Crochet Pattern: Baby’s Dino Hat with Cape

Free crochet pattern: Dinosaur hat baby photoshoot prop

Photos of naked babies on sheepskins is sooo yesterday! But of course it had to happen, now that I got real sheepskin for my second grandson Dexter.

Now, all the rage is to use props of various kinds. They can be cute or funky or silly or geeky or anything that catches the parents’ fancy. Often it’s something to show the interests of the parents. Just search for “baby photo props” on Google and you’ll get 5 million hits!

My daughter Maria wanted a dinosaur/dragon outfit for her newborn son’s photo. She asked me to make one in lime green and blue, and showed me a bunch of photos she had found online. Seemed easy enough: it’s just a beanie with an attached cape and a row of dorsal plates.

I happened to have cotton yarn in the requested colors. It’s a bit chunky, but it worked. Here’s how I made it:

Newborn Dino Hat/Cape

dexter5

Size: 14” hat with a 11” cape
To make the hat a bit smaller/bigger, just add less/more DC on Round 4 evenly distributed.
Gauge: 3DC and 2 rows equal 1” x 1”
Yarn: worsted weight cotton – I used Fantasy Naturale from Plymouth Yarn
Hook: US G or 4 mm – the yarn is for US8 knitting needles

Start with green yarn by making a Magic Circle, CH (Chain) 3
R1    11 DC (double crochet) into ring, join with a SL ST (slip stitch) and pull the ring tight
R2    CH 3, 1DC in same stitch as chain, 2DC into each stitch, join (24DC)
R3    CH3, *2DC into next stitch, 1DC into next stitch*, repeat all around, join (36DC)
R4    CH3, 1DC in next 4 stitches, 2DC in next, *DC in next 5 stitches, 2DC in next*, repeat all around, join (42DC)
R5-8    CH3, DC in each stitch around, join (42DC)
Cut yarn and fasten off.

 

Cape:

dexter4

Count 10 stitches to the right of the last stitch and insert yarn. CH3, DC into next 21 stitches, CH3 and turn. DC in each stitch across, but skip the last stitch. (20DC). Continue in this manner, reducing one stitch per row until there’s only 3 stitches left. Cut yarn and fasten all ends.

Attach blue yarn to the edge. I did that near the tip of the tail. Single Crochet all the way around, join with first SC. Cut yarn and weave in the ends.

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Dorsal Plates

I made the plates in three sizes. 6 large, 1 medium and 2 small. Use the blue edging yarn.

dexter6 Large Plate:
Magic Circle, CH3
R1    3DC, TC (Treble  Crochet), 4DC into circle, pull closed and TURN!
R2    CH1, SC in next 3 stitches, 2HDC (Half Double Crochet) in next, 3DC in next, 2HDC in next, SC in next 3 stitches, cut yarn leaving enough for sewing the plate in place. Weave in the beginning yarn end.

Medium Plate:
Magic Circle, CH2
R1    2HDC, DC, 3HDC into circle, pull closed and TURN!
R2    CH1, SC in next 2 stitches, 2HDC in next, 3DC in next, 2HDC in next, SC in last 2 stitches, cut yarn leaving enough for sewing the plate in place. Weave in the beginning yarn end.

Small Plate:
Do just the first row of the Large Plate.

Flatten the hat/cape and place the plates evenly along the “spine”. Pin. Sew in place with small stitches.

dexter2

Do take baby photos when the baby is less than two weeks old! Our baby Dexter is now almost 4 weeks and he does not like to pose. When we remove his clothes, he wakes up and becomes a ninja!

~ Marina

Update: This pattern is now also available in Swedish and Finnish!