With only two weeks until Super Bowl 2012, I figured it would be a great time to use my free Versatile Earflap Hat Pattern to make a football hat. Please excuse the chin drool – someone is getting his 2-year molars. This may be why he wasn’t too cooperative of a model today LOL!
You can download the free pattern here, then reference below for where to add your white stripes. Finish the hat by lining up the earflaps to find the center, stitch a long, white line down the center front (I stitched a second line over the first), and then stitch several short marks across the long line. If you want a football hat with more team spirit, add braids, tassels or pom poms in your favorite team’s colors to the center of each earflap.
I used Loops and Threads Impeccable for this hat in a dark brown and white, but any similar weight (Aran/Worsted) yarn should work fine. I would probably try a lighter shade of brown and a creamier white the next time I make this hat, but for now I am trying to use yarn I have before buying more. Here is what I did to make this hat:
Child
- Work rounds 1 through 7 in brown
- Switch to white for rounds 8 & 9
- Switch back to brown for rounds 10 through 15
- Switch to white for rounds 16 & 17
- Switch back to brown for round 18 and both earflaps
- Work first and second edgings in brown
Other Sizes
These are my suggestions on where to change colors to get this same look on other size hats:
0-3 Months
- Work rounds 1 through 4 in brown
- Switch to white for round 5
- Switch back to brown for rounds 6 through 9
- Switch to white for round 10
- Switch back to brown for round 11 and both earflaps
- Work first and second edgings in brown
3-6 Months
- Work rounds 1 through 4 in brown
- Switch to white for round 5
- Switch back to brown for rounds 6 through 10
- Switch to white for round 11
- Switch back to brown for round 12 and both earflaps
- Work first and second edgings in brown
6-12 Months
- Work rounds 1 through 5 in brown
- Switch to white for round 6
- Switch back to brown for rounds 7 through 11
- Switch to white for round 12
- Switch back to brown for round 13 and both earflaps
- Work first and second edgings in brown
Toddler
- Work rounds 1 through 5 in brown
- Switch to white for rounds 6 & 7
- Switch back to brown for rounds 8 through 12
- Switch to white for rounds 13 & 14
- Switch back to brown for round 15 and both earflaps
- Work first and second edgings in brown
Teen/Adult
- Work rounds 1 through 8 in brown
- Switch to white for rounds 9 & 10
- Switch back to brown for rounds 11 through 17
- Switch to white for rounds 18 & 19
- Switch back to brown for round 20 and both earflaps
- Work first and second edgings in brown
I hope you found this useful, and if you have any questions at all, feel free to leave a comment or you can email me at email hidden; JavaScript is required. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!
What a wonderful variation!
Cute hat, sporty looking with the earflaps. Thank you.
Thank you! Glad you like it.
love love love this pattern! Made it as part of a sports hat ensemble (baseball and basketball hat included) for my friend’s little guy. She loved it! So excited to have pics made in it. Thanks for sharing the pattern!
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Thanks, Melissa!
Do you finish off before starting the ear flaps? Do you count “x” number of stitches from the “back” before reattaching? I didn’t find this very clear…
I noticed you slip stitched one ear flap but not the other. I’m new-ish to crochet so I need help to understand! Thanks!
Hi Stacey. As the pattern is written, you do not finish off before starting the earflaps. The slip stitches to the first earflap will position it in the correct spot. Count to the left as the pattern states then continue with crocheting to the left as you normally would. Fasten off that 1st earflap. Then count to the right as the pattern states (passing the back seam). After attaching the yarn to the designated stitch, crochet back to the left (toward the back seam).
If you don’t want to slip stitch to the 1st earflap, you could finish off after the last round then just count over and attach the yarn in the stitch you would have slip stitched to. Does this answer your question? Let me know if you have any others.
What size did you create for your 2 year old shown in the photos? The child or toddler size? I’m guessing it’s the child size by the way you’ve listed things, but want to be sure because I’m having a friend create the pattern. Thanks!
I made the child size, but that doesn’t mean all two year olds will need that size (I just knew he would grow out of the toddler size quickly). The toddler size should fit a head circumference up to 19 inches and the child size should fit a head circumference up to 20.5 inches.
Thanks so much! She has a pretty small head, so I’ll probably go with the toddler size then!
What size crochet hook are you using? Great pattern. Just what I was looking for.
an I (5.5mm) hook