mycrochetchums

#lockdownamichallenge - No 8 - Happy Hippo!

Yarn
Aldi Amigurumi Yarn - DK weight.

35g approx Lilac (MC) for Body, Arms, Legs, Ears and Tail.
Small amount of White (CC1) for Hooves and Embroidered details.
Small amount of Black (CC2) for Eyes, Mouth and Arm and Leg detail.

100% Cotton
25g = 57.5m

A cotton yarn works well for Ami as it gives good stitch definition and creates a firm structure
so body parts hold their shape well. Any cotton/cotton mix DK should give similar results.

Hook
3mm

Other Supplies
Yarn needle. Toy stuffing, stitch marker/waste yarn.

Size
20cm (8 in) approx from top of head to bottom of feet.

© 2021 PIA SIMPSON/mycrochetchums

1
Pattern Notes
Unless otherwise specified this pattern is worked in the amigurumi style, in a spiral without
slip stitching or turning chains.

Use a stitch marker or waste yarn to keep track of the first stitch of each round.

If you do not want to make a Magic Ring you can start each piece by making a chain of 2
and then work the first round into the second chain from the hook

If you would like to start with a Magic Ring but don’t know how, you can find a Photo Tutorial
on mycrochetchums.weebly.com in the Hints & Tips section.

The Hippo is made of multiple separate pieces sewn together.Unless otherwise stated, finish
each piece by pulling the yarn through the last loop and leave a long tail for sewing. Any loose
tails at the end can be easily woven in.

Starting chains do not count in the total stitch count.

Change colour on the last yrh on last stitch of previous round.

Abbreviations used in this pattern - UK Crochet Terms.

If you are used to working in US Crochet Terms there is also a Crochet Terms Conversion
Chart on mycrochetchums.weebly.com

CC contrasting colour

ch / ch sp chain / chain space

dc double crochet

dc2tog work two double crochet stitches together

FLO front loop only

MC main colour

Prev previous

Rnd round

sl st slip stitch

st(s) stitch(es)

yrh yarn round hook

Increasing and Decreasing

The “invisible” techniques below are recommended to give your amigurumi a neat finish:

Invisible Increase: Work 1 dc in FLO of next st and 1 dc in both loops of same st.
Invisible decrease: Insert hook in FLO of the two stitches to be decreased, yrh, pull through
both front loops, yrh, draw through two loops on hook.

© 2021 PIA SIMPSON/mycrochetchums

2
Body
Stuff as you go.

Rnd 1: With MC and working in a magic ring, 6 dc. 6 sts

Rnd 2: 2 dc in each st around. 12 sts
Rnd 3: [1 dc, 2 dc in next st] 6 times. 18 sts
Rnd 4: [2 dc, 2 dc in next st] 6 times. 24 sts
Rnd 5: [3dc, 2 dc in next st] 6 times. 30 sts
Rnd 6: [4 dc, 2 dc in next st] 6 times. 36 sts
Rnds 7-14: Dc around.
Rnd 15: [4 dc, 1 dc2tog] 6 times. 30 sts
Rnds 16-17: Dc around.
Rnd 18: [3 dc, 1 dc2tog] 6 times. 24 sts
Rnd 19: Dc around.
Rnd 20: [2 dc, 1 dc2tog] 6 times. 18 sts
Rnds 21-22: Dc around.
Rnd 23: 9 sl st, 1 dc, 7 htr, 1 dc. 18 sts

Fasten off.

Head
If you are unfamiliar with starting an ami pattern with a chain, check out the Oval Start Photo
Tutorial on mycrochetchums.weebly.com
Stuff as you go.
With MC chain 6.
Rnd 1: Starting in 2nd chain from hook and rotating as you go, [5 dc, 2 ch] twice. 10 sts
Rnd 2: [5 dc, 4 dc in 2 ch sp] twice. 18 sts
Rnd 3: [2dc, 2 dc in next st] 6 times. 24 sts
Rnd 4: [3 dc, 2 dc in next st] 6 times. 30 sts
Rnds 5- 6: Dc around.
Rnd 7: [4 dc, 2 dc in next st] 6 times. 36 sts
Rnd 8: Dc around.
Rnd 9: [4 dc, 1 dc2tog] 6 times. 30 sts
Rnd 10: Dc around.
Rnd 11: [3 dc, 1 dc2tog] 6 times. 24 sts
Rnds 12-13: Dc around.
Rnd 14: [3 dc, 2 dc in next st] 6 times. 30 sts
Rnds 15-16: Dc around.
Rnd 17: [3 dc, 1 dc2tog] 6 times. 24 sts
Rnd 18: Dc around.
Rnd 19: [2 dc, 1 dc2tog] 6 times. 18 sts
Rnd 20: [1 dc, 1 dc2tog] 6 times. 12 sts
Rnd 21: 6 dc2tog. 6 sts

Fasten off, weave in end.

Ear - make 2
Rnd 1: With MC and working in a magic ring, 6 dc. 6 sts
Rnd 2: 2 dc in each st around. 12 sts

Fasten off.

© 2021 PIA SIMPSON/mycrochetchums

3
Arm - make 2
Stuff arm about two thirds full.

Rnd 1: With CC1 and working in a magic ring, 6 dc. 6 sts

Rnd 2: 2 dc in each st around. 12 sts
Rnd 3: 12 dc BLO. 12 sts
Change colour to MC.
Rnds 4-8: Dc around.
Rnd 9: 1 dc2tog, 10 dc. 11 sts
Rnd 10: Dc around.
Rnd 11: 1 dc2tog, 9 dc. 10 sts
Rnd 12: Dc around.
Rnd 13: 1 dc2tog, 8 dc. 9 sts
Rnd 14: Dc around.
Rnd 15: 1 dc2tog, 7 dc. 8 sts
Rnd 16: Dc around.

Fasten off.

Leg - make 2
Stuff as you go
Rnd 1: With CC1 and working in a magic ring, 6 dc. 6 sts
Rnd 2: 2 dc in each st around. 12 sts
Rnd 3: [3 dc, 2 dc in next st] 3 times. 15 sts
Rnd 4: 15 dc BLO. 15 sts
Change colour to MC.
Rnd 5: Dc around.
Rnd 6: 5 dc, 1 dc2tog, 1 dc, 1 dc2tog, 5 dc. 13 sts
Rnd 7: 6 dc, 1 dc2tog, 5 dc. 12 sts
Rnd 8: 5 dc, 1 dc2tog, 5 dc. 11 sts
Rnds 9- 11: Dc around.
Rnd 12: 1 dc2tog, 9 dc. 10 sts
Rnds 13-14: Dc around.

Fasten off.

Tail

Rnd 1: With CC1 and working into a magic ring, 4 dc. 4 sts
Rnd 2: 2 dc in next st, 3 dc. 5 sts
Rnd 3: 2 dc in next st, 4 dc. 6 sts
Rnd 4: [1 dc, 1 dc2tog] twice. 4 sts
Change colour to MC.
Rnds 5-8: Dc around.
Fasten off.

© 2021 PIA SIMPSON/mycrochetchums

4
Making up

Using the photographs as a guide, pin the pieces together first, using the long yarn tails or
a length of yarn with a yarn needle to stitch the pieces together.

Looking at the Body, the lower side of the last round (where the slip stitches are) is the front
of the neck. Attach the head so the back of the neck is roughly in line with Rnd 14 of the
head.

Sew the Ears to the Head, roughly in line with Rnd 17 and the eyes to it in line with Rnd 11.

Sew the Arms to the side of the Body, roughly in line with Rnd 21 of the body - looking from
the side the arms should be about in line with the eyes.

Sew the Legs to the bottom of the Body, a little forward from the centre so the hippo can sit
down.

Attach the tail in line with Rnd 7 of the Body.

© 2021 PIA SIMPSON/mycrochetchums

5
Embroidered details.
Using the photos as a guide, use CC1 to embroider the highlights on the eyes, the nostrils
and the detail on the belly.

Use CC2 to embroider the hippo’s smile and the “toe” detail on the Arms and Legs. All done!

Terms of Use

I am happy for you to donate, gift or sell any of the my crochet chums you make if you are
an individual crafter - please credit mycrochetchums.weebly.com as the designer.

If you do wish to sell your my crochet chums, it is your responsibility to ensure that the
finished item complies with the relevant toy legislation in your country.

Please be sure to use toy grade stuffing and do not add buttons, bells, ribbons etc that
could be a danger to small children.

The patterns are copyright protected and are not for commercial use. They cannot be sold,
transmitted, distributed or reproduced in any form or by any means. I’ve worked hard to
create the designs - please don’t sell my patterns - it’s just plain mean!

About mycrochetchums

I started mycrochetchums at the end of 2020 to give me something to focus on during g

lockdown and to make creative use of a box of Aldi Amigurumi Yarn that was an impulse
purchase I was feeling guilty about!

I’m loving creating these cute characters and sharpening my tech skills in the process as I
wrangle with managing a website and social media.

Check out the mycrochetchums Facebook page - drop me a message there if you have
any feedback about the pattern or would like to share a picture of the end result.

You can also find me on Instagram @mycrochetchums.

Happy Crocheting!

Pia x

© 2021 PIA SIMPSON/mycrochetchums