How to Crochet ear flap cap for Baby

Crochet ear flap cap for Baby or How to Crochet ear flap cap for Baby- with step by step photos, instruction card and video tutorial. This is a very warm cap thus very useful for winter. In this post I will show you how to make a very easy crochet ear flap cap for baby.

For long time I wanted to make ear flap cap for my angel but was not finding any attractive pattern. If you search for ear flap crochet caps you will find most of the patterns with double crochet stitch worked in space between. But as usual I wanted something different in look and can give more warmth so I designed my own pattern.

This cap is a fusion of traditional Kullu caps from Himachal Pradesh and Ushanka from Russia.

If you want to know little more about these caps read below paragraphs or skip it and move to tutorial 🙂

Kullu caps– I love the vibrancy of these caps. These are colorful caps, made out of pure wool, make them really beautiful as well as very useful to deal with the biting and severe cold of the Himalayan kingdom of Himachal Pradesh. The hand woven caps of the traditional hand loom industry of the region of Kullu and Manali reflect the rich artistic caliber and creative imagination of the local craftsmen of the region. You can read more about it HERE.

Ushanka– I like its functionality. It is also known as Russian hat. The ear flaps can be tied up to the crown of the cap or fastened at the chin to protect the ears, jaw and lower chin from the cold. The dense fur also offers some protection against blunt impacts to the head. You can find more HERE.

Here are some pics of my angel with her favorite cap. She actually likes tassels and uses all her creativity while playing with them. 🙂 Isn’t the cap adorable? So lets begin.

How to make Crochet ear flap cap for Baby-

Print this Instruction Card for ease while working or save it for future reference-

Detailed Step by step tutorial with photos-

Abbreviations used:

Ch – chain

sc – single crochet

dc – double crochet

BP dc – Back Post double crochet

FP dc – Front Post double crochet

dc2tog – double crochet together

Sl st – Slip stitch

Gauge:

3 BPdc rounds = 1″ or 2.5 cm

Note: Check your gauge before starting the project to get perfect fit, you can check video here.

Finished Size :

Cap top diameter – 52 cm

Down diameter – 45 cm

Cap Height – 11 cm

Ear flap width – 10 cm

Ear flap height – 10 cm

Length between ear flaps on back side – 12 cm

Length between ear flaps on front side – 14 cm

Note: It is always advisable to take baby’s head measurement for whom you are making the cap. If you are making it as a gift for someone or to sell on your store then grab this standard chart from our resource library.

Pattern Grading:

If you want reduce or increase the size of finished cap then follow these instructions-

Increase or decrease number rounds at R1 to R6 to reduce or increase the diameter of cap.
Increase or decrease number rounds at R13 to R16 to reduce or increase the height of the cap.

Tip :

If you are comfortable then use chain-less double crochet to get a neater look. Consider Ch 3 as chain-less double crochet at the beginning of each round.
Use standing double crochet trick while changing color to have seamless look.

Material:

Light Color 4 ply yarn– almost 100 gm (depending on your size)

Dark Color 4 ply yarn– left over from other projects

Description:

Start with Light color yarn. Make chain 6, Sl st in first chain and make a loop.

Flower: Ch 4, *1 sc in loop, Ch 3*, repeat * to * 4 times. Sl st in first ch. (5 petals)

R1: Sl st in between 1st petal, around central loop. Ch 3, *2 dc in between next petal*, repeat * to * 4 times. Sl st in first st. (9 sts)

R2: Ch 3, dc 1 in first st, 2 dc in each st. Sl st in first st. (18 sts)

From next round onward we will make back post double crochet stitch. So at the beginning of each round make Sl st around the first 3 chains/stitch of previous row.

Learn how to make Back post double crochet with step by step photos HERE or watch video HERE. Below is a quick illustration.

Note: We will be increasing 9 sts for each round.

R3: Ch 3, *2 BP dc around next st, 1 BP dc around next st*, repeat * to * through out the round. Sl st in first st. (27 sts)

R4: Ch 3, 1 BP dc around next st, *2 BP dc around next st, 1 BP dc around next 2 sts*, repeat *to* through out the round. Sl st in first st. (36 sts)

R5: Ch 3, 1 BP dc around next 2 sts, *2 BP dc around next st, 1 BP dc around next 3 sts*, repeat * to * through out the round. Sl st in first st. (45 sts)

R6: Ch 3, 1 BP dc around next 3 sts, *2 BP dc around next st, 1 BP dc around next 4 sts*, repeat * to * through out the round. Sl st in first st. (54 sts)

Change yarn to second color.

Make standing double crochet and begin the round.

R7: Ch 3, 1 BP dc around next 4 sts, *2 BP dc around next st, 1 BP dc around next 5 sts*, repeat * to * through out the round. Sl st in first st. (63 sts)

R8: Ch 3, 1 BP dc around next 5 sts, *2 BP dc around next st, 1 BP dc around next 6 sts*, repeat * to * through out the round. Sl st in first st. (72 sts)

We will work next round normally in the stitch and not around the stitch.

R9: Ch 3, 1 dc in first st, *{ch 1, sk 1, 1 dc} – 4 times, 1 dc in same st * repeat * to * through out the round. Sl st in first st. (81 sts)

Change yarn back to first color.

R10: Ch 3, * 2 dc in between 2 sts, *{1 dc, 1 Long dc} – 4 times, 1 dc,* repeat * to * through out the round. Sl st in first st. (99 sts)

R11: Ch 3, sk 1, ch 1, 2 dc in between 2 sts, *{Ch 1, sk 1, 1 dc} – 5 times, sk 1, ch 1, 2 dc in between 2 sts* repeat * to * 8 times, {ch 1, sk 1, 1 dc} – 4 times, ch 1. Sl st in first st. (117 sts)

This completes the flat portion of the cap. Now from the next round onward we will start making the drop of cap, to get that we will maintain the stitch count to 117 and not increase any stitches. I wanted this portion to have elasticity for proper fit and density for warmth so I used alternated back and front post double crochet. So again begin your round by making Sl st around the first stitch.

R12: Ch 3, make 1 dc in ch space and BPdc around stitch, make continuous 2 BPdc where 2 sts are there. Complete the round similarly. Sl st in first st. (117 sts)

R13 to R16: 1 BPdc around BPdc and FPdc around FPdc in previous round. Sl st in first st. (117 sts)

We need to tighten the cap little bit here so we will skip 2 stitches where 2 BPdc were made.

R17: Similar to previous rows make 1 BPdc around BPdc and FPdc around FPdc but when you reach 2 BPdc skip both stitches and move to next FPdc. Sl st in first st. (99 sts)

R18: Again make 1 BPdc around BPdc and FPdc around FPdc but when you reach 2 FPdc work 1 FPdc around both the stitches below. Sl st in first st. (90 sts)

Now change yarn to second color.

R19: Make 1 BPdc around BPdc and FPdc around FPdc in previous round. Sl st in first st. (90 sts)

Change the yarn back to first color.

R20: Make 1 BPdc around BPdc and FPdc around FPdc in previous round. Sl st in first st. (90 sts)

R21 & R22: Make 1 dc in each st. Sl st in first st. (90 sts)

Next rounds will be of BPdc and FPdc so begin rounds by making Sl st around first st.

R23 & R24: Consider first st as BPdc and make alternatively 1 FPdc and 1 BPdc in next sts. Sl st in first st. (90 sts)

Again change yarn to second color.

R25: Make 1 BPdc around BPdc and FPdc around FPdc in previous round. Sl st in first st. (90 sts)

Change yarn back to first color.

R26: Make 1 BPdc around BPdc and FPdc around FPdc in previous round. Sl st in first st. (90 sts)

Now we will start ear flaps.

R27: 1 BPdc around BPdc and FPdc around FPdc in 11 sts, BPdc in next 20 sts, 1 BPdc around BPdc and FPdc around FPdc in 27 sts, again only BPdc in next 20 sts, 1 BPdc around BPdc and FPdc around FPdc in last 12sts. Sl st in first st. (90 sts)

Ear Flaps- We have made 20 sts for ear flaps in previous row. Now we will reduce one one stitch at ends of each row to get tapering shape. Make 9 rows with dc2tog at the beginning and end of each row and 1 dc in each in between. We will have 4 sts in 9th row. For row 10 make dc2tog then ch 3 and again dc2tog. Cut the yarn and sew in the end. Similarly make other side ear flap.

Braid- Cut 6 strands of yarn of 60 cm length. Insert them in the loop made in ear flap and make braid, leaving 5 cm at the end. Take 2 strand ends and tie knot to secure braid. Similarly make for other ear flap. Watch video below for better understanding.