Red Panda for Sweet N

I loved crocheting this red panda for N!  I hope she loves it.  The pattern was designed by Kezma Kilian, and I made a few changes.  I used Premier Chunky Parfait yarn and a size I 5.5mm crochet hook.

The yarn is very soft and plush, but it frays very easily.  It is suitable for amigurumi that isn't very detailed.  When sewing details onto the animal, you have to sew around the stitches because the yarn is just made of fluffy bits on a string.  The tail of yarn that you sew with can also fray very easily.  But, this pattern worked very well.  

I added the black heart since red pandas have black fur on their underside.  I stitched the eyebrows just over the eyes and made the white cheeks smaller than the pattern instructions.  This pattern was really fun to crochet.
 

I used size 16 or 18 mm eyes and 18 mm nose.  I spaced the eyes a bit closer with 10 sc between the eyes.  I skipped the bobbles on the legs and made them 3 rows longer than the pattern. I sewed the arms and legs a bit angled on the body.  I spaced the arms farther out than the pattern instructed.  

I can't wait to give it to N!  

My notes:  The Heart is the Large Heart from Love Hearts by June Gilbank of Planet June.  Acrylic worsted weight yarn and size H hook.

Arms and legs:  slip stitch to 1st sc to end and leave a long tail.  Sew the top edge closed.  Sew the arms and legs by sewing one thread of sc on top edge of arm/leg, and then around underside, also sew one thread of arm/leg to body to make it secure.  I also sew the ears closed and sew each front/back edge to the head. 

A Bunny for K!

 I loved crocheting this cute bunny for K.  She loves it!  The pattern is by lestescrochet, and the yarn is Parfait Chunky Yarn.  I used a size 5.5mm I crochet hook.

 I crocheted a heart for the bunny and added flowers to her ears.

My notes:

I added a tail in white Parfait Chunky.  Magic ring:  6 sc.  2:  Increase around to 12 stitches.  R3 and R4)  12 sc.  Join with a slip stitch and leave a tail for sewing.

15 mm blue safety eyes

Flowers for Bunny ears:  2 layer flowers.  Cotton yarn.  3.5mm hook  Pink, purple, deep pink, turquoise blue.

1) Light Pink.  Ch. 5.  Join with a slip stitch into the first chain to form a circle.

Ch1 (doesn't count as a stitch) (SC, Ch3) into the ring until you have 7 loops.  Join with a slip stitch to 1st. sc.

2) Petals:  (Sc, ch1, 2dc, ch1, sc) into each loop.  Slip stitch into the first sc.  7 petals.

2nd Layer:  Dark Pink.  (You can use the same color if you chain 1 and turn to the wrong side.)

With the back facing:  Insert the hook behind a spoke and work a slip stitch.  Chain 5.  (Slip stitch into the next spoke, ch 5) around.  7 loops.

Ch1 and turn flower over to front.  Each petal:   (Sc, ch1, 3dc, ch1, sc) around.  Join with slip stitch into first petal. 

Cut and leave longish tails for dark pink yarn.  Bury the tails a bit to fasten them securely and then use them to tie onto the bunny's ears.  One flower had turquoise blue and deep rose color yarns.

Ears:  I flatten and sew the ears closed with a few stitches.  I sew on arms on the top of the arm and on the lower layer of the arms for more security. 

Join pieces with a slip stitch into the first stitch to end off.  Cut the yarn, pull the tail out, leaving a long tail for sewing.