Freebie Pattern: Crochet Elmo Earflap Beanie

Here’s a Freebie for you: Elmo!!

Worsted Weight Yarn, at least one-half 6-8 oz skein, in red

Small bits of white, black, and orange worsted-weight yarn

Small bits of Polyfil for the facial features

G Hook for the facial features

H or I hook for the beanie and earflaps.

Gauge: 3 Rounds = 2.75″

Stitches used: slip stitch, single crochet, sc2tog (I use the Invisible Decrease method by June at planetjune.com) and half-double crochet

Do not turn. This beanie is worked in the round. The ch 1 at the beginning of each round does not count as a stitch.

Beanie:

Round 1: Using a magic ring, 8 hdc into ring, Join with a sl st in the first hdc, and close the ring. 8 hdc

Round 2: Ch 1, 2 hdc in the first stitch of the previous round; 2 hdc in each stitch around for 16 stitches. Join with a sl st to the first hdc. 16 hdc

Round 3: Ch 1, *2 hdc in the first st of the previous round; 1 hdc in the next st; repeat from *. Join with a sl st in the first hdc. 24 hdc.

Round 4: Ch 1, * 2 hdc in the first st of the previous round; 1 hdc in the next 2 stitches; repeat from *. Join as in previous rounds. 32 hdc.

Round 5: Ch1, *2 hdc in the first st of the previous round; 1 hdc in the next 3 stitches; repeat from *. Join as in previous rounds. 40 hdc.

I usually stop increasing at this point for a newborn-size beanie. In the next round, simply ch 1 and hdc around. Repeat this round until you have an appropriate height for your beanie.

Round 6: Ch1, *2 hdc in the first st, 1 hdc in the next 4 stitches; repeat from *. Join as in previous rounds. 48 hdc.

This is where I stop increasing for a toddler-size beanie. In the next round, simply ch 1 and hdc around. Repeat this round until you have an appropriate height for your beanie.

Round 7: Ch1, *2 hdc in the first st, 1 hdc in the next 5 stitches; repeat from *. Join as in previous rounds. 56 hdc.

This is where I stop increasing for a preteen/early teen-size beanie. In the next round, simply ch 1 and hdc around. Repeat this round until you have an appropriate height for your beanie.

Round 8: Ch1, *2 hdc in the first st, 1 hdc in the next 6 stitches; repeat from *. Join as in previous rounds. 64 hdc.

For a beanie that fits most women, here is where I stop increasing.  In the next round, simply ch 1 and hdc around. Repeat this round until you have an appropriate height for your beanie.

Round 9: Ch1, *2 hdc in the first st, 1 hdc in the next 7 stitches; repeat from *. Join as in previous rounds. 72 hdc.

For a beanie that fits most men, here is where I stop increasing. Simply ch 1 and hdc around, joining each time, until you reach an appropriate height.

Earflaps:

Once I’ve reached the end of the final round, I simply begin my earflap right at this point. It keeps the ‘seam’ to the side of the hat and the earflap actually helps to create some camouflage.

Once you’ve joined with a slip stitch, I simply skip the next stitch and do 5 dc into the next stitch. It creates a semi-circle that is the foundation for your earflap. Here’s the basic pattern:

Round 1: at the end of your last round, join with a sl st. Skip the next stitch. 5 dc in the next stitch. Skip the next stitch and sl st into the next 2 stitches. Turn. (5 dc)

Round 2: 2 dc into each stitch around. Sl st into the next 2 stitches. Turn. (10 dc)

Round 3: *2 dc into next stitch, 1 dc in the next stitch, repeat from * around. Slip stitch to next stitch on existing beanie. (15 dc)

At this point, you can do one of two things: 1.  You can fasten off. Then find the center point on the opposite side of the beanie and join with a slip stitch and repeat the steps for making the earflap. Or 2. You can slip stitch in each stitch around until you’ve reached the center point on the opposite side of the beanie. To find that point, I count the stitches around the entire beanie before starting and do it mathematically, or I lay my beanie flat, with the earflap against a table top or flat surface and place a stitch marker in the same spot directly across from the center of the existing earflap.

I will offset mine from the center just a bit, because personally, my ears are set back just a tad and not exactly centered. It’s a personal preference. If centering it works for you, then go for it.

If it curls too much for your taste or if you stitch rather tightly, you can modify this by skipping round 2 and simply doing round 3 twice. The increases are fewer and farther between, reducing the curling.

You can see just the diagram here: Earflap Diagram

Eyes, Make 2

When doing pieces like this, or other amigurumi, I change to a G hook.

Round 1: Create a magic ring and do 6 sc into the ring. Close the ring. Do not join, work in rounds, use a small stitch marker to help to keep your place.

Round 2: 2 sc in stitch around. 12 sc

Round 3: 2 sc in the first stitch of the previous round, 1 sc in the next stitch, repeat around.  18 sc

Round 4: 1 sc in each stitch around. 18 sc

Round 5: begin to decrease. sc2tog the first two stitches of the previous round, sc in the next two stitches, repeat around. 12 sc

Round 6: decreasing again, sc2tog around. This has been corrected. There are no stitches between the decreases on this round. 6 sc. Leaving 4-6 inches for sewing, fasten off.

Stop here and stuff your eye with Polyfil. Using a yarn needle and the remaining few inches of yarn, string the tail through each stitch of the last round and close the eye.

Pupils, make 2

With black, create a magic ring and do 6 sc into the ring, close the ring tightly, then join with a slip stitch to the first sc and fasten off. If it appears to be disproportionate to your eyes, use the same magic ring method and work 8 hdc into the ring instead. This will make your pupil a little larger.

Nose, Make 1

Round 1: Create a magic ring and do 6 sc into the ring. Close the ring. Do not join, work in rounds, use a small stitch marker to help to keep your place.

Round 2: 2 sc in stitch around. 12 sc

Round 3: 2 sc in the first stitch of the previous round, 1 sc in the next stitch, repeat around.  18 sc

Round 4-7: 1 sc in each stitch around. 18 sc

Round 8: begin to decrease. sc2tog the first two stitches of the previous round, sc in the next two stitches, repeat around. 12 sc

This round has a correction. You should only sc in the next stitch, not the next two.

Round 9: decreasing again, sc2tog around. This has been corrected. There are no stitches between the decreases on this round. 6 sc. Leaving 4-6 inches for sewing, fasten off.

Stop here and stuff your nose with Polyfil. Using a yarn needle and the remaining few inches of yarn, string the tail through each stitch of the last round and close the nose.

I also tug on this piece a little to elongate it a bit.

Assembly:

Using the tails at the ends of your facial features, stitch the pupils to the eyes. Keeping the eyes as close together as possible, stitch them to the upper portion of the front of the beanie, not directly on top. Use the picture above as a reference. Then stitch the nose to the beanie sitting it right where the eyes come together. Knowing kids, I took a little extra time and did a few extra stitches to each piece in hopes that they’ll remain on the beanie. =)

Using a length of black yarn, I use an embroidery chain stitch to stitch the smile from side to side. I leave a 4-6 inch tail and bring my needle up through to the front side of the piece and work from right to left, as done with crochet. I go back later and knot that tail and weave in all the ends.

I’d love to know if you found errors or have any suggestions. Please share this pattern with anyone you’d like and use it for commercial or personal use. I’d appreciate credit when applicable and a link back here when you’re online or if you post pictures.