Crochet ABC for Kids Hoot Hat

12 months to 24 months 5.5mm (I) hook 8ply yarn in turquoise, orange, black, white and yellow (100g balls of each x1) Australian stitch abbreviations used throughout.

Hat In MC Chain 3. Does not count as first htr.Work 10 htr into 2nd chain from hook. Join. (10 st) RND 1: Ch 1. 2 htr in each st around. Join. (20 st) RND 2: Ch 1. *1 htr in the same st, 2 htr in the next, repeat around. Join. (30 st) RND 3: Ch 1. *1 htr in the first 2 st, 2 htr in the next, repeat around. Join. (40 st) RND 4: Ch 1. *1 htr in the first 3 st, 2 htr in the next, repeat around. Join. (50 st) RND 5-18: Ch 1. htr around, Join. (50 st) Finish off. Sew in tail.

Ear flaps

Join to a st on one side of hat, keeping the seam to the back. Repeat for the second earflap on opposite side. Ch 1. htr in the next 9 st. (9 st) RND 1: Ch 1, turn. Htr decrease in the first 2 st. Htr in the next 5 st. Htr decrease in the last 2 st. (7 st) RND 2: Ch 1, turn. Htr in each st across. (7 st) RND 3: Ch 1, turn. Htr decrease in the first 2 st. Htr in the next 3 st. Htr decrease in the last 2 st. (5 st) RND 4: Ch 1, turn. Htr in each st across. (5 st) RND 5: Ch 1, turn. Htr decrease in the first 2 st. Htr in the next st. Htr decrease in the last 2 st. (3 st) RND 6: Ch 1, turn. Htr in each st across, finish off. Sew in tail. (3 st)

Border Join MC in the back of hat, ch 1 and htr around the entire hat. Join, fasten off and sew in tail.

Eyes (3 parts) Make 2 of everything.

In yellow Chain 3. Work 6 htr into the 2nd chain from hook. Join. (6 st) RND 1: Ch 1. 2 htr in each st around. Join. (12 st)

RND 2: Ch 1. *1 htr in the same st, 2 htr in the next, repeat around. Join. (18 st) RND 3: Ch 1. *1 htr in the first 2 st, 2 htr in the next, repeat around. Join. (24 st) RND 4: Ch 1. *1 htr in the first 3 st, 2 htr in the next, repeat around. Join. (35 st) Join yarn and sc over the top of the circle and continue with Ch st to create an eyebrow line approx 6 Ch stitches or more depending on how long you want the eyebrow line.Sc and turn, Htr along sc stitches until end. Sc and turn, repeat hr along to end. Sc and turn, htr to end.

Finish off. Leave long tail for sewing.

In white Chain 3. Work 6 htr into the 2nd chain from hook. Join. (6 st) RND 1: Ch 1. 2 htr in each st around. Join. (12 st) Finish off. Leave long tail for sewing.

In black Chain 3. Work 6 htr into the 2nd chain from hook. Join. (6 st) Finish off. Leave long tail for sewing.

Sew the black circles to the centre of the white circles, then sew them both to the yellow circles towards the edge.

Beak

The beak is made from five single crochet stitches which are naturally reduced by not using a turning stitch. I then crocheted once around the triangle to give it a nice finish. Leave a long tail for sewing.

Sew eyes and beak onto the front of the hat

Wings

The wings were crocheted on the fly (so-to-speak).

Start with Ch 15, then use rows of htr, dc and tr to obtain the right shape. Sc around edge.

Ties

Cut 12 pieces of yarn approximately 40cm Split into groups of 6. Fold in half. Attach to the 3rd middle chain of the earflaps by pulling the loop of the yarn pieces through the chain and then pulling the ends of the yard through the loop. Braid each set, keep length even. Tie off. Trim ends.