Pop-Up Crochet Skeleton Hat with Moving Ears – FREE Pattern
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This adorable and fun crochet skeleton hat with moving ears will have people smiling everywhere you go. The unique design uses an air pump to make the skeleton bone ears go up and down.
Have you seen the bunny hat with moving ears that’s been trending on social media? Just squeeze the bunny’s dangling paws to make its ears go up and down. Or did you see the Crochet Penguin Hat with Flapping Wings? It’s cute, silly, and fun for kids (and kids at heart) of all ages.
But have you ever wondered if you could crochet a moving ears hat? What about hats of different cute crochet animal characters? Now you can!
This pattern will show you how to make your very own crochet skeleton hat with moving ears – yes, the bone ears move!
See the “moving hat” in action here:
As with any handmade item, you can customize and make this trendy crochet hat your own. You can use my tutorial to make it in any size. And because the squishy worsted-weight chenille yarn I used, Premier Pixie Dust Brights, comes 18 colors, you can make any color penguin you want. Who says a skeleton can’t be orange – or black?
Make them for your kids or even for yourself. These silly crochet hats are perfect for costume parties, holiday celebrations, or anywhere you need to lighten the mood.
And if you are a visual learner, I also added a few video tutorials to learn the stitches needed to help you along with the written pattern as well. This pattern used to be a mystery crochet along and is broken up like that accordingly.
It’s time to get creative, so let’s get started!
Crochet Hats with Moving Ears
If you’ve never tried to make a moving crochet pattern before, it may look complicated. But all it takes are some simple air pumps that you sew right into the long arms of the hat. Of course, I’ll include photos and instructions so you know just where to place them to achieve this cool effect.
If you can’t get enough of these funny beanies, you’ll be delighted to know that I have written 10 other crochet pop-up hat patterns for all different occasions. You can find all of them, including helpful tutorials, videos, and photos, in my 10 Pop Up Pals Hats ebook!
Get the PDF of the Crochet Skeleton Hat Pattern
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.
If you like fun and cute crochet animal patterns, you might also like to try one of these:
- Panda Bear Tissue Box Cover
- C2C Rainbow Hat with Unicorn Pom Pom
- Cat Bunny Reversible C2C Bag Pillow
- Penguin Hat with Flapping Wings
So, let me now give you the supplies you need in order to crochet this cute pattern.
How to Crochet the Skeleton Hat with Moving Ears Pattern
Materials you will need
- Premier Pixie Dust Brights Yarn (100g) – worsted (#4) yarn
- White (1 skein)
- Black (1 skein)
- Tangerine (just a little bit)
- 4.00 mm hook → WeCrochet Dots Hook
- Scissors
- tapestry needle
- polyfill
- Air Pump Mechanism (for US)
- Air Pump Mechanism (for Canada)
- Air Pump Mechanism (for UK)
Gauge
3 sts x 2 rounds = 1 square inch
Size
10 (width) x 7.5 inches (just the hat, one size (adult) – Refer to this post to adjust the size of the beanie for a different head size
Stitches used in the pattern
Learn all the basic crochet stitches HERE
- st/sts = stitch/stitches
- ch = chain
- sc = single crochet
- dc = double crochet
- sl st = slip stitch
- inc = increase
- dec = decrease
- Magic ring
- tr = treble crochet
- ATC = Alternative Turning Chain
- invisible join
Video tutorials
Beanie – like Skeleton: https://youtu.be/uvdkZkSOsWo
How to Add the Air Pump: https://youtube.com/shorts/g-TspfmNh1Y
Subscribe to my Youtube Channel here:
Free Written Crochet Skeleton Hat with Moving Ears Pattern
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Pattern Notes
First, you’ll crochet the beanie, then the arm straps where the air pump gets inserted into, then the ears, and face. Then you assemble it all.
If you want to make the hat smaller, please use the reference table provided for the hat pattern.
Written Pattern for the Crochet Hat
Crochet Beanie – Video Tutorial
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Written Pattern for the Crochet Skeleton Hat
Start with White
ALL first dc stitches are made as a ch3 or ATC (both count as a stitch, I used the ATC) – explained in the video!
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 (36 sts)
R4: *1 dc in 2 sts, then 2 dc in the next st, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st (48 sts)
R5: *1 dc in 3 sts, then 2 dc in the next st, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st (60 sts)
R6: *1 dc in 4 sts, then 2 dc in the next st, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st (72 sts)
R7-15: 1 dc per st all around, sl st to the first st
Fasten off
Measurements: Aim for about 9-10 inches in width and 6.5-7.5 inches in height.
Crochet Air Pumps Arms
Crochet Air Pump Arms – Video Tutorial
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Written Pattern for Air Pump Arms
Crochet 2 of the following:
R1: 18 foundation double crochet stitches (see video – Part 2), sl st to the first st
R2-19: 1 dc per st, sl st to the first st
R20: *1 dc in 2 sts, then 2 dc in the next st, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st
R21-22: 1 dc per st, sl st to the first st
R23:*1 dc dec over the next 2 sts, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st
Measurements: Aim for about 2-2.5 inches in width and about 13 inches in length.
Crochet Skeleton Hat Assembly
Skeleton Face, Ears, and Assembly – Video Tutorial
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Written Pattern for Face, Ears, and Assembly
Finish the Skeleton Hat Bone Arms
Weave through the last round, and close the hole.
Lay the beanie flat, and on each side, sew 9 of the 18 dc stitches from the first round of the arm to the beanie. Add the air pump to the arms if you have them.
Skeleton Ears (make 2)
With white
R1: MR, ch 1, add 10 dc, close the ring, sl st to the first st, cut yarn
Now repeat R1 for a 2nd circle
Now we’re connecting the first and 2nd circle
R2: 1 dc per st (both circles), sl st to the first st (sew together gap between circles)
R3: 1 dc per st, sl st to the first st
R4:*1 dc dec over the next 2 sts, repeat from * all around, sl st to the first st
R5-9: 1 dc per st, sl st to the first st
2 Bones:
Ch 7
R1: 3rd ch from the hook, in the same stitch [2dc, ch 2, sl st to the ch, ch 2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st to ch], 1 sc in the next 3 chs, sl st to the last ch, then add all the following into the last ch [2dc, ch 2, sl st to the ch, ch 2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st to ch]
Fasten off and sew the tiny bones to the bulb section of the arms (around R21-22)
Nose:
R1: MR, ch 1, 6 sc, sl st to the first st, close the ring, fasten off, and sew the nose to the beanie around R10
2 Eyes:
R1: MR, ch 1, 9 sc, sl st to the first st, close the ring
Whatever is written between the commas is for one stitch, e.g. 2hdc are placed into one stitch
R2: 2hdc, 2hdc, [1dc, 1 tr, 1 dc], 2hdc, 2hdc, 2hdc, [1dc, 1 tr, 1 dc], 2 hdc, sl st to the first st
Fasten off and sew the eyes about 7 sts apart and the top of the eyes are starting around R7 to the beanie
Embroider on the mouth (one long, loose black yarn, then sew lines over them such that the line makes a wave).
Assembly
Now add the air pump mechanism, by adding the bulb through the long arms and squeezing the bent air flap (opposite side of the air pump) between 2 stitches on round 4 of the beanie such that they point outward – top right and left side of the face. Add the air flaps into the bones, then sew the bones to the beanie.
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