Thursday 16 September 2010

Charley the Unicorn

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Meet Charley the Unicorn - so irresistible.



Yarn – White DK yarn plus small amounts of green, pink and black. Silver lurex thread (I used Rowan lurex shimmer)
Hooks – 3 mm and 2 mm.
Notions – toy stuffing.

PATTERN
(English terms used)
dc (English) = sc (American)

Finished size – approximately 15 cm (6 inches) tall.

Head.
With white DK and 3 mm hook make 2 chain.

1st round: 6 dc (US sc) 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] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)

3rd – 5th rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

6th 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] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (18 dc)

7th round : 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, 1 dc into next 2 dc, [2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 2 dc] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (24 dc)


8th – 11th rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.


12th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 2 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (18 dc)

13th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 1 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)

Stuff head at this point.

14th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog,] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc.
Fasten off and close opening.

Neck
Starting at base of neck, using white DK, chain 12. Join into a loop.
1st round: 1 ch, 1 dc (US sc) into each chain to end, sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)

2nd – 3rd rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

4th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 1 dc] 4 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (8 dc)

Fasten off.

Sew to head and then stuff.

Ears
With white DK chain 3.

1st row: 1 dc into 2nd chain from hook, 1 dc into first chain, turn. (2 dc)

2nd row: 1ch, 1 dc into each dc, turn.

3rd row: dc2tog. Fasten off. Sew to sides of head.

Body.
With white DK and 3 mm hook make 2 chain.

1st round: 6 dc (US sc) 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] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)

3rd 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] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (18 dc)

4th round: 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, 1 dc into next 2 dc, [2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 2 dc] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (24 dc)

5th round: 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, 1 dc into next 3 dc, [2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 3 dc] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (30 dc)

6th – 15th rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

16th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 3 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (24 dc)

17th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 2 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (18 dc)
18th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 1 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)

Stuff body at this point.
19th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog,] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc.

20th round: 1ch [dc2tog] 3 times, continue to dc into each stitch working in a spiral for 3 rounds for tail. Fasten off.

Attach head and neck to body.

Legs
With green DK or colour of choice 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] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)

3rd round: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc. Break off green and join in white DK

4th – 10th rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.
Fasten off. Stuff and attach to body.

Horn
With silver lurex and 2mm hook ch 12 and join with a sl st into a ring.
1st round: work 18 dc into the ring, sl st into 1st dc.

2nd round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 1 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)

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

5th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 2 dc] 3 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (9 dc)

6th – 8th rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

9th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 1 dc] 3 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (6 dc)

10th round: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

Fasten off and close ending at tip of horn. Stuff.

Attach to head between ears.

Mane
Cut a number of 5cm (2 inch) lengths of pink DK (or colour of your choice). Knot these in a line along the back of the head and neck and in a small group in front of the horn. Trim to size.

Tail
Cut 12 lengths of pink DK approximately 15cm (6 inches) in length. Tie the group of threads in the centre of the group and attach to the unicorn. Trim to size.

With black DK yarn embroider some eyes and eyelashes.

23 comments:

  1. What a lovely unicorn! Thanks for sharing your pattern!!

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  2. So magically adorable! I can't wait to make one for my daughter, thanks for sharing your pattern!

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  3. How cute is Charley! I love his sparkly horn and his little green feet.

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  4. It's so cute! Thanks for the pattern!
    I have a request for you and everybody:
    Could you comment in my blog what kind od pieces were knitting in XX century in your country.? What style? What fibers used they? What tecniques?
    I try to do a little history of knitting and I need the main witness: yourselfs.
    Think in your chilhood, mothers, grandmothers...
    Thank you.

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  5. Thanks. I am going to try to make this for my horse loving daughter for her birthday.

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  6. I absolutely love this pattern! I just made one in purple for my cousin's daughter, and it turned out so cute :-). Your instructions were very easy to follow. Thank you!

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  7. Aww he is mine I tell you mine all mine. XD

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  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  9. Thank you for sharing this pattern. I looked all over for a cute little horse and this definitely fits the bill. Free patterns are so nice to find! Thanks again!

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  10. This doll makes a lovely gift. I made the body with a combination of white and pastel-multi-colored yarns. I made the horn and hoves of the same yellow yarn. Then stuffed it with yarn.

    I gave it to a new-born baby.

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  11. It is sooooooooooo cute.
    Thank you for this lovely pattern.

    greetings from The Netherlands
    Elena

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  12. a definite treasure

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  13. Love this pattern thanks for freebie, oh I have put your blog on my favorites blog on my blog, hope you understand that lol x

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  14. So pretty! Thanks for posting. I am curious about why the rounds are joined with the slip stitch. If the rounds are not joined, would it make a difference in the finished product? Thanks.

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    1. Hi Pam, thanks for your comment. I like to join my rounds with a slip stitch - but this is just my personal preference. It would make no difference to the pattern if there were no slip stitches and the rounds just worked in a spiral. A number of people who have made my patterns have used this method.
      Best wishes.

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  15. Precious! I'm working on her now.

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  16. lovely toy cant wait to start thanks so much for free pattern hugs

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  17. Hi, I am very excited about this pattern. But I can't find the right hook sizes anywhere I've been. The smallest ones I've found are 3.5mm and 2.75mm. Do you have any recommendations on where to buy small hooks or can't the pattern be altered?

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    1. Hi, I'm glad you like the pattern. You should be able to get a full range of crochet hooks at most haberdashery shops. The online yarn stockists also have all the sizes for crochet hooks. I don't know whether you are in the UK or not, but John Lewis stock crochet hooks in their haberdashery department. If you are still struggling to get the right size hooks, you could use a thicker weight of yarn and larger hooks, but this would obviously mean that Charley would be slightly bigger than the original.

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  18. I'm glad to know, finally, who wrote this pattern. I'm not even sure what site I originally downloaded it from. I made about a dozen, half in bright pink and half in multi blues for our Christmas fund raiser. Being the typical Grandma, most were given, not sold, when the little ones just couldn't put them down. Might do some in more colors this year, too. Not making a business... they get 'sold' for donations made to our youth group. Thank you for the pattern, and now I can credit.

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    1. Thank you Mari, so glad you like the pattern and your grandchildren enjoy the unicorns. It's good to know that the pattern is also being used to raise money for a good cause. Thank you for getting in touch.

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  19. How do you get him to keep up. His head keeps falling. Please help. elaineandron@gmail.com

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    1. I've sent you an email with some suggestions.

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