ring. (8)

R2: sl st each st around. Finish off, leaving a 4” tail. (8)

POM POMS (make 2)

Using black, either use the green clover pom-pom maker or wrap the yarn around your palm 40-50 times, carefully remove loops from your hand. With an 8” piece of yarn, tie the middle of your wrapped loops tightly, knot to secure. Cut loop ends on either side of the tied wrap – fluff, and trim if you wish.

Fig. 2

CONSTRUCTION

Using your yarn needle, thread with the long yellow tail. Turn up the yellow rows and sew to the posts of R13, stuffing lightly as you go. Finish off and weave in ends. – see Fig 2

Use your tails to tie your buttons onto the red section of your hat.

Use your tails to tie your pom-poms to the top of your hat (I find the center of the hat top, insert crochet hook from inside out at the bottom of R2 and pull one tail to the inside of the hat; then repeat the process with the second tail at the bottom of R4 and tie the tails into a secure knot inside the hat and trim tails), in a position you like to represent the mouse ears.

“PINK CHARACTER” OPTION

Work the hat the same as the “red character”. On R14, change back to black and continue the remainder of the hat in the same fashion as the “red character”.

BOW

R1: With pink, ch 11, hdc 2^nd ch from hook and across, ch1, turn. (9)

R2: Hdc each st across, ch1, turn. (9)

R3: repeat R2. Finish off, weave in tails. (9)

R4: Start with a long tail and then use approximately 12-18” of yarn and wind around center of bow, cross tie at the back, leaving two long tails to attach to hat.

R5: With white and using your yarn needle, make French knots for dots.

POLKA DOTS (make six)

R1: With white, start with a magic ring and work 6 sc into the ring, join with sl st to 1^st sc. Tighten ring and finish off leaving a 4” tail to tie dots to hat. (6)

The same construction process used for the “red character”, is also used for the “pink character”.

*Instructional videotutorials courtesy of Cro8tion Crochet, Crochet Garden & Moogly

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I hope you enjoy this free “character” hat pattern and so as not to miss anything new to my blog, why not subscribe by email and follow to keep “in the know” <3. Please feel free to share this free pattern link with friends and family; however, please do not sell this pattern and/or claim ownership, as it is copyright to The Hooked Haberdasher. I do strongly urge you to make some hats and gift them to your local hospital’s NICU. Permission to sell finished products using this free pattern is granted – kindness returned by linking back to this blog post is most appreciated :)

♥ ~ Wendy