A Valentine's Day Love Bug Hat

The 3 month sized baby hat is a little large for 3 week old Rowdy.  Newborn heads grow so fast that I wanted to make sure that the hat would fit when he was a month old!

I have not designed many Crochet patterns, but I wanted to give it a shot to create something for my second son who was scheduled to arrive in February.  Little Rowdy ended up being born in January, but he is still my little Love Bug and this pattern is dedicated to my newest little Valentine.  

The hat pattern is given as one size only (3 months).  The hearts and antennea modification could easily be applied to a larger hat base (knit or crochet) for older children or even adults.  Maybe if I'm able to design more hats while Rowdy is growing I can update this pattern to include some more sizes.

Materials

• Size H (5.0 mm) Crochet Hook
• Worsted Weight Yarn - The sample is crocheted with KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Worsted Weight Yarn in Black (Coal: 11 g, 25 yards) and Red (24 g, 52 yards).  
• Gauge:  15 HDC/4", 6 HDC rows /2" 
• Size: 0-3 month 
• Final Measurements: 14" circumference, 5" brim to crown.  If the hat is too long the brim can be raised up so you can see the baby's face. Rowdy is 3-4 weeks old in these pictures.

Abbreviations and Techniques

• ch - chain stitch
• SC - single crochet
• SC3tog - single crochet 3 stitches together.  Decreasing 3 stitches to 1 stitch.  
• HDC - half double crochet 
• DC - Double Crochet
• Magic Ring- A loop of yarn that you crochet into the center of to create a round piece.  In the linked video, a magic ring is used to create a circle out of DC stitches.  This hat starts with a HDC magic ring and the heart is created using different crochet stitches into the magic ring center.  
• sts - stitches

Hat Pattern (Size 3 months) - This hat is crocheted joining the end of each round with a slip stitch.  The CH2 at the beginning of each round does not count as a stitch.

• Round 1: Make a magic ring, CH2, 10 HDC into the magic ring (10 sts).  Join with Slip stitch to first HDC.
• Round 2: ch 2, 2 HDC in each stitch around (20 sts).  Join with slip stitch.  
• Round 3: ch 2, *HDC, 2 HDC in next stitch* repeat from * around. Join with slip stitch. (30 sts) 
• Round 4: ch 2, *HDC, HDC, 2 HDC in next stitch* repeat from * around. Join with slip stitch. (40 sts)
• Round 5: ch 2, *1 HDC into next 4 sts, 2 HDC in next stitch* repeat from * around. Join with slip stitch. (48 sts)
• Rounds 6-14: CH2, HDC around.  join with slip stitch
• Round 15: switch to black yarn.  Ch2, HDC around. Join with slip stitch.
• Round 16: Ch1, SC around.  Join with slip stitch and fasten off.  

Antenna (make 2)

• Join yarn around two of the HDC posts from round 4. Ch2, 3 HDC in the same space around both posts. 
• Turn work. CH1, SC3tog. 
• Turn work, CH1, SC, CH1 and join to the bottom of the SC with a slip stitch. 
• Make one more antenna on the opposite side of the hat.  Weave in loose ends

Heart Crochet Pattern (make 2 red and 5-12 black hearts)

• Make a magic ring. CH3, In the circle 2DC, 2SC, 1 HDC, 2 sc, 2 DC.  ch3 and.  Slip stitch closed into the magic ring and fasten off. 
• In the end, I stitched on 5 black hearts to the front of the hat and decided to leave it at that.  I made a bunch of extra hearts but didn't want to have any others peeking out around the front.  If you want to completely cover the hat in hearts then it will take around 10-12 black hearts.

*NOTE: the yardage amounts listed above include the yarn required to make 12 black hearts!*

Finishing
Stitch the red hearts hearts onto the hat and tips of each antenna.

Stitch the black hearts onto the main body of the hat.  I only ended up sewing on 5 of the hearts to the front of the hat but you could make the heart dots continue around the entire hat if desired.

Weave in all loose ends and try the hat onto your little love bug, be it a human baby or a stuffed animal.  (Lucky's buddy "Dede" usually models my infant hats but this time the model is present!  Poor Dede getting left out of the process.)

Rowdy (3 weeks old in most of the pictures) is more than happy to show off his new hat... while he is sleeping.  He's otherwise not the biggest fan of hats.  His head size is currently 14" around and there is plenty of space for him to grow into the hat.  I know that we will use it a lot this winter as the weather dips into polar vortex levels.  

This design is dedicated to Rowdy, but I have one more shout out to give today.  Happy Birthday, Keith!  Lucky and Rowdy are lucky to be your little love bugs.

These knitting pattern was created by ChemKnits for your personal or charity use. You are not to sell, distribute or reprint this pattern without the permission of ChemKnits. © 2016 ChemKnits