Sweet Nothings Crochet: PREEMIE CAPS 23 - SESAME STREET CHARACTER CAPS

Four lovely crochet preemie baby caps inspired by Sesame Street characters

This is my 23^rd blog write up for crochet preemie baby caps made for a recent donation in Australia. In this blog, I’ve made the characters from Sesame Street.

Come along and let’s see how we can spread some more small smiles. These are four crochet caps that are an intermediate crochet skill level and there are crochet video tutorials for all stitches needed so come along and work with me. Today I’ve used some of our lovely Indian Oswal Cashmilon 4-ply acrylic yarns with a 3 mm crochet hook but this yarn is not specific for the project. Use any yarn with a suitable hook to create your own project. Thank you for joining me.

In case you have just joined me, know that you can access all of my earlier creations by checking under ‘categories’ on the right hand side of this blog under “Labels”.

How labels work : All patterns under a similar label can be found together so when you click on the label for say "crochet baby dress pattern", all my baby dress patterns are available - so scroll down to the very bottom and click on "Older Posts" to move onto the next post in the series. Before you reach that you have several other ways to find my blogs including blog links at the bottom of this blog
For your convenience, follow me here or on Facebook, You Tube, Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram.
Oh, and may I add that the fastest way to find any of my blogs is via Pinterest and if you are looking for more bags then come here
All my blogs can be printed. Find the print friendly (green) link on the right of this blog. You can also hit Control P (or Command P for Mac) on your keyboard, and the blog will go directly to the connected printer.
Remember that you only print if absolutely essential. Save paper – Save Our Earth.

Do remember to add my blog URL when you make and show off your creation.

Just copy the link on the search bar above - that's the blog URL.

To purchase this or similar yarn online, click here to buy your yarns online via Amazon. While you will still pay the same, I may get paid by Amazon as well.

This is a free blog - so do pay it forward for me. Cheers.

The caps donated to Gold Coast Hospital charity

The happy staff at the Gold Coast hospital charity

some of the caps donated to the charities

Materials used : Today I’ve used some of our lovely Indian Oswal Cashmilon 4-ply acrylic yarns with a 3 mm crochet hook ; a light metal headband ; embroidery needle

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red rose , 4-ply knitting cotton , or unbranded knitting cotton or White Rose or bamboo knitting cotton , Milk cotton ; Silk yarns as well as Oswal 4-ply yarn ; Baby soft acrylic yarn , Ganga Spectrum as well

General yarn info : The yarn used today is not specific to this pattern.

You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.

International yarns : Among the international yarns I have used in this thickness, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn , Lily Sugar n' Cream cotton yarn, Caron Simply Soft , Bernat Softee chunky.

Abbreviations used :

sc : single crochet dc : Double crochet

ch : chain ch-sp : chain space

sp : space rep : Repeat

Stitches used :

Starting slip knot : https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

What is a chain stitch ? https://youtu.be/pXx5ukBjKkY

Single Crochet : Sc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (2 lps on hk); yo, draw through both lps. One sc made. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/ghACqBpA-3k

First stitch for Single Crochet : This is how I like to start my row of sc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/6pVYRfsf4_M

Here is a sizing chart for general head sizing : here or here

Whipstitch to join : https://youtu.be/wZ-9LNzftMA

Invisible join : https://youtu.be/a6XZQ6VzJFM

Single crochet to join : https://youtu.be/6FXoW_47_dI

Instructions using U.S terminology

As I’ve mentioned in my earlier blog, for my preemie caps I have worked the pattern ensuring I have a total length of 4” and a circumference of 12”.

This is what worked for me, using my yarn(s) and hook. Please check the top of this blog for a sizing chart.

1. Hat circumference = measure around the head just above ears and subtract one inch for a nicely fitted finished hat.

2. Crown width = (this is a flat circular top of the hat) you need to divide hat circumference by 3.14 (pi).

3. Hat height = Head circumference / 10 x 4.

So you need to measure circumference of the head (round head measurement) and keep checking the outer circumference of your work.

There is another trick for measuring circumference (without running your measure tape all around the edge of your circle as you are working).

This works for a cap that you are working top down, from the crown of the head.

It works by dividing your round head measure by pi (3.14).

So say your head measurement is 22, divide 22 by 3.14 = 7.

Remember when calculating diameter, you must account for the stretch of your yarn too.

So once the ‘flat portion’ for the crown (or the first few rounds while you are still increasing) of your cap is 7” diameter, you can stop increases and start increasing just the length (without increasing stitches for the round)

Right then, back to the pattern sheet.

In general the pattern I’ve used for my caps is as follows. I have given links for the caps I’ve been inspired by, but the general principle I’ve used is the same for all of my caps – ensuring I get the preemie size right.

Magic circle : https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

Half Double Crochet : Hdc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk) ;

yo, draw through all 3 lps. One hdc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/sDiELJdB2Dg

Chainless start for Half Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 start, and this is what I do to start my row of hdc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/lWXpl1KdbZ8

What is a slip stitch : https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

Start Round 1 : with a magic circle and 10 hdc in that circle.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^st hdc. (10)

Round 2 : (Increase round ) :

2 hdc in the 1^st hdc and in each hdc all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^st hdc. (20)

Round 3 : (Increase round ) :

hdc in the 1^st hdc ; 2 hdc in the next hdc ;

*hdc in the next hdc ; 2 hdc in the next hdc* ;

rep *to* all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^st hdc. (30)

Round 4 : (Increase round ) :

hdc in the 1^st 3 hdc ; 2 hdc in the next hdc ;

*hdc in the next 3 hdc ; 2 hdc in the next hdc* ;

rep *to* all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^st hdc. (36)

Check that your hat circumference is about 12” for preemie.

Round 5 : hdc in the 1^st hdc and in each hdc all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^st hdc. (36)

Rep Round 5 till you have a finished length of 4”.

Now below are some pattern links for my inspirations. See what works for you with your yarn and hook. Cheers.

1. Elmo cap

Who doesn’t love Elmo, right? I know when I made an Elmo inspired stuffed toy for a baby girl, that was and is one of her favourite toys.. makes both mum and baby smile.. so hey!

Come along and let’s make our Elmo inspired cap here

Materials used : I have used a few grams of (Indian) Vardhaman acrylic yarn with a 4 mm crochet hook

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red ros e ; Red rose metallic or unbranded knitting cotton as well as Oswal acrylic yarns

Skill level : Easy

For this cap too, just work as many rows as you need checking circumference and length if the sizing does not work. The designer has given several sizes – so have fun.
As my cap is intended for preemies in NICU, I decided not to muck around with polyfill for the eyes and nose. So rather than have them all pop out a lot, I worked as given in instructions and then flattened it all out a bit when stitching it on – and I think my cap looks absolutely brilliant.

Go ahead, create and make a difference too

2. Ernie preemie cap

Materials used : I have used a few grams of (Indian) Vardhaman acrylic yarn with a 4 mm crochet hook

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red ros e ; Red rose metallic or unbranded knitting cotton as well as Oswal acrylic yarns

Check out this link here , here or get this (paid) pattern here

3. Bert preemie cap

Materials used : I have used a few grams of (Indian) Vardhaman acrylic yarn with a 4 mm crochet hook

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red ros e ; Red rose metallic or unbranded knitting cotton as well as Oswal acrylic yarns

Check out this link here or here

4. Big Bird preemie cap

the Big Bird preemie crochet baby cap all done

Materials used : I have used a few grams of (Indian) Vardhaman acrylic yarn with a 4 mm crochet hook

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red ros e ; Red rose metallic or unbranded knitting cotton as well as Oswal acrylic yarns

Check out this link here or here

I plan on making a few more preemie caps, so do follow me / this blog for more fun and interesting ideas. Cheers.

If you're visiting me here for the first time, and have liked the experience, do add me to your mailing list (for your convenience) , and all my future free patterns will come straight to your mail box.

I’d appreciate if you could credit my blog (and link the original pattern link) when you make your own creation. Thanks.

Check out my awesome pins on Pinterest at https://in.pinterest.com/shyamanivas/

OR just my free patterns at https://in.pinterest.com/shyamanivas/free-patterns-made-by-me/

Join me on YouTube at http://youtube.com/shyamanivas

And on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Sweet-Nothings-Crochet/ for more patterns.

Do follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/ShyamaNivas

Do follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sweetnothingscrochet/

Find me on Ravelry at ravelry.com/projects/shyamanivas/

Have a great day and see you soon.

Here are some of my other creations.

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2020/04/easy-slim-seeded-headband.html

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2020/04/easy-slim-crossed-headband.html