Working out a pattern is a lot of fun and very full-filling, but also a lot of work. I would very much appreciate your reactions.
Since I got some requests for this pattern in English, I tried to make a translation. I hope everything is clear, but if something is not, please do not hesitate to ask. I will try to help you out.
· Magic ring (MR). If you are not familiar with the magic ring, you can also chain 2, and make the number of stitches in the 2nd chain from your hook. This resembles the effect of the magic ring.
· Stitch (st)
· Slip stitch (slst).
· Single crochet (sc).
· Half double crochet (hdc).
· Corner-block: (1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 sc) in 1 stitch.
· Corner-decrease (this might seem complicated, but just try and you’ll see what is meant): insert gauge in stitch, pull a thread (you now have 2 loops on your gauge), pull yarn over once, insert
gauge in next stitch and pull thread (you now have 4 loops on your gauge), insert gauge in next stitch and pull thread through all of the 4 loops at once. You now decreased 3 stitches with a half
double crochet.
Body and head (turquoise)
The bottom will be a rectangle, and from that point upwards you will work more in an oval shape.
1. 6 sc in MR (6)
2. 2 sc in each st (12)
3. *corner-block, 1 sc, corner-block, 3 sc*, repeat from * to * (20)
4. 1 sc, *corner-block, 3 sc, corner-block, 5 sc*, repeat from * to *, end with 4 sc (28)
5. back loops only, 1 sc in each st (28)
6-29. 1 sc in each st (28)
Now you are going to do the opposite of what you did in round 3 and 4. If I counted correctly, you are at the exact beginning of a corner. If you are not, make sc until you are at a corner, make 3 sc at the short sides and 5 sc at the longer sides.
30. back loops only, *corner-decrease, 3 sc, corner-decrease, 5 sc*, repeat from * tot * (20)
Start stuffing, use the rectangled piece of foam or the pillow/doll stuffing. If you want a firm butt ;), you can use some grind or marbles (but then you’d better not put it in the washing machine).
31. *corner-decrease, 1 sc, corner-decrease, 3 sc*, repeat from * to * (12)
32. sc 2 st together, 6 times (6)
Pull the thread through the remaining 6 stitches, pull firmly and fasten off, weave in ends.
Use the oval sized eyes or crochet the eyes as follows.
Eyes (2x) (white)
1. chain 4 (4)
2. 2 sc, 2 sc in 1 st , repeat at the other side of the chain (8)
Fasten off with a sl.st., embroider the black of the eyes and place the eyes approx. at row 25-26 of the
body.
Legs (2x)
Start with orange.
1. 4 sc in MR (4)
2. 2 sc in each st. (8)
3. back loops only, 1 sc in each st. (8)
Leave the orange thread at the front and go on with turquoise.
4-6. 1 sc in each st (8)
7. (2 sc in 1 st , 3 sc) 2x (10)
(This is where the knee starts))
8. 2 sc, (sc 2 st together) 2x, 2 sc, (2 sc in 1 steek) 2x (10)
9. 2 sc, (sc 2 st . together) 2x, 2 x , (2 sc in 1 steek) 2x (10)
10. (2 sc, 2 sc in 1 st , 2 sc) 2x (12)
11. 1 sc in each st. (12)
Fasten off.
Flippers
Continue with the orange you left in the 3rd row, and start at the front loops of this row. If necessary,
move to the right position in comparison with the knees.
1. 1 ch, (2 sc in 1 st ) 3x, 1 ch, turn
2. from 2nd st 2 sc, (2 sc in 1 st ) 2x, 2 sc
Fasten off.
Stuff the legs very lightly, in order to keep the shape of the knees right. Place the legs just above row 5
of the body, at both sides of the body, a little to the front. Or put them right in front, to enable the platypus to sit.
Arms (turquoise) (2x)
1. 6 sc in MR (6)
2. 1 sc in each st (6)
3. back loops, 1 sc in each st (6)
4. 2 sc in 1 st , 5 sc (7)
5-6. 1 sc in each st (7)
7. 2 sc in 1 st , 6 sc (8)
8-9. 1 sc in each st (8)
10. 2 sc in 1 st , 7 sc (9)
11. 1 sc in each st (9)
Fasten off.
Attach turqoise in the front loops of row 3 (the ‘palm’ of the hand is at your front)
*chain 3, 2 sl.st. at chain, sl.st. in next front loop of row 3, repeat from * to * 3 times (4 in total)
Fasten off.
You might want to stuff a little, but I found it not necessary.
Place the arms at the sides of the body, just above the mid. Not too high, you still have to place the
beak in the rows somewhere between the eyes and the arms.
Beak (orange)
1. 6 sc in MR (6)
2. 2 sc in each (12)
3-9. 1 sc in each st. (12)
Here starts a triangled piece, at the top of the beak.
10. 3 sc, turn without chain 1 (3)
11. start at 2nd st., 2 sc, turn without chain 1 (2)
12. start at 2nd st., 1 sc (1)
Fasten off, do not stuff, flatten.
Place the beak right under the eyes, the triangled piece is like a kind of nose,
just between and just under the eyes.
Tail (orange)
1. chain 10 (10)
2. start at 2nd st. *8 sc, 2 sc in 1 st* repeat from * to * at the other side of the chain (20)
3. 1 sc in elke st (20)
4. (sc 2 st together, 8 sc) 2x (18)
5-6. 1 sc in elke st (18)
7. (sc 2 st together, 7 sc) 2x (16)
8-9. 1 sc in elke st (16)
10. (sc 2 st together, 6 sc) 2x (14)
11-12. 1 sc in elke st (14)
13. (sc 2 st together, 5 sc) 2x (12)
14-15. 1 sc in elke st (12)
16. (sc 2 st together, 4 sc) 2x (10)
17-18. 1 sc in elke st (10)
Fasten off, embroider the crossed lines with the different shade of orange or the dark pink.
Do not stuff, flatten.
Place the tail in the mid back, just above row 5.
And do not forget, last but not least, the:
HAT
Start with brown.
1. 6 sc in MR (6)
2. 2 sc in elke st (12)
3. (2 sc in 1 st , 1 sc) 6x (18)
4. (2 sc in 1 st , 2 sc) 6x (24)
5. (2 sc in 1 st , 3 sc) 6x (30)
6. (2 sc in 1 st , 4 sc) 6x (36)
7. back loops, (sc 2 st together, 4 sc) 6x (30)
8-10. 1 sc in each st (30)
Continue with black (do not fasten off the brown, you will need it later on).
11-12. 1 sc in each st (30)
Fasten off black, continue with brown.
13. (2 sc in 1 st , 4 sc) 6x (36)
14. (2 sc in 1 st , 5 sc) 6x (42)
15. (2 sc in 1 st , 6 sc) 6x (48)
16. (2 sc in 1 st , 7 sc) 6x (54)
Fasten off with a sl.st., fold the hat a little in the middle, on the inside and keep it together with a few stitches. This is to make a little dent in the hat.
