TOTORO HAT size: adult small

Thank you to CafPow and cyancomet, my 2 fabulous test knitters. Their input has made publication of
this pattern possible!
Hat is worked back and forth for the intarsia section, then joined in the round for the crown section
(Some knitters may prefer working intarsia in the round, but this pattern will not include instructions for
that method). The back seam is then sewn. Hat flaps and Totoros ears are picked up and worked after
main hat is complete. Size is adult small. To change the size, you may use a different weight yarn and/or
different size needles. I personally recommend a wool yarn for this hat, mainly because it is easier to
work the decreases in a stretchy yarn. However, I made the prototype out of Caron Simply Soft , for
ease of care and of finding colors. Soot sprites are from a free Ravelry pattern.
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft or any light worsted in grey, white, and black (also a bit of black eyelash yarn
for the soot sprites).
Gauge: On US #6 , in stockinette st., 4 = 18 st and about 28 rows (row count less crucial than stitch
count).
Needle: U.S. # 5 and 6 circular/straight, and U.S. #6 dpns, or any size that achieves gauge.
Crochet hook: any size you need in order to pick up stitches, and about a size g if you choose the
crocheted version of the soot sprites.
Stitch Markers: one st. marker in color a and 3 st. markers in color b (your choice of colors).
Notions: optional: extra-extra-extra-stiff interfacing: just enough to line 2 totoro ears. *** If you decide
to make the soot sprites, check the chosen Ravelry pattern and see what else you need to buy, such as a
small piece of white felt or buttons/beads for the tiny eyes, and maybe some black embroidery/sewing
thread for the pupils.
Stitch guide:
M1L: (This increase is worked immediately after a marker) Insert left needle from front to back under
strand that is between the 2 needles. Knit, twisting strand by working into loop behind left needle.
M1R: (this increase is worked immediately before a marker)Insert Left needle back to front under
strand between needles. Knit, twisiting strand by working into loop in front of left needle.

Directions:
Main part of hat:
w/smaller needles and grey yarn, cast on 89 sts, leaving a 10 tail. Work back and forth in 1x1 rib for 6
rows. Last row worked should be a wrong side row.
1



Change to larger needles. Work St st as follows: Row 1: knit across . Row 2: work St st. Next row is
row 1 of intarsia face (chart 1), and should be a right side row: Knit one, k2tog 9to reduce stitch count
to 88), k29, begin chart: 10 sts grey, 7 sts white, 10 sts grey, Work 31 more grey sts to complete row.
Working back and forth on all 88 sts, work all 20 rows of chart.
Next row: divide sts evenly on 4 dpn.s ( 22 sts per dpn). Next row: place one color a marker and join
in round, working rs rows only. Continue on all 88 sts till work is 5 from cast-on edge.

Begin crown shaping:
Round 1: drop color amarker, k9, re- place color a marker , k2tog, k18,ssk) one time, ( place color
b marker, k2tog, k18, ssk) 3 times, [Note: color a marker now delineates the new start of round
location, 9 sts over from the old location].
Round 2: knit
Round 3: sm, (k2tog, k to 2 sts before marker, ssk)4x
Round 4: knit.
Repeat rounds 3 and 4 till total of 8 sts remain.
Cut yarn, leaving an 8 tail. Thread the tail through the live stitches, pulling tight to gather. Weave in.
Outline nose, mouth and teeth with black yarn, as per photos. Divide the yarn into less plies to avoid
chunky lines, or use a thinner black yarn/embroidery floss .
Using the tail yarn from the cast-on, sew up the seam at center back of the hat and weave in.
Ear flaps and straps: You are now ready to determine the ear flap placement. Try on hat, centering
Totoros face with the center of your face. Mark both sides of hat at centers of your ears. The flaps will
be centered over these marker. Each flap is 18 sts wide, so you will need to pick up 9 sts on either side
of marker.
Work flap in seed stitch. Decrease at each edge on right side rows only, till 4 sts remain (flap should be
about 14 rows long). Using 2 dpns, work these 4 sts in i-cord for 7, bind off, cut yarn, leaving a 14
tail.
Repeat for second earflap.
Soot sprites: There are 2 free Ravelry downloads, one in crochet, one in knitting. I found the
crocheted version of the soot sprite easier than the knitted one, simply because it was hard to see the
knitted incs and decs in the fuzzy dark yarn. I stuffed my sprites with black yarn scraps. Make 2 sprites.
Using yarn tail, securely attach soot sprite to end of i-cord. Then weave tail up through inside of i-cord
as invisibly as possible, making sure to leave some ease for stretchiness (backstitching helps). Continue
to weave in up through inside of hat, and secure. Cut yarn. Repeat for second sprite.
2



Totoros ears: I am including 2 versions. My original version, knitted flat in 2 pieces, and a version from
user CafPow (one of my amazing test knitters), with a wider base, knitted in the round using the magic
loop method. This method avoids bulk of seams, giving less flop. Although a narrower base better
represents the shape, it may have stability issues. Therefore, I would probably use CafPows version
next time. Check pics and choose your method!
Original version: With a crochet hook and using smaller needles , pick up 5 sts in side crown section
(see photos), leaving a 10 tail. If you look at each crown section as a triangle, cast on the 5 sts. right in
the center of the triangle, along 5 rows of hat. Chart #2 shows pick-up coordinates. Follow ear chart
(chart #3), bind off and leave 10 of tail. Make an identical ear piece right behind the first one, using the
same 5 hat rows/sts to pick up, but working from the other side of the hat (if you had the hat front
facing you, you should now have the hat back facing you. This ensures that the two ears will have their
wrong sides touching (they will be sewn up so that only the right sides show).
Cut a piece of interfacing, just smaller than the ear. Sew the 2 ear pieces to one another, inserting the
interfacing before you close up the ear seam. Weave ends in.
CafPows version: in this version, front and back of the ear are worked together using the magic loop
method, and there are only two increases. Using the smaller needle gives more firmness to the fabric.
Using a crochet hook and smaller needles, pick up 7 sts, transfer to needle, repeat for the other side
of that same ear (the 2 sides are parallel to each other) to make a 14-stitch magic loop tube. ( Both
sets of 7 sts will be coming out of the same line, which is the vertical line marked with xs , see Chart
#2B: ear placement). Work ear per chart 3B for a total of 26 rows from the start of the ear. Note:
when row 26 is done, you have 2 sts remaining on needle. Work them together like a k2tog, so that
the 2 sides of the ear are connected at the top. Cut yarn, finish off. If desired, a couple of rows before
closing up the ear tip, line ear with interfacing that has been cut a bit smaller than the ear shape.
Cafpows ears (see pics) do not have interfacing , and stand up quite well. Repeat for other ear .

Eyes: Note that the outer edges of Totoros eyes are almost directly above the corners of his mouth,
search onlinde images if in doubt.
crochet version: Using black yarn, make a yarn loop, sc 11, join, bind off, cut yarn. Pull center yarn to
tighten center loop. Using white yarn, make a yarn loop, sc 11, join, ch2, work 2 dc in each sc, join, bind
off, cut yarn. Pull center yarn to tighten center loop. Sew black circle onto white circle. Sew eye in
desired location. Repeat for other eye.
felt version: Use white felt and either a black button, or black felt. Use glue or needle and thread to
create the eyes.
Ideas: Embroider whiskers if you wish. Add a green leaf on top of totoros head. Put a small white
intarsia or embroidered chibi somewhere on the hat. I have included chibi chart (Chart #4) just for fun.
***please notify me of any issues or questions that may arise. HAVE FUN!!!
3
CHART 1
20
BLACK 19
18
17
16
15
14
GREY 13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
WHITE 5
4
3
2
1
27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
* odd-numbered rows are right side rows
4
CHART 2. EAR PLACEMENT
20
19
18
shaded area 17
indicates no 16
stitch 15
14
13
12
11
x x 10
x x 9
x x 8
x x 7
x x 6
5
4
3
2
side crown sector 1
dark vertical line between x's indicates where to
pick up ear stitches (x's are only there for
highlighting the line).
5
CHART 2B. TOTORO EAR PLACEMENT
20
19
18
shaded area 17
indicates no 16
stitch 15
14
13
12
x x 11
x x 10
x x 9
x x 8
x x 7
x x 6
x x 5
4
3
2
side crown sector 1
dark vertical line between x's indicates where to
pick up ear stitches (x's are only there for
highlighting the line).
6
$
32 CHART 3
31 TOTORO EAR.
30
29
28
27 ON RT SIDE ROW, SSK
26 ON WRONG SIDE R, SSP
25 the result s/b a left-
24 slanting dec on the rt side
23 ON RT SIDE ROW, K2TOG
22 ON WRONG SIDE R, P2TOG
21 the result s/b a right-slanting
20 dec on the left side
19
18 M make 1 left (right next to the
17 dark line, 2 sts in from edge)
16
15 m make one right (right next to
14 the dark line, 2 sts in from edge)
13
12 $ K3tog or any other double dec
11
10
0
9
7
M m 6
M m 5
M m 4
3
2
1
11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
7
symbol key:
$ 26 ssk
25
24 k2tog
23
22 m make one right
21 (see note below)
20 M make one left
19 (see note below)
18 $ k3tog or any double
17 dec. of your choice.
16
15
14
13
12 rep. r. 12 as many times as you wish
11 to achieve your desired ear length.
10
0
9
7
6 * note re M, m:
M m 5 the "make one" inc's are to be worked
M m 4 next to the dark lines (in other words
3 2 sts. In from the edges)
2
1
11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
CHART 3B
8
CHART 4 . CHIBIS-JUST FOR FUN!