Skunk Hat - Free crochet pattern

This is one of my favorite animal hats. It is easy to make, yet very eye-catching. For the basic hat you can use any pattern. I am using Repeat Crafter Me guidelines.

For this particular hat I decided to use Sock Monkey Pattern.  Always adapt the pattern to the yarn you're using. Since for that hat I used more bulky yarn (245 m/ 128 g, #4) I didn't decrease in row 6 & 8.

After crocheting ear flaps, the back of the hat had 16 stitches. 

I made tail staring on 6th stitch from ear flap:

Attach yarn, ch 2 , 7 dc, ch 2 turn. Repeat 4 more times, however you can make tail as long as you wish.

Finish base of the hat by sc around.

Now when the base is ready it's time to work on your ears and white furry stripe.

Ears (make two of each):
Outside of Ears:Chain 6, HDC in 2nd Chain from hook, HDC across, chain 1, turn (5 HDC)
Row 2-5: HDC across (5 HDC), chain 1, turn 
Row 6: HDC decrease, HDC, HDC decrease, continue to SC around and when you get to the top, make two HDC decrease right before Sl St to join, fasten off
Make 2 SC in each bottom corners.

Inside of Ear:
Chain 4, HDC in 2nd Ch from hook, HDC across (3 HDC), chain 1, turn
Row 2-4: HDC across (3 HDC), chain 1, turn
at the end of Row 4, continue to SC around and when you get to the top, make two HDC decrease right before Sl St to join, fasten off

Leave longer yarn at each of the black-pink ear pairs and sew them together.

For the white stripe use any white furry yarn. For me FUN FUR worked just fine. One ball is more that enough to make a stripe even for adult hat.

Make a base of your stripe: ch 14 and then sc back and forth until you will obtain required length of the stripe.

Kids and adults love this hat. Soon I will make another version with red stripe for a turn to match my friends skiing outfit.

Enjoy!