This pattern is a mashup of two different patterns (the Skater Hat pattern by CBAJ26 Crochet, and the Kitty Cat Hat pattern by Bethany James), with some elements added by YarnTheory to make it into an kitty earflap hat.

Sizing:
To size the hat for a child, teen, or adult choose the appropriate hook size from the list below:

child: 5.0 mm
teen: 5.5 mm
adult: 6.0 mm

Hat Base—Designed by CBAJ26 Crochet

For the hat base I used CBAJ26 Crochet’s free Skater Hat pattern. Using main color—making sure to leave off striped edge (approximately 26 rows in total). The number of rows might vary depending on head size, but hat should come to just slightly above eyebrows. Once done with the hat base fasten off with a SC invisible join.

Earflaps and Trim—Designed by Yarn Theory

Earflap 1:
Row 1: Using main color join yarn with a sc to hat several stitches before the invisible join (so that it is further hidden in the base of the earflap), make 17 sc (15 sc for child hat) across to form the base of the earflap. Chain 1 and turn.
Row 2: sc2tog, sc across to last 2 sc, sc2tog, chain 1 and turn.
Row 3 and on: Repeat Row 2 until only 1 sc2tog stitch exists. Fasten Off.

Earflap 2:
Row 1: Using main color join yarn with a sc to hat 18 sc from base of Earflap 1. (DO NOT center earflaps to hat, this will leave your ears cold!), make 17 sc (15 sc for child hat) across to form the base of the earflap 2. Chain 1 and turn.
Row 2–3: Follow as Earflap 1.

Trim:
Using contrasting color join yarn with sc starting on the outside of the hat on the right hand side of Earflap 1, rsc across to Earflap 2, crochet roughly 14 rsc into the edge of the earflap, rsc into top of sc2tog of earflap, ch 76, sl st into 2nd ch from hook, sl st across (75 sl sts; tie created) sc into sc2tog of earflap, turn, 1 rsc into sc2tog, rsc roughly 14 rsc into edge of earflap, rsc across to earflap 1, repeat from the section in italics , sl to to first rsc. Fasten off.

Pom Poms:
Make 2. Using main color create roughly a 5” diameter pom pom. Attach pom poms to end of earflap ties.

Kitty Ears—Designed by Bethany James

Make 2. For the kitty ears I used the ones from Bethany James’s free Kitty Cat Hat pattern.

Notes: When placing the ears on the hat, place them so they face forward—towards the longer space between the earflaps (the front of the hat), with the shorter space between the earflaps in the back. When attaching the ears to the hat base sew into the front of the ears this will help to keep the ears standing upright instead of flopping down.