Where the Wild Things Are Hat - Knit & Crochet

As a kid I really liked Marurice Sendak's classic "Where the Wild Things Are" because frankly, what's not to love!

A few years ago, I got my mom to sew me a very warm 'Max Hat' which I wear every winter and get lots of complements on!

This past winter, I decided to share the joy I get when wearing the hat with a friend and her new child, so I knitted a baby version of the hat. It came out okay, but I didn't love the crown as much.

So, here's my latest attempt, it combines knitting and crochet!

The crown in crocheted, which allows it to be a bit stiffer and pointier than the knitted one, and the rest of the hat is knitted so that its not too stiff.

Let me know in the comments what you think!

Tools:

• 1x US Size 8 crochet hook
• 5-7x US Size 8 double pointed knitting needles or circular needles
• 1x darning needle

Yarn:

• Big ball of worsted weight yellow/gold
• Small ball of fuzzy or patterned brown/dark gray
• Big ball of worsted weight white/light gray

Start with a crochet chain stitch of your yellow/gold yarn. Gauge the number of stitches needed by making sure it will fit loosely around the head.

Count your stitches in batches of 10.

Tip: I marked mine by adding a piece of other colored yarn to help with counting because I kept loosing track.

I used 80 stitches, but would recommend 90+ for the average adult head. Best to look at a hat sizing chart for kid/smaller versions as well.

Connect the ends together into a loop and make sure it isn't twisted.

Now double crochet all the way around one layer to make the base of the crown.

The following is the pattern I used for each spike of the crown. It can be modified based on the number of stitches you have, and should be repeated until all the spikes are complete:

• Double crochet 10 stitches and stop!
  
• Chain 2 stitches
• Turn the work around
• Skip one stitch and double crochet the following 8 stitches
• Repeat: skipping the first stitch each time until there are 7 stitches left (For a total of 3 rows of double crochet)
  

• Skip one and single crochet the next 6 stitches
• Repeat: skipping the first stitch each row until there are 3 stitches left

• Skip one and double crochet the next 2 stitches
• Single crochet the final stitch

• Slip stitch down the backside of the spike to add stability and get to the base of the next spike

• Repeat for next spike

Additionally, at the end I slip stitched all the way around the edges of the spikes to make a nice even edge, but this is optional.

Now to switch to knitting!

With either your knitting needle or crochet hook, pick up your stitches for the brim. This part will be knitted, so this is essentially casting on the stitches.

Loop the needle or hook into the base of chain stitch and pull the brim (brown) yarn through. Make sure to 'cast on' the same number of stitches you had in the base of your crown.

Tip: I didn't cast on with the fancy, fuzzy yarn. Instead, since I was using both a dark gray and a fuzzy yarn to give volume, I added the fuzzy part once I started knitting.

To make sure the brim bumps out, purl if the outside of the crown is visible or knit if the crown is inside out. Do about 5 rows of this for a fun, fuzzy brim.

Now switch to your white/gray yarn for the top.

I did a ribbing pattern of knit-one, purl-one as the base of the hat to help scrunch it in and make it cozy around the ears.

I did this for about 10-12 rows, just make sure that when you fold it up under the crown, it isn't visible.

Now go back to what you did for the brim: purl if the outside of the crown is visible or knit if the crown is inside out.

Continue until the crown of the head is just covered and then decrease.

To decrease, you will be initially reducing every 10 stitches, then 9, and so on...

Continue with either knit or purl, as before, depending on if you are constructing the hat right side or wrong side out. For simplicity I will just say 'knit' for this section.

• Knit 8 stitches
• Knit 2 together
• Repeat around whole circle

• Knit 7 stitches
• Knit 2 together
• Repeat

And so on, until there are just a few stitches left. (The exact number should be the number of stitches you started with, divided by 10).

Tie off the top by running the end through the last stitches and tie it off with a knot.

Switching back to crochet:

• Chain 16 stitches
• Skip the first stitch and single crochet the remaining 15
• Chain 1 stitch
• Skip the first stitch and single crochet the remaining 14
• Repeat until 1 stitch is left

Cut the yarn about 6" long and loop the end through the the last stitch.

With the darning needle, sew the two edges together and down to make a flat ear which is thick enough to stand up straight.

Sew the ear onto the hat at the base at the edge of the ribbing.

Repeat for the other ear.

Final step is the hide the ends of the yarn by weaving it into the pattern and cutting them off.

Now put on your hat and prepare to soak in the compliments you are about the receive when people realize how awesome it is!

Enjoy!