Knit a Santa Motorcycle Helmet Cover

I found this pattern on a craft forum at Craftster and thought it was hilarious. For those of you who knit, or who ride motorcycles...or know someone who does....a Santa motorcycle helmet cover. Who wouldn't love to see a Santa on a motorcycle wearing such a cheerful hat? I know that I certainly would get a kick out of it!

Supplies needed:
Yarn for hat: Red and white 8 ply acrylic yarn (worsted weight)
Yarn for beard: White chunky or 'thick and thin' yarn
Needles: 6mm straight

Instructions:
1. White Brim - A white long rectangle (looks like a little scarf)
CO 20st with 2 white yarns held together. You might need more or less stitches depending on how tall you want the brim. Knit with 2 yarns in garter stitch until the desired length, stretching it around the helmet where the white brim is meant to sit and knit till it fits very, very tightly around the circumference. Cast off.

2. Red Hat
Using 2 red yarns held together, pick up stitches along the length of your white long rectangle. I picked up one stitch per row. Knit in stocking stitch till the work measures about 15cm. K2G at the start and end of row. Repeat decrease every 4th row until you're left with 10 st. Leave a very long tail and cut yarn. Using a tapestry needle, thread the long tail through every other st on needle and back through remaining stitches. Pull yarn tightly.

3. Finishing hat
Using the long tail, sew the edges together. I used a mattress stitch seam. Make a large white pom pom and attach to the pointy tip of hat. Hat done!

4. Beard - Long white rectangle in loop stitch
CO about 80st with chunky white yarn. Using the loop stitch, knit till desired length. Good instructions for loop stitch here:
Knit till desired height for your helmet - measure just below the visor till the bottom edge of helmet. Cast off.

5. Finishing beard
Put the hat onto the helmet and wrap the beard around the front. Sew one end with white yarn onto the Santa hat. Stretch the beard tightly over and sew on the other end. Beard done!

6. Safety features - Non-slip rubber backing
Using non-slip rubber backing that you use under rugs, cut a 5cm strip according to the circumference of your helmet. Seam up end with regular thread or use sewing machine. Now you've got a non-slip "belt". Sew using regular sewing thread to the underside of the white brim on 8 equally spaced out points. Make sure you stretch the hat as you figure out where you need to sew the strip to. Cut a 15 x 7cm rectangle from the non-slip rubber backing and sew on to the underside of the beard. Sew it on in the middle top part of the beard, just under the bottom edge of visor. Put the Santa hat on to helmet. Fold the pointy red tip to the back of the helmet till it touches the hat and sew in place. (This prevents the tip from flying around while you're riding.)

The designer of the hat pattern would love photos of any finished projects. Email her at: salihan@gmail.com.

For other free hat patterns, check out these links:
Free Knitting Pattern Hats Link Directory
Rolled Brim Knitted Hat Patterns
Free Knit Alpine Hat, Helmet Hat, Andean Earflap Hat, Army Girl Hat, Knit Earband, Knit Headband, Free Hat Pdf Links
Hindu Aum (Om) Flat Knitted Hat Pattern
SpongeBob Squarepants Hat Pattern