Owl Baby Hat

Loom: All-n-One Loom

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn, approx 120 yds in 4 different colors, total.. Lion Brand Cotton-Ease was used in sample in colors Cactus (about 40 yds), Taupe (about 50 yds), Seaspray (about 5 yds), Snow (about 10 yds) and Terracota (about 5 yds).

Notions: knitting tool, crochet hook size G.

Other: 2 medium black buttons to use for the eyes (about 1/2″).

Gauge: 16 sts x 20 rows= 4 inches

Size: Size shown fits 3-6 months.

Abbreviations
k=knit stitch

p=purl stitch

sts=stitches

CO=Cast on (I used the ewrap cast on and then I tightened it up with this youtube tip)

BO=Bind off

Rnd(s)=Round(s)

k2tog=knit two stitches together (lift stitch from peg 1, move it to peg 2, knit peg 2 treating both stitches on the peg as one).

p2tog=purl two stitches together (lift stitch from peg 1, move it to peg 2, purl peg 2 treating both stitches on the peg as one).

Sl=slip a stitch (skip a stitch with peg behind the peg).

Rem=remain

MC: main color (Taupe)

CC: contrasting color (Cactus)

SCC: secondary contrasting color

O: Terracota

B: Seaspray

W: Snow

INSTRUCTIONS

Hat

HAT

With CC, cast 64 sts, join to work in the rnd.
Rnd 1-8: *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Rnds 9-23:k to end of rnd.
Cut CC, join MC, leave 6 inch tails on both.
Rnds 24-40: k to end of rnd.
Rnd 41: *k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd.
Rnd 42: k to end of rnd.
Bind off with gather removal method.

NOSE
With O, cast on 10 sts, prepare to work a flat panel.
Row 1: k to end of row.
Row 2: k1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
Rep Rows 1 and Row 2, until 4 sts rem.
Next row: k2tog, k2tog
Next row: k2tog.
BO

EARFLAPS
Make 2
With MC, CO 12 sts.
Row 1: k12.
*Row 2: sl1, p to end.
Row 3: k2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Rep from * until 2 sts rem.
Last row: p2tog.
BO.

Weave ends in. Block lightly.

EYES
Make 2
With W, CO 7 sts
Row 1: k7
Row 2: sl1, k5, turn
Row 3: k5 (from peg 5-1)
Row 4: sl1, k4, turn
Row 5: k4 (from peg 4-1)
Row 6: sl1, k3, turn
Row 7: k3 (from peg 3-1)
Row 8: sl1, k6, turn
Row 9: k6 (from peg 6-1)

Repeat Rows 2-9: 9 more times. On the last repeat (the 10th repeat), stop at Row 8. BO with basic bind off.
Mattress stitch BO to CO.  Use the remaining yarn tail end to cinch the middle off the eye close.

Steam block to a flat circle/disc.

EYE CENTER
Make 2
With B, CO 5 sts
Row 1-8: k
BO with gather method. Cut yarn leaving a 10 inch yarn tail.  Use the yarn tail to sew this piece to the center of the EYE.

Sew the button to the center of the blue area of the eye. Sample was sewn with white yarn.

ASSEMBLY

Sew the earflaps in place as follows: mattress stitch the earflap to the cast on edge of the hat, it will be sewn over twelve stitches on the cast on edge. Skip 18 sts from the cast on edge, mattress stitch sew the other earflap onto the next 12 sts.  Front of the hat will have the remaining 22 sts from cast on edge.

On the front of the hat, use the picture of the hat to position and sew the eyes in place. Sew the nose in place after sewing the eyes in place.

Weave ends in.

Ears
Make 2
Using MC, CC, and W together, leave a 16″ length and cut.
Keeping the strands together, fold in half, pass the lengths through two stitches near the top of the hat, to the top-side of the eyes  make a slip knot with the length of yarn as close to the hat as possible. Trim the length of yarn to leave about 1″ ears. Do the same to the other side.

TASSELS
Make 2
Using MC, CC, B, W: cut 30″ length of yarn. Fold in half, using a crochet hook, hook at the half point (at the fold), and pull through the last stitch of the earflap. Make a slip knot as close as possible to the earflap.
Divide yarn strands into three groups (6, 5, 5) make a braid. Finish the braid with a slip knot. Trim the lengths of yarn, leaving a 1 inch tail.

Here is a picture of my crochet hats, my own pattern too, and I based myself on the crochet version for the loom knitted version.

On designing these, the most difficult part came to the eyes. It is very hard to knit a flat circle on a knitting loom as you are not able to increase/decrease easily. I went through 4 different ideas and finally, I did what I first thought would work but didn’t want to go that route, but it was the one that worked the best. The eyes are created flat with short-rows. I tried the increasing and decreasing in a circle and I found it to be completely a hassle and was taking the joy of the project away so I scrapped that idea. I did them flat, decreasing so that I could make a circle, the result didn’t look right at all. The short-rows was the best method that I could find for the circular flat discs needed for the eyes. 

If you know how to crochet, you can wip out a pair of circles in about 5 minutes flat, so you could go that route. Another option is to use felt for the eyes.