Kawaii Bunny & Pussy Cat Beanie

or as I like to call it...  

かわいいバニーと猫の猫の帽子

   These 2 super cute kawaii beanies are cosy and will stand out AND you can whip one up in a afternoon!

I was inspired to make the bunny beanie when my workplace held an Easter Hat parade. I just grabbed some yarn from the filing cabinet (because of course I have yarn everywhere!) and whipped up the Bunny Beanie!

When I decided to write up the pattern, my 9 year old also requested that I make a Pussy Cat beanie.

Make one! Make BOTH!  You never know if it’s a bunny day or pussy cat day!

You can follow this easy- peasy tutorial step by step and make your beanie. You can also purchase the printed PDF version for the super low price of US$1 (may include sales tax for your country) from my Etsy or Ravelry shops. The PDF also includes the templates for the felt embellishments.

Yarn & Notions

Your choice of colours in DK acrylic: 

For the bunny I used 100g ball of mint for the beanie.  

For the pussy cat I used 100g ball of teal. 

Black DK acrylic (30g)

Soft pink DK acrylic (40g)

6mm & 3.5mm crochet hooks

Felt pieces in bright colours

Gold thread

Pompom maker

Needle for sewing in ends and attaching felt pieces to beanie

Scissors

Abbreviations:

American crochet terms are used. 

Beg–   Beginning     

Ch-     Chain

Dc-     Double crochet   

MR-    Magic Ring     

SC– single crochet

Sk-      Skip                            

Sl st-   Slip stitch    

Sp- Space

 

Bunny Beanie

The Beanie Part (for 21-24” head)

The beanie is crocheted with a 6mm crochet hook and 2 strands of DK together. Use whatever colour you like. For my bunny beanie, I chose a light and fresh mint green. 

For different sized beanies:

The pattern below is for a normal adult sized head 54– 58cm circumference.  For smaller heads such as children only work Rounds 1-4, then skip round 5 and go straight to Round 6 and continue to crochet the non-increasing rounds until the beanie sits just above the eyebrows.

For people with lots of brains and therefore bigger heads, work 1-2 extra increase rounds before proceeding to round 6.

At the end of each round, do not turn. Simply ch3 and continue in the same direction.

Where the pattern says something like *(2dc, dc, dc), this means crochet 2dc in 1^st st, then 1 dc in each of the next 2 stitches and repeat as per instructions.

R1:     Starting with MR, ch 3 (counts as 1^st dc), then crochet 11 dc in the MR. Join with a sl st to top of beg ch3. [12 st]

R2:     Ch 3, dc in same beginning st, then 2dc in each st around to the end.  [24]

R3:     Ch 3, dc in same beginning st, dc in next st, *(2dc, dc). Repeat to the end of the round, then join with a sl st to top of beginning ch3. [36]

R4:     Ch 3, dc in same beginning st, dc in next st, *(2dc, dc, dc). Repeat to the end of the round, then join with a sl st to top of beginning ch3. [48]

R5:       Ch 3, dc in same beginning st, dc in next st, *(2dc, dc, dc, dc). Repeat to the end of

             the round, then join with a sl st to top of beginning ch3. [60]

R6- 13: Ch 3, dc in each st around to the end of the round. Join with a sl st to beginning
             ch3. [60]

R14:     Ch1, the reverse single crochet in each stitch around. Join with a sl st to beginning  ch 1. Finish off. [60]

            Sew in all ends.

Bunny Ears

Outer Ear (Make 2)

The yarn will be worked in the same colour as the main beanie, using a 6mm crochet hook & 2 strands together.

Row 1:  Ch 5, starting in 2^nd ch from the hook, sc in next 4 st. Ch1, turn. [4]

R2:       Starting in the same st as beg Ch1: Sc in next 3 st, 2sc in last st. Ch 1, turn. [5]

R3:       Starting in the same st as beg Ch1: Sc in next 4 st, 2sc in last st. Ch 1, turn. [6]

R4:       Starting in the same st as beg Ch1: Sc in next 5 st, 2sc in last st. Ch 1, turn. [7]

R5:       Starting in the same st as beg Ch1: Sc in each st. Ch 1, turn. [7]

R6-10:  Repeat R5.

R11:     Sk 1^st st, sc in next 5 st. Sl st in last st. Ch 1, turn. [5sc]

R12:     Sk 1^st st, sc in next 4 st. Sl st in last st. Ch 1, turn. [4sc]

R13:     Sk 1^st st, sc in next 3 st. Sl st in last st. Ch 1, turn. [3sc]

R14:     Sk 1^st st, sc in next 2 st. Sl st in last st. Ch 1, turn. [2sc]

R15:     Sk 1^st st, sc in next st. Sl st in last st. Ch 1, turn. [1sc]

R16:     Sk 1^st st, sc in next st. FO. [1sc]

Rejoin yarn (still working with 2 strands) to the bottom right corner of the ear. Single crochet evenly around the ear, working 1sc per row up the 1^st long side, then 3 sc in the top single crochet stitch on the pointy end of the ear, and then again in single crochets down the other side. Finish off. Do not crochet along the base. You will only crochet along the 2 long sides of the ear.

Sew in all ends.

Inner Ear (Make 2)

I chose light pink for the inner ear and once again using 2 strands together.

Repeat rows 1 – 16 of the outer ear pattern. Once you have completed these, finish off. Do not crochet in single crochet around the outside.

Sew in your ends!

Carefully stitch the inner ear to the outer ear. See photo for details.

Eyes (Make 2)

The eyes are crocheted using a 3.5mm crochet hook and a single strand of black dk yarn.

Round 1:  Work 6sc into a MR. [6]

R2:          2sc in each st around. [12]

R3:          *(2sc, sc). FO. [18]

Leave a long thread end which you will use to sew the eyes on to the beanie.

Tail

Using a pom pom maker of your choice, make a 5- 6cm wide pompom.

The Felt Bits.

Here’s the super fun part! Make some pretty butterflies, stars, flowers or hearts from pieces of felt to decorate your beanie.

I have included some templates for you to copy/ print and cut out or you can design your own! You can download the template here.

If they aren’t 100% symmetrical or perfect, I apologise as I drew mine by hand. However feel free to go nuts! Add buttons or sequins if you want!

Now let’s assemble the beanie!

First sew the ears on securely. You want them to sit up nicely when you wear your beanie. I positioned the ears by folding the hat flat, and pinning the ears at the fold and with the inside corner of each ear at the top of round 2 of the beanie. You may want to move the ears forward if you wear your hat perched a little further back on your head, so alternatively you could put your hat on and see where you’d prefer them to sit. See photo for further detail.

Using a single strand of soft pink dk yarn, I then embroidered the nose over the width of Round 12 of the beanie in a triangle shape using long stitches radiating in a kind of V shape.

Each eye in positioned over Rounds 11- 12, with a 3 stitch space between the eye and the nose.

The sweet felt butterflies/ flowers/ stars/ hearts are attached to the top right of the beanie just below the ear using gold thread. However feel free to place them wherever you like!

The pompom is securely attached low on the centre back of the beanie.

And Voila! You have your very own Bunny Beanie!!

Pussy Cat Beanie

For the beanie part:

Follow the same instructions as for the bunny beanie, using a 6mm crochet hook & 2 strands of dk acrylic yarn in your favourite colour. I have used teal.

Pussy Cat Ears

Outer Ear (Make 2)

The yarn will be worked in the same colour as the main beanie, using a 6mm crochet hook & 2 strands together.

Round 1:  Ch 8, then starting in 2^nd ch from the hook, sc in next 7 stitches. Ch 1, turn. [7]

R2:          Sk 1^st st, sc in next 5 st, sl st in last st. Ch 1, turn. [5sc]

R3:          Sk 1^st sl st of previous row, sc in next 4 st, sl st in last st. Ch 1, turn. [4sc]

R4:          Sk 1st sl st of previous row, sc in next 3 st, sl st in last st. Ch 1, turn. [3sc]

R5:          Sk 1^st sl st of previous row, sc in next 2 st, sl st in last st. Ch 1, turn. [2sc]

R6:          Sk 1^st sl st of previous row, sc in next st, sl st in last st. Ch 1, turn. [1sc]

R7:          Sk 1^st sl st of previous row, sc in next stitch. FO. [1sc]

Rejoin yarn (still working with 2 strands) to the bottom right corner of the ear. Single crochet evenly around the ear, working 1sc per row up the 1st long side, then 3 sc in the top single crochet stitch on the pointy end of the ear, and then again in single crochets down the other side. Finish off. Do not crochet along the base. You will only crochet along the 2 long sides of the ear.

Sew in all ends.

Inner Ear (Make 2)

I chose light pink for the inner ear and once again using 2 strands together.

Repeat rows 1 – 7 of the outer ear pattern. Once you have completed these, finish off. Do not crochet in single crochet around the outside.

Sew in your ends!

Carefully stitch the inner ear to the outer ear. See photo for details.

Eyes (Make 2)

The eyes are crocheted using a 3.5mm crochet hook and a single strand of black dk yarn.

Follow the pattern above for the Bunny beanie eyes.

The Felt Bits.

Here’s the super fun part! Make some pretty butterflies, stars, flowers or hearts from pieces of felt to decorate your beanie.

I have included some templates for you to copy/ print and cut out or you can design your own! 
You can download the template via this link or purchase this entire pattern as a printed PDF document which includes the template for just US$1 in my Etsy or Ravelry shops!
 

If they aren’t 100% symmetrical or perfect, I apologise as I drew mine by hand. However feel free to go nuts! Add buttons or sequins if you want!

Now let’s assemble the pussy cat beanie!

First sew the ears on securely. You want them to sit up nicely when you wear your beanie. I positioned the ears by folding the hat flat with the beginning chains at the centre back and pinning the ears at the fold.  See photo for further detail.

Using a single strand of soft pink dk yarn, I then embroidered a little nose over the width of Round 12 of the beanie in a narrower, smaller upside-down triangle shape than the bunny nose.

Each eye in positioned over Rounds 11- 12, with a 4 stitch space between the eye and the nose.

The sweet felt butterflies/ flowers/ stars/ hearts are attached to the top right of the beanie just below the ear using gold thread. However feel free to place them wherever you like!

And Voila! You have your very own Pussy Cat beanie!