Sock Monkey Hat for Baby Boy

I have been working on several little things for my new grandbaby. I love Sock Monkeys and wanted to crochet him a little hat for a newborn photo. The hat I created is so cute! I can't wait for the little boo to wear it on his precious little head. Six more weeks and he will be here. At the time I started making this cute little baby hat, I did not think about putting him on my blog, so I'm going backwards on instructions.

Any way, I searched around on Pinterest for free patterns and did some research on the size for newborn hat sizes. I ended up using a free pattern from Liz on crochetwithcolor.blogspot.com (search for sock monkey). I also added a few additional rows of white for the top part of the hat. For the main color, I used Vanna's Choice Taupe Mist and then picked a soft white and red. I used black buttons that I picked up for under a dollar for 4 buttons. You need a yarn needle to sew on the ears, eyes, mouth and pom pom. Also, you need place markers or a piece of yarn (I use a different color) to mark the rounds.

Hats should be made 1 - 1 1/2" smaller than the head of the baby.
Newborn head circumference is normally 13 - 14."
Hat Height are normally 5 1/2" - 6"

I will not know if it will fit the little boo until he arrives. One of my friends who crochets a lot of baby hats said that it looked great.  Yea!
I have only made this hat once, so I am giving you the basic instructions that I used and adjusted to make this hat. Some of this is trial and error, so use your judgement and the measurements. The pattern I got most of the information from said it is easy to adjust, and I didn't many problems.

So, with E hook and white, Ch 3

Rnd 1: 7 hdc in 3rd chain from hook .

Rnd 2: Ch 2 (counts as first st here and throughout), hdc in same st, 2 hdc in each st around (16 hdc).

Rnd 3: Ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next stich, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next st) around (24 hdc).

Rnd 4: Ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next 2 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 2 sts) around (32 hdc).

Rnd 5: Ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next 3 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 3 sts) around) (40 hdc).

Rnd 6: Ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next 4 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 4 sts) around (48 hdc).

Rnd 7: Ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next 5 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 5 sts) around (56 sts).

Rnd 8: Repeat Rnd 7 (56 sts)

Rnd 9: Join red with sl st and chain 2. Hdc in next st and each st around.

Rnd 10: Using Taupe Mist (or other main color), attach with sl st and ch 2. Hdc in next st and each st around.

Rnd 11-20 (or until it measures correctly): Ch 2, hdc in each st around. Finish off.

This part was trial and error for me...

Ear Flap (I outlined in red)

This will be on each side of the hat, so try to pick the middle of each side and go back 5 sts to start the ear flap. Join with main color, and

Ch 1, sc in same st and in next 10 sts, turn, (11 sc)

Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 9 sts, turn (10 sc)

Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 8 sts, turn (9 sc)

Repeat this method of decreases until you eend with one stitch, finish off.

2nd Ear Flap

Go to the opposite side and attach with sl st and ch 1. Sc in same st and in the next 10 sts, turn (11 sc)

Work this earflap the same as the first.

Ears (make 2)

With main color crocheting tightly,

Ch 3

Row 1: 7 Hdc in the 3rd ch from hook, turn (8 hdc)

Row 2: Ch 2, hdc in first st, 2 hdc in each st (16 hdc)

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in first st and in each st around (16 sc)

Finish off leaving a tail long enought for sewing


This picture to the right is the one from the free
pattern from Liz at crochetwithcolor.blogspot.com.

(This is the one I made with a few

changes from the pattern above.)

Mouth

The mouth from Liz's pattern is on top of this one. So use your own imagination and judgment to determine how big you want the mouth.

Ch ~ 14

Rnd 1 Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 11 ch, 2 sc in last ch and work around adding in sc as needed until you get the size of mouth you want. Fasten off.

I then took red crochet thread and yarn needle and made the mouth, going over each stitch at least 2 times.

Braids

The braids were used with 11 stands of each color (red and white). I cut them strands about 30 inches long.

Pom Pom

Make a pom pom (if desired) using red yarn.

Using your judgment, position ears, mouth, and pom pom on hat.

Enjoy!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. If you don't understand something, let me know and I will do my best to help! Also, if you dont understand the braids, just ask and I will try to show you.