FREE Crochet Panda Hat with Moving Ears Pattern

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This adorable crochet panda moving ears hat will bring extra joy and laughter to holiday celebrations and different occasions throughout the year! The unique design uses an air pump mechanism to raise and lower the panda’s ears.


We’re wrapping up the first week of this year’s Advent Calendar Mystery Crochet Along (MCAL) and it has been a blast so far! Each day, from December 1st through December 24th, I’ll post one of 24 free crochet patterns for last-minute Christmas gifts right here on my blog. You never know what the pattern will be so make sure to check back each day so you don’t miss any of the new patterns!

On day one of the MCAL, I released a reindeer hat moving crochet pattern. Of course, if you’re making Christmas gifts for multiple people, like a group of siblings or cousins, maybe you’d like to make hats of different cute crochet animal characters for each one. This is just one of a whole series of pop-up hats that I’ve designed, based on the trendy bunny hat that’s circulated on social media. You can find those in my Pop-Up Pals Hats Ebook.

And today I’m sharing yet another adorable animal pattern – a crochet panda hat! With their adorable features, round faces, and endearing antics, it’s hard not to love pandas. So when I was deciding which cute crochet animal patterns to design next, a panda hat was a natural choice!

These funny beanies make special gifts for kids or anyone who loves to have a good time. They make an impression on family and friends at Christmas gatherings and costume parties. Thanks to simple air pumps hidden in the long arms of the hat, you can squeeze the panda bear’s paws and make its ears flap up and down. It’s a cool effect that will lighten the mood wherever you go.

Just imagine Christmas morning when all of your kids or grandkids receive their own unique funny hats. They’ll put them on, laugh, and goof around together in front of the Christmas tree. Maybe the adults will join in on the fun, too! It might even become a cherished holiday memory for your family. Times like this are priceless and make all the time and effort you put into your crocheted gifts worth it.

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For my sample panda hat, I used Premier Just Yarn WorstedI love this yarn because it’s super affordable. At just $7 for a 400g skein, it’s an amazing deal! But of course, it’s even more economical to use yarn that you already have. In that case, feel free to substitute any worsted-weight white, blue, or black yarn that you have in your stash, such as Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice.

At first, these silly hats might look complicated but they are easy enough for an adventurous beginner! They do not have a lot of complex parts or use any special techniques, just basic crochet stitches. And to help you create them, I’ve included a full video tutorial with detailed step-by-step instructions. The pattern is written for adult size, but I’ve also included a reference chart so you adjust the size of the beanie. Make one to fit a toddler, a teen, or any size you like.

Now it’s time for the fun to begin!

Crochet Panda Moving Ears Hat Pattern

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.

But you can get all of them right away AD-FREE and PRINTER-FRIENDLY as an ebook. Use the code 5ADVENT to save $5 until December 24th HERE!!! After that, you will have to purchase it at the nondiscounted price.

Get the PDF of the Crochet Panda Moving Ears 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.

Buy the Crochet Pattern on Ravelry
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If you like crochet pop-up hat patterns, you might like these also:

  1. Elf Hat with Moving Ears and Jingle Bells
  2. Penguin Hat with Flapping Wings
  3. Moving Ears Reindeer Hat with Blinking Nose
  4. Skeleton Hat with Moving Ears

So, let me now give you the supplies you need in order to make these silly crochet hats.

How to Create the Pop-Up Crochet Panda 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
  • ATC = Alternative Turning Chain as Stacked Single Crochet, counts as a DC
  • invisible join

Video Tutorial of the Crochet Panda Moving Ears Hat

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Free Pattern for the Crochet Panda Moving Ears Hat

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Instructions for the Moving Ears Panda Hat

Hat with Hanging Arms

With White yarn

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 (white)

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

Nose Triangle (black)

Make a magic ring, ch 3, add 3 dc to the ring, close the ring and then sew it to the top of the nose and add the lines for the mouth.

2 Ears (black)

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

R6-13: 1 sc per st

Fasten off

2 Black Eyes (large part of the eye patches)

R1: make a Magic Ring, add 8 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, 3 dc, (2 hdc) x 3, 3 dc, (2 hdc) x 2, sl st to the first st

R3: 1 sc, 2 sc, 1 sc, 3 dc, 2 sc, (1 sc, 2 sc) x 4, 3 dc, (1 sc, 2 sc) x 2, 1 sc, sl st to the first st

Fasten off

2 Black Small 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

Fasten off

2 Blue Small 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

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

Fasten off

Assembly

Sew the nose to the beanie, stuff it ¾ of the way through. 

Now sew on the eyes and add 2 reflection lines. 

Next 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. Fasten off and weave in your ends.

Reference Table to Make a Different Size of Panda Hat

Crochet-Hat-Size-Chart
Crochet Panda Moving Ears Hat Pattern

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Crochet Panda Moving Ears Hat Pattern

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Crochet Panda Moving Ears Hat Pattern
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