At 112th Street: Crochet Hat Mania #1 of 4 posts

Good Morning I hope this day finds you well.

Today I would like to share with you the first story that set me off into my hat-a-holic state.
I have only crocheted hats for myself before this took hold. I blame my eldest daughter "G" for setting Crochet Hat Mania in motion. She started it and encouraged it to grow, as you read you will see the mania unfold.

In December of 2011 "G" and I were shopping at our local mall when we came across the mass produced animal hat section. Sure they were cute and all, but as she cooed over them all I could think was " I can make these". As I examined them I see that some are crocheted and some are knitted. ( I plan to teach myself how to knit with this great book set I picked up at a yard sale, but that's another post ) As "G" tried the hats on the grandson I inform her that I would be able to make these same hats for less money and we could choose our own colors. I guess that was enough said because the next thing I was doing was going through my stash to choose a yarn. I came across a great blue camouflage patterned acrylic yarn by Red Heart.

"G" decided that she wanted a Mohawk hat with ear flaps, and with that I went to work.

I went to one of my leaflets and found an ear flap pattern and made a few tweaks to fit a toddler.
Then I used two old business card held together long ways and I wrapped, and wrapped, and wrapped.
Then I slid a pair of scissors between the two cards an cut in half to make the short yarn pieces, that I knotted to form the Mohawk.
To keep the line straight I used a yarn needle and weaved a contrasting piece of yarn from front to back so the Mohawk didn't end behind his ear or somewhere else.( not that this has ever happened to me personally but I've heard it said wink, wink : )
Starting at the crown holding two pieces of the short yarn folded in half I placed my crochet hook under the stitch closes to the guiding yarn and out the other side, then I caught the loop caused by the fold and pulled it under and out.
With the hook still in place I hooked the four end pieces and pulled them through the loop on the hook.
Tugged on the ends to tighten around the stitch and I was off.
I made another next to the one I just made and two more on the other side of the guide yarn ,I now have four in a row.
I continued until I reached the last row on the back of the hat and I stopped three rows before in the face so that it didn't hang in his eyes.
I trimmed to the height that I liked.