C is for Cookie!

(C is also for Copyright Infringement, but not really, because this is not an exact replica of Cookie Monster. This is just a googly-eyed hat. Ahem.)


Googly-Eye Hat Recipe For Infants
Yarn: Worsted weight, in main color of your choice, white and contrast color for eyes.
Other materials: Poly fiber filling for the eyes.
Needles: Size 7 or 8 dpns, size 6 dpns for the eyes.

Start with a multiple of 8 stitches. (I used 64 sts knit loosely on size 7 dpns, sized for a very young little one. If you want to make one for yourself even though you are a grown-up, start with 88-96 stitches...or measure your head, check your gauge and size accordingly.)

Hemmed Edge:
(1) Cast on (64, 72, 80) or other multiple of 8 stitches in waste yarn.
(2) Using main color, knit 1 row and join to knit in the round. Knit 4 more rows.
(3) Purl 1 row.
(4) Knit 5 rows.
(5) Fold edge up with wrong sides facing each other, put first stitch of the edge on left needle, remove the waste yarn from this stitch, K2 tog. Repeat until all the stitches from the edge are knit together with the stitches on the needle.

Hat Body:
Knit until piece is 3-4 inches from edge, then begin decreasing as follows:
Row 1: Decrease every 7 stitches.
Row 2: Knit.
Row 3: Decrease every 6 stitches.
Row 4: Knit.
Row 5: Decrease every 5 stitches.
Row 6: Knit.
Row 7: Decrease every 4 stitches.
Row 8: Knit.
Row 9: Decrease every 3 stitches.
Row 10: Knit.
Row 11: Decrease every 2 stitches.
Row 12: Knit.
Row 13. Decrease around, cut yarn and sew through remaining stitches, weave in end.

Eyes:
(1) On size 6 dpn, cast on 3 stitches with black or other contrast color.
(2) Move stitches to right side of the needle, pull yarn tight and increase in each stitch, then divide 6 stitches evenly on 3 dpns to knit in the round. (If there is a little gap in the center of the eye, just sew it closed when you're done.)
(3) Increase every stitch. (There are now 4 stitches on each needle.)
(4) Knit around.
(5) Switch to white yarn, increase every 2 stitches. (There are now 6 stitches on each needle.)
(6) Knit around.
(7) Increase every 3 stitches. (There are now 8 stitches on each needle; if you want smaller eyes you can stop increasing here, knit 3 rounds and skip to step 13.)
(8) Knit around.
(9) Increase every 4 stitches. (There are are now 10 stitches on each needle.)
(10) Knit 3 rounds. (Or more, or less, depending on your desired eye volume.)
(11) Decrease every 4 stitches. (8 stitches on each needle.)
(12) Knit around.
(13) Decrease every 3 stitches. (6 stitches on each needle.)
(14) Cast off. (Or knit around one more time and do another round of decreases if you wish.)
(15) Stuff eye with Poly-fil and sew to hat.
(16) Repeat steps 1-15, unless you are making a cyclops. (Another cute idea might be to make the eyes different sizes, or change from contrast color to white on a different row, for an extra silly character hat.)

Mouth:
In black or other contrast color, sew on a mouth in the size and shape of your choice. (How do you like that for instructions? Mouth: Sew on a mouth. So helpful.)

Optional: I wanted to keep the eyes from flopping around (although eye-floppage may be highly desirable on some hats, so this is entirely optional), so I sewed them together about 1/3 of the way up. To make the eyes point in slightly different directions, I went one row up on the top of the right eye and darted it to the hat, and one row up on the underside of the left eye and darted it to the hat.