Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Girly Safari Animal Baby Hats: #1 Zebra (3-6mo)

This pattern was a ton of fun to write and I was so giddy with how it came out. I took it to show my older brother who happened to be in the middle of playing video games. Note that for most guys pink is pink, purple is purple and blue is blue etc... there is no light pink or dark pink, only PINK. So when he saw it I asked what he thought it was. Bad idea. Because it was all pink he instantly claimed it was a pig. That kind of burst my bubble of joy, so I went to see if he was the only one who didn't know what it was. (Because what's the point of a cute hat if no one can tell what it is) Since I have no sisters I went to see what my other brothers thought and questioned them. To my disheartening they all told me it was a pig... ugh! They didn't know how much I had already changed in the pattern to make sure it did not look like a pig. So as a last resort I asked my dad... please let there be someone in the house who does not say it is a pig. Alas my hopes were crushed and my adorable zebra hat was proclaimed a pig. When I informed him that it was indeed a zebra, he told me that it might be more recognizable if I had done it in the traditional black and white colors of a Zebra. Can’t a girl not have a fun, pink, whimsical zebra to wear on her head?

With uncertainty I wrapped it up with two other pink safari animal hats I had done (a monkey and a giraffe which I will post soon) and took it to a baby shower. The mother's face lit up as she saw the "zebra" hat. Finally someone recognized a zebra when they saw one. At least the person who it was for knew what it was and so did everyone else at the shower. The lesson I learned: don't ask my brothers to guess what I made... especially since now they joke about all the hats I make looking like pigs.
Please tell me this does not look like a pig.
Size: 3-6 months
Tools:
·         Crochet hook­ size I/9 (5.5mm) or size need to obtain gauge
·         Scissors
·         Yarn needle/darning needle

Supplies:
  • Hot pink  worsted weight yarn (CA)
  • Light pink worsted weight yarn (CB)
  • 2 matching Black/Dark Brown Buttons for eyes (optional… you can also crochet the eyes)
  • A small amount of black worsted weight yarn  (CC)
Gauge:
Rnds 1-4 of Base Hat = approx. 4.5inches in diameter

Instructions:
Base Hat
With CA
Make magic loop, ch 3
Rnd 1: dc 12 in loop, sl st in 1st dc
Rnd 2: ch 3, (dc in same st) twice, dc 2 in ea st around, sl st in 1st dc
With CB
Rnd 3: ch 3, dc in same st, dc 2 in nxt st, (dc 1, dc 2 in nxt st) repeat around, sl st in 1st dc
Rnd 4: ch 3, dc in same st, dc 1, dc 2 in nxt st, (dc 2, dc 2 in nxt st) repeat around, sl st in 1st dc
With CA
Rnd 5-6: ch 3, dc in same st, dc around, sl st in 1st dc,
With CB:
Rnd 7-8: ch 3, dc in same st, dc around, sl st in 1st dc,
With CA
Rnd 9-10: ch 3, dc in same st, dc around, sl st in 1st dc,
With CB:
Rnd 11-12: ch 3, dc in same st, dc around, sl st in 1st dc,
With CA
Rnd 13: ch 1, sc in same st, sc around, sl st in 1st sc, fasten off and weave in ends

With CA
Make a 2” pom-pom and sew to top of the hat, weave in ends

Ear (make 2)
With CB
Ch 7, turn
Rnd 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc 2, sc 1, sc 3 in nxt st, turn so you are working on the bottom of the chs, sc 1, dc 2, dc 2 in nxt st, sl st in 1st dc
Rnd 2:  ch 2, dc 2 in same st, hdc 2, sc 2 in nxt st, sc 3 in nxt st, sc 2, hdc 2, dc 2 in nxt st, dc 3in nxt st, sl st in 1st dc,
With CA
Rnd 3: ch 1, sc in same st, sc around, sl st in 1st sc, fasten off and weave in tails
Sew on at the top of the hat tucking the point under the base of the pom-pom

Muzzle
With CA
Ch 10,
Rnd 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc 6, dc 3 in nxt st, turn so that you are working on the bottom of the chs, dc 6, dc 2 in nxt st, sl st in 1st dc,
Rnd 2: ch 3, dc 2 in same st, dc 6, dc 2 in nxt st, dc 3 in nxt st, dc 2 in nxt st, dc 6, dc 2 in nxt st, dc 3 in nxt st, sl st in 1st dc,
Rnd 3: ch 1, sc 2 in same st, sc 2 in nxt st, sc 6, (sc 2 in nxt st) twice, sc 1, sc 2 in nxt st, sc 1, (sc 2 in nxt st) twice, sc 1, sc 2 in nxt st, sl st in 1st sc, fasten off leaving a tail for sewing, sew on
With CB embroider two “x” to represent nostrils

Eyes (make 2)
With CC
Make magic loop, ch
Rnd 1: sc 6 in loop, sl st in 1st sc, fasten off leaving a tail for sewing, sew on, weave in ends
OR
With CC to sew on buttons for eyes

If you would like instructions for making a pom-pom or more detailed directions for the rest of the patterns, please feel free to comment and please tell me the finished product does not look like a pig. Also please let me if you find any errors as this pattern has not officially been tested.

8 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for the free pattern, and no, it does not look like a pig! Kind regards

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  2. It's super cute, and not a pig. That's brothers for you. Haha

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  3. Dee Williams-GonzalezOctober 29, 2012 at 7:39 AM

    Too cute story! Males are not programmed to get stuff, unless it's something they want to get. Quick question: Did you add a mane? Sometimes you have to think like them too. Smh. However, it's adorable!!! Happy hooking!

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    Replies
    1. I did not add an entire mane, but I did include a forelock (pom-pom) in between the two ears. Btw both the ears and the pom-pom are sewn onto rnd 1 of the base hat.

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  4. hi, i am struggling with round 4 of this pattern, every time i get to this, the hat starts to go wavy, like a flower, from your instructions it sounds like i need to do 2 dc in each stitch all the way around, or am i supposed to do 1 then 2, then 1 then 2 etc etc, as in row 3? does that make sense?? =D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry for the confusion. Actually, if I understand your terminology,you should do 1, do another 1, and then do 2. This is essentially increasing in every 3rd st. Like in the patter(dc 2, dc 2 in nxt st)"dc 2" just means to dc 1 in the next two stitches, while "dc 2 in the" means to increase by doing 2 dc in the same stitch. The parentheses just clarify what portion of the pattern will be repeated around. I hope this helps!

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  5. ohhhh!!!! that helps a lot thanks =D

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  6. Very cute! Your design is adorable. And definitely looks like a zebra! I hope you continue to design. Thank you for sharing! :)

    ReplyDelete