Loom Knit Doll Hat Project - The Give a Hoot Hat

I've got a goal to have knitted at least fifty doll hats within the next fifty days to sell at a huge neighborhood yard sale in the fall.  To my surprise, I found there were very few doll hat patterns available for free on the internet.  This is a pity since a doll hat is a very good project for a beginning loomer and it isn't always obvious how a full-sized hat pattern should be changed to be appropriate for a doll.  Therefore, I've decided to share my notes on creating and converting hat patterns to fit 18" dolls (such as the American Girl, Journey Girl, Our Generation, or My Life dolls).

The Give a Hoot - Trendy Owl Hat

Under the category of "Everything old is new again," there seems to be a craze for owl designs these days.  Puts me very much in mind of the 1970's style owls from my tweenage years...

I've been seeing a lot of darling crochet owl hats and wishing I could figure out some way to make round funky eyes.  Finally while I was looking at a tutorial on how to make flowers on the 12 peg loom, I realized I had the means to make round and funky sitting right before me the whole time...


Pattern Information

Knitting Loom:  Knifty Knitter 24 peg "Preemie" loom and the 12 peg "Flower" loom for the owl's eyes

Yarn:  
     Color A:  Brown Flecked #4 size yarn
     Color B:  Red Heart "Raspberry" #4 size yarn 
     Color C:  Red Heart "Sage" #4 size yarn
     Color D:  Red Heart "White" #4 size yarn 
     Color E:  Red Heart "Black" #4 size yarn 
     Color F:  Red Heart "Bright Yellow" #4 size yarn

Skill Level: Intermediate

Abbreviations:
     k = knit
     p = purl

Instructions:

With Yarn Color A, cast on 24 pegs.

BRIM  
Rows 1-8:  knit to the end

BODY  
Switch to Yarn Color B

Rows 9-20: knit to the end

Switch to Yarn Color C

Rows 21-40: knit to the end

Remove loops carefully from one side of the loom and place over the pegs on the other side of the loom. Knit together.  Knit across. Remove using chain cast off.

To create the owl's "eyes":  Switch to the 12 peg "Flower" loom. Switch to Yarn Color D.  Follow these instructions for a layered wrap:

Layered Wrap

Layered Wrap

Switch to Yarn Color E.  Follow these instructions for a over sewn center


Oversewn Centre

Over-sewn Center

Switch to Yarn Color F. Follow these directions for a chain cast round:

Chain Cast Round

Chain Cast Round

Follow these directions for a back stitch round.  (Make two rounds)

Backstitch rounds

Backstitch Rounds

Switch to Yarn Color C.  Move a little further up the loop than your last row of stitches. This time working from the center of the loops, make two more back stitch rounds.

More Backstitch Rounds

Switch to Yarn Color B.  Working once more around the loops, make two more rounds of back stitches.

Outer Ring of Back stitches

Remove loops from loom. Thread yarn through loops.  
 

Removed from the loom

Use the tail of the yarn to sew eye to the hat.

Repeat for other eye.


Locate the center of the hat.  Move two rows over and follow this chart to create the pony's right eye:



To make the owl's "beak":  Using Yarn Color F, cast on seven pegs.

Rows 1- 5: knit to the end of the row

Decrease size of beak by moving the loop on peg 1 to peg 2 and the loop on peg 7 to peg 6.

Rows 6-9: knit to the end of the row (on pegs 2 and 6, you will be knitting over 2 loops)

Decrease beak again by moving loop on peg 2 to peg 3 and the loop on peg 6 to peg 5

Rows 10 -13: knit to the end of the row (on pegs 3 and 5, you will be knitting over 2 loops)

Decrease by moving peg 3 to peg 4; knit over; then move peg 5 to peg 4; knit over. 

• Knit again.  
• Cut yarn, leaving around an 8" tail. 
• Remove from peg. Pull tail through loop and pull tight.
• Using a crochet hook, pull tail through the body of the ear.
• Thread tail into plastic tapestry needle. Use to sew beak to hat.

Place hat back on the loom to add earflaps

To create the hat's earflaps:  Find the first row of stitches and place the loops of the first row back on the loom.  Be sure that the right side of the hat is facing out as in this photo.

Locate the spot that you wish to be the right side of the hat. Using Yarn Color A, cast on seven pegs over the the original first row of the hat.

Rows 1- 5: knit to the end of the row (The row in this case is the seven pegs you cast on over the original loops)

Decrease size of earflap by moving the loop on peg 1 to peg 2 and the loop on peg 7 to peg 6.

Earflap

Rows 6-9: knit to the end of the row (on pegs 2 and 6, you will be knitting over 2 loops)

Decrease earflap again by moving loop on peg 2 to peg 3 and the loop on peg 6 to peg 5

Rows 10 -13: knit to the end of the row (on pegs 3 and 5, you will be knitting over 2 loops)

Adding Ties to the Earflaps

Decrease by moving peg 3 to peg 4; knit over; then move peg 5 to peg 4; knit over. 

• Knit again.  
• Cut yarn, leaving around an 8" tail. 
• Remove from peg. Pull tail through loop and pull tight.

To make the ties for the earflap, cut a 16" strand of Yarn Color A. Thread through end of earflap.  Cut two 16" strands of Yarn Colors B and C. Thread through the end of the earflap.  Braid strands. Tie securely.


Repeat process on the other side of the loom for the other earflap.

To create owl's "ears":  Wrap strands of Yarn Colors A, B, and C around three of your fingers four times.  Slip wrap off fingers and tie inside the loops. Thread the ends of this tie inside the hat and tie securely.  Wrap a strand of Yarn Color A several times around the loops and tie securely.  Cut and trim the ends of the loops.  Repeat for the other side.