#beginner pattern
This kitty was made when I was just feeling kind of glum and blah and like I wanted an actual cat to spend some time with (can’t get one because I’m deathly allergic and all that jazz). I named mine Mrs. Bigglesworth. The right ear has a bow, which is explained in the pattern, but the left ear has a fake flower that was given to me at my first semi-professional art show that I thought would be an added bonus.
Difficulty: Beginner
Yarn: Neutral colour (I used black), Exciting colour (I used a variegated pink-white-purple), gray
Hook Size: 3.5mm
Crochet Stitches Used: chain, single crochet, half double crochet, slip stitch
Extra supplies: Two safety eyes (I recommend ones that aren’t black, or have colours on the outer edges), plastic bag, small amount of rice or small beans (approx. 2g)
Body (Start with exciting colour)
Round 1: ch2, 6sc in second ch from hook. (6)
Round 2: 2sc in each st. (12)
Round 3: (2sc in first st, 1sc in next st) around. (18)
Round 4: (2sc in first st, 1sc in next 2 stitches) around. (24)
Round 5: (2sc in first st, 1sc in next 3 stitches) around. (30)
Round 6: (2sc in first st, 1sc in next 4 stitches) around. (36)
Round 7: In BLO, 1sc in each st around. (36)
Round 8: sc2tog, 1sc in next 32 stitches, sc2tog. (34)
Round 9: sc2tog, 1sc in next 30 stitches, sc2tog. (32)
Round 10: sc2tog, 1sc in next 28 stitches, sc2tog. (30)
Round 11: sc2tog, 1sc in next 26 stitches, sc2tog. (28)
Round 12: sc2tog, 1sc in next 24 stitches, sc2tog. (26)
Round 13: 1sc in each st around. (26)
Round 14: sc2tog, 1sc in next 22 stitches, sc2tog. (24)
Round 15: 1sc in each st around. (24)
Round 16: sc2tog, 1sc in next 20 stitches, sc2tog. (22)
Round 17: 1sc in each st around. (22)
Round 18: sc2tog, 1sc in next 18 stitches, sc2tog. (20)
Round 19: 1sc in each st around. (20)
Round 20: sc2tog, 1sc in next 16 stitches, sc2tog. (18)
Round 21: (sc2tog, 1sc in next st) around. Switch to neutral colour. (12)
Fill small bag with rice/beans. Place in bottom of cat. Be sure to tie a very sturdy knot in the bag. Fill rest of cat body with stuffing.
Round 22: (2hdc in first st, 1hdc in next st) around. (18)
Round 23: (2hdc in first st, 1hdc in next 2 stitches) around. (24)
Round 24: (2hdc in first st, 1hdc in next 3 stitches) around. (30)
Round 25: (2hdc in first st, 1hdc in next 4 stitches) around. (36)
Round 26-31: 1hdc in each st around. (36)
Round 32: (hdc2tog, 1hdc in next 4 stitches) around. (30)
Round 33: (hdc2tog, 1hdc in next 3 stitches) around. (24)
Round 34: (hdc2tog, 1hdc in next 2 stitches) around. (18)
Round 35: (hdc2tog, 1hdc in next st) around. (12)
Round 36: hdc2tog around. Fasten off. (6)
Sew top of head shut with tail. Sew on nose and whiskers with gray yarn
Ears (Make 2, in neutral colour)
Round 1: ch2, 4sc into second ch from hook. (4)
Round 2: 2sc in each st around. (8)
Round 3: (2sc in first st, 1sc in next st) around. (12)
Round 4: (2sc in first st, 1sc in next st) around. (18)
Round 5: 1sc in each st around. (18)
Round 6: sc2tog, 1sc in next 7st, sc2tog, 1sc in last 7st. (16)
Round 7: sc2tog, 1sc in next 6st, sc2tog, 1sc in last 6st. Fasten off. (14)
Flatten ear and sew to the top of the head.
Tail (in neutral colour)
Round 1: ch2, 4sc in second ch from hook. (4)
Round 2-13: 1sc in each st around. Fasten off. (4)
Sew to back of the project
Bow (in exciting colour)
Round 1: ch17, slst in ninth ch from hook, bring over original end and slst through it as well. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
In honour of the late, great John Belushi, I made a small doll of him in the classic SNL Bee suit. The eyebrow is what really sets this doll apart from all other bee dolls. Springs can be used for the antennae to make them more similar to the source material, but yarn keeps him cuddly.
Difficulty: Beginner
Yarn: Yellow, Black, Skin, Brown
Hook Size: 3.5mm
Crochet Stitches Used: chain, single crochet, slip stitch
Body/Head
Round 1: Using black yarn, ch 2, 6sc in second ch from hook. (6)
Round 2: 2sc in each st. (12)
Round 3: (2sc in first st, 1sc in next st) around. (18)
Round 4: (2sc in first st, 1sc in next 2 stitches) around. (24)
Round 5: In BLO, sc in each st around. (24)
Round 6-8: Sc in each st around. Switch to yellow at end. (24)
Round 9-10: Sc in each st around. Switch to black at end. (24)
Round 11-12: Sc in each st around. Switch to yellow at end. (24)
Round 13-14: Sc in each st around. Switch to black at end. (24)
Round 15-16: Sc in each st around. Switch to yellow at end. (24)
Round 17: (sc2tog, 1sc in next 2 stitches) around. (18)
Round 18: (sc2tog, 1sc in next st) around. Switch to skin at end. (12)
Round 19: (2sc in first st, 1sc in next st) around. (18)
Round 20: (2sc in first st, 1sc in next 2 stitches) around. (24)
Round 21-23: Sc in each st around. Place safety eyes between rows 22 and 23. Begin stuffing. (24)
Round 24: (sc2tog, 1sc in next 2 stitches) around. (18)
Round 25: (sc2tog, 1sc in next st) around. (12)
Round 26: sc2tog around. (6)
Fasten off. Sew hole shut with tail.
Using black yarn, sew one eyebrow flat across the top of the eye (approx. 1 row above) and sew the other pointing upwards in raised fashion.
Hair
Using brown yarn, cut several strands and use slip knots to create the hair.
Antennae
Round 1: Using yellow yarn, ch 2, 5sc in second ch from hook. (5)
Round 2: sl st, ch 20, cut yarn, leaving a long tail.
Unhook your hook and slide it through two stitch holes across either side of the project, rehook the last loop and pull the work through so that approx. five chains are visible on either side.
Round 3: 5sc in second ch from hook. (5)
Fasten off and sew in ends.
Whenever a crocheter needs to get a fellow crocheter a gift, it’s nearly impossible to figure out what to make for them. After more than my fair share of hours trying to come up with gift ideas, I realised that the only thing any crocheter ever needs is a versatile, portable crochet hook holder. It’s a small piece that’s fairly quick to make and can be done with any spare yarn.
This is a holder that has enough room for 18 hooks and can hold sizes from 2mm to 10mm. The back portion is a square done in moss stitch and the top of the piece becomes the lower pocket, so the whole project needs to be flipped to be used as the photo shows.
Difficulty: Beginner
Yarn: light weight. Any colour
Hook size: 3.5mm
Stitches used: chain, single crochet, slip stitch
Round 1: ch 40, sc in 2nd ch from hook, 38 sc to end of round. (39)
Round 2: ch 1, turn project, sc (ch 1, skip next stitch, sc). Repeat until the end of the row. (39)
Round 3-27: ch 2, turn project, sc in the ch space from round 2 (ch 1, skip next stitch, sc in next ch space). Repeat until the end of the row, the last sc should be done in the turning chain. (39)
Round 28: ch 1, turn project, sc in BLO for 39 stitches. (39)
Round 29: ch 1, turn project, sc in each stitch. (39)
Fasten off.
Fold down piece at round 28 and sew sides together on each side of the piece to make a long pocket. If desired, sew slots along the pocket to divide it into multiple small pockets.
This is where the pattern gives you even more creative liberty.
Start a new ball at round 25 with a slip stitch. (ch 2, sc 1 under the sc of the round) repeatedly across the round. Once you reach the end of the round, bring the strand up along the side with a couple of slip stitches and repeat the pattern across the row of your choice. Repeat as many times as you wish. The more loops done, the more secure your hooks will be.
