Kitties!

My daughter’s first word (and favorite word) was “Kitty!” She is in love with the cats. My son is a big fan as well. We have two, a tuxedo cat and what I call a cow cat, mostly white with some black spots. I decided that as a part of their Yule gifts, I would turn them into stuffed toys, one for each of them. There’s a LOT of sewing in this one.

That’s the best picture I have of the two of them together.

Materials:

• I used worsted weight white and black, and sport weight green and yellow.
• G-sized crochet hook. It’s not the size that’s important so I’m not including a gauge. I crochet pretty tightly, if your stitches are looser you may want to use a smaller hook. The important thing is to make sure that the stitches are tight enough to hold in the stuffing.
• I used polyfiber stuffing, but any stuffing will do.
• Scissors to cut the yarn.
• A needle with an eye big enough for yarn.
• Safety pin, optional.

Some of this is worked in continuous rounds. Use a stitch marker to keep your place and move it up as you complete rows. I use a safety pin and just put it through the last stitch of a round.

A note about the eyes- I used sport weight, but I did try with worsted weight and it looks just fine as the pattern is written.

Head and Body (continuous rounds)
1) ch 2, sc6 in 2nd ch from hook (6)
2) 2 sc in each sc around (12)
3) sc, 2 sc in next sc* around (18)
4) sc2, 2 sc in next sc* around (24)
5) sc3, 2 sc in next sc* around (30)
6) sc4, 2 sc in next sc* around (36)
7) sc5, 2 sc in next sc* around (42)
8-13) sc in each sc around (42)
14) sc5, dec over 2 sc* around (36)
15) sc4, dec over 2 sc* around (30)
16) sc3, dec over 2 sc* around (24)
17-18) sc in each sc around (24)
stuff
19) sc3, 2 sc in next sc* around (30)
20) sc in each sc around (30)
21) sc4, 2 sc in next sc* around (36)
22-26) sc in each sc around (36)
27) sc4, dec over 2 sc* around (30)
28) sc in eaxh sc around (30)
29) sc3, dec over 2 sc* around (24)
30) sc in each sc around (24)
stuff
31) sc2, dec over 2 sc* around (18)
32) sc, dec over 2 sc* around (12)
stuff
33) dec over 2 sc around (6)
break yarn, finish off, sew closed
For the mostly white cat, do rounds 1-11 with black, then switch to white.

Legs (rows, make 2)
1) with black ch 12, join with sl st to form a ring, sc in each ch around, join with sl st (12)
2-9) ch 1, sc in each sc around, join with sl st (12)
10-14) switch to white, sc in each sc around (12)
15) ch 1, *sc, 2 sc in next sc* around, join with sl st (18)
16) ch 1, *sc, dec over 2 sc* around, join with sl st (12)
17) ch 1, *dec over 2 sc* around, join with sl st (6)
break yarn, finish off, sew closed, stuff
For the mostly white cat, make completely white.

Arms (rows, make 2)
1) with black ch 12, join with sl st to form a ring, sc in each ch around, join with sl st (12)
2-9) ch 1, sc in each sc around, join with sl st (12)
10-12) with white, sc in each sc around (12)
13) ch 1, *sc, 2 sc in next sc* around, join with sl st (18)
14) ch 1, *sc, dec over 2 sc* around, join with sl st (12)
15) ch 1, *dec over 2 sc* around, join with sl st (6)
break yarn, finish off
For mostly white cat, make completely white.

Tail (rows)
1) ch 8, sl st to form ring, sc in each ch, sl st to join (8)
2-14) ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join (8)
15) dec over 2 sc around, sl st (4)
break yarn, finish off, do not stuff

Ears (rows, make 2)
1) ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook to end (4)
2) ch 1, turn, sc in each sc (4)
3) ch 1, turn, dec over 2 sc* twice (2)
4) ch 1, turn, sc in each sc (2)
5) ch 1, turn, dec over 2 sc (1)
break yarn, finish off, weave in ends

Muzzle (rows)
1) ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd sc from hook, sl st to join (6)
2) ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around, sl st (12)
3) ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st (12)
break yarn with enough tail to sew to face, finish off
embroider nose and mouth before sewing to face

Eyes (make 2)
1) ch 3, 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 5 sc in last ch, 3 sc in bottom loop of 2nd ch from hook, join with sl st (10)
break yarn, finish off
embroider black pupil

Tuxedo Patch (rows)
1) ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook to end (4)
2) ch 1, turn, 2 sc in 1st sc, sc2, 2 sc in last sc (6)
3-10) ch 1, turn, sc6 (6)
11) ch 1, turn, dec over 2 sc, sc2, dec over 2 sc (4)
break yarn, finish off

Large Black Patch (rounds)
1) ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook (6)
2) 2 sc in each sc around, sl st (12)
break yarn, finish off

Small Black Patch
1) ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sl st to join (6)
break yarn, finish off

Assembly
Sew on legs, arms, tail, ears, muzzle, eyes, and any appropriate patches.