# how to add earflaps



## bonster (Jan 28, 2011)

I found a hat pattern that adds earflaps but I am at a loss as to how to add the. You make the hat and then add the earflaps, but it does not say how to do that. It is a stripped hat and the directions say: "Using color A fold hat in half to determine placement, pick up and knit 14 sts and work st st for 4 rows ending on WS". Then you do the decrease. My question is - how do I *start* the earflaps on the hat? The hat is done on circular and all knit stitches. Thanks!


----------



## Carol J. (Jan 27, 2011)

Put the hat on your own head, feel where the earflaps would cover your own ears, mark the area with safety pins where to start and finish.
Or make them separately and put the hat on, pin the flaps to the hat where they will do the most good and sew them on.


----------



## bonster (Jan 28, 2011)

Thanks for the reply. The pattern says that I would knit the flaps right on the hat. My question is, how do I *start* knitting the flaps on to the hat? The pattern does not say to knit the flaps and then sew them on to the hat but to knit them on to the hat.


----------



## mirl56 (Dec 20, 2011)

Carol's method of figuring out where to put the earflaps is a good idea. Once you've got that, at the beginning of the earflap section, pick up 14 stitches across to the other marker. Then knit 4 rows.

I'd also say 14 stitches is just a recommendation - you may need a few more/less to make the earflap long enough to cover your ear.

Do you know how to pick up stitches? If not, look at www.knittinghelp.com in the video section - there should be one for picking up stitches.


----------



## nbaker (Jan 30, 2011)

The instructions say to 'pick up' and knit 14 stitches. After determining the placement for an earflap, pick up stitches on the bottom edge of the hat. Using your needle (or a crochet hook) pull up a loop of yarn through the knit edge, then pull up another loop in the next space. Do this along the edge until you have 14 loops on the needle. Knit these stitches as directed in the pattern. Check out youtube for a video. It's easier than you might think. Good Luck.


----------



## bonster (Jan 28, 2011)

Thanks. I tried to find a video. The one I found was really grainy but I think I got the main idea from what I could see. That's probably how I would have tried to do it.


mirl56 said:


> Carol's method of figuring out where to put the earflaps is a good idea. Once you've got that, at the beginning of the earflap section, pick up 14 stitches across to the other marker. Then knit 4 rows.
> 
> I'd also say 14 stitches is just a recommendation - you may need a few more/less to make the earflap long enough to cover your ear.
> 
> Do you know how to pick up stitches? If not, look at www.knittinghelp.com in the video section - there should be one for picking up stitches.


----------



## bonster (Jan 28, 2011)

Thanks. That's how I probably would have tried to do it. I have to make the hat first!


nbaker said:


> The instructions say to 'pick up' and knit 14 stitches. After determining the placement for an earflap, pick up stitches on the bottom edge of the hat. Using your needle (or a crochet hook) pull up a loop of yarn through the knit edge, then pull up another loop in the next space. Do this along the edge until you have 14 loops on the needle. Knit these stitches as directed in the pattern. Check out youtube for a video. It's easier than you might think. Good Luck.


----------



## Carol J. (Jan 27, 2011)

Instructions are not written in stone, sometimes you have to use your own idea how to do something. nbaker told you how to pick up the stitches using a crochet hook and putting them on the needle. I have made them that way and I have made them separately and sewed them onto a hat that was not intended for earflaps, I just wanted some so I sewed them on. Some cap patterns come with making the earflaps first and casting on for the main part of the cap. There is no right or wrong way, you learn by using other patterns and ideas. Be brave and if one way don't work for you, rip it out and do it another way.


----------



## bonster (Jan 28, 2011)

That's the great thing about knitting - the more you try and the more you ask, the more you learn! I suppose I could knit the flaps from bottom up and leave them on needles or stitch holders. Then I could incorporate them into my casting on. Seems like that would work as long as I can figure the correct placement ahead of time. I would have to carry the casting on yarn across the earflaps. Sounds like I have some experimenting to do!


----------



## Carol J. (Jan 27, 2011)

When you knit the earflaps first, you incorporate them into the casting on stitches. Here is a pattern I have used when making the earflaps first. This is for a child.
Cast on 5 sts, knit one row, purl one row
Inc row: slip 1, increase by knitting in the front and back of the next stitch, knit to last 2 sts, inc., knit 1
Next row: slip 1, purl to end. Keep adding sts till you have 20, work straight to 2 1/2", put on holder
Make 2

With circular needle, CO 10 sts,knit across earflap, CO 25 sts, knit across other earflap, CO 10 sts. Place a marker, join and knit 5 1/2" or longer.
Decrease: knit 6, knit 2 together around
Knit 1 round even
Knit 5, knit 2 together, continue decreasing every other row till 8 are left, cut yarn and thread on a yarn needle and pull through the 8 sts. Finish off.
Crochet a chain 12 inches long with an H hook, turn and slip stitch in the back loop of each chain for ties.
You can do a buttonhole stitch around the whole cap but it is not necessary.

This is how you would make the earflaps first and add them to the cap. I used knitting worsted yarn and size 7 or 8 needles, a 16" circular for the cap and straight needles for the earflaps.


----------



## bonster (Jan 28, 2011)

Thanks. I think this is how I envisioned doing it. I tend to knit loosely so for hats I cast on 80 on a size 7 or 8 needle. I do a 2x2 rib for the brim and then I decrease to 76 or 72 stitches for the rest of the hat (until I decrease for the crown). I've only knitted 7 hats so far and ripped out 2 of them. I had made a scarf for my friend for Christmas and I just made her a matching hat - one of my experiments. She is a smaller person so I decreased to 72. Thanks for your input. I know I am on the right track. I can see how I would cast on and then knit the earflaps into the row and then continue with the cast on.

I think I will try it this way rather than adding the flaps by picking up the stitches as the pattern calls for.


Carol J. said:


> When you knit the earflaps first, you incorporate them into the casting on stitches. Here is a pattern I have used when making the earflaps first. This is for a child.
> Cast on 5 sts, knit one row, purl one row
> Inc row: slip 1, increase by knitting in the front and back of the next stitch, knit to last 2 sts, inc., knit 1
> Next row: slip 1, purl to end. Keep adding sts till you have 20, work straight to 2 1/2", put on holder
> ...


----------



## Carol J. (Jan 27, 2011)

You're on the right track now, copy this pattern and use it for children or adults. For a man you could add 8 sts to the CO's, but 80 stitches is enough for child or woman, you might want to make it more than 5 1/2 for yourself. I use this all the time. Hope it works for you. Keep in touch.


----------



## bonster (Jan 28, 2011)

Thanks Carol. Until I found this forum I was trying to learn from books. I was afraid to try new things. This forum opened a whole new world for me. I also am figuring my way through the internet.


Carol J. said:


> You're on the right track now, copy this pattern and use it for children or adults. For a man you could add 8 sts to the CO's, but 80 stitches is enough for child or woman, you might want to make it more than 5 1/2 for yourself. I use this all the time. Hope it works for you. Keep in touch.


----------



## BellaNB (May 19, 2011)

bonster said:


> That's the great thing about knitting - the more you try and the more you ask, the more you learn! I suppose I could knit the flaps from bottom up and leave them on needles or stitch holders. Then I could incorporate them into my casting on. Seems like that would work as long as I can figure the correct placement ahead of time. I would have to carry the casting on yarn across the earflaps. Sounds like I have some experimenting to do!


This is what I do as I find that the finish is much neater.

Linda


----------



## joanh8060 (Apr 22, 2011)

I have made 2 hats with earflaps this winter. I put the hat on, marked the center on each ear with small safety pins. How many sts you pick up depends on your gauge. I was working in sport yarn with #4's or doubled sport yarn with #6' needles. Then I picked up 18 sts...9 each side of the safety pin. I knit these in stk st for 4 rows. I decreased at each edge 1 stitch in every other row down to 4 stitches. I knit these in I-cord for 8 " or so for a tie and cut the yarn. threaded it up on a needle and pulled the 5 stitches together and hid the end up inside the I-cord. For even more of a finished look, I did a double crochet in the contrast color. around the lowerrim a of the hat and around each ear flap as I came to it. Great for walking the dog on cold snowy Michigan mornings. Joan 8060


----------



## bonster (Jan 28, 2011)

So this is done on the completed hat? I want to try several different ways.


joanh8060 said:


> I have made 2 hats with earflaps this winter. I put the hat on, marked the center on each ear with small safety pins. How many sts you pick up depends on your gauge. I was working in sport yarn with #4's or doubled sport yarn with #6' needles. Then I picked up 18 sts...9 each side of the safety pin. I knit these in stk st for 4 rows. I decreased at each edge 1 stitch in every other row down to 4 stitches. I knit these in I-cord for 8 " or so for a tie and cut the yarn. threaded it up on a needle and pulled the 5 stitches together and hid the end up inside the I-cord. For even more of a finished look, I did a double crochet in the contrast color. around the lowerrim a of the hat and around each ear flap as I came to it. Great for walking the dog on cold snowy Michigan mornings. Joan 8060


----------



## sandy127 (Sep 8, 2011)

I made a hat with ear flaps and the pattern I used was from: http://www.jananas.com . It is a pattern for a basic ear flap hat and I found it very easy to do. I did the ear flaps first, then worked the rest of the hat. Good Luck!


----------



## bonster (Jan 28, 2011)

Looked at the link but did not see any pattern - just pictures of sheep and a cat


sandy127 said:


> I made a hat with ear flaps and the pattern I used was from: http://www.jananas.com . It is a pattern for a basic ear flap hat and I found it very easy to do. I did the ear flaps first, then worked the rest of the hat. Good Luck!


----------



## Torticollus (Dec 3, 2011)

We are just as smart as the next fellow! Sometimes our inventions work better than the original pattern. There can be no fear in knitting! Full steam ahead, gals.


----------



## dena (Nov 13, 2011)

Here ya go Bon
http://www.jananas.com/basic-ear-flap-hat-knitting-pattern/


----------



## ladytopaz10 (Oct 13, 2011)

The pattern I have you start with the ear flaps


----------



## Betsy Schroer (Apr 28, 2011)

When you are placing your markers for the earflaps be sure to move them about 4 stitches to the back on both sides (total of 8 stitches) so that you end up with less stitches between the earflaps on the back than between the earflaps on the front. To do this place a marker on each side at the middle then move each marker 4 stitches toward the back. Pick up the appropriate number of stitches on either side of the marker and you're ready to go! Hope this makes sense.


----------



## helent (Feb 9, 2011)

Betsy Schroer said:


> When you are placing your markers for the earflaps be sure to move them about 4 stitches to the back on both sides (total of 8 stitches) so that you end up with less stitches between the earflaps on the back than between the earflaps on the front. To do this place a marker on each side at the middle then move each marker 4 stitches toward the back. Pick up the appropriate number of stitches on either side of the marker and you're ready to go! Hope this makes sense.


wish i had seen all these replies before - just finished a hat on straight needles - the circular needles make me crazy - always seem to be stretching and pulling the stitches - i made the ear flaps separately and just sewed them on - now will make braids for the ties . . . . it also has 2 big froggie eyes which took me longer than the hat to get them right - 6 cotton balls in each eyeball - arrrggghhh!


----------



## MsJackie (Nov 22, 2011)

I just finished my first one like that. I picked up the stiches on the very edge of the hat just like they were the loops over the other needle. Does that make sence? I started typing, then I thought that I'm not sure how to explain it without showing you.


----------



## Cindy M (Sep 5, 2011)

Making ear flaps is easier to do on a top down hat. There's no pickup stitches and seams. Here's one of my favorites. It worked out nicely, but you may want to do the small size. It turned out a little larger than I wanted with the medium.

http://throughtheloops.typepad.com/Thorpe.pdf


----------



## knitcrochetlover (Feb 1, 2011)

Google how to pick up stitches. There are many good videos (not grainy) on this.


----------



## Ronie (Jan 21, 2011)

I know exactly what you mean.. the most I did was knit and purl... never decrease or increase even... now I'm knitting a sweater...LOL Love this forum...


bonster said:


> Thanks Carol. Until I found this forum I was trying to learn from books. I was afraid to try new things. This forum opened a whole new world for me. I also am figuring my way through the internet.
> 
> 
> Carol J. said:
> ...


----------



## bonster (Jan 28, 2011)

Thanks. I may try this one. Mine always turn out bigger, but I knit loosely so I go to a smaller needle.


Cindy M said:


> Making ear flaps is easier to do on a top down hat. There's no pickup stitches and seams. Here's one of my favorites. It worked out nicely, but you may want to do the small size. It turned out a little larger than I wanted with the medium.
> 
> http://throughtheloops.typepad.com/Thorpe.pdf


----------



## joand (Aug 28, 2011)

I just finished making two ear flap hats. I used this pattern: http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/ear-flap-hat. It starts with knitting the ear flaps on dp needles and cutting the yarn, then adding them into the cast-on for the hat.


----------



## moke (Oct 8, 2011)

So that i do not have to do any sewing on ear flap hats I start with the I cord...I make an I cord as long as i want it to hang down...then i begin increases to make the ear flap...lay it aside make another..then cast on the stitches for front and back between flaps..then continue with hat..makes an even smooth one piece hat with no seaming or sewing...


----------



## mzmom1 (Mar 4, 2011)

Remember that the earflaps will not be exactly the same distance from center front and center back, they will be quite a bit closer on the back than on the front. Measure with a tape measure from ear to ear first around your forehead, then around the back of your head, where the bottom of the hat would hit you. See the difference? That's what I mean. (On me the difference is four and a half inches!)



bonster said:


> I found a hat pattern that adds earflaps but I am at a loss as to how to add the. You make the hat and then add the earflaps, but it does not say how to do that. It is a stripped hat and the directions say: "Using color A fold hat in half to determine placement, pick up and knit 14 sts and work st st for 4 rows ending on WS". Then you do the decrease. My question is - how do I *start* the earflaps on the hat? The hat is done on circular and all knit stitches. Thanks!


----------



## Grandma M (Nov 18, 2011)

try knitting help.com which has excellent videos on just about anything


----------



## netcst (Sep 26, 2011)

Find the center of each side ear flap and add 7 st to each side of the middle mark. I just use a smaller needle and pick up the cast on edge then make sure you start knitting the right side row out.


----------



## jlschulke (Mar 19, 2011)

bonster said:


> Thanks. That's how I probably would have tried to do it. I have to make the hat first!
> 
> 
> nbaker said:
> ...


If you haven't started on the hat, why don't you knit it from the top? Then you can keep on knitting, instead of having to pick up.


----------



## Della (Jun 17, 2011)

When I put ear-flaps on my GGD hat, it had a fold up brim. I pulled end of yarn down thru where I wanted to start the flap, then with a crochet hook, pulled up the first stitch at the end of where you want the flap to end, secure the end of yarn so you can pick up a stitch thru an existing stitch for as many as needed, using the length of yarn on the under or back side of fabric, making sure to stay in a same row, then knitting back across the picked-up stitches. By starting this way, yarn is on the side of the fabric where you want it, outside. The brim could then be turned down for added warmth or up as desired. This proceedure also works if you want to add patch pockets to a garment, the bottom can be knitted into the fabric for strength.....Della


----------



## Diane D (Apr 7, 2012)

What if you start from the top of the hat working down and you knit the ear flaps seperately - how do you then join them?


----------



## joand (Aug 28, 2011)

Instead of knitting them separately, I figure out where I want them and bind off to those spots. Then continue to knit the earflaps, decreasing to shape them. Very easy and no extras seams to deal with.


----------



## susieM (Dec 11, 2017)

Joan, would love to see the hat. I am making one for a toddler now and sounds like what you did. Susie


----------

