Boris the Badger

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Boris is a European badger (Meles meles). European badgers are nocturnal and spend the day in their extensive networks of tunnels called setts. Badgers are territorial, but can be found in groups often called clans. Group size varies between 2 and 12. Each clan has a dominant male and female. Males are called boars and females sows; the young are cubs. Badgers live for up to 15 years (average 3 years) in the wild, and up to 19 years in captivity.

Now you can make your own badger.

Yarn – Double knitting oddments in white, black and brown. DK weight mohair yarn in grey – I used 2 strands of Patons Misty 4ply held together (about ¼ of a ball used).
Hook – 3 mm.
Notions – toy stuffing.

PATTERN (English terms used)
English dc = US sc

Finished size – approximately 15 cm (6 inches) in length

Face and body
With white and 3 mm hook make 2 chain.

1st round: 6 dc (remember this is the equivalent of US sc) into 2nd chain from hook. Join with a slip st into 1st dc. Turn.
In order to line up the stripes for the badgers face it is necessary to turn the work at the end of each row.

2nd round: 1 ch, 1 dc into same stitch as chain, 1 dc into next dc, join in black, 2 dc in black into next dc, 1 dc in white in next 4 dc, 2 dc in black in next dc, 1 dc in white in next 2 dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (12 dc)

3rd round: 1 ch, 1 dc in white into same stitch as chain, 1 dc in white into next 2 dc, 1 dc in black into next 2 dc, 1 dc in white in next 4 dc, 1 dc in black in next 2 dc, 1 dc in white in next dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (12 dc)

4th round: 1 ch, 1 dc in white into same stitch as chain, 1 dc in white into next dc, 2 dc in black into next 2 dc, 1 dc in white in next 4 dc, 2 dc in black in next 2 dc, 1 dc in white in next 2 dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (16 dc)

5th round: 1 ch, 1 dc in white into same stitch as chain, 1 dc in white into next 3 dc, 1 dc in black into next 2 dc, 2 dc in black in next dc, 1 dc in white in next 4 dc, 2 dc in black in next dc, 1 dc in black in next 2 dc, 1 dc in white in next 2 dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (18 dc)

6th round: 1 ch, 1 dc in white into same stitch as chain, 1 dc in white into next 2 dc, 1 dc in black into next 4 dc, 1 dc in white in next 4 dc, 1 dc in black in next 4 dc, 1 dc in white in next 3 dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (18 dc)

7th round: 1 ch, 1 dc in white into same stitch as chain, 1 dc in white into next 3 dc, 1 dc in black into next 4 dc, 1 dc in white in next 4 dc, 1 dc in black in next 4 dc, 1 dc in white in next 2 dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (18 dc)

8th round: 1 ch, 1 dc in white into same stitch as chain, 1 dc in white into next 4 dc, 2 dc in black into next 2 dc, 1 dc in white in next 4 dc, 2 dc in black into next 2 dc, 1 dc in white in next 5 dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (22 dc)

9th round: 1 ch, 1 dc in white into same stitch as chain, 1 dc in white into next 6 dc, 2 dc in white in next dc, 2 dc in black into next 2 dc, 1 dc in white in next dc, 2 dc in white in next 2 dc, 1 dc in white in next dc, 2 dc in black into next 2 dc, 2 dc in white in next dc, 1 dc in white in next 5 dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (30 dc)

10th round: 1 ch, 1 dc in white into same stitch as chain, 1 dc in white into next 7 dc, 1 dc in black into next 4 dc, 1 dc in white in next 6 dc, 1 dc in black in next 4 dc, 1 dc in white in next 8 dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (30 dc)

11th round: 1 ch, 1 dc in white into same stitch as chain, 1 dc in white into next 8 dc, 1 dc in black into next 4 dc, 1 dc in white in next 6 dc, 1 dc in black in next 4 dc, 1 dc in white in next 7 dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (30 dc)

12th round: as 10th round.

13th round: 1 ch, 1 dc in white into same stitch as chain, 1 dc in white into next 7 dc, 2 dc in white in next dc, 1 dc in black into next 4 dc, 1 dc in white in next 6 dc, 1 dc in black into next 4 dc, 2 dc in white in next dc, 1 dc in white in next 6 dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (32 dc)

14th round: 1 ch, 1 dc in white into same stitch as chain, 1 dc in white into next 4 dc, 2 dc in white in next dc, 1 dc in white into next 2 dc, 2 dc in white in next dc, 1 dc in black into next 4 dc, 1 dc in white in next 6 dc, 1 dc in black into next 4 dc, 2 dc in white in next dc, 1 dc in white in next 2 dc, 2 dc in white in next dc, 1 dc in white in next 5 dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (36 dc)

15th round: 1 ch, 1 dc in white into same stitch as chain, 1 dc in white into next 11 dc, 1 dc in black into next 4 dc, 1 dc in white in next 6 dc, 1 dc in black in next 4 dc, 1 dc in white in next 10 dc, sl st into first dc.. (36 dc) DO NOT TURN.
From now on, the rest of the badger’s body is completed without turning the work at the end of each row.

Break off black and white yarn and join in grey mohair.

16th – 28th rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

29th round: 1 ch, [2 dctog, 1 dc into next 4 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (30 dc)

30th – 32nd rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

33rd round: 1 ch, [2 dctog, 1 dc into next 3 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (24 dc)

34th round: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.
Start stuffing the face and body.

35th round: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

36th round: 1 ch, [2 dctog, 1 dc into next 2 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (18 dc)

37th round: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

38th round: 1 ch, [2 dctog, 1 dc into next 1 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)
Insert remaining stuffing at this point.

39th round: 1 ch, [2 dctog,] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (6 dc)

40th round: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch for 2 rounds without joining (to form tail).
Fasten off.

Legs
With black and 3 mm hook make 2 chain.

1st round: 6 dc into 2nd chain from hook. Join with a slip st into 1st dc.

2nd round: 1 ch,, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, 1 dc into next dc, [2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next dc] 2 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (9 dc)

3rd – 4th rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

5th round: 1 ch, [2 dctog,] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (6 dc)
Fasten off and stuff lightly.



Ears
With black and 3 mm hook make 2 chain.

1st round: 6 dc into 2nd chain from hook. Join with a slip st into 1st dc.

2nd round: 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, 2 dc into next dc, break off black and join in white, 2 dc in white into next 4 dc, sl st into first dc. Turn. (12 dc)

Making up
Attach legs and ears as per pictures.
Using brown DK, embroider eyes.

Isn’t he cute! A friend for Heidi Hedgehog.