Minion Newborn Hat

My sister-in-law's sister is expecting her first child.  I thought it would be fun to make an itsy bitsy Minion Newborn hat for the little nugget.  The pattern includes instructions for preemie heads, but I was going to make the 1-3 month size so there is a shot this will actually fit the little baby.  The newborn sized owl hat fit Lucky for a few weeks, and had 40 DC's around at the widest portion.  This is so great that I kept all of these notes of head size and stuff so I know how to make a newborn hat for someone else.  (The owl hat is currently travelling the country to a bunch of different newborns, so it is not in my possession to compare at the moment.)

I remember from the Minion Mitts that I made that I thought the gauge was a little loose... but this hat is mostly for cuteness factor.  I'll see if I need to modify things a bit bigger.  I used worsted weight Wool of the Andes in Semolina (yellow), Coal (Black), Winter Night (blue), Silver (grey - scraps for the eyes) and White (scraps for the eyes.)  a size H hook.  

I wasn't sure before starting the black round 5 if this was a good positioning.  I didn't want the eye strap to be too much on the top of the head.  It looks like from the curvature that it won't quite work, but I decided to try it out and then adjust if necessary.  

Next time I might do 5 rounds yellow, 1 round black and then 2 rounds yellow.  I think I'd like the eye placement a bit better this way, but I'm not sure how they are "supposed" to look.  I think it is still super adorable, so I'm glad that I picked this project.  

This hat is about the same size as the newborn owl hat was.  That hat fit him for at least 3 weeks... hopefully this one will, too.  I followed the instructions for the 1-3 month hat, and I am right on target with the gauge.  (2 DC rows/inch; ~7.5 DCs/inch.  8 DC/inch was the target, so if anything my hat is a smidge BIGGER.)  

I sewed the eyes together before stitching them to the hat so there would be some uniformity.  Cute, right?  

I embroidered the mouth with two strands of yarn held together.  

Final dimensions (1-3 month size.  44 sts around and 3 rows before the edging.)  12" circumference, 4.25" long.  This would have fit Lucky's head as a newborn and just below the tips of his ears.  Now I know my gauge wasn't off...  It look about the same size as the small owl ear flap hat... but without earflaps.   I was really feeling nervous until I measured the top this way:

This is more similar to the "eartip to eartip" measurements I've been taking of Lucky than measuring the top center of the hat to the base.  Measured this way, I got 9.5-10"  This makes me feel much better about how it will fit!