Reading Badger

 

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The badger is crocheted in the different body parts which are then sewn together, so it may be a good idea to finish the different body parts with a long thread so that this can be used for sewing on.

The pattern starts with instructions on how to crochet all the body parts. At the end of the pattern there are instructions on how to assemble the different parts.

In this pattern, you will need to be able to crochet in the round, crochet back and forth and crochet an ellipse shape. Under "Techniques and Abbreviations" there are links to a few useful videos.

The reading teddy is crocheted in Infinity Hearts Petunia, which is a soft and enticing velour yarn.

Materials

Yarn consumption

Infinity Hearts Petunia 

Other materials

Tools

Crochet tension

As not everyone crochets equally loosely/tightly I would encourage you to do a crochet test. As most of the teddy is worked in the round, I have also made the sample round. I cast on 5 sts in a mr and then inc until there were 30 sts all the way around. As you can see in the picture, my circle was 9.5cm in diameter. If yours gets bigger or smaller I would recommend going up or down a size in rows so you get the same diameter on the sample.

Techniques and abbreviations

Technique explanation:

Abbreviations:

St(s): stitch(es)

Mr: magic ring

Dc: double crochet

Ch: chain stitch

Sl: slip stitch

R: round

Tr: treble crochet

Htc: half treble crochet

Inc: increase. Two double crochets in the same stitch.

Dec: decrease. Two double crochets are worked together to form one stitch.

Blo: back loop only

[…]: everything inside the clasps must be repeated on the whole round.

Instructions

Head

The head starts by working the black nose and then changing to white and finally to grey.

The nose is made in an ellipse shape and therefore you don't start with a magic ring, but cast on chain stitches which you work around in a spiral. So you work first on one side of the chain and then on the other side back to the start. See video under "techniques".

Cast on 4 ch with black yarn.

1) 2 dc, 1 inc, 2 dc, 1 inc (8st)

2) [1 dc in each] (8)

3) change to white yarn, [2 dc in each] (16)

4) [1 dc in each] (16)

5) [1 dc, 1 inc] (24)

6) [1 dc in each] (24)

7) [2 dc, 1 inc] (32)

8) [1 dc in each] (32)

9) [3 dc, 1 inc] (40)

10) [1 dc in each] (40)

11) [4 dc, 1 inc] (48)

12-17) [1 dc in each] (48)

18) change to grey yarn, [4 dc, 1 dec] (40)

19) [3 dc, 1 dec] (32)

Begin to fill the head and fill in more along the way before casting off. The head should be filled fairly firmly. Distribute the filling well into the snout and shape it so that it is oval and comes to resemble a dog's snout.

20) [2 dc, 1 dec] (24)

21) [1 dc, 1 dec] (16)

22) [dec all the way around] (8)

23) [dec all the way around] (4)

Close off

Black eye markers - make 2 pieces:

The eye markings are worked back and forth in the shape of a triangle and then sewn onto the head. Note that the triangle is only cut on one side and is therefore not "straight". It is therefore important to turn it correctly in order to sew it on correctly. Keep sewing them on until you have made them both.

1) Cast on 2 ch in black yarn (the second ch works as a turning stitch), turn

2) 1 inc, turn with 1 ch (2)

3) 1 dc, 1 inc, turn with 1 ch (3)

4) 1 inc, 2 dc, turn with 1 ch (4)

5) 3 dc, 1 inc, turn with 1 ch (5)

6) 1 inc, 4 dc, turn with 1 ch (6)

7) 5 dc, 1 inc., turn with 1 ch (7)

8) 1 inc, 6 dc, turn with 1 ch (8)

9) 7 dc, 1 inc., turn with 1 ch (9)

10) 1 inc, 8 dc, turn with 1 ch (10)

11) 9 dc, 1 inc, turn with 1 ch (11)

12) 1 inc, 10 dc, turn with 1 ch (12)

13) 11 dc, 1 inc, (you end up with 13 sts at the top)

Finish with long yarn end for fastening.

Now make one another like it!

Ears - make 2 pieces:

The ears are worked as a semicircle. That's why you start with a mr and then turn to work back and forth.

1) Make 4 dc in a mr with black yarn, turn with 1 ch (4).

2) 2 dc in every st, turn with 1 ch (8)

3) 3 dc, 2 tr, 3 dc, break yarn. Leave a long yarn end to attach the ear. (8)

 

Now make a similar one with grey yarn. Again leave a long yarn end to sew the ear together and later attach it to the head.

Sew the ear together as follows:

Sew the ear together with the grey thread. Sew only through the back loop of the black part to hide the grey thread as much as possible.

Take a piece of white thread and crochet 4 dc on top of the ear. Break and fasten.

Wrap the yarns inside the ear so they cannot be seen from the outside.

The ear is now finished and you need to make another one like it. I leave both the grey and black yarn ends when the ear is sewn together, so I can use them to attach the ear to the head.

 

Body:

The body is started with a mr and worked around in a spiral. It is not closed before the head is attached. Feel free to wait to fill in the body before you are ready to sew the head and body together.

1) 5 dc in a mr with grey yarn (5)

2) [2 dc in each] (10)

3) [1 dc, 1 inc] (15)

4) [2 dc, 1 inc] (20)

5) [3 dc, 1 inc] (25)

6) [4 dc, 1 inc] (30)

7) [5 dc, 1 inc] (35)

8) [6 dc, 1 inc] (40)

9-16) [1 dc in each] (40)

17) [6 dc, 1 dec] (35)

18) [1 dc in each] (35)

19) [5 dc, 1 dec] (30)

20) [1 dc in each] (30)

21) [4 dc, 1 dec] (25)

22-23) [1 dc in each] (25)

 

Arms - make 2 pieces:

1) Make 5 sts in a mr with black yarn (5)

2) [2 dc in each] (10)

3) [1 dc, 1 inc] (15)

4-6) [1 dc in each] (15)

7) [1 dc, 1 dec] (10)

8-19) [1 dc in each] (10)

 

 

Leave a long yarn end to fasten with

Fill the arms well down in the hands and a little less at the top. I do not fill the arm completely. This can be seen in the picture.

The arm is folded flat at the top and sewn together before sewing to the body.

Legs - make 2 pieces:

The legs start in an ellipse shape, i.e. chain stitches which are then worked in spirals, just like the head. Note that the legs are not the same as a hip is worked on the leg at the end. There is therefore a difference between the right and left legs.

1) Cast on 5 ch with black yarn (5).

2) 1 inc, 2 dc, 1 inc, 1 inc, 2 dc, 1 inc (12)

3) 2 inc, 2 dc, 4 inc, 2 dc, 2 inc, (20)

4) [1 dc in blo all the way around] (20)

5) [1 dc in each] (20)

6) 6 dc, 4 dec with htc, 6 dc (16)

7-15) [1 dc in each] (16)

 

Now we give the legs hips!

The function of the hip is to make it easier for the badger to sit. At the same time I think it looks nicer as the leg is not just a cylinder sticking out from the body, but gets a more whole look.

NOTE! Only for right leg:

16) 3 dc, ch, turn

17) 1 dec, 3 dc, 1 dec

 

 

NOTE! Only for left leg:

16) 6 sl, ch, 5 dc, ch, turn

17) 1 dec, 3 dc, 1 dec

 

 

Fill the legs well down in the foot to get the shape right. If necessary press them a little under the feet to get the right sole-like shape under the feet.

Fill in less at the hips, but fill in if needed when sewing the leg to the body. Do not fill the hip completely, as the leg will lose its mobility.

Do not fold the legs before sewing them on.

 

Tail:

1) Cast on 3 sts in a mr with white yarn (3)

2) 2 dc in each (6)

3) 1 dc in each (6)

4) [1 dc, 1 inc] (9)

5) 1 dc in each, change to grey (9)

6) [2 dc, 1 inc] (12)

7) 1 dc in each (12)

8) [3 dc, 1 inc] (15)

9) [4 dc, 1 inc] (18)

10-12) 1 dc in each (18)

13) [4 dc, 1 dec] (15)

14) [3 dc, 1 dec] (12)

 

 

Fill the tail, but not too tight. Be careful not to make it too round in shape, but rather a little flat despite being filled.

Fold the tail in half and sew it together before attaching it to the body.

 

Assembly

Mounting the eyes:

The safety eyes are fitted to the black eye mark.

The eye is fitted between rows 5 and 6. I.e. between the rows where there are 5s and 6s respectively. The eye is placed in the middle of the row.

 

 

Be sure to turn the black eye markers correctly so that everything fits correctly when the eye markers are to be mounted on the head.

 

Mounting the eye markers:

The eye markers are fitted to the head on the fourth white round from the snout and so that the wide part of the eye marker is flush with the grey edge of the head. (see pictures)

 

 

When you start sewing on the eye markers, I recommend that you start by making the wide edge flush with the grey edge of the head. Then place the tip that will go down towards the snout so that you can hold it while sewing on.

You have to stretch the eye mark a bit while sewing it on, but the yarn is flexible and it won't look weird afterwards.

 

The second eye marker is placed so that there are three whole stitches between the two markers at the tip. At the grey edge of the head, leave four whole stitches between the two eye markings.

 

 

Mounting of ears:

When mounting the ear to the head, it should be placed in the middle of the 'end edge' of the black eye markings. One part of the ear should match the grey on the back of the head and the other part should match the black on the eye markings.

Be sure to sew both the black and grey parts of the ear so that it does not collapse, but stands straight.

Now the head is finished!

 

 

Mounting the head on the body:

Put stuffing in the body and fill in well, but be careful not to stretch the yarn too much as the stuffing will show through the holes in the stitches. You can fill in as you sew the body and head together.

The body is sewn on between the grey edge of the head and the ninth white round from the nose.

It may be helpful to start by focusing on getting the body to meet the grey edge of the head.

 

In addition, sew the body in a neat even arc around so that the head does not fall to one side. The badger's neck is meant to be a little thick so it can hold its own head.

 

 

Mounting the arms:

The arms are attached at the neck, i.e. the edge between the head and the body. There is no particular indication of the number of s between the arms, but make sure they are "straight" on either side of the head so that it looks harmonious.

 

Mounting the legs:

When attaching the legs, remember there is a difference between the right and left leg.

Position the top of the hip so that it is in a straight line under the middle of the arm (just as the needle shows in the picture)

 

 

There are 11 rounds between the arm and leg.

 

 

Place the back of the hip at an angle to the back of the body so that the hip extends for four rounds.

 

 

Start by sewing the hip in place, then assemble the rest of the leg to cover three sts at the bottom of the leg.

 

Mounting the tail:

The tail is placed at the back, midway between the legs.

Place the lower part of the tail so that it is flush with the lowest point of the hip (see picture).

 

 

Fasten the upper part of the tail on a round over.

 

 

Although the tail is laid flat and sewn together, it is still sewn on the body both above and below so that it does not hang oddly.

 

Please use #ritokrea and #ritohobby when sharing the pictures of the finished project on social media, so we can see the results :-)

Designed by: Sara Hejlskov Svanholm

 

Version: v1.c615.s4.l5