How do you make one VERY happy 5 year old?

It’s easy.

Just add hat.

Recognize R2D2? I have to say I think this is the coolest hat EVER.  I’m still missing a few details–the black dot in the large blue patch and a few white lights.  I wasn’t going to add the second projecting bit since I don’t like how it looks on the hat, but the boy is a stickler for details and noticed its absence immediately.   Here’s a shot of the left side, and then a closeup:

Pattern: R2D2 Hat

Yarn: Loops and Threads Impeccable Worsted

(Note to non-knitters who read this blog: Feel free to skip the next paragraph of knitting minutiae.) The hat is created as a basic striped hat and then the details are done in duplicate stitch.  I didn’t find this nearly as tedious as other knitters seemed to, though I used a bit of intarsia for the blue rectangle area and it really does look much better that way.  I also used cheapo acrylic yarn because I wanted something that can be easily washed and dried.  I could not get the red spot to look good in duplicate stitch, so I knitted a circle out of red Cascade 220 and then felted it before stitching it on, which is what I plan to do with the large black spot as well.  Also, the sizing of the hat as the pattern is written didn’t work–the first hat I made was HUGE, and thus gifted to a friend with a big-headed child.  I also added a few extra rows of gray for a deeper hat to cover the ears.

Of course, now the boy is asking for a matching C-3PO hat.