Crochet Reindeer Hat with Moving Ears – FREE Pattern

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This fun and silly crochet reindeer hat will generate smiles at holiday parties! It uses a set of air pumps to make the reindeer’s ears move up and down. Add a blinking red reindeer nose to make it extra merry and bright.


It’s time to kick off this year’s Advent Calendar Mystery Crochet Along. Each day, from today until December 24th, I’ll release one of these amazing free patterns for Christmas gifts right here on my blog. You never know what the pattern will be so each day is a fun holiday surprise for yarn lovers!

This year, we’re starting off with a fun and fabulous project – a crochet reindeer hat with moving ears! It makes a special gift for kids, or really any fun-loving family members. Thanks to air pumps hidden in his dangling arms, the reindeer’s ears flap up and down. And of course, no crochet Rudolph hat would be complete without his blinking red nose. I’ll tell you where to get all the supplies below.

And although there are many components to this reindeer hat pattern, it’s actually relatively quick and easy to make. And I’ve included a full video tutorial to help you along. The pattern is written for an adult medium, but I’ve also included a reference chart so you can make it in a child size or any other size you like.

So let’s get started!

Moving Ears Reindeer Hat Pattern with Blinking Nose

All Advent Calendar Mystery CAL Patterns

This Holiday Season is very special! The Advent Calendar Mystery Crochet Along includes 24 free patterns. But there are actually 30 patterns. Each one comes with a video tutorial. But you don’t know which of the 24 patterns will be published for free.

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Get the PDF of the Crochet Reindeer Hat Pattern

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This pattern is also available as an ad-free, printer-friendly pdf pattern that can be purchased at the links below for only a small fee.

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If you like fun Christmas crochet hats, you might like these also:

  1. Gingerbread House Tissue Box Cover
  2. Penguin Hat with Flapping Wings
  3. Christmas Tree Hat Scarf
  4. Santa Cat Hat

So, let me now give you the supplies you need in order to crochet this cute pattern.

How to Create the Pop-Up Crochet Reindeer Hat

Materials you will need

Gauge

4 sts x 2 rounds = 1 square inch

Size

Adult size, use the attached reference table to adjust for a smaller size

Stitches used in the pattern

Learn all the basic crochet stitches HERE (US crochet terms)

  • st/sts = stitch/stitches
  • ch = chain
  • sl st = slip stitch
  • sc = single crochet
  • dc = double crochet
  • hdc = half double crochet
  • MR = magic ring (AKA magic circle)
  • ATC = Alternative Turning Chain as Stacked Single Crochet, counts as a DC
  • invisible join

Video Tutorial of the Crochet Reindeer Hat with Blinking Red Nose

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Free Pattern for the Crochet Reindeer Hat with Moving Ears

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Instructions for the Moving Ears Reindeer Hat

Hat with Hanging Arms

With Goldenrod

ALL first dc stitches are made as a ch3 or ATC (both count as stitch, I used the ATC)

R1: MR, ch 1, add 12 dc, close the ring, sl st to the first st

R2: 2 dc per st all around, sl st to the first st

R3: *1 dc in the first st, then 2 dc in the next st, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st

R4: *1 dc in 2 sts, then 2 dc in the next st, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st

R5: *1 dc in 3 sts, then 2 dc in the next st, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st

R6: *1 dc in 4 sts, then 2 dc in the next st, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st

R7-15: 1 dc per st all around, sl st to the first st

Now you’ll crochet the long “arms” hanging down one at the time

**R1: 1 dc in the next 9 sts, now add 9 chainless foundation dc stitches, sl st to the first st

(Optionally, you can also crochet the arms separately and then sew them on later. In that case, make a chain of 18, sl st to the first st, and then crochet 1 dc per ch (18 sts) all around)

R2- 21: 1 dc per st, sl st to the 1st st

R22: *1 dc, 2dc in the following st, repeat from * all around, sl st to the 1st st

R23-24: 1 dc per st, sl st to the 1st st

R25: 1 dc dec all around, sl st to the 1st st

Fasten off (close the hole) and weave in your ends.

Reattach your yarn, 26  stitches from the 9th dc you made in R1 (opposite side of the beanie). And repeat from ** for the 2nd arm.

Nose (linen)

R1: make a Magic Ring, add 6 sc to the ring, close the ring, use a stitch marker

R2: 2 sc per st

R3: * 1 sc in the first st, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from * all around

R4: * 1 sc in 2 sts, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from * all around

R5: * 1 sc in 3 sts, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from * all around

R6-8: 1 sc per st

Fasten off

2 Ears (linen)

R1: make a Magic Ring, add 6 sc to the ring, close the ring, use a stitch marker

R2: 1 sc per st

R3: * 1 sc in the first st, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from * all around

R4: Repeat R2

R5: * 1 sc in 2 sts, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from * all around

R6: Repeat R2

R7: * 1 sc in 3 sts, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from * all around

R8: Repeat R2

R9: * 1 sc in 4 sts, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from * all around

R10: Repeat R2

R11: * 1 sc in 5 sts, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from * all around

R12: Repeat R2

R13: * 1 sc in 6 sts, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from * all around

R14: Repeat R2

R15: * 1 sc in 7 sts, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from * all around

R16: Repeat R2

Fasten off

2 Antlers (in brown)

*R1: make a Magic Ring, add 6 sc to the ring, close the ring, use a stitch marker

R2: 2 sc per st all around

R3-8: 1 sc per st

Fasten off

Now repeat from * one more time, but do not fasten off on the second antler

R9: 1 sc, now go to the first piece, 1 inv sc dec, 1 sc, repeat from * all around, then go back to the 2nd piece and continue the pattern just like the first piece

Pause, and tie off/sew closed the little gap in between the 2 pieces.

R10-14: 1 sc per st

Fasten off

Stuff the antlers a little bit with polyfill

2 White Part of the Eye

R1: make a Magic Ring, add10 sc to the ring, close the ring, sl st to the 1st st

Note for R2: 2 hdc means 2 hdc in the same st. Same is true for other stitches mentioned. 

R2: 2 hdc, 2 hdc, 3 dc, (2 hdc) x 4, 3 dc, (2 hdc) x 2, sl st to the first st

2 Black Pupils

R1: make a Magic Ring, add 6 sc to the ring, close the ring, use a stitch marker

R2: 2 sc per st all around

Assembly

Sew the nose to the beanie, stuff it ¾ of the way through and also pull the elastic of the blinking nose through the nose and to the inside of the beanie, tie it off so it won’t move much.

Now sew on the eyes and also add a small white line inside the pupils for the reflection.

Now add the air pumps to the arms and out of the top of the beanie, push the bend flat piece about half way through, then sew the ears around the flat air pump piece. Place the antlers slightly behind it and also sew them on. Fasten off and weave in your ends . 

Fasten off

Reference Table to Make a Different Size of Reindeer Hat

Crochet-Hat-Size-Chart

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Moving Ears Reindeer Hat Pattern with Blinking Nose

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Moving Ears Reindeer Hat with Blinking Nose
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