Panda earflap hat

My boyfriend was complaining that he wanted a hat but he couldn't find one he liked. So I decided to crochet one for him! I showed him some hats on ravelry and what did he pick? A Fox Earflap Hat, but it's for small children! He definitely wanted a hat with some kind of ears attached to it, and it had to have earflaps and pompons. I went looking for yarn in the right colour, but fox-coloured yarn is hard to find so I started off with black and white. It was going to be a panda! I could always make a fox later on.

Then I had to find a pattern I liked, and I chose the 'Quick Easy Winter Beanie'. It was a bit too small for a 19 year old boy, so I added another row of increases. I added earflaps, made two cute little ears and sewed them on and finished it with white edges. Then I made the two braids and attached the black and white pompons.
And look how cute!

For a first hat, I think it's really cute and my boyfriend likes it as well. Next up: a fox hat and after that, an elephant hat (all his idea).
Today I got a compliment from an old lady on the bus, she asked me whether there was an iron wire in the ears, because they stood up straight so nicely. She thought the hat was really cute. Yay for me! (By the way, there is no iron wire in the ears, they are just crochetted nice and tightly)