Friendly Bunny Hat

By: Rhondda Mol from oombawkadesigncrochet.com

Friendly Bunny Hat

By: Rhondda Mol from oombawkadesigncrochet.com

The Friendly Bunny Hat is a great way to get kids excited about Easter. Bulky yarn is used to complete this free crochet hat pattern, so it's quick to crochet and will keep your toddler's head warm in the winter weather. If you need a cute Halloween costume idea as well, this hat would also come in handy in October. It's so adorable, your kid will definitely want to wear it all the time.

This pattern originally appeared on oombawkadesigncrochet.com.

NotesOther sizes of this hat are available on the Oombawka Design Crochet blog at the link above.

Intermediate

Crochet HookI/9 or 5.5 mm hook, L/11 or 8 mm hook

Yarn Weight(6) Super Bulky/Super Chunky (4-11 stitches for 4 inches)

Crochet Gauge

Approximately 8 rows per 4 inches and 8 hdc sts per 4 inches. You can substitute any yarn and hook for this stitch pattern - just remember when you substitute if your gauge is different, the finished size, and amount of yarn used for your project will also be different.

Finished Size1-5-year range. Finished size: 18.5 inches circumference X 7.5 inches height.

Materials List

Yarn: Yarnspirations. MC: Bernat Softee Chunky. 100 g (3.5 oz) and 108 yds (99 m). 100% Acrylic, 3Ply yarn. Super Bulky Weight Yarn [6]. Machine wash in cool water. Do Not Bleach. Do Not Dry Clean. Do Not Iron. Tumble Dry, Gentle, Low Heat.
- Other Colors: use Bulky Weight Yarn [5]. 100 g (3.5 oz) and 180 yds (164 m).
- Colors: Soft Taupe (MC). Other Colors: White, Black and Pink.
Hook: 8 mm (L) and 5.50 mm (I)
Finished Project Yardage: 1 Ball of each color of Yarn
Scissors, Yarn Needle, Stitch Marker

Instructions

Abbreviations
US Terminology Used

beg – beginning
ch – chain
dc – double crochet
DMR - double magic ring
hdc - half double crochet
R – round
rem – remaining
rep – repeat
sc – single crochet
sk – skip
sl st – slip stitch
st/sts – stitch/stitches
* to **– Repeat the instructions between the asterisks the number of times indicated. This repeat will contain multiple instructions.
[] – at the end of the row – the total number of stitches
() – important notes AND sets of stitches to be worked within one stitch, or space

Helpful Tutorials
Stitch Anatomy
Invisible Join

Helpful Video Tutorials
Quick Stitch Guide
Slip Knot and Starting Chain
Double Magic Ring (DMR)

Notes:

You may replace any DMR (double magic ring) in the pattern with a chain 3 and slip stitch to the third chain from the hook to join and to create a ring.
I prefer to work in continuous rounds (spirals) and use a stitch marker to mark my place. I do not use a slip stitch to join or chain any additional stitches to increase my height on each round.
The final round of sl st is done with a relaxed tension. It is decorative so if you cannot crochet loose slip stitches, please omit this round, or replace it with a single crochet round.

Main Hat Pattern

This Friendly Bunny Hat is crocheted in continuous rounds from the top of the head to the brim. The ears and facial features are added to the main hat at the end of the project.

Using Super Bulky Weight Yarn [6] in Taupe and your 8 mm (L) hook (or size required for gauge):

R1: DMR: 6 hdc [6]
R2: 2 hdc in each st around [12]
R3: *1 hdc in the next st, 2 hdc in next stitch**. Rep from * to ** 6 times. [18]
R4: *1 hdc in each of the next 2 sts, 2 hdc in the next stitch**. Rep from * to ** 6 times. [24]
R5: *1 hdc in each of the next 3 sts, 2 hdc in the next stitch**. Rep from * to ** 6 times. [30]
R6: *1 hdc in each of the next 4 sts, 2 hdc in the next stitch**. Rep from * to ** 6 times. [36]
R7-R14: 1 hdc in each stitch around [36]
R15: 1 sc in each stitch around [36]
R16: 1 sl st (loosely) in each stitch around, finish off with an invisible join and weave in ends. [36]

Bunny Ears (Outer Ear)

Make 2.

Using Super Bulky Weight Yarn [6] in Taupe and your 8 mm (L) hook:

R1: Ch 12 (you will be working around this chain on both sides), 1 sc in the 2nd chain from the hook, 1 hdc in each of the next 6 chs, 1 dc in each of the next 3 chs, 3 dc in the last ch.

Rotate your work to begin crocheting along the bottom edge of the foundation chain.

1 dc in each of the next 4 chs, 1 hdc in each of the next 6 chs, 1 sc in the last ch, 1 sl st into the sk ch (what would have been the first ch in R1).
R2: 2 sc in the first st (the same st you just sl st to at the end of R2), 1 hdc in each of the next 5 sts, 1 dc in each of the next 7 sts, 2 dc in the next st, 1 dc in each of the next 7 sts, 1 hdc in each of the next 5 sts, sl st to the first sc of R2
R3: Starting in the next sc (the second sc of R3), sl st in each st around. Finish off with an invisible join. Leave a long tail to allow you to sew the ear to the hat.

Bunny Ears (Inner Ear)

Make 2.

Using Bulky Weight Yarn [5] in Pink and your 8 mm (L) hook:

R1: Ch 9 (you will be working around this chain on both sides), 1 sc in the 2nd chain from the hook, 1 hdc in each of the next 4 chs, 1 dc in each of the next 2 chs, 3 dc in the last ch.

Rotate your work to begin crocheting along the bottom edge of the foundation chain.

1 dc in each of the next 2 chs, 1 hdc in each of the next 4 chs, 1 sc in the last ch, 1 sl st into the sk ch (what would have been the first ch in R1).
R2: 2 sc in the first st (the same st you just sl st to at the end of R2), 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, 1 hdc in each of the next 2 sts, 1 dc in the next st, 2 dc in each of the next 3 sts, 1 hdc in each of the next 2 sts, 1 sc in each of the next 6 sts.
R3: 1 sl st in each st around. Finish off with an invisible join. Leave a long tail to allow you to sew the ear to the hat.

Nose

Using Bulky Weight Yarn [5] in Pink and your 5.5 mm (I) hook:

R1: Ch 5 (you will be working around this chain on both sides), 1 sc in 2nd chain from hook, 1 sc in each of the next 2 chs, 2 sc in the last ch; rotate your work to begin crocheting along the bottom edge of foundation ch. 1 hdc in the next ch, 1 dc in the next ch, 1 hdc in the last ch, 1 sl st in the sk ch (what would have been the first ch in R1).
R2: 1 sc in each of the next 6 sts, 1 hdc in the next st, 3 dc in the next st, 1 hdc in the next st, 1 sc in the last st.
R3: 1 sl st in each st around, finish off with an invisible join and leave a long tail of yarn for assembly.

Mouth Patch

Using Bulky Weight Yarn [5] in White and your 8 mm (L) hook:

R1: Ch 7 (you will be working around this chain on both sides), 1 sc in 2nd chain from the hook, 1 sc in each of the next 4 chs, 4 sc in the last ch; rotate your work to begin crocheting along the bottom edge of the foundation ch. 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, 1 sl st to the sk ch (what would have been the first chain of R1).
R2: 2 sc in the first st (the same st you just sl st to at the end of R1), 1 sc in each of the next 6 sts, 2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in the next st, 1 hdc in the next st, 2 dc in the next st, 1 dc in each of the next 2 sts, 1 hdc in the next st, 1 sc in the last st.
R3: 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, 2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in each of the next 7 sts, 1 hdc in the next st, 2 hdc in each of the next 2 sts, 1 hdc in the next st, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts
R4: 1 sl st in each st around, finish off with an invisible join and leave a long tail of yarn for assembly.

Eye Patches

Make 2

Using Bulky Weight Yarn [5] in White and your 8 mm (L) hook:

R1: Ch 6 (you will be working around this chain on both sides), 2 dc in the 2nd ch from the hook, 1 hdc in each of the next 3 chs, 4 dc in the last ch; rotate your work to begin crocheting along the bottom edge of the current row; 1 hdc in each of the next 4 sts, sl st to the sk ch (what would have been the first chain of R1)
R2: 2 sc in the first st (the same st you sl st to in the end of R1), 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, 2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in the next st, 2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts
R3: 2 sc in the first st, 1 sl st in each st around, finish off with an invisible join and leave a long tail of yarn for assembly.

Pupil

Make 2

Using Bulky Weight Yarn [5] in Black and your 5.50 mm (I) hook:

R1: DMR: 4 sc [4]
R2: 2 sc in each st around [8]
R3: 1 sl st in each st around, finish off with an invisible join and leave a long tail of yarn for assembly

Iris

Make 2

Using Bulky Weight Yarn [5] in Grey and your 5.50 mm (I) hook:

R1: DMR: 5 sc [5]
R2: 2 sc in each st around [10]
R3: 2 sc in each of the first 3 sts, 1 sl st in each remaining st around, finish off with an invisible join and leave a long tail of yarn for assembly

Assembly

The ears can be assembled as ‘upright’ or as ‘floppy’ ears. This will depend on how you attach them to the top of the hat. The construction of the ears will allow them to stand straight upright without reinforcing them.

Use the leftover yarn tails in the same color as the top crocheted embellishment you are attaching, assemble your bunny hat, using the photo of my hat as a guide.

When stitching the pieces together I stitch between the posts of the single crochet stitch rounds and the final sl st rounds (it tends to hide the stitches within the work). Try not to split your stitches when you are sewing as it can pull on the yarn and rip your crochet stitches.

Sew the eyes together first, attaching the pupil to the iris and then the iris (with pupil attached to the eye patch.

Next sew the inner ear to the outer ear.
After sewing the pink inner ear into the outer ear shell, I stitch the bottom part of the ears closed (to give some extra shape to the ears).

The whiskers are added using long sewn stitches in white yarn.

Before stitching your pieces to the hat, count stitches from the middle of the hat to try to ensure that they are evenly placed. You can use bits of yarn to mark placement (or safety pins). You can also tack the pieces with a few stitches and then take a photo of the hat to see if you like the placement.