Little Hippo

Once again being inspired by kristieMN's free crochet patterns on Crochetville, I couldn't resist making a knitted version of her Happy Hippo. She was super quick to make and required a very small amount of yarn. I knit her on 3.25mm needles which made a finished toy measuring 3.5" long and 2" tall, but you can knit her on larger/smaller needles to adjust the size of the finished toy.

Even though this is knit on straight needles it can be easily asapted to dpn's to save on the seaming.

ok here is the pattern:

Materials

· Set of 3.25mm needles (UK size 10, US size 3)

· Yarn needle

· Toy stuffing

· 5mm black toy safety eyes (optional as eyes can be embroidered on with black thread/yarn)

· Scraps of black yarn

Yarn weight

Double knitting/ worsted weight

Gauge

Not important but make it tight so stuffing doesn’t show through

Head
Co4
1. Kfb every st (8sts)
2. Purl
3. K1, *kfb* 6 times, k1 (14sts)
4. Purl
5. *k1, kfb* 6 times, k2 (20sts)
6. Purl
7. St-st 6 rows
8. *k2tog,k4* 3 times , k2tog (16 st)
9. Purl
10. K1, k2tog, k10, k2tog, k1 (14sts)
11. Purl
12. Knit
13. Purl
14. *k2tog, k2* 3 times, k2tog (10sts)
15. Purl
16. *k2tog* along (5sts)

Cut yarn leaving a long tail,draw tail through remaining stitches. At this point to may want to add the safety eyes (or embroider some eyes on with thread or yarn for babies or very small children) and use scraps black yarn to embroider on some nostrils. Use the long yarn tail to mattress stitch the row ends together, stopping halfway to stuff and then along to the cast on stitches. Pull the yran tail through the cast on stitches to give a drawsting effect, tie off and weave in any loose ends.

Ears (make 2)
Co4
1. knit

2. knit

3. knit

4. k2tog twice (2sts)

Cut yarn leaving a long tail,draw tail through remaining stitches. Use the remaining yarn tail to attach the ears to the head.

BodyCO 6 sts
1. purl
2. kfb every sts (12sts)
3. purl
4. *k1, kfb* along (18sts)
5. purl
6. *k2,kfb* along (24sts)
7. purl
8. Knit
9. purl
10. Knit
11. Purl
12. *K2tog, k2* along (18sts)
13. Purl
14. *K2tog, k1* along (12sts)
15. Purl
16. *k2tog* along (6sts)
17. Purl
18. BO (leaving a long yarn tail)

Use the long yarn tail to mattress stitch the row ends together, stopping halfway to stuff and then along to the cast on stitches. Pull the yarn tail through the cast on stitches to give a drawstring effect, tie off and weave in any loose ends.

Legs (make 4)

CO 3st

1. Knit

2. kfb every st (6sts)

3. knit

4. kfb every st (12sts)

5. knit

6. knit

7. knit

8. *k2tog * along row(6sts)

9. Knit

10. *k2tog * along row(3sts)

11. Knit

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Draw tail through remaining stitches and pull tightly and secure.Use tail to mattress stitch row ends closed (please note i didnt fill the legs with stuffing but you can if you wanted to, just remember to stop halfway to stuff). Continue until you reach the cast on stitches, leave a long yarn tail to sew the legs to the body.

Finishing

Attach the head to the BO stiches of the body (I attached the head roughly halfway down)

Attaches the legs to the body and the ears to the head.

To make a tail,cut a small piece if yarn and tie a knot at the end. Using the opposite end from the knot, attach the thread to the hippo's bottom.

All Done! Now you have your very own little hippo.

Feel free to share pictures of your finished toy on the knitted toy box flickr group.

♥ Raynor