A Practical Animal Cracker Hat

[PinFish]

Some of you Harry Potter fans may remember, from the movie Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the scene where they are eating animal crackers that cause them to make the noise of that animal. In that scene, Ron was wearing a hat- here is a rather shabby photo of it:


In any case, a friend of mine fell in love with this hat. This same friend did the photography for my wedding, and as part of payment she asked for this hat, only more practical for actual winter wear, and a set of matching flap-top mittens. I haven't yet finished the mittens, but here's my practical version of this hat.




In order to make the hat more practical for MN winters, I used a worsted weight yarn at a fairly tight gauge, and lengthened the brim so it would cover more of the head. The earflaps are shaped better for coverage, as well.

This was mostly ad-libbed from looking at stills from the movie. I took inspiration from http://djinnj.livejournal.com/150838.html, and used pieces of the pattern Swell from Knitty and the Norwegian Star Earflap Hat for the earflaps and decreases.

Specs: Cascade 220 Wool in five colors, size 6 needles. Total knitting time- about a day and a half. I had to rip back twice because it was too small.

I really love the way it turned out, and I hope she does, too!

[JupiterLullaby]

Cute!  Well done 

[forficatusstudios]

Great job! I have loved the original since I first saw it, but have been too chicken to try to make it myself. I still am.

And I am absolutely in awe of your skill.

April

[RachelKristin]

very cute hat! you did a really nice job

[Finleigh]

This is much better than the requests I get from my friends.  "Knit me a Slytherin scarf."  Boooring.

[PinFish]

Thanks, everyone. I'm thinking I might write up a bit of a pattern. Do you think there'd be any interest?

[perchta]

I think there would be a lot of interest.  The patterns that are already out for Harry Potter stuff kind of suck.  I can think of 3 people who would want me to make that hat for them. 

[mknit200]

Great job on the hat. My HP-fan-geek son would love it, so I'd be interested in a pattern.

[ERDrewHilda]

great job on the hat!  i love it!

i think there would be interest if you wrote up a pattern...i know i'd be interested at least!

[PinFish]

Great! I'll start working on writing it up, then. It'll be free, of course. Should have it up by sometime next week