Toddler Pirate Beanie

I say Toddler size, but altho it's a little big for a smaller kid add on an extra couple of rounds and it's stretchy enough to do a smaller adult head. An extra round of increases should fit most adults. For the motif I ended up making my own up as i went along...I did try to find one online but none of them looked quite what i wanted. I'll write down what I did as best as I can and edit in a better guide with some pictures when i make another. If you try it and can think of a better way to explain it, or if it makes no sense at all please feel free to comment :)

 On to the instructions.

Materials

 Double Knitting (US worsted/Aus 8ply) wool in black and oddments of white. (the whole hat weighs 36grams so about 35g of black would be enough)

4mm(G-6)  and 2.5mm (C-2) crochet hooks

Large eyed tapestry needle

Abbreviations

hdc - Half Double Crochet ( I tend to use US terms so this is the one I mean Art of Crochet by Teresa HDC)

sc - single crochet Art of Crochet by Teresa SC

st - stitch/es

Directions in brackets ( ) repeated as written and [ ] shows stitch count

Gauge 4.5hdc x 4 rounds per inch approx

Hat

round 1 Using 4mm hook and Black yarn make 2 chain, work 6hdc into 2nd chain from hook, do not join,continue in spiral place stitch/row marker for round end

round 2 Work 2 hdc in each hdc working under all 3 loops of previous row [12hdc]

round 3 Work (2 hdc in next hdc, 1hdc in next) to end of round [18hdc]

round 4 Work (2 hdc in next hdc, 1hdc in next 2 hdcs) to end of round [24hdc]

round 5 Work (2 hdc in next hdc, 1hdc in next 3 hdcs) to end of round [30hdc]
round 6 Work (2 hdc in next hdc, 1hdc in next 4 hdcs) to end of round [36hdc]
round 7 Work (2 hdc in next hdc, 1hdc in next 5 hdcs) to end of round [42hdc]
round 8 Work (2 hdc in next hdc, 1hdc in next 6 hdcs) to end of round [48hdc]

round 9 Work (2 hdc in next hdc, 1hdc in next 7 hdcs) to end of round [54hdc]

round 10 Work (2 hdc in next hdc, 1hdc in next 8 hdcs) to end of round [60hdc]

round 11 Work (2 hdc in next hdc, 1hdc in next 9 hdcs) to end of round [66hdc]
round 12 Work (2 hdc in next hdc, 1hdc in next 10 hdcs) to end of round [72hdc]

To make an adult or larger kids hat add in one or two more increase rounds here, following pattern will give 78 stitches and 84 stitches respectively, then continue as below with those stitch counts

rounds 13 to 26 work 1 hdc in each hdc (14 rounds total)
round 27 work 1 single crochet changing to white to complete the stitch, then work to complete 1 full round of single crochet and slip stitch to close.

Sew in all ends neatly


Skull and Crossbones motif

Worked in 3 parts, 1 skull and 2 bones, do not make turning chains after the first foundation chain, in my opinion this gives a neater edge in this case
Skull

Using 2.5mm hook and white chain 7
row 1 work 1 sc in 2nd chain from hook and each chain along [6sc] turn,do not make turning chain
row 2-4  work sc in each sc
row 5 work 2sc in first stitch, work to last sc, work 2sc in last stitch [8sc]
row 6 work 2sc in first stitch, work to last sc, work 2sc in last stitch [10sc]
row 7 work 2sc in first stitch, work to last sc, work 2sc in last stitch [12sc]
row 8-11 work 1sc in each sc - 4 rows
row 12 slip stitch into first stitch, work 10sc, slip into last stitch, turn
row 13 miss the slip stitch from previous row and slip into first sc, work 8sc, slip in next stitch, turn
row 14 miss the slip stitch from previous row and slip into first sc, work 6sc, slip in next stitch, turn
row 15 miss the slip stitch from previous row and slip into first sc, work 4sc, slip in next stitch, fasten off

Embroider mouth eyes and nose as shown in picture before sewing skull to hat placing chin of skull 2 inches (5cm) up from contrast trim row.

Crossbones make 2

This is harder to explain and I will get pictures edited in later when I make another to help clarify, but it's basically a chain ,work a nobbly bit,work the chain,make 2 nobbly bits,work other side of chain make nobbly bit and close...bear with me and I'll TRY and write down what I did...

chain 16
in 2nd chain from hook work 1 slip stitch, 3 hdc and 1 slip stitch (5 stitches in one loop)
work in sc along chain to last stitch.
in last stitch work the following, 1 slip stitch, 3 hdc, 1 slip stitch, 3 hdc, 1 slip stitch (this is the double nobbly bit)
continue working down other side of chain to last stitch (the one that was the 1st stitch at the beginning)
in last stitch work 1slip stitch, 3hdc, 1 slip stitch and fasten off

Hopefully this should now look like a bone, if not when sewing to hat the center of the nobbly bits can be pulled in a little to make the indent...again I appologise and I will try to get clearer to understand photos and instructions up ASAP

Sew these onto hat below the skull as shown.

Present hat to toddler and hop he/she likes it :D