Lovable Lion Hat

Here is the hat that my three-year-old requested.

He likes to ROAR while he’s wearing it.  I also happen to think that he looks a little like a shag carpet running around while he’s wearing it, but that’s neither here nor there.

Lion Hat – would probably fit up to 5T, he’s got a rather large head.  You can adjust the width or length accordingly to make it fit any size head. I used Impeccable by Loops and Threads, and a 4.5mm hook.

Ch 4.  Insert hook into first ch, and join together with sl st.  Ch 3.
In the circle you just made, make 10dc.  Join to first dc with sl st, ch 3.
Make 2 dc in each dc (20 dc), join to first dc with a sl st, ch 3.
2 dc in first dc, 1 dc in next.  Repeat until you reach the end of the row (30 dc).  Join to first dc with sl st, ch 3.
Keep adding 10 dc each time until you get to row 8, with 80dc.    Make six more rows.  Finish by joining to first dc with a sl st.  If you are making earflaps, continue on.  If not, bind off.

EarflapsAfter joining to first st with a sl st, ch 1.  Make 15 sc across.  Ch 1, turn.
Sc2tog, sc across until last two sc, sc2tog.
Continue in this fashion, decreasing by two sc each row until you get to 3 sc.
Sc2tog, sc.  Ch 1, turn.
Sc2tog, bind off.

Repeat instructions for second earflap halfway across the hat (skipping approximately 25 st).

When finished, go around the hat with a single row of sc in orange.

Eyes – I’m not 100% satisfied with the eyes… I may change them.  But here’s what I did:Make 2
Ch 4, join to first ch with a sl st.  Ch 1
In circle created with the ch, make 8 sc.  Join to first sc with sl st, ch 1.
Make 2sc in each sc.  Join to first sc with sl st, bind off, leaving a long tail for attaching to the hat.

Muzzle
With black, ch 4.  Join to first st with sl st, ch 1.
Make 8 sc in centre of circle.  Join to first sl st, and change colour to main colour of hat.
Make 2 sc in first 6 sc.  Ch 1, turn.
Make 2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in second.  Repeat 5 more times.  Ch 1, turn.Make 2 sc in first sc, then two sc.  Repeat 5 more times.  Ch 1, turn.
Sc across.  Break yarn.
Join orange onto the bottom part of the black.  Make 2 sc in each of the two remaining black st.  Ch 1.  When you turn, put your hook through the yellow part, as well.
2 sc in first sc, 1 sc.  Repeat.  Ch 1, join in with the yellow, turn.
2 sc in first sc, 2 sc.  Repeat.  Ch 1, join in with the yellow, turn.
Sc across remaining orange st.  Join with the yellow.  Break yarn.

When attaching the muzzle to the hat, allow it to puff out, and stuff with fibre fill or scrap yarn.

Ears (make 2)
Ch 4, join to first ch with sl st.  In the circle, make 8 sc.
Sc 2 in first 2 sc, 2 hdc in next 4 sc, then 2 sc in last 2 sc.  Join with sl st.  Ch 1.
2sc, sc, 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc, 2hdc, hdc, 2hdc, hdc, 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc.  Join with sl st.  Break yarn.  Make a second ear the same way.  Hold the two wrong sides together, and then sc around.

Mane
Make a few hundred 5 inch lengths of orange and tan.  What I did was wrap yarn around a playing card, and then snipped along the bottom to make sure they were all about the same length.  I hooked two strands of yarn in around the dc, and then pulled the yarn through the loop that was created.  If you’re familiar with latch-hooking, that’s how I did it.  Hopefully the picture will help you understand:

Then you need to tie other pieces of mane in all around the hat.

And hopefully you’ll have a happy customer!  The extra yarn keeps him pretty toasty as he’s running around outside.

If you try this pattern out, please let me know if there is anything missing, or any inconsistencies!  Please feel free to make and sell items using my patterns, but do not publish them as your own or sell them.  If you make it, and feature it on your website, please send them back to my site for the original.  Thank you!