Mini hippo

http://amigurumicat.blogspot.com/2010/05/mini-hippo.html Do not join the rounds. Always use invisible decrease when you have to decrease the number of stitches. Special stitches: Reverse single crochet (rsc) There are 2 ways of doing it. The most common method taught on web is do not turn and crochet from left to right. For example, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhSbycwfpdo. If you follow this method, please ignore the turn mentioned in Row 10 to Rnd 13. For me, I found it easier by turning the work and doing the stitches from right to left. This is by (1) inserting the hook from the outside the work towards myself, (2) yarn over, (3) draw the yarn through the work so there are 2 loops on the hook, (4) yarn over again and draw the yarn through the 2 loops on hook. You may notice that it is equivalent to doing single crochet but with the hook inserting from the opposite side. Please refer to the pictures below.

Why I need to use reverse single crochet in this pattern? This is because using single crochet and reverse single crochet in alternate rows produces similar texture effect as working single crochet in rounds. Popcorn stitch Please refer to both http://crochet.about.com/library/blpopcrn.htm and http://www.nexstitch.com/v_popcorn_stitch.html for the instruction. To make the ears more realistic, you may like to have the popcorn to puff out on the back of the work. That is, you have to insert hook from back to front in the top of the first dc of group in the final step before the slip stitch. Head: Rnd 1:

Ch 5, sc into 2nd ch from hook and each of the next 2 ch, 3 sc into last ch. Continue on the other side of the chain, sc in each of next 2 st, 2 sc into last st (10) Rnd 2: Inc, 2 sc, inc 3 times, sc 2 times, inc 2 times (16) Rnd 3: Inc, sc 3 times, inc, sc, inc, sc, inc, sc 3 times, inc, sc, inc, sc (22) Rnd 4~7: Sc around (22) Rnd 8: Sc 2 times, dec, sc 3 times, dec, sc 4 times, dec, sc 3 times, dec, sc 2 times (18) Note: Now we are working in row instead of round! Row 9: Sc 2 times, inc, sc 3 times, inc (9) Row10: Ch 1, turn, rsc {Important: see notes above}7 times (7) Row 11: Ch 1, turn, sc 7 times (7) Row12: Ch 1, turn, rsc 7 times (7) Note: Now we are working in round now! Rnd 13: Turn, on the front loop of the 1st stitch [ch 2, popcorn stitch {Important: see notes above} of 3 dc, ch 2, sl st, note down the position of the unused back loop for use in the next round], dec, sc, dec, on the front loop of the 7th stitch [sl st, ch 2, popcorn stitch of 3 dc, ch 2, sl st, note down the position of the unused back loop for use in the next round]. Complete the round as follows: vertical edge: 3 sc, horizontal edge: 3 sc, dec, 3 sc, dec, 3 sc, vertical edge: 2 sc (21) Rnd 14: Sc into the back loop unused in the last round, sc into each of the 3 sc between the 2 popcorn stitches, sc into the back loop unused in the last round, sc, dec, sc 10 times, dec, sc (19) Rnd 15/16: Crochet continuously the following stitches: (dec, sc) 6 times, sc 6 times (7) Cut the yarn and leave a tail to close the hole and weave in the remaining yarn. Body: Rnd 1: Rnd 2: Rnd 3: Rnd 4: Rnd 5: Rnd 6~10 Rnd 11: Rnd 12: Rnd 13:

6 sc in magic ring (6) Inc 6 times (12) (sc, inc) 6 times (18) Sc around (18) (sc, sc, inc) 6 times (24) Sc around (24) (sc, sc, dec) 6 times (18) Sc around (18) (sc, dec) 6 times (12)

Rnd 14: Dec around (6) Cut yarn and leave a long tail to close the hole, sew the head to the body, and crochet a tail at the end of the body. Foot ( make 4): Rnd 1: 4 sc in magic ring (4) Rnd 2: Inc 4 times (8) Rnd 3: (sc, inc) 4 times (12) Rnd 4: Sc around (12) Rnd 5: Sc 2 times, dec 4 times, sc 2 times (8)

o 1 2 o 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhSbycwfpdo 10 13

http://crochet.about.com/library/blpopcrn.htm http://www.nexstitch.com/v_popcorn_stitch.html 1 2 1

2 3

47 8

5 2 x3 1 10 3 2 x2 x2 x3 x2 x2 16 x3 22 x3 22 x2 x3 x4 18 x3 x2

9 10 11 12 13 x2 x3 x7 x7 x7 9 7 7 7

21 x23 x2 x23 x2 x3 x3

14

15/16

x3 x3 x2 1 19 3 1 1 x10 x6 x6 7

1 6 2 3 4 5 x 2 6~10 11 x 2 12 13 14 (4 ) 1 4 2 3 4 5 x 2 x4 x 2

6 12 18 18 24 24 18 18 12 6

4 8 12 12 8