Small Hippo
CROCHET PATTERN BY KRISTI TULLUS
Size
6.5 cm tall, 10 cm (4”) from nose to tail, when crocheted
with DK weight cotton yarn and a 2,75 mm hook.
Skills Required
Crocheting in spiral, chain, slip and single crochet stitch,
increasing and decreasing.
Difficulty
2. Beginner – works up using basic stitches, includes
small details.
Materials & Tools
• Yarn. I used DROPS ‘Cotton Light’, a DK weight cotton-polyester blend, 105 m (115 yd) / 50 g (1.76 oz).
You will need about 15g or 32 m of yarn.
• 2,75 – 3,00mm crochet hook (US size 2/C – 3/D).
• Polyester fiberfill, wool, wadding etc. for stuffing.
• 6 mm (1/4″) safety eyes or buttons, beads, felt etc.
• Pink cotton embroidery floss.
• Yarn needle, scissors, stitch marker.
Abbreviations
• st(s) = stitch(es).
• mr, sc n = crochet n (number) single crochet stitches in to the adjustable loop (see page 7).
• ch = chain stitch.
• sl st = slip stitch (single crochet stitch in UK and Australia).
• sc = single crochet stitch (double crochet stitch in UK and Australia).
• sc (or sl st, ch etc.) n = crochet n single crochet stitches (or sl st, ch etc.), one in each stitch.
• inc = increase – crochet two single crochet stitches in the same stitch.
• dec = decrease – crochet two stitches together using the invisible decrease method (see page 8).
• (sc 4, inc) x n = repeat the pattern between parentheses n times.
• (36) = number of stitches in a round after finishing round.
Notes
• Work in a continuous spiral, do not join rounds or turn your work, unless instructed otherwise in the
pattern.
• Use a stitch marker or a piece of yarn to mark the end or the beginning of a round. Move the
marker up after completing each round.
• Work all stitches in both loops, unless instructed otherwise in the pattern.
Copyright Info
Copyright © 2012 Kristi Tullus, TÜ Spire. All rights reserved. Contents of this document may not be
copied, reproduced, altered, published or distributed in any way. You may sell finished products made
with this pattern, I would appreciate a credit as the designer (Kristi Tullus, kristitullus.com).
Head
| 1: mr, sc 6 2: inc x 6 3: (sc, inc) x 6 4: (inc, sc 2) x 6 5-8: sc in each st 9: (sc 2, dec) x 5, sc 4 |
(6) (12) (18) (24) (24) (19) |
Start stuffing the head. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill
after every few rounds, stuffing the head firmly.
| 10: sc in each st 11: sc 3, dec, sc 8, dec, sc 4 12: sc 5, dec, sc 2, dec, sc 6 13-14: sc in each st |
(19) (17) (15) (15) |
Attach safety eyes to the opposite side from the end
of the round, between rounds 12 and 13, leaving 5
stitches (count 4 holes) between them (see page 4).
| 15: (sc, dec) x 5 16: dec x 5 |
(10) (5) |
Finish stuffing the head. Cut the yarn, leaving a long
yarn tail, and fasten off. Thread the tail onto a needle
and use it to pick up all the remaining stitches and
close the opening (see page 4).
Ears (make 2)
| 1: mr, sc 5 2: sc in each stitch |
(5) (5) |
3: sc, dec, leave the rest of the sts unworked (4)
Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn
tail for sewing, and fasten off. Do not stuff the ears.
Body
| 1: mr, sc 6 2: inc x 6 3: (sc, inc) x 6 |
(6) (12) (18) |
| 4: (sc 3, inc) x 4 , sc 2 5-12: sc in each st 13: (sc 3, dec) x 4 , sc 2 |
(22) (22) (18) |
Start stuffing the body.
| 14: (sc, dec) x 6 15: dec x 6 |
(12) (6) |
Finish stuffing the body. Cut the yarn, leaving a long
yarn tail, and fasten off. Thread the tail onto a needle
and use it to pick up all the remaining stitches and
close the opening (see page 4).
LEGS (make 4)
| 1: mr, sc 6 2: (sc, inc) x 3 3-4: sc in each stitch |
(6) (9) (9) |
Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn
tail for sewing, and fasten off. Stuff the legs firmly.
Tail
Start with a slip knot at least 10 cm (4”) from
the yarn end. Chain 5, cut the yarn, leaving a
10 cm (4”) tail, and fasten off. Cut another
20 cm (8”) strand of yarn and draw it through
the last chain. Make a knot in the yarn tails and
push it close to the tail. Cut off the extra yarn.
Head
a) Attach safety eyes after finishing round 14.
1. Turn the head so the end of the round is facing away
from you. Place the eyes between rounds 12 and 13,
leaving 5 stitches (count 4 holes) between them.
2. Make sure you are satisfied with the placement of
the eyes before pushing the washer into place.
b) Finish the head and close the opening.
1. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail, and fasten off. Thread
the yarn tail onto a yarn needle.
2. Pick up all the remaining stitches onto the yarn.
Insert the needle from the center and under the front
loop only and draw the yarn through.
3. Grab the yarn tail and pull until the hole is tightly
closed.
4. Insert the needle through the center and bring the
yarn to the bottom of the head. Hide the yarn tail.
c) Embroider the nostrils.
1. Embroider the nostrils, making a few stitches over
round 5 with pink embroidery floss.
2. Leave about 7 – 8 stitches between the two nostrils.
TAIL
1. Crochet a chain, leaving long yarn tails at both ends.
2. Cut another piece of yarn and draw it through the
last chain. Adjust it so both yarn tails are about the
same length.
3. Make an overhand knot in the yarn tails and push it
close to the tail.
4. Trim off the extra yarn.
Assembling the Hippo
a) Sew the ears to the head.
1. Flatten the ears and pin them to the head between
rounds 15 and 16, leaving 2 -3 stitches between them.
2. Sew the ears to the head, inserting the needle
through both layers.
b) Sew the head, legs and tail to the body.
1. Sew the head to the body, making a few small stitches
under the head.
2. Pin the legs to the body before sewing to make sure
you get a symmetrical result and your hippo will stand
on all four.
3. Sew the legs to the body with whip stitch (see
page 9 – 10).
4. Sew the tail to the body, placing it just above the
third round.
Amigurumi Essentials
MAGIC RING
A magic ring is a way to begin crocheting in round by crocheting the first round into an adjustable
loop and then pulling the loop tight. Alternatively you can chain 2 and then crochet the first round into
the second chain from hook.
1. Make a loop about 2 cm / 1”
from the yarn end so the working
yarn goes over the yarn tail.
2. Grab the join between your thumb
and forefinger and insert the hook
through the loop from front to back.
3. Yarn over and pull up a loop.
Yarn over and pull through the
loop on the hook.
4. Pull the yarn tight. This does
not count as the first stitch.
5. Hold the loop between your thumb
and forefinger. Insert the hook
through the loop from front to back.
6. Draw up a loop. Yarn over and
draw through both loops on the
hook, completing the first sc.
7. Continue crocheting through the
loop and over the yarn tail until you
have the required number of sc-s.
8. Hold the last stitch between your
fingers, grab the yarn and pull …
9. … until the center is tightly
closed.
INVISIBLE SINGLE CROCHET DECREASE
Pick up the front loops of both stitches and crochet one single crochet stitch into the loops.
Alternatively you can replace it with a regular single crochet decrease.
1. Insert the hook under the front loop of the first single
crochet stitch.
2. Insert the hook under the front loop of the second
stitch and pick it up onto the hook.
3. Yarn over and draw through both loops on the hook.
Yarn over …
4. … and draw through both loops on the hook,
completing the single crochet stitch.
FINISHING AN OPEN PIECE
1. Finish the last stitch and then slip stitch in the next
stitch.
2. Cut the yarn and fasten off.
3. Insert your hook through the next stitch, front to back.
4. And draw the yarn tail through. If you want to use
the yarn tail for sewing, stop here.
5. Go through the next stitch, back to front.
6. And draw the yarn tail through. Now you can hide it
inside the piece.
SEWING AN OPEN PIECE TO A CLOSED PIECE WITH WHIP STITCH
When you finish the open piece, leave a long yarn tail for sewing, and then fasten off.
1. Thread the yarn tail onto a needle. Insert the needle
below the yarn tail and bring it up under the next stitch.
2. Draw the stitch tight.
3. Go through the next stitch front to back, inserting the
needle under both loops.
4. Go back into the same hole you brought the yarn
up last time and bring it up under the next stitch.
Draw the stitch tight.
5. Or you can go through the stitch back to front,
inserting the needle under both loops.
6. Draw the yarn through.
7. Go back into the same hole you brought the yarn up
last time and bring it up under the next stitch. Draw the
stitch tight.
8. Keep stitching, repeating steps 3 – 4 or 5 – 7 and go
all around the open piece.
FASTENING AND HIDING YARN TAILS
The quickest way to hide yarn tails is to just weave it through the stuffing a couple of times, going in
different directions. But if you want to make it extra secure, you can tie the yarn around one of the
loops of a stitch and then hide it inside the piece.
1. Bring the yarn up through a hole
in the fabric.
2. Insert the needle under one
loop of a stitch right next to the
hole.
3. Pull until you have a small loop.
4. Knot the loop and yarn together,
making a double knot. Do not push
the first knot too close to the fabric.
5. Cut off the loop end.
6. Insert the needle into the same
hole, going up and through the
piece.
7. Pull lightly until the knot disappears
into the fabric.
8. Cut off the yarn close to the fabric.
9. Yarn tail will completely
disappear into the fabric.
