Reggae Owl
by Anne-griet Leupen, August 2014
A while ago I wanted to crochet a little round owl with cotton yarn as a part of my shoebox gifts for Operation Christmas Child (a project from Samaritan's Purse). I couldn't find an owl pattern that suited my ideas and materials. So I designed my own round and wingedowl. The color scheme I used for the owl made me think of Jamaica, rasta and reggae, so I dubbed him 'Reggae Owl'. There is one last thing I want to tell you all before you crochet this owl. When I searched for patterns I came across a pattern from Lorene (Cre8tion Crochet), that was my greatest inspiration source for this owl. Do have a look on her page and maybe you'll fall in love with her little owl too: www.cre8tioncrochet.com/2013/07/owl-stuffy. Have fun crocheting!
Materials:
Cotton yarn (Sports weight, 5 ply) Red, yellow, green and brown for the body (± 15 m (6 g) of first 3 colors; ± 23 m (9 g) brown) White and black for the eyes (a scrap of black; ± 7 m (3 g) white) Orange for the beak (a scrap) I used Catania (Schachenmayr) and Phil Coton 3 (Phildar) (50 g = 125 m/137 yds) 2.5 mm hook Tapestry needle Stuffing Safety pins (optional) Abbreviations and stitches: This pattern contains American English crochet terms. C1 = Color 1: Red C2 = Color 2: Yellow C3 = Color 3: Green C4 = Color 4: Brown mr = magic ring st = stitch sl st = slip stitch ch = chain sC = single crochet hdc = half double crochet dc=double crochet tc = treble crochet dtc = double treble crochet
Tips:
For the color changes I used the following method: For the final sl st (on the end of a round), insert your hook into the st, yarn over with the new color and pull through the st and the loop on the hook. Continue crocheting with the new color. A few rounds further you can tie the tails of the two colors snugly together with a knot. Make sure the knot is secure and cut the remaining ends to a length of ca. 2/3". You don't need to sew in the ends as they will be on the inside of the finished owl. When you work with the brown yarn to form the 'ears' you'll use a slip stitch on several places. These slip stitches count as 'normal' stitches, you'll have to crochet into them on a following round. If you don't crochet in them, the stitch count will be off and the 'ears' willcome out wrong. First half of the body: Round 1: With C1 make mr, ch1. 6 sc in ring. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 6) Round 2: Ch 1. 2 sc in every st around. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 12) Round 3: Ch 1. \*2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in the next st, repeat from\* around. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 18) Round 4: Ch 1. \*2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in the next 2 st, repeat from\* around. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 24) Round 5: Ch 1. \*2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in the next 3 st, repeat from\* around. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 30) Change color. Round 6: With C2 ch 1. \*2 sc in next st, sc in gap below next st (gap between st of previous round), 1 sc in next 2 st, sc in gap below next st, repeat from\* around. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 36)
Round 7: Ch 1. \*2 sc in next st, 1 sc in the next 5 st, repeat from\* around. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 42) Round 8: Ch 1. \*2 sc in next st, 1 sc in the next 6 st, repeat from\* around. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 48) Change color. Round 9: With C3 ch 1. \*2 sc in next st, sc in gap below next st, 1 sc in next 2 st, sc in gap below next st, 1 sc in next 2 st, sc in gap below next st, repeat from\* around. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 54) Round 10: Ch 1. \*2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 8 st, repeat from\* around. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 60) Change color. Round 11: With C2 ch 1. 1 sc in every st around. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 60) Round 12: Ch 1. 1 sc in every st around. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 60) Change color. Round 13: With C4 ch 1. 1 sc in the next 23 st, 1 sl st + 1 hdc in the next st, 2 hdc in the next 2 st, 1 hdc + 1 sc in the next st, 1 sc in the next 3 st, 1 sc + 1 hdc in the next st, 2 hdc in the next 2 st, 1 hdc + 1 sl st in the next st, 1 sc in the remaining 26 st. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 68) Round 14: Ch 1. 1 sc in the next 21 st, sl st in the next st, 1 hdc in the next 2 st, 3 dc in the next st, 1 hdc in the next st, 1 sc in the next 11 st, 1 hdc in the next st, 3 dc in the next st, 1 hdc in the next 2 st, sl st in the next st, 1 sc in the remaining 26 st. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 72) Round 15: Ch 1. 1 sc in the next 19 st, sl st in the next st, 1 hdc in the next 4 st, 2 dc + 1 tc in the next st, 1 tc + 2 dc in the next st, 1 sc in the next st, sl st in the next st. Cut yarn (leave enough of a tail to weave it in securely) and fasten off. Skip 8 st and pick up the yarn in the 9th st (you only have to pull up a loop in this st), sl st in the next st, 1 sc in the next st, 2 dc + 1 tc in the next st, 1 tc + 2 dc in the next st, 1 hdc in the next 4 st, sl st in the next st, 1 sc in the remaining 26 st. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 80) Fasten off. Weave in tails of the ears.
Slip stitch round:
As a finishing touch, sl st loosely with C1 in the gaps between round 12 and 13 as follows. Place your hook through a gap between the sc of round 12 and 13 (somewhere along the bottom of the owl), pull up a loop. Place the hook with the loop on it through the next gap, pull up a loop and pull through the loop that was already on the hook. A slip stitch is made. Continue all around until you reach your beginning point.
For an invisible finish, cut the yarn so that a long tail remains. Pull the tail up through your last stitch made, be careful not to pull the stitch too tight. Thread a tapestry needle with the tail end, place your needle below the 'v'-arms of the first slip stitch and pull through. Place your needle through the middle of the last slip stitch you made and pull through. Tie the tail ends together with a knot and cut the remaining ends to a length of ca.2/3".
Second half of the body:
Follow the instructions for the first half, only use a different color scheme (or use the same one as the first half, that's up to you). I used the following scheme: Round 1-5: C3 (green) Round 6-8: C2 (yellow) Round 9-10: C1 (red) Round 11-12: C2 (yellow) Round 13-15: C4 (brown) Slip stitch round: C3 (green)
Eyes (2x) :
Round 1: With black make mr, ch1. 6 sc in ring. Sl st into the top of the first sc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 6) Round 2: With white, ch 1. 2 hdc in every st around. Sl st into the top of the first hdc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 12) Round 3: With white, ch 1. 2 hdc in every st around. Sl st into the top of the first hdc (skip the first ch 1) to join round. (= 24) Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Weave in other tails.
Beak:
With orange, chain 4. 1 sc in the 2nd chain from hook, 1 hdc in the next chain, 1 dc in the final chain. Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Weave in other tail.
Assembly:
Sew on the eyes on the right side of one half of the owl. Sew on the beak beneath the eyes. Place the two owl parts on top of each other (wrong side against wrong side) with the beak and eyes facing you. Make sure all stitches are aligned (l used safety pins to keep it all in place).
Work through both layers as follows : With C1 begin on the bottom of the owl, ch 1. 1 sc in every stitch until there are 8 st left before the sl st below the first ear (the final 8th st is the sl st). For the first wing: 1 hdc + 1 dc in the 1st st, 2 tc in the next st, 3 dtc in the next st, 2 tc in the next st, 1 dc + 1 hdc in the next st, 1 sc in the remaining 3 st. For the ears: 1 sc in the next 6 st, 2 sc in the next 2 st (on top of both tc of the previous round), 1 sc in the next 16 st (it's a bit of a fiddle in the stitches where you picked up the yarn again for the second ear), 2 sc in the next 2 st (on top of both tc of the previous round), 1 sc in the next 9 st. For the second wing: 1 hdc + 1 dc in the next st, 2 tc in the next st, 3 dtc in the next st, 2 tc in the next st, 1 dc + 1 hdc in the next st. Finish: 1 sc in the remaining st until there's a small gap left, stuff the owl. Continue with 1 sc in each st to close the gap until you get to the last st. To complete the owl use the invisible finish technique (into the top of the first st made, skip the ch 1) and weave in the ends on the back of the owl. You have finished your Reggae Owl! I hope you had fun making it!
