Free Pattern: Horse Hat

This horse hat started the pattern bonanza! It is the first pattern I ever wrote for someone else to follow. I started making animal hats for people and just followed the patterns I designed and memorized in my brain. Someone contacted me on Etsy and asked if I would write this pattern so they could make it… and thus began my journey into pattern writing.

Where would I be without my customers? I made this hat for the sweet girl pictured in all the photos. Her mom used the hat for a costume. But first, her daughter ran around the farm while her mom took pictures. She then sent me the photos and gave me permission to use them. I love seeing my animal hat on the kiddo I made it for. It’s an incredible blessing.

Favorite or Queue on Ravelry here.

Horse Hat Pattern

Yarn: I Love is Yarn®
160 Brown (CA)
150 Toasted Almond (CB)
105 Old Rose (CC)
292 Amethyst (CD)

Yarn weight: Worsted

Hook sizes: 5.5 mm and 11.5 mm

Sizes:
6–12 months
Toddler/Child
Teen/Adult
Large Adult

Notes: When working in the round: work initial sts in 1st chain made and over tail of yarn to be tightened when work is finished.

BASE OF HAT

Yarn: CA and CB

Hook: 11.5 mm

Rows worked in the round with CA and CB together

All Sizes:

Row 1: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 9 dc in 1st ch. (10 sts total) Do not connect, place row marker.

Row 2: 2 sc in the top of 1st dc made, 2 sc in ea dc around. (20 sts)

Row 3: 2 sc in 1st sc made from row 2, [1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 10 xs. (30 sts)

Row 4 (based on size):

6-12 Month Size: Sc in ea sc. (30 sts)

Toddler/Child Size: [Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 2 xs, sc in ea sc around. (32 sts)

Teen/Adult Size: [1 sc in ea of the next 5 sts, 2 sc in 6th st] 5 xs. (35 sts)

Large Adult Size: [1 sc in ea of the next 2 sts, 2 sc in 3th st] 10 xs. (40 sts)

Following rows (based on size):

6-12 Months Rows 5-14: Sc in ea sc. (30 sts in ea row) Do not cast off.

Toddler/Child Rows 5-15: Sc in ea sc. (32 sts in ea row) Do not cast off.

Teen/ Adult Rows 5-16: Sc in ea sc. (35 sts in ea row) Do not cast off.

Large Adult Rows 5-17: Sc in ea sc. (40 sts in ea row) Do not cast off.

FASHIONING THE EAR FLAPS

1st Ear Flap:
Beg where you finished final row of hat base.

Row 1: Ch 1, turn, sc in next 8 sts, ch 1, turn. (8 sc)

Row 2: Sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog, ch 1, turn. (6 sts)

Row 3: Sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog, ch 1, turn. (4 sts)

Row 4: [Sc2tog] twice, ch 2, turn. (2 sts)

Row 5: Skip 1st sc, 1 sc in last st. (1 st)
Cast off leaving 10” for braiding later.

2nd Ear Flap:
Attach yarn 7 st after last ear flap with rs facing.
Fashion identical to the 1st ear flap by repeating rows 1-5.

TRIM OF HAT

Yarn: CC Hook: 11.5 mm
Attach yarn at the back of hat between the ear flaps where there are 7 sts between them.

Row 1: Sc in ea st and along sides of ear flap rows, sl st in 1st sc made. Cast off.

BRAIDS 

Using CB, CC and CD cut 10 strands of each color 30” in length (or desired length). Loop 5 of each color around bottom of each ear flap, braid to desired length and tie.

NOSTRILS (Make 2)

Yarn: CC

Hook: 5.5 mm

Rows worked in the round.

Row 1: Ch 2, 8 sc in 1st ch made.

Row 2: Sl st in ea sc made in row 1.

Cast off. Leave 6” yarn for sewing.

MUZZLE

Yarn: CA, CC, CD

Hook: 5.5 mm

First 4 rows worked in rows turned to form a half circle, final two rows are worked around the half circle without turning to create a trim around the straight and round edges. Switch to new color when instructed on the last yarn over of the last stitch of the old color.

Row 1: (CA) Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 7 dc in 1st ch. (8 dc) Do not connect.

Row 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), turn, work 1 dc in same st as ch, 2 dc in ea st around. (16 dc)

Row 3: Ch 2, (counts as 1 dc), turn, work 1 dc in same st as ch, [dc in next st, 2 dc in next st] 6 xs. (22 dc)

Row 4: Ch 2, turn, work 1 dc in same st as ch, [dc in next st, 2 dc in next st] 9 xs. (31 dc)

Row 5: (CC) Ch 1, sc along straight edge of half circle (16 total), (continue around half circle working in the dcs from row 4) 2 sc in 1st dc, 1 sc in ea dc until last dc, work 2 sc, sl st to join row.

Row 6: (CD) RS Ch 1, 1 sc in ea next 16 sts, 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in ea next 28 sc, 2 sc in last st, sl st to join row.

Cast off.

Sew nostrils onto muzzle as shown in picture.

Sew muzzle onto hat as shown in the picture.

EYES (Make 2)

Yarn: CA

Hook: 5.5 mm

Rows worked in the round.

Row 1: Ch 2, sc 8 xs in 1st ch made.

Row 2: Sl st in ea sc made in row 1.

Cast off. Leave 6” yarn for sewing.

Sew onto hat above the muzzle as shown in picture.

EARS

Inner ear: (Make 2)

Yarn: CC

Hook: 5.5 mm

Row 1: Ch 5, sk 1st ch, sc in next ch and in ea rem ch. (4 sc)

Rows 2-6: Ch 1, turn, sc in ea sc. (4 sc)

Row 7: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc2tog. (2 sts)

Row 8: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog. (1 st)

Cast off. Leave 6” for sewing.

Outer ear: (Make 2)

Yarn: CA

Hook: 5.5 mm

Row 1: Ch 6, sk 1st ch, sc in next ch and in ea rem ch. (5 sc)

Rows 2 – 8: Ch 1, turn, sc in ea sc. (5 sc)

Row 9: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog. (3 sts)

Row 10: Ch 1, turn, sc, sc2tog. (2 sts)

Row 11: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog. (1 st)

Cast off. Leave 6” for sewing.

Sew pink ears on top of brown ears using pink yarn. Try to hide the pink yarn so it doesn’t show behind the brown ears. Sew ears onto top of hat using the brown yarn.

FLOWERS

Hook: 5.5 mm

Rows worked in the round.

SMALLER:
Yarn: CD

Row 1: Ch 3, in 1st ch work sts in this sequence: 2 dc, 1 sc (1 petal made), [3 dc, 1 sc] 4 xs.

Finish off leaving 6” for sewing. Tighten tail from ch to close hole in center.

LARGER:

Yarn: CC

Row 1: Ch 3 (counts as 1st dc), work 9 dc in 3rd chain from hook, sl st at the top of 1st dc (10 dc total).

Row 2: Ch 2, 4 dc in next st (1 petal made), [sc in next st, ch 2, 4 dc in next st] 4 xs, sl st in base of 1st ch-2 in row 2 (five petals made). Finish off.

Sew smaller flower on top of larger flower.

Sew flower onto hat by an ear as shown in the picture.

MANE

Using 2 strands of CA
After sewing all other pieces to the hat you can begin working on the mane. Starting at the back of the hat on the brim you will work sts over the sc from the base of hat. Lay hat flat and centered. Find the center of the hat between the horse’s ears. Attach yarn three stitches to the right of center at the brim. Draw a loop up about an inch in length by pulling on your hook. *Remove hook. Insert hook into next st and pull a loop up. Sl st around next sc. Draw a loop up about an inch in length. Work six loops across row. Insert hook into next row starting at the st above last loop made and pull a loop up.* Rep * to * up to the ears, between them, then down to a few rows above the eyes.

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Happy crocheting and let us know if you have questions!

~Abbey

Abbreviations:

CA – Color A
CB – Color B
CC – Color C
CD – Color D
Ch – Chain
Sc – Single Crochet
Dc – Double Crochet
Rep – Repeat
Sc2tog* – single crochet two together
Rem – Remaining
St(s) – Stitch(es)
Ea – Each
Sl St – Slip Stitch
Tog – Together
RS – Right Side
WS – Wrong Side
Sk – Skip
Xs – Times

Favorite or Queue on Ravelry here.