I love yarn and rainbows and cats and geekery. I had the idea to make a hat to resemble Nyan Cat and then I got super excited about the idea and well... yarn stuff happened.

I had never crocheted a hat before but after a good deal of pattern research and some stitch math, I managed to bring my idea to life.

The instructions here will create a hat that is considered a Teen/Small Adult size, according to the crochet hat charts I found in my googling (hat circumference of about 20"). I apparently have a small head. Yours may vary based on your yarn or tension, but if you test the size occasionally, you can adjust as needed.

Step 1: Supplies

Crochet Hook: Size I / 5.25mm
Yarn Weight: (4) Medium/Worsted
Yarn needle, for weaving in ends
Measuring tape, for checking size
Stitch markers (helpful, but not required)
Scissors or snips

Most yarns I used are Studio Classic by Nicole:

Red
Bright Orange
Yellow
Soft Green
Soft Teal
Deep Amethyst
Soft Rose
Heather Gray
Light Brown

Bright Pink sprinkles made with Vanna's Choice by Lion Brand: Rose Shocking

I debated using black as a border but changed my mind later, so it's still shown in the photo.

Step 2: Main Shape (Earflap Hat)

With gray yarn, loop onto the hook as if starting a magic circle.

Round 1: Ch 2, make 8 hdc in the 2nd chain from hook, join in first hdc (8)
Round 2: Ch 1, make 2 hdc in each stitch around, join (16)
Round 3: Ch 1, hdc in first stitch, make 2 hdc in next stitch repeat around, join (24)
Round 4: Ch 1, hdc in first 2 stitches, make 2 hdc in next stitch repeat around, join (32)
Round 5: Ch 1, hdc in first 3 stitches, make 2 hdc in next stitch repeat around, join (40)
Round 6: Ch 1, hdc in first 4 stitches, make 2 hdc in next stitch repeat around, join (48)
Round 7: Ch 1, hdc in first 5 stitches, make 2 hdc in next stitch repeat around, join (56)
Round 8: Ch 1, hdc in first 6 stitches, make 2 hdc in next stitch repeat around, join (64)
Round 9: Ch 1, hdc in first 15 stitches, make 2 hdc in next stitch repeat around, join (68)
Round 10: Ch 1, skip first stitch, hdc in each stitch until 1 stitch remains, make 2 hdc in last stitch, join in first hdc (68)
Round 11: Ch 1, hdc in each stitch around, join (68)
Round 12: repeat round 10
Round 13: repeat round 11
Round 14: switch to light brown yarn, repeat round 10
Round 15: with light brown, repeat round 11
Round 16: switch to light pink frosting color, repeat round 10
Round 17: with light pink, repeat round 11
Round 18: with light pink, repeat round 10
Round 19: with light pink, repeat round 11
Round 20: with light pink, repeat round 10
Round 21: with light pink, repeat round 11
Fasten off.

At this point, the hat should measure approximately 7.5″ in height.

Earflaps:

Earflap #1: Join in the 10th st from the starting seam. (The ch 1 does not count as a stitch; do not work into it.)
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in next 11 stitches, turn (12)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first st and each st across, turn (12)
Row 3: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (11)
Row 4: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (10)
Row 5: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (9)
Row 6: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (8)
Row 7: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (7)
Row 8: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (6)
Row 9: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (5)
Row 10: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (4)
Row 11: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next 3 stitches, fasten off (3)

Earflap #2: Leave 25 sts unworked across the front of the hat and join in the 26th stitch. Repeat the instructions for Earflap #1.

Earflaps are each about 2.25-2.5" long.

Return to the back seam of round 21.
Crochet along the hat's edge, making 1 sc in each st, including the ends of each earflap row. When you get to the tip (the row with 3 st) of an earflap: **sc in the first st of the row, in next st make [sc, ch 3, sc], sc in the next st and continue working around the hat**. Repeat between ** when you reach the second earflap. When you get to the back seam, sl st to join. Fasten off and weave in all ends.

Step 3: Rainbow Braids

Cut twelve 24" strands of yarn - 2 each of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
Loop 6 strands of yarn (one of each color), around your hook or your finger. Pull the looped end of the strands through the ch-3 space on the earflap. Braid the strands together and knot the end to secure the braid. Trim the ends so they are even.
Repeat for the second earflap with the remaining 6 strands.

Step 4: Adding Cat Ears

The ears are made up of 2 triangles each - one in the light pink (frosting) color and one slightly larger in gray. The size difference causes the ear to curve when they are layered and joined by their edges, giving the ears more feline character.

Pink Inner Ear, Make 2:

Row 1: Ch 8, sc into 2nd ch from hook, sc across (7)
Row 2: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (6)
Row 3: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (5)
Row 4: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (4)
Row 5: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (3)
Row 6: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (2)
Row 7: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st (1)
Fasten off with sl st and weave in ends.

Gray Outer Ear, Make 2:

Row 1: Ch 10, sc into 2nd ch from hook, sc across (9)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (9)
Row 3: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (8)
Row 4: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (7)
Row 5: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (6)
Row 6: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (5)
Row 7: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (4)
Row 8: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (3)
Row 9: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st and in each st across, turn (2)
Row 10: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in the next st (1)

Layer one pink triangle in front of one gray triangle.
With gray yarn still connected to gray triangle, join the triangles by sc through the pink edge and the gray edge in each stitch. Continue to connect the triangles with sc around all three sides.
Fasten off with sl st and leave a long tail for attaching to hat.

Repeat to make the second ear.

Attach the Ears:

Lay the hat flat, with the front side up.
Use stitch markers to securely mark where each ear will attach to the hat.
Mine go from about row 6 to 11 at the edge of the flattened hat.
With a yarn needle, sew the ears to the hat using the long gray yarn tails you left on each ear earlier.
Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Step 5: Sprinkles

I honestly almost forgot to add the sprinkles. So this part is totally optional and I think it still looks very good without them. I'm also sure there are better ways to do this part and not have so much connecting yarn on the inside of the hat, but it's on the inside so I don't mind it much.

Cut a strand of the bright pink color about 48" long and thread your yarn needle. Tie a knot to join the ends of the yarn. Hand-sew the sprinkles by going around the same bundle of stitches about 3 or 4 times, depending on how puffy you want them.

I tried to make the sprinkles look more random and less even or patterned. I like symmetry and it was a bit difficult to fight my natural urges to make the sprinkles completely evenly spaced.