Just Pootling

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Bunny Hats for Babies

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With Spring and Easter just around the corner it seemed only right to come up

 with a pattern for some tiny Bunny Hats for babies !

With particularly young babies in mind this pattern is designed in a 

Newborn size and an Up to 3 month’s size.

 With both warmth and softness being a priority I made my hats 

in Millamia Naturally Soft Merino.

I used a 4.5 mm hook.

( As this yarn is a Sportsweight yarn I would advise a smaller 

hook size if working these hats in DK )

I used the colours Forget-me-Not 120, Petal 122 and Snow 124. 

I found each hat took just over one ball of yarn.

The pattern is written in the Newborn size with the Up to 3 months size in brackets.

As I have discovered whilst designing this pattern, there can be quite

 a variation in size when looking to make a hat for a baby, 

so I thought it might be helpful to include the following information:

A Newborns average head circumference is 13” – 14”, 33cm – 36cm.

A 0 – 3 months average head circumference is 14” – 17”, 36cm – 43cm.

I have designed my hats to fit as follows:

Newborn Size: Finished circumference = 12.5” – 13”, 32cm – 33cm,

With the height of the hat being 6”, 15cm

Up to 3 months size: Finished Circumference = 14.5” – 15”, 37cm – 38cm

With the height of the hat being 7”, 18cm

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To begin your hat make a Magic Ring.

Round 1: Work 8 DC in to the ring. SL ST together and chain 1.

Round 2: Work 2 DC in to each stitch all the way around. 16 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 3: Work 1 DC in to the first stitch, followed by 2 DC in to the next stitch, repeat this pattern all the way around. 24 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 4: Work 1 DC in to each stitch all the way around. 24 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 5: 1 DC in to each of the first 2 stitches and then work 2 DC in to the following stitch, repeat this pattern all the way round. 32 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 6: Work 1 DC in to each stitch all the way around. 32 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 7: Work 1 DC in to each of the first 3 stitches and then work 2 DC in to the following stitch, repeat this pattern all the way around. 40 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 8: Work 1 DC in to each stitch all the way around. 40 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 9: Work 1 DC in to each of the first 4 stitches, and then work 2 DC in to the following stitch, repeat this pattern all the way around. 48 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 10: Work 1 DC in to each of the first 5 stitches, and then work 2 DC in to the following stitch. 56 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 11: Work 1 DC in to each stitch all the way around. 56 sts.  Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 12: Work 1 DC in to each of the first 6 stitches, and then work 2 DC in to the following stitch, repeat this pattern all the way around. 64 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 13: Work 1 DC in to each stitch all the way around. 64 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 14: Work 1 DC in to each of the first 7 stitches, and then work 2 DC in to the following stitch, repeat this pattern all the way around. 72 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

( For Up to 3 mnths: Round 15: Work 1 DC in to each stitch all the way around. 72 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1.

Round 16: Work 1 DC in to each of the first 8 stitches, and then work 2 DC in to the following stitch, repeat this pattern all the way around. 80 sts. Join with a SL ST and chain 1. )

At the end of Round 14 for Newborn ( and Round 16 for Up to 3 months ) continue in one continuous round until your work measures 6”, 15cm, ( 7”, 18cm ) from the centre top to the bottom edge.

When your hat measures the correct height, finish off and sew in your ends.

To make the ears:

To give the ears a good, solid texture so that they stand up I used 2 strands of yarn and a size 4.5 mm hook. The ears are worked in a continuous round ( so no need to join with a SL ST and chain 1 at the end of each round.)

Begin by making a Magic Ring and for Round 1 work 8 DC in to the ring.

Round 2: Work 2 DC in to each stitch. 16sts.

Now work a further 11 rounds ( 13 rounds ) of 16 stitches.

Round 13 ( Round 15 ): Decrease by working the first 2 DC together , so, pull up 1 loop in each of the next 3 stitches and work as one DC, DC 6, decrease 2 DC together, DC 6. 14 sts.

Round 14 ( Round 16 ): Work 1 DC in to each stitch all the way around. 14 sts.

              

At the end of your final round finish off and leave a long tail of yarn for sewing the ears to the hat.

      

Use 1 strand of the yarn to sew the ear together along the bottom edge. Then pinch the ear in half longways and secure in place along the bottom edge. Finish off and sew in your end, leaving the other strand of yarn in place as this will be used to stitch the ears to the hat.

When sewing the ears on to the hat I found it quite useful to mark the positioning of the ears with a couple of pins first. To ensure the ears stay firmly in place stitch each ear on very securely, working your stitches all the way around the bottom of each ear, and securing your ends on the inside of the hat.

 

To finish off your hat you may wish to add a ribbon tied in to a bow or, for the full Spring effect, some tiny 5 petal flowers, made from small pieces of left over yarn.

                     

To make a 5 petal flower: 

Make a Magic Ring.

Work 5 DC in to the ring. Finish off, sew in your ends and change colour.

Join in your 2^nd colour and chain 3. Work 3 TR in to the first stitch, leaving the final loop of each TR on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all 4 loops. Chain 3 and SL ST back in to the same stitch. Chain 3 and repeat the petal pattern in to the next stitch. Work 5 petals in total and finish off by joining back in to the first stitch with a SL ST. Finish off and sew in your ends.

Whether your hat is to be packed up as part of a New Baby Hamper,

            or simply given instead of eggs this Easter, I’m sure you’ll agree that there are going to be some very cute Spring babies around in the next few weeks.

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