Borderlands Video Game Vault Symbol Appliqued Hat Crochet Pattern

Borderlands Video Game Vault Symbol Appliqued Hat Crochet Pattern

free video game inspired geek beanie hat crochet pattern from cRAfterChick.com

If you haven’t guessed by now… I’m a geek. A proud video game addicted, fantasy / sci fi watching, loving math and socially awkward at times geek. So I recently got hooked back on playing Borderlands 2 video game thanks to some added on content to the story in update. So I just had to make myself a vault symbol applique… because I’m a geek like that. lol

So here is the pattern instructions to make this crocheted version of the Borderlands vault symbol I whipped up. It’s a small and beginner friendly pattern. So give it a try whether you are a gaming geek or for the gaming geek in your life.

Never heard of Borderlands? Boy you are missing out!
Buy Borderlands 2 video game here.
Buy Borderlands video game here.
Learn more about Borderlands on the wiki here.

Here are some pictures from the game to show the symbol looks in it.

Borderlands Video Game Vault Symbol Appliqued Hat Crochet Pattern Notes

Project requires:
Black or main color yarn for beanie main
(I use a lot of Red Heart Saver yarn but any medium to normal weight yarn will do)
Gold /yellow or desired color yarn for contrast color 1 for trim and applique logo
Red or desired color yarn for contrast color 2 for trim and applique logo
“J” hook (6.0 mm)
Scissors or Yarn Cutter
Blunt large eye yarn / tapestry needle to weave in ends

Abbreviations used in this pattern (US crochet stitches):
ch – chain
st – stitch
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet (US)
dc – double crochet  (US)
hdc – half double crochet (US) (for infant sizes only)

Pattern Instructions:
*Note: This project is worked in the round on the base of a magic ring. If you do not know how to do this, please see tutorial here from: yarntomato on CrochetMe

The hat in this picture is made with my free Easy Peasy  Pre–Teen  / Teen / Women Double Crochet Beanie Pattern, which you can find  here as a foundation for the project. Want it in another size? No worries. Head over to Easy Peasy All Family Sizes Free Double Crochet Beanie Patterns to select the size of the free pattern you want for your project.

Hat Base: in main color black or desired main color yarn
Use Easy Peasy Crochet Beanie Size of your choice

Once you have completed your beanie for the base you are ready to start transforming your beanie into a super awesome (okay maybe only I think that..) Borderlands inspired hat!

Hat Trim: using gold/ yellow color (contrast color 1) and red contrast color (contrast color 2) yarn
Attach red yarn (or desired contrast color 2 yarn) to last round worked in beanie where you left off with a sl st in to the st.  Ch 1 before placing 1 sc in 1st st and each of the following st around. Sl st in the top of the 1st st in round. Fasten off.
Now attach the gold/yellow yarn (or preferred contrast color 1 yarn) to last st worked in previous round with a sl st. Ch 1 before placing 1 sc in 1st st and each of the following st around. Sl st in the top of the 1st st in round. Fasten off.
That’s it! Now on to the applique logo.

Vault Symbol Applique Crochet Instructions:

Applique background: using gold / yellow or contrast color 1 yarn for logo background
Round 1: Using contrast color 1 yarn in a magic circle, ch 2 before placing 10 dc in to the circle. Pull circle tightly closed and sl st in the top of the 1st st in round. (10 dc)
Round 2: Ch 2 before placing 2 dc in 1st st and 2 dc in each of the remaining 9 st around. Sl st in the top of the 1st st in round.  (20 dc)
Round 3: Ch 1 before placing *2 sc in 1st st and 1 sc in following st*  repeating * pattern for remaining 18 st around.  Sl st in the top of the 1st st in round. (30 sc)
Before cutting yarn, leave a length long enough to sew this applique in place on to your hat when completed. Once you cut the yarn, pull yarn tail through last loop on hook and place to the side until needed.

The above applique instructions will work on toddler, youth, teen, women’s and men’s sized hats.  For infant sized, do the following steps  instead of those above:
Round 1: Using contrast color 1 yarn in a magic circle, ch 2 before placing 8 hdc in to the circle. Pull circle tightly closed and sl st in the top of the 1st st in round. (8 hdc) 
Round 2:  Ch 2 before placing 2 hdc in 1st st and 2 hdc in each of the remaining 7 st around. Sl st in the top of the 1st st in round.  (16 hdc)
Round 3:   Ch 1 before placing *2 sc in 1st st and 1 sc in following st*  repeating * pattern for remaining 14 st around.  Sl st in the top of the 1st st in round. (24 sc)
Before cutting yarn, leave a length long enough to sew this applique in place on to your beanie hat when completed. Once you cut the yarn, pull yarn tail through last loop on hook and place to the side until needed.

Symbol circle part: using red or contrast color 2 yarn
Make a chain of 26. Sl st in to the last ch from hook to create a circle.
Before cutting yarn, leave a length long enough to sew this portion of the vault symbol in place on the applique during assembly. Once you cut yarn, pull yarn tail through last loop on hook and place to the side until needed.

The above applique instructions will work on toddler, youth, teen, women’s and men’s sized hats.  For infant sized, do the following steps  instead of those above:
Make a chain of 16. Sl st in to the last ch from hook to create a circle.
Before cutting yarn, leave a length long enough to sew this portion of the vault symbol in place on the applique during assembly. Once you cut yarn, pull yarn tail through last loop on hook and place to the side until needed.

Symbol ^ part: using red or contrast color 2 yarn
Make a chain of 12.
Before cutting yarn, leave a length long enough to sew this portion of the vault symbol in place on the applique during assembly. Once you cut yarn, pull yarn tail through last loop on hook and place to the side until needed.

The above applique instructions will work on toddler, youth, teen, women’s and men’s sized hats.  For infant sized, do the following steps  instead of those above:
Make a chain of 8.
Before cutting yarn, leave a length long enough to sew this portion of the vault symbol in place on the applique during assembly. Once you cut yarn, pull yarn tail through last loop on hook and place to the side until needed.

Applique Assembly Instructions:
The following steps require these following pieces before proceeding:
1- completed beanie hat for base
1- circle applique background
1- circle applique chain length
1-  symbol ^ applique chain length

Taking the yarn tail left on the circle part of the symbol chain, use your yarn needle to sew the circle in place on your applique background. I sewed mine right on the border of where rounds 2 and 3 meet on the background. It makes a great guide and you don’t have to worry about it being lopsided. Once it is secured in place, pull the yarn to the backside of the applique and fasten off.
Next use your yarn needle and the tail left of the symbol chain for the ^ in place on the applique background. It will be a basic upside down v shape, like this ^. You can see my pictures on how I placed mine. You want each end of the chain to touchdown on bottom of the circle. I pinned mine in place but it isn’t necessary. You should be able to eyeball how you want it placed. I just get antsy about things not being perfectly even. 😉 Once it is secured in place, pull the yarn to the backside of the applique and fasten off.
Now you have a completed vault symbol applique! There should only be on yarn tail left and that’s the extra long yarn tail in main color from the applique background. You will use this to fix the applique on to your beanie hat.

Finishing off:
All you will need to do is again use your yarn needle and the yarn tail left on the applique to secure it in place on your desired project location. I normally just attached with a basic in and out stitch near perimeter of applique so ends don’t curl up and a few stitches near the center to keep it from bubbling up. Once you have sewn your applique in place, pull the yarn to the inside of your beanie hat and fasten off.
All done!

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