Baby Bird Earflap Hat

I love this hat that I designed for Matthew and Janine's baby girl.

Materials:
aran or worsted weight yarn in main color (I used Red Heart With Love in Bubble Gum), black and yellow (very small amounts, from stash)
I hook
yarn needle

Hat Pattern:
First, go make a basic beanie in the size you want. Add earflaps using the pattern below (for a size M, use information from the beanie pattern to alter for your size).

First Ear Flap:
 Row 1: ch 2, dc in next 7 stiches, turn (8 stitches)
 Row 2: ch 2, dc2tog, dc in next 4 stiches, dc2tog (this will include the beginning chain), turn (6 stitches)
 Row 3: ch 2, dc2tog, dc in next 2 stitches, dc2tog (this will include the beginning chain), turn (4 stitches)
 Row 4: ch 2, dc2tog, dc2tog (this will include the beginning chain) (2 stitches), fasten off.

Making Second Ear Flap:
With right side facing, count 22 stitches from the edge of the first ear flap. Join yarn and repeat directions for First Ear Flap, but do not fasten off, sc around the bottom of the hat to finish. Fasten off, weave in ends.

Braids:
To make braids for the ear flaps, cut 6 30" pieces of each yarn color. For each ear flap, you need 12 pieces of yarn. Gather the 12 yarn pieces and fold them in half. Insert the center loop into the ear flap from the front. Pull the ends of the pieces through the loop and tighten. Separate the strands into 3 groups of 8 and braid them. Finish with a knot at the end.

Eyes: (make 2)
With black, in magic circle, 8sc, join with a slip stitch, fasten off, but leave a long tail to sew on

Beak:
With yellow, ch 5
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc across (4)
Row 2: ch 1, 2 sc tog, 2 sc tog (2)
Row 3: ch 1, 2 sc tog (1)
Row 4: sc around, 3 sc in each corner to prevent curling, fasten off, leave a long tail to sew on

Finishing
Sew eyes and beak onto the front of the hat, add a tuft of yarn to the top (pull yarn pieces through one of the stitches at the top and knot, trim so they are all the same length)