Baby Soft Sheep Toy

Toy measures approximately 9 1/2"/24cm tall x 9 1/2"/24cm long

Materials:

• Caron International's Simply Soft (100% Acrylic): 4 oz (A), 4 oz (B)
  • Shown in: #9702 Off White (A) and Caron International's NaturallyCaron.com Country (75% Microdenier Acrylic/25% Merino Wool; 3 oz/85g, 185yds/169m skein): 4 1/2 oz (B) Shown in: #0016 Charcoal (B)
• One size US G-6 (4mm) hook
• Stitch markers
• Polyester fiberfill
• 2 off-white buttons—1"/25mm diameter
• 2 black buttons—2 3/4"/70mm diameter
• Yarn needle

GAUGE
Gauge is not critical for this project.

STITCHES USED
Chain (ch), single crochet (sc), slip stitch (sl st)

SPECIAL STITCHES

double-loop-st: Wrap yarn around index finger twice and hold behind work, insert hook into indicated stitch and between the yarn wraps and your finger, remove your finger from wraps and draw wraps through stitch (leaving part of each wrap on other side of fabric to form loops), yarn over and draw through all loops on hook. Note: Loops form on side of fabric that is facing away from you.

double-loop-st2tog: [Wrap yarn around index finger twice, insert hook into next stitch and between the yarn wraps and your finger, remove your finger from the wraps and wraps through stitch (leaving part of each wrap on other side of fabric to form loops)] twice, yarn over and draw through all loops on hook.

sc2tog: Single crochet 2 together – Insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, (2 loops on hook), insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through all 3 loops on hook.

NOTES

1. Stuff sheep as work progresses, unless otherwise instructed.

2. Pieces are worked in continuous rounds; do not join and do not turn at end of rounds. Place a marker to indicate beginning of round and move marker up as work progresses.

3. Work tightly so stuffing won't show between stitches.

BODY

With A, ch 2.

Round 1: Work 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook—6 sc. Place a marker for beginning of round. Move marker up as work progresses.
Round 2: Work 2 double-loop-sts in each st around—12 sts.
Round 3: [Double-loop-st in next st, 2 double-loop-sts in next st] 6 times—18 sts.
Round 4: [Double-loop-st in next 2 sts, 2 double-loop-sts in next st] 6 times—24 sts.
Round 5: [Double-loop-st in next 3 sts, 2 double-loop-sts in next st] 6 times—30 sts.
Round 6: [Double-loop-st in next 4 sts, 2 double-loop-sts in next st] 6 times—36 sts.
Round 7: [Double-loop-st in next 5 sts, 2 double-loop-sts in next st] 6 times—42 sts.
Round 8: [Double-loop-st in next 6 sts, 2 double-loop-sts in next st] 6 times—48 sts.
Rounds 9–25: Double-loop-st in each st around.
Round 26: [Double-loop-st in next 6 sts, double-loop-st2tog] 6 times—42 sts.
Round 27: [Double-loop-st in next 5 sts, double-loop-st2tog] 6 times—36 sts.
Round 28: [Double-loop-st in next 4 sts, double-loop-st2tog] 6 times—30 sts.
Round 29: [Double-loop-st in next 3 sts, double-loop-st2tog] 6 times—24 sts.
Round 30: [Double-loop-st in next 2 sts, double-loop-st2tog] 6 times—18 sts.
Round 31: [Double-loop-st in next st, double-loop-st2tog] 6 times—12 sts.
Round 32: [Double-loop-st2tog] 6 times—6 sts.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Complete stuffing body. Use tail to sew opening closed.

HEAD

With B, ch 2.

Round 1: Work 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook—6 sc. Place a marker for beginning of round. Move marker up as work progresses.
Round 2: 2 sc in each sc around—12 sc.
Round 3: [Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times—18 sc.
Round 4: [2 sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc] 6 times—24 sc.
Round 5: [Sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times—30 sc.
Round 6: [Sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times—36 sc.
Rounds 7 and 8: Sc in each sc around.
Round 9: [Sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times—42 sc.
Rounds 10–19: Sc in each sc around.
Round 20: [Sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 3 sc] 6 times—48 sc.
Round 21: [Sc in next 7 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times—54 sc.
Round 22: Sc in each sc around.
Round 23: [Sc in next 7 sc, sc2tog] 6 times—48 sts.
Round 24: [Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 3 sc] 6 times—42 sts.
Round 25: [Sc in next 5 sts, sc2tog] 6 times—36 sts.
Round 26: [Sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sc] 6 times—30 sts.
Round 27: [Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog] 6 times—24 sts.
Round 28: [Sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog] 6 times—18 sts.
Round 29: [Sc in next st, sc2tog] 6 times—12 sts.
Round 30: [Sc2tog] 6 times—6 sts.
Round 31: [Sk next st, sl st in next st] 3 times—3 sts.
Fasten off.

FLEECE ON TOP OF HEAD

With A, ch 2.
Rounds 1–5: Work Rounds 1–5 of body—30 sc.
Round 6: [Double-loop-st in next 4 sc, 2 double-loop-sts in next st] 4 times; in the following, work double-loop st, but wrap yarn around two fingers instead of one (for longer loops), [double-loop-st in next 4 sc, 2 double-loop-sts in next sc] twice—36 sts.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

LEG (make 4)

With B, ch 2.
Rounds 1–6: Work Rounds 1–6 of head—36 sc.
Round 7: Working in front loops only, sc in each sc around.
Rounds 8 and 9: Sc in each sc around.
Round 10: [Sc in next 5 sc, sc2tog, sc in next 5 sc] 3 times—33 sts.
Round 11: [Sc in next 9 sts, sc2tog] 3 times—30 sts.
Round 12: [Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts] 3 times—27 sts.
Round 13: [Sc in next 7 sts, sc2tog] 3 times—24 sts.
Round 14: [Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts] 3 times—21 sts.
Rounds 15–24: Sc in each st around.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

EAR (make 2)

Note: Do not stuff ears.

With B, ch 2.
Round 1: Work 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook.
Round 2: Sc in each sc around.
Round 3: [Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times—9 sc.
Round 4: [Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times—12 sc.
Round 5: [Sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times—15 sc.
Round 6–12: Sc in each sc around.
Round 13: [Sc in next 3 sc, sc2tog] 3 times—12 sts.
Round 14: [Sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog] 3 times—9 sts.
Round 15: Flatten piece and work through both thicknesses, sc evenly across to seam.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

TAIL

With A, ch 2.
Rounds 1–3: Work Rounds 1–3 of body—18 sts.
Rounds 4–6: Double-loop-st in each st around.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

FINISHING

Sew legs to lower side of body. Stack black buttons on top of white buttons and sew to head. Sew hair to top of head, placing longer loops in front for bangs. Sew ears to top of head. Sew head to front of body. Sew tail to back of sheep, near top of body.
Using yarn needle, weave in all ends.