Crochet hedgehog- free pattern

Check out my Youtube video tutorial for this pattern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHnJz0ZLYjA

Materials needed:

DK yarn in light brown, dark brown and black

3mm crochet hook

Stitch marker

Scissors

Sewing needle that's big enough for the yarn

Stuffing

Abbreviations (US crochet terms):

st- stitch

ch- chain

mr- magic ring

sc- single crochet

inc- increase

invdec- invisible decrease

LS- loop stitch

Starting with the head, in light brown:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: sc in every st (6)

Rnd 3: (sc in nxt st, inc) x3 (9)

Rnd 4: sc in every st (9)

Rnd 5: (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x3 (12)

Rnd 6: (sc in nxt 3 st, inc) x3 (15)

Rnd 7: (sc in nxt 4 st, inc) x3 (18)

Rnd 8: (sc in nxt st, inc) x3, sc in nxt 12 st (21)

Rnd 9: (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x3, sc in nxt 12 st (24)

The increases are all on one side and this is the top of the head/face, and the side where there are no increases is the bottom.

Rnds 10- 12 (3 rnds): sc in every st (24) Don't fasten off, make eyes and nose now:

Cut a 60cm long strand of black yarn (this one piece will be used to make the nose and the eyes), tie 3 knots on top of each other, close to the end, thread onto needle, go through the opening of the head and come out through the middle of the magic ring, pull until the knot gets stopped on the inside. Then go back in through a space between the stitches on rnd 2, come back out through the magic ring. Continue making short lines going across rnd 1 and 2, just covering the top half of the nose, not the underside. Make lines over the top of each other until there's no light brown showing. Go back through the head, now make the eyes by making 2 french knots:

Come out between rnds 9 and 10, where the first increase is on the right hand side, wrap the yarn around the needle twice, keep holding on to the yarn all the time,turn the needle so it's vertical and pointing away from you, go through the same space you came out of and pull through all the way (My Youtube video shows how to do these french knots), then weave through the inside and come out on the other side leaving 8 stitches gap (still between rnds 9 and 10, this will be to the left of an inc st), make another french knot.

Find a loop on the inside of a st on the last rnd, go through the loop but not all the way- leave a loop and go through the loop from behind, pull tight to make a knot around the st. This fastens off. Push end inside head.

Continue with body:

Rnd 1: Take out marker, ch 1, turn, sc in nxt 8 st, as you finish 8th sc, change to dark brown. Put marker in the first sc you did. Make a loop stitch in nxt 16 st- push hook through st, bring the yarn under the hook and then over, place your thumb behind the yarn that's going over your finger (closest to you), and place the yarn under the hook, now you have 2 strands on top of the hook that will be pulled through the stitch (your finger makes the loop), pull those loops through the st, you'll have 3 loops on the hook, now take your finger out of the loop and you can adjust the size of the loop by pulling on the working yarn to make it smaller (try to make each loop the same size), then yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on the hook to complete.

As you finish the last loop stitch (When you have 3 loops on the hook) pull through a loop of light brown through all 3 loops to change colour and complete the loop stitch. When you change colour cut the yarn each time and tie both tails in a knot, don't work the yarn into the back of the stitches. (24)

Rnds 2- 10 (9 rnds): sc in nxt 8 st, as you finish 8th sc, change to dark brown, LS in nxt 16 st, change to light brown as you finish last LS (24) On the last st of the last round, finish the LS in dark brown, take out the marker and put it in that last st you did. Use your hook to pull the short tails inside the piece (push through from the inside near to where they come out, wrap ends around hook and pull through).

Stuff.

Rnd 11: Working only in dark brown from now on: (LS in nxt 2 st, invdec LS*) x6 *pick up the front loop of the next 2 stitches, make a loop on the hook in the usual way, pull through both of those front loops, then yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on the hook (18)

Rnd 12: (LS in nxt st, invdec LS) x6 (12)

Rnd 13: (invdec LS) x6 (6)

Fasten off leaving tail, thread tail onto needle and come up through the front loops of each of those 6 stitches, pull tight to gather the stitches together and close the hole, find a loop nearby and fasten off in the same way as we did with the eyes. Weave in end. Weave in all of the short tails into the underside of the body, cut yarn close to the edge of the work and use the end of your yarn needle to push the ends inside.

Ears- make 2:

In light brown:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Fasten off leaving tail. Sew ears on the rnd where the loops start, above each eye. Weave in ends.

Feet- make 4:

In light brown:

Rnd 1: 4 sc in mr (4)

Rnd 2: sc in every st (4)

Fasten off leaving tail. Sew feet to the underside of the body, starting on the rnds where the sc are showing the wrong side. Weave in ends.

The hedgehog is finished! I'd love to see a photo of yours, you can share it with me by tagging me on instagram @laura_wilson01

Check out my Etsy shop for more patterns: https://laurawilsondesigns.etsy.com

This pattern was designed by Laura Wilson of Laura Wilson Designs. This pattern is strictly for personal, non-commercial use. Copy, distribution or commercial use of this pattern or any of its parts is not allowed. Please give credit if posting photos or selling finished item. © Laura Wilson 2024- All rights reserved.