Crochet Lion

Materials

• Super Bulky Weight #6 yarn, sample used one Caron Chunky Cake, Rainbow Jellys color divided into segments by colors.  Quantity needed by color:
  • Yellow: 42 yards
  • Orange: 18 yards
  • Green: 8 yards
  • Blue: 7 yards
  • Red: 3 yards
• K/10.5 6.50 mm Crochet Hook
• 12mm safety eyes.
• Stitch markers to keep track of rows
• Fiberfill
• Tapestry Needle

Important Pattern Note

The rainbow lion is made from colors from one Caron Chunky Cake.  Before beginning to crochet, wind each color into it’s own ball.

Gauge:

Using the K/6.50 mm hook, my gauge is 5.5 sc to 2 inches.

Resources and crochet tutorials you may find helpful in following this pattern: Crochet Abbreviations, US to UK Crochet Conversion Chart.  Find links to stitches and basic crochet skills on the “Tutorial” menu: Getting Started will show basic stitches such as the slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet stitch and chain stitch used in many patterns and Crochet Stitch Dictionary shows our growing collection of crochet stitch tutorials.

Crochet Abbreviations:

• ch = chain
• sc = single crochet
• sl st = slip stitch
• st = stitch(es)

Note:  Use a stitch marker to mark the last stitch of each round as you work, moving the stitch marker as you work each round.

Finished Crochet Lion Size

Lion shown measures 10” from tip of foot to top of head (excluding ears and mane).

Head

With Yellow yarn, make a magic ring

R1:  6 sc into ring (6 sts).  (Do not join, worked in rounds)

R2:  2 sc in ea st (12 st)

R3: *sc in next st, 2 sc in next.  Repeat from * around.  (18 st)

R4: *sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next.  Repeat from * around.  (24 st)

R5-9:  sc around (24 st)

R10: *sc in next 2 st, sc2tog.  Repeat from * around (18 st)

Insert safety eyes between rows 7 and 8, leaving 4 stitches between eyes.

R11: *sc in next st, sc2tog.  Repeat from * around (12 st). Fasten off leaving a long strand for sewing.

Stuff the head.

Ears (Make 2)

With Yellow yarn, make a magic ring

R1:  4 sc into ring (4 sts).  (Do not join, worked in rounds)

R2:  2 sc in ea st (8 st)

R3: sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st (10 st)  Fasten off, using an invisible join and leaving a long strand for joining (or alternatively, join with a slip stitch instead).

Mane

The mane is worked back and forth in rows.  With Orange yarn chain 28.

R1:  sl st in 2^nd ch from hook, sl st across.  Turn at end of round

R2:  *ch 7, sl st to next st.  Repeat from * around.  At end of round, fasten off, leaving a long strand for joining.

Pattern Note:  The arms and legs are made first, then crocheted in as the body is crocheted.

Arms (Make 2)

With Yellow yarn, make a magic ring

R1:  6 sc into ring (6 sts).  (Do not join, worked in rounds)

R2-3:  sc around (6 st)

R4: *sc in next st, sc2tog.  Repeat from * once.  (4 st)

Stuff hand lightly, remainder of arm is unstuffed.

R5-9: sc around (4 st). At end of last round, sl st to next stitch, then fasten off, leaving a long strand for joining.

Legs (Make 2)

With Yellow yarn, make a magic ring

R1:  6 sc into ring (6 sts).  (Do not join, worked in rounds)

R2:  *sc in next st, 2 sc in next.  Repeat from * around. (9 st)

R3-4: sc around (9 st)

R5:  *sc in next st, sc2tog.  Repeat from * around.  (6 st)

Begin stuffing leg, stuffing as you go.  Leave last ½” unstuffed.

R6-11: sc around (6 st).  At end of last round, sl st to next stitch, then fasten off, leaving a long strand for joining.

Body

With Orange yarn, make a magic ring

R1:  6 sc into ring (6 sts).  (Do not join, worked in rounds)

R2:  2 sc in ea st (12 st)

R3: *sc in next st, 2 sc in next.  Repeat from * around.  (18 st)

R4: *sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next.  Repeat from * around, changing to green yarn in last stitch.  (24 st)

The legs are attached in the next round.  Flatten each leg piece; you will work through a double thickness of the leg and the body stitches over 3 stitches while crocheting the next round.

R5: With green yarn, sc in next st, holding one leg over next 3 stitches and working through both the leg and the body stitches, sc into the next 3 stitches (leg attached), sc in next 9 st, attach 2^nd leg in the same manner over the next 3 st, sc in last 8 st. (24 st)

R6:  sc around. (24 st)

R7:  sc around, changing to blue yarn in last stitch. (24 st)

R8-9:  With blue yarn, sc around (24 st)

R10: *sc in next 2 st, sc2tog.  Repeat from * around, changing to red yarn in last stitch (18 st)

R11: With red yarn, sc around (18 st)

R12: *sc in next st, sc2tog.  Repeat from * around (12 st).

To determine arm placement in the next round, fold body in half so that the legs are centered in the front of the body.  Determine the 2 side stitches on each side for placing each arm and mark with a stitch marker. Flatten each arm piece; you will work through a double thickness of the arm and the body stitches over 2 stitches while crocheting the next round.

R13:  sc around, attaching the arms at the markers on the sides of the body by working over both the arm and body in the next 2 sc.  The arms are separated by 4 sc stitches.  (12 st) Fasten off leaving a long strand for sewing.

Finishing

Stuff the body.  Then use a fastened off strand to sew head and body together, adding additional stuffing if needed.

Using a strand of orange yarn, embroider straight stitches as shown for the nose.

Sew ears over rows 3-5 on an angle and towards the face.  Starting behind one year, position the mane behind the ears and around the front of the face, as shown.  Sew into place with orange yarn.  If needed, take one or two stitches in the back of the ear to hold it closer to mane.

Weave in any remaining ends.