Crochet Christmas Mouse Ornament: Free Pattern

Size: about 9 cm (3.5 in) tall in worsted yarn (approximate; it depends on your tension)

Yarn: Worsted weight (CYC 4). A (silver) about 25 yd (23 m), B (rose) about 5 yd (5 m), C (red) about 5 yd (5 m); D (white) small amount, E (black) small amount

Hook: 3.5-4.0 mm (smaller than the yarn label, for a tight fabric with no stuffing showing)

Notions: a little yarn for the embroidered details, fiberfill stuffing, stitch marker, yarn needle

ABBREVIATIONS (US terms): MR magic ring, sc single crochet, inc 2 sc in one stitch, dec single crochet 2 together (invisible decrease recommended), st(s) stitch(es), sl st slip stitch, FO fasten off, Rnd(s) round(s)

Notes: Worked in continuous spiral rounds; move your stitch marker up each round. The number in brackets is the stitch count at the end of the round.

PROPORTIONS: The ears are long on purpose. Leave them unstuffed so they flop.

Head (make 1, colour A), about 5.6 cm (2.2 in) across at its widest

• Rnd 1 6 sc in MR 6
• Rnd 2 inc in each st around 12
• Rnd 3 (sc, inc) x 6 18
• Rnd 4 (sc 2, inc) x 6 24
• Rnd 5 sc, inc, (sc 3, inc) x 5, sc 2 30
• Rnds 6-13 sc in each st around 30
• Rnd 14 (sc 3, dec) x 6 24
• Rnd 15 sc, dec, (sc 2, dec) x 5, sc 18

Stuff firmly, and keep stuffing as you close.

• Rnd 16 (sc, dec) x 6 12
• Rnd 17 dec in each st around 6

FO, weave the tail through the front loops of the last 6 stitches and pull closed.

Ear (make 2, colour B), about 3.4 cm (1.3 in) across at its widest

• Rnd 1 6 sc in MR 6
• Rnd 2 inc in each st around 12

Change to colour A.

• Rnd 3 (sc, inc) x 6 18

Sl st in the next st to finish. FO, leaving a long tail.

Hat (make 1, colour C), about 3.4 cm (1.3 in) across at its widest

• Rnd 1 6 sc in MR 6
• Rnd 2 sc in each st around 6
• Rnd 3 inc in each st around 12
• Rnd 4 sc in each st around 12
• Rnd 5 (sc, inc) x 6 18
• Rnds 6-7 sc in each st around 18

FO, leaving a long tail for sewing. Stuff lightly if you like.

Assembly

1. Stuff the Head firmly before closing it, and leave a long tail of colour A.
2. Sew the ears to the head between Rnds 4 and 5. One each side of the top, the pink side to the front.
3. Cuff: join colour D in any stitch of the last round of the Hat. Work 2 rounds of sc in each st around (18). Sl st in the next st, FO and weave in. The Cuff uses about 2 yd (2 m) of colour D.
4. Sew the hat to the head between Rnds 1 and 2. Centred over the top, between the ears, the point flopping to one side.
5. Pompom: wrap colour D about 20 times around two fingers, tie the bundle tightly in the middle, cut the loops and trim it into a fluffy ball about 1.5 cm (0.6 in) across. Sew it to the tip of the Hat.
6. Embroider the two small eyes on the head at Rnd 8 with colour E. About 4 stitches apart.
7. Embroider the small nose on the head at Rnd 10 with colour B. Centred below the eyes.
8. Thread a length of colour A through the top of the hat, just below the pompom, and tie into a hanging loop.
9. Weave in all ends.