Puffy Stuffy Fox

Maybe it is because orange is my favorite color. Maybe it's because orange, black, and white donned my high school basketball uniform. Or maybe it's because I love fall, but there is just something about a cute little fox that makes me squeeeeee!

Next week is the official beginning of Fall, so I thought I'd kick things off with a fun fox from my Puffy Stuffy collection! 

Materials:
Bernat Blanket, Pumpkin Spice
Bernat Blanket, Vintage White
Bernat Blanket, Coal
Small amount of worsted weight black yarn
Crochet hook size K-6.5mm
Polyester Fiberfill
Yarn needle

Terms and abbreviations to know:
Magic ring
rnd, rnds - round, rounds
st, sts - stitch, stitches
sc - single crochet
inc - increase, work 2 sts into same st
dc bobble - double crochet bobble

1. Yarn over, and insert hook into designated st.
2. Pull up a loop.
3. Yarn over, and pull through 2 loops, leaving 2 loops left on hook.
4. Yarn over and insert hook into same st.
5. Pull up a loop.
6. Yarn over, and pull through 2 loops, leaving 3 loops left on hook.
7. Yarn over, and insert hook into same st.
8. Pull up a loop.
9. Yarn over, and pull through 2 loops, leaving 4 loops left on hook.
10. Yarn over, and insert hook into same st.
11. Pull up a loop.
12. Yarn over and pull through all 5 loops.

invsc2tog - invisible single crochet 2 together, this is essentially a decrease, but done in such a way as to make the continuous stitching smoother, and the decrease not as noticeable. 

1. Insert hook into front loop only of next stitch, DO NOT yarn over.
2. Insert hook into front loop of second st.
3. Yarn over. Pull through 2 loops.
4. Yarn over and pull through last 2 loops.

Notes: This pattern is worked in a round from the top, down, with no joining. Use a st marker to mark each rnd. The body, arms, and legs are made all in one piece. The ears and tail are made separately and sewn on. This yarn can be tricky to work with, so here are some tips: to be sure you're not missing any sts, always count each rnd, until you're more comfortable. Because the yarn is so thick, the sts will be very close together, especially during the increasing rnds. Do NOT pull yarn too tightly while sewing or closing, because it can break. Pull gently. This pattern is available for free on my blog here, but if you wish to download a PDF copy and avoid the ads, it can be found in my Ravelry shop for a small fee. 

All text and images are owned by Erin Greene of ekayg, copyright ©2017. Images may not be used by anyone else without express written permission. If used, the ekayg watermark must be visible. Pattern may be printed and shared, but may NOT be copied and passed off as anyone else's work. Pattern credit must be linked back to ekayg. Finished products made from this pattern may be used for sale. ​

Body in Pumpkin Spice, until color changes are directed.
Begin with magic ring.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring; 6 sts
Rnd 2: inc in each st around; 12 sts
Rnd 3: inc in each st around; 24 sts
Rnd 4: (inc in next st, sc in next 3 sts)6x; 30 sts
Rnd 5-6: sc in each st around; 30

1. This is to show you what it should look like working through your st. You will see 2 fuzzy loops that are a little hard to make out, but that's your st!

2. During the increases, the sts will be very close together, so be sure to use a st marker and count your rnds.

3. You almost can't even see the next st, after increasing, but it's there if you push the last worked st aside a little, so be careful not to skip any sts.

4. This completes rnd 4, and all increases are done. From here on, just work 30 sts evenly until bobbles.

**Rnds 7-11 will also be keeping the 30 sts evenly, but you will be directed on color changes with Vintage White. During color changes, you can crochet OVER the color you're not using, or just carry it behind. To change colors, pull new color through to complete last st in previous color (see pictures below for more details). 
Rnd 7: 3 sc in orange, 2 sc in white, 6 sc in orange, 2 sc in white, 17 sc in orange; 30 sts
Rnd 8: 2 sc in orange, 4 sc in white, 4 sc in orange, 4 sc in white, 16 sc in orange; 30 sts
Rnd 9-10: 2 sc in orange, 5 sc in white, 2 sc in orange, 5 sc in white, 16 sc in orange; 30 sts
Rnd 11: 2 sc in orange, 12 sc in white, 16 sc in orange; 30 sts

5. When making color changes, always pull next color through to complete last st of previous color.

6. Your previous st will remain in last color, and you can continue next st in new color!

Pull black through to finish last st of rnd 11, and work dc bobbles in black.
Rnd 12: dc bobble in black, 14 sc in white, dc bobble in black, 14 sc in orange; 30 sts
Rnd 13: 2 sc in orange, 12 sc in white, 16 sc in orange; 30 sts
Rnd 14: 3 sc in orange, 10 sc in white, 17 sc in orange; 30 sts
Rnd 15: 3 sc in orange, dc bobble in black, 6 sc in white, dc bobble in black, 19 sc in orange; 30 sts
Fasten off both black and white, and finish fox in orange. ​

7. When working your dc bobbles, there will be 5 loops left on hook to finish. Be sure to pull through the next working color to complete the bobble.

8. The first bobble of each rnd will be completed with white. The second bobble of each rnd will be completed with orange.

9. Completed dc bobble!

Before continue on to close, use your worsted weight black yarn to stitch on the nose, mouth, and eyes to the face.

10. To sew on the nose, start with making a triangle shape, centered between the legs.

11. After you make the triangle, begin to fill it in, in through the op, out through the bottom.

12. You can do whatever you'd like with the mouth! Straight down from the nose, downward V, or even a smile. Then, take your yarn up 2 rnds above the top of the nose to begin the eyes.

13. The eye lids span over 4 sts. To get them to hang down, simply work the lashes through the st AND through the eye lid part of the yarn, to connect the lashes.

Begin stuffing. Body will stretch as you stuff, so stuff a little more after each rnd here before closing.
​Rnd 16: (invsc2tog, sc in next 3 sts)6x; 24 sts
Rnd 17: invsc2tog 6x; 12 sts
Rnd 18: invsc2tog 6x; 6 sts
Complete stuffing, if you can put anymore through the middle.
​Fasten off and weave the end around the hole to close.

Ears, (make 2) begin in black
Begin with magic ring.
Rnd 1: 4 sc in magic ring; 4 sts
Rnd 2: sc in each st around; 4 sts
Change to orange and fasten off black.
Rnd 3: (inc, sc in next st)2x; 6 sts
Rnd 4: (inc, sc in next 2 sts)2x; 8 sts
Rnd 5: (inc, sc in next 3 st)2x; 10 sts
Rnd 6: (inc, sc in next 4 sts)2x; 12 sts
Fold opening closed, and sc 6 sts across through both sides to close the ear. Fasten off, leaving long tail for sewing. Sew onto the head. 

Tail, begin in white
Begin with magic ring.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring; 6 sts
Rnd 2: sc in each st around; 6 sts
Rnd 3: (inc, sc in next 2 sts)2x; 8 sts
Rnd 4: (inc, sc in next 3 sts)2x; 10 sts
Rnd 5: (inc, sc in next 4 sts)2x; 12 sts
Change to orange and fasten off white.
Rnd 6: (inc, sc in next 5 st)2x; 14 sts
Rnds 7-9: sc in each st around; 14 sts
Rnd 10: (invsc2tog, sc in next 5 sts)2x; 12 sts
Rnd 11: sc in each st around; 12 sts
Rnd 12: (invsc2tog, sc in next 4 sts)2x; 10 sts
Rnd 13: sc in each st around; 10 sts
Rnd 14: (invsc2tog, sc in next 3 sts)2x; 8 sts
Rnd 15: sc in each st around; 8 sts
Fold closed and sc 3 across through both sides to close the tail. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew onto the back, toward the side. 

More in the Puffy Stuffy Collection!

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