I’m not a Phillies fan. At all. But I have mad respect for their iconic mascot, and when your best friend’s daughter is turning one, you suck it up and crochet a Phillie Phanatic hat. And boy am I glad I did. Before I put everything together, I was skeptical about how it was all going to turn out, but I couldn’t be happier. I love this hat!

This one will require a few supplies, and stitching everything together will take some time, but it will be worth it!

What you need: 

Worsted weight yarn, green- I used Loops and Threads Impeccable in Kelly Green

Worsted weight red yarn (tiny hat)

Small amounts of worsted weight in white, black (eyes), and purplish-pink (eyebrows). The purplish pink scrap yarn I used doesn’t have a name, just a dye lot number, but Red Heart Soft in Berry appears to be a close match.

Bulky royal blue yarn (fur above the eyebrows), just a small amount

Jumbo green pipe cleaner (fur around the snout)

H hook

tapestry needle

hot glue gun

poly-fil

stitch markers

Stitches used:

HDC= half double crochet

SC= single crochet

DC= double crochet

tr= triple crochet

shell= dc, 3 tr, dc in same stitch

sc2tog= single crochet decrease

Size: Toddler

Hat

With green yarn, form a loop, ch 1

Rd 1: 11 HDC, join, ch 1

Rd 2: 2 HDC in each st (22), join, ch 1

Rd 3: 2 HDC, 1 HDC around (33), join, ch 1

Rd 4: 2 HDC, 1 HDC in next 2 st around, (44), join, ch 1

Rd 5: 2 HDC, 1 HDC in next 3 st around, (55)

Rd 6: 2 HDC, 1 HDC in next 10 st around (60)

Rd 7-18: HDC in each st around (60)

Do not fasten off, turn, ch 1 to start on first earflap

Earflap

Row 1: sc in next 12 st, ch 1, turn

Row 2: sc2tog, sc in next 8, sc2 tog (10), ch 1, turn

Row 3: sc in each st across (10), ch 1, turn

Row 4: sc2tog, sc in next 6, sc2tog (8), ch 1, turn

Row 5: sc in each st across (8), ch 1, turn

Row 6: sc2tog, sc in next 4, sc2tog (6), ch 1, turn

Row 7: sc in each st across (4), ch 1, turn

Row 8: sc2tog, sc in next 2, sc2tog (4), ch 1, turn

Row 9: sc in each st across (4)

Row 10: 2 sc2tog (2)

Row 11: sc, ch 3, sc, fasten off

Repeat on the other side, leaving more unworked stitches in the front than the back

Snout:

This is worked in the round, and does not join after each round. You may want to use stitch markers to mark the beginning of each round.

With green yarn, ch 10. Without twisting, join to form a loop

Rd 1: sc in each ch (10), do not join

Rd 2: 2 sc in first, sc in next 4, repeat (12)

Rd 3: sc in each st around (12)

Rd 4: 2 sc in 1st, sc in next 5, repeat (14)

Rd 5: sc in each st around (14)

Rd 6: 2 sc in 1st, sc in next 6, repeat (16)

Rd 7: 2 sc in 1st, sc in next 7, repeat (18)

Rd 8: 2 sc in 1st, sc in next 8, repeat (20)

Rd 9: 2 sc in 1st, sc in next 9, repeat (22)

Sl st in next st, fasten off, leaving tail to sew on to the hat.

Take the giant green pipe cleaner. Cut enough plus a bit extra to cover the end of the snout. Twist the ends together and use a hot glue gun to attach to the snout.

Tiny hat:

With red yarn, form a loop and ch 1

Rd 1: 8 sc, join, ch 1

Rd 2: 2 sc in each st, (16) join, ch 1

Rd 3: 2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in next, repeat around, (24), join, ch 1

Rd 4: 2 sc in 1st st, sc in next 2, repeat around, (32), join, ch 1

Rd 5-9: sc in each st around, join, ch 1

After round 9, ch 1. Now, start on the bill, worked in rows

Row 1: in BLO, sc in next 10 st, ch 1, turn

Row 2: sc2tog, sc in next 6, sc2tog (8), ch 1, turn

Row 3: sc2tog, sc in next 4, sc2tog, (6), ch 1, turn

Row 4: sc2tog, sc in next 2, sc2tog (4), ch 1, sc around the entire hat to round out the bill, finish with a sl st

Fasten off, leaving long tail to tie onto the hat.

*Optional: Stitch a Phillies’ P onto the hat in white yarn.

Outer eyes (make 2)

With white, make loop, ch 3

In loop: 4 tr, 2 dc, 2hdc, 2dc, 4 tr, 2 dc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, join to top of first ch

Inner eye (make 2)

With black, make loop

8 sc in loop

Purple Eyebrow

Ch 33

Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and across, ch 1, turn

Row 2: sc in first st, *sk 1, shell (dc 3tr, dc) in next, sk 1, sc, repeat from * across

To make the blue fur above the eyebrows, take your bulky blue yarn, and ch 10. Cut 10 pieces of yarn, about 6 inches or so (you can trim it down later, and knot each strip of yarn through a chain, as seen below.

Then, taking your tapestry needle, separate the yarn fibers to make some fluffy fur.

Now, the (not so) fun part: Putting everything together. Start with the hat, which you put on backwards, and at a slight angle, (because the Phanatic is super cool!) and stuff with poly-fill as you go. Attach the snout, then the eyes. I sewed the bottom part of the eyes on first, leaving the tops unattached. Then I sewed the blue fur and the purple eyebrow on behind the eyes, then finished sewing the eyes on.

Then cut 9 pieces of yarn, approximately 16″ in length, mostly green, but a few accent colors thrown in. Loop through the bottom of the earflap, and braid, knotting the end. Repeat on the other ear flap.

And don’t forget to root, root, root for the home team!