Love Bug Hat - Free Crochet Pattern - PDF Download

Hi Everyone! I hope your new year has been off to a great start!

I was going through some older patterns of mine and decided this little gem needed to be FREE!!

My two little ones LOVE
to wear silly hats, and asked if I could make them one for Valentine's Day. I wanted one that wasn't super girly either, as my little guy wanted one too.

So, a couple of years ago I designed this hat based on a cute little project that my daughter made called a "Love Bug." I knew I could get creative with all the color combinations, and it would be perfect for both of them. Two years later they still have them in their dress up box, and pull them out to play.

How cute would this little hat be for some silly Valentine's Day photos, a baby photo shoot or just to play with?

I can't wait to see more little Love Bug hats!!

Love Bug Hat
Skill Level - Easy
Abbreviations

ch(s) – chain(s)
sc – single crochet
dc- double crochet
hdc – half double crochet
tr – Triple Crochet
sp – space
ea - each
st(s) – stitch(es)
sk - skip
sl st – slip stitch
Rnd(s)- round(s)
yo – Yarn Over
FO – Fasten Off

Special Stitches

Magic Circle – Many Tutorials available online

Reverse Single Crochet (Crab Stitch) - Ch 1, working from left to right, sk first st, insert hook from front to back in next st to the right, yo, pull loop through st, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook.

Materials

Worsted Weight Yarn (I used Loops and Threads):

• Color A – Color of Hat
• Color B – Color of Eyes, Nose, Antenna Stems
• Color C – Pupils, Dimples, Pompoms
• Approximately 80g total
• H hook (5mm)
• G hook (4mm)
• F (3.75mm) hook
• 7 pins (optional)
• Stitch marker
• Tapestry Needle
• Scissors
• 5.5cm Pompom maker (optional – your fingers or cardboard will work fine)

Gauge for Hat

10sc and 12 rows = 3” square; use a different size hook or yarn to obtain proper gauge

Gauge for Heart Pieces

Not Important

Age and Head Circumference

0-3 months – 13.5” to 15.5”
3-6 months – 15” to 17”
6-12 months – 16” to 18”
1-3 years – 17.5” to 19.5”
3-5 years – 19” to 20”
6-10 years – 20” to 21”

Notes

• I work all pieces and then assemble at the end, however you may assemble as you go
• The hat is worked in continuous rounds, however use a stitch marker to keep track of what round you are on

Instructions for Hat
Use H hook and Color A for all sizes

Size 0-3 months

Rnd 1 – Make a magic circle, ch 1 and 6sc in magic circle (6sts)

Rnd 2 – 2 sc in ea sc around (12sts)

Rnd 3 – *sc in next sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (18 sts)

Rnd 4 – *2sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc* repeat from * to * around (24sts)

Rnd 5 – *sc in next 3 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (30sts)

Rnd 6 – *2sc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc* repeat from * to * around (36sts)

Rnd 7 – *sc in next 5 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (42sts)

Stop here and measure your crown, it should be approximately 3.5” to 4”

Rnd 8 – – *sc in ea sc* repeat from * to * around (42sts)

Continue round 8 until hat measures 5 inches from crown to bottom

On last round join with a sl st

Trim – Reverse sc around (see special stitches), join – FO (42sts)

Size 3-6 months

Rnd 1 –Make a magic circle, ch 1 and 6 sc in magic circle (6sts)

Rnd 2 –2 sc in ea sc around (12sts)

Rnd 3 –*sc in next sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (18 sts)

Rnd 4 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc* repeat from * to * around (24sts)

Rnd 5 –*sc in next 3 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (30sts)

Rnd 6 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc* repeat from * to * around (36sts)

Rnd 7 –*sc in next 5 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (42sts)

Rnd 8 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 6 sc* repeat from * to * around (48sts)

Stop here and measure your crown, it should be approximately 4” to 4.5”

Rnd 9 –*sc in ea sc* repeat from * to * around (48sts)

Continue round 9 until hat measures 5.5 inches from crown to bottom

On last round join with a sl st

Trim Reverse sc around (see special stitches), join – FO (48sts)

Size 6-12 months

Rnd 1 –Make a magic circle, ch 1 and 6 sc in magic circle (6sts)

Rnd 2 –2 sc in ea sc around (12sts)

Rnd 3 –*sc in next sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (18 sts)

Rnd 4 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc* repeat from * to * around (24sts)

Rnd 5 –*sc in next 3 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (30sts)

Rnd 6 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc* repeat from * to * around (36sts)

Rnd 7 –*sc in next 5 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (42sts)

Rnd 8 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 6 sc* repeat from * to * around (48sts)

Rnd 9 –*sc in next 7 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (54sts)

Stop here and measure your crown, it should be approximately 4.5” to 5”

Rnd 10 –*sc in ea sc* repeat from * to * around (54sts)

Continue round 10 until hat measures 6 inches from crown to bottom

On last round join with a sl st

Trim – Reverse sc around (see special stitches), join – FO (54sts)

Size 1-3 years

Rnd 1 –Make a magic circle, ch 1 and 6 sc in magic circle (6sts)

Rnd 2 – 2 sc in ea sc around (12sts)

Rnd 3 –*sc in next sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (18 sts)

Rnd 4 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc* repeat from * to * around (24sts)

Rnd 5 –*sc in next 3 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (30sts)

Rnd 6 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc* repeat from * to * around (36sts)

Rnd 7 –*sc in next 5 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (42sts)

Rnd 8 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 6 sc* repeat from * to * around (48sts)

Rnd 9 –*sc in next 7 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (54sts)

Rnd 10 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 8 sc* repeat from * to * around (60sts)

Stop here and measure your crown, it should be approximately 5” to 5.5”

Rnd 11 –*sc in ea sc* repeat from * to * around (60sts)

Continue round 11 until hat measures 6.5 inches from crown to bottom

On last round join with a sl st

Trim - Reverse sc around (see special stitches), join – FO (60sts)

Size 3-5 years
Rnd 1 –Make a magic circle, ch 1 and 6 sc in magic circle (6sts)

Rnd 2 –2 sc in ea sc around (12sts)

Rnd 3 –*sc in next sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (18 sts)

Rnd 4 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc* repeat from * to * around (24sts)

Rnd 5 –*sc in next 3 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (30sts)

Rnd 6 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc* repeat from * to * around (36sts)

Rnd 7 –*sc in next 5 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (42sts)

Rnd 8 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 6 sc* repeat from * to * around (48sts)

Rnd 9 –*sc in next 7 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (54sts)

Rnd 10 –*2sc in next sc, sc in next 8 sc* repeat from * to * around (60sts)

Rnd 11 –*sc in next 9 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (66sts)

Stop here and measure your crown, it should be approximately 5.5” to 6”

Rnd 12 –*sc in ea sc* repeat from * to * around (66sts)

Continue round 12 until hat measures 7 inches from crown to bottom

On last round join with a sl st

Trim – Reverse sc around (see special stitches), join – FO (66sts)

Size 6-10 years
Rnd 1 -Make a magic circle, ch 1 and 6 sc in magic circle (6sts)

Rnd 2 -2 sc in ea sc around (12sts)

Rnd 3 -*sc in next sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (18 sts)

Rnd 4 -*sc in next 3 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (30sts)

Rnd 5 -*2sc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc* repeat from * to * around (36sts)

Rnd 6 -*2sc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc* repeat from * to * around (36sts)

Rnd 7 -*sc in next 5 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (42sts)

Rnd 8 -*2sc in next sc, sc in next 6 sc* repeat from * to * around (48sts)

Rnd 9 -*sc in next 7 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (54sts)

Rnd 10 -*2sc in next sc, sc in next 8 sc* repeat from * to * around (60sts)

Rnd 11 -*sc in next 9 sc, 2sc in next sc* repeat from * to * around (66sts)

Rnd 12 -*2sc in next sc, sc in next 10 sc* repeat from * to * around (72sts)

Stop here and measure your crown, it should be approximately 6” to 6.5”

Rnd 13 -*sc in ea sc* repeat from * to * around (72sts)

Continue round 13 until hat measures 7.5 inches from crown to bottom

On last round join with a sl st

Trim – Reverse sc around (see special stitches), join – FO (72sts)


Instructions for Pieces

Use G hook for all sizes and pieces

Eye (make 2)

Use Color B

Rnd 1 -Make a magic circle, ch 1 and 12 sc in magic circle. Join with a sl st into the first sc. Pull tight. (12sts)

Rnd 2 -Ch 2 (counts as first double crochet), dc in join. Then 2 tr in next st, 2hdc in next st, sc in the next 2 sts, (hdc, dc) in the next st, (dc, hdc) in the next st, sc in the next 2 sts, 2hdc in the next st, 2 tr, in the next st, dc in the next st then ch 2 and sl st in the same st as the last dc. – FO

Leave a long tail for sewing.

Pupil (make 2)

Use Color C

Rnd 1 – Make a magic circle, ch 1, 2sc, hdc, dc, ch 2, sl st back into the circle, ch 2, dc, hdc, 2sc. Join with a sl st into the first sc. Pull tight – FO

Leave a long tail for sewing.

Use Color C

Rnd 1 – Make a magic circle, ch 1, 2sc, hdc, dc, ch 2 sl st back into the circle, ch 2, dc, hdc, 2sc. Join with a sl st into the first sc. Pull tight – FO

Leave a long tail for sewing.

Nose

Use Color B

Rnd 1 – Make a magic circle, ch 1, 3sc, hdc, dc, tr, ch3, sl st back into the circle, ch 3, tr, dc, hdc, 3sc. Join with a sl st into the first sc. Pull tight – FO

Leave a long tail for sewing.

Antenna Stem (make 2)

Use Color B

Rnd 1 – Make a magic circle, ch 1 and 5 sc in magic circle. Pull Tight. (5sts)

Work in continuous rounds for rounds 2-7

Rnds 2-7 – *sc in ea sc* repeat from *to * around

After round 7 join with a sl st and FO. Leave a long tail for sewing.


Making the Heart Shaped Pompom

Make 2

Use Color C

Tips

1. The fuller and larger your pompom is at the start, the fuller your heart will be and it will be easier to shape.
2. Be sure to snip the front and back of the heart as well as the sides if you wish to flatten it out a bit. This does help give it its shape, but not necessary.

Step One

Make a basic pompom however you wish. I used a 5.5cm pompom maker, but your fingers or cardboard will work just fine. You will want to make sure your pompom has a longer finishing tail.



Step Two

Time to start snipping. First snip the “V” part of your heart on the opposite side of your pompom tail.



Step Three

Start to trim the point of the heart on the opposite side of the “V.”



Step Four

Now you will start to trim away the edges of your heart, giving it more shape

Step Five

You now have the basic shape of your heart, so you can now keep trimming it up until you are happy with it.



Time for Assembly

Step One

Sew the pupil to the eye

Step Two

Sew the pompom heart onto the antenna stem. Then stuff the left over pompom tails into the stem to help to stiffen it a bit.

Step Three

Pin the eyes, nose, dimples, and antennae to the hat to make sure they are placed where you want them.

Step Four

Sew the pieces into place.

Step Five

Embroider on a mouth under the nose.

Step Six

Weave in all remaining ends

Enjoy!!!!