#677 Espurr

 

This espurr when completed in DK weight yarn is 23cm (9 inches) tall 15cm (6 inches) wide.
I did flatten the eyes with needlefelting tools.
There was also shortrow work in this to get the ears looking the way I wanted. It's an easy technique if you just keep a nice count on the stitches.

Head

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)

Round 2: 2SCx6 (12)

Round 3: [2SC, SC]x6 (18)

Round 4: [2SC, SCx2]x6 (24)

Round 5: [2SC, SCx3]x6 (30)

Round 6: [2SC, SCx4]x6 (36)

Round 7: [2SC, SCx5]x6 (42)

Round 8: [2SC, SCx6]x6 (48)

Round 9 - 16: SCx48 (48, 8 rounds)

Round 17: [SC2tog, SCx6]x6 (42)

Round 28: [SC2tog, SCx5]x6 (36)

Round 19: [SC2tog, SCx4]x6 (30)

Round 20: [SC2tog, SCx3]x6 (24)

Round 21: [SC2tog, SCx2]x6 (18)

Stuff firmly.

Round 22: [SC2tog, SC]x6 (12)

Round 23: SC2togx6 (6)

Sew closed

Ears

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)

Round 2: 2SCx6 (12)

Round 3 - 4: SCx12 (12, 2 rounds)

Round 5: [2SC, SC]x6 (18)

Round 6 - 8: SCx18, 18, 3 rounds)

Round 9: [SC2tog, SC]x6 (12)

Round 10 - 11: SCx12 (12, 2 rounds)

Stuff firmly.

Round 12: SC2togx6 (6)

Finish off and leave a tail to sew to the head.

White

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)

Round 2: 2SCx6 (12)

Row 1: SCx6, chain and turn

Row 2: SCx6, chain and turn

Row 3: SCx5, chain and turn

Row 4: SCx4, chain and turn. SCx1 (Move your stitch marker here if you are using one to have a new start to round 3.)

Round 3: SCx3, (insert hook into the next stitch on the step down) SCx1,  (insert hook into next stitch on the step down) SCx6, (insert hook on the next stitch up) SC, (insert hook into the next stitch up) SC. (This should take you back to the stitch marker). (12)

Sew at an angle onto the ear. I sewed around the white piece twice. Once to anchor it and the second time around, I picked up some stitches in round 4 to really sew the white piece flat.

Eyes

Light purple/pink

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)

Round 2: 2SCx6 (12)

Leave a long tail.

Dark blue

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)

Leave a long tail.

Sew the blue circle into the middle of the light purple/pink circle. Sew to the face.

I also flattened down the blue parts a little with a needlefelting tool just to clean up the look a little bit. If you prefer, you can just felt on the blue or leave it slightly puffed out.

Nose and Mouth

I added these embelleshments by needlefelt. Embroidery is good too.

Fur Spikes

Make 9 (1 forehead, 4 for the sides of the face, 2 for the back and 2 for the sides for the body)

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)

Round 2: SCx6 (6)

Round 3: SCx3, HDCx3 (6)

Round 4: 2SC, SC, [2HDC, HDC]x2 (9)

Round 5 - 6:  SCx3, HDCx6 (9, 2 rounds)

Round 7 - 8: SCx9 (9, 2 rounds)

Leave a tail to sew onto the plush. Stuff firmly and then sew on.

Make 5 (3 for the forehead, 2 for the chest)

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)

Round 2: SCx6 (6)

Round 3 - 5: SCx3, HDCx3 (6, 3 rounds)  

Leave a tail to sew onto the plush. Stuff firmly and then sew on. Since these pieces are so small, I stuff with the back of my crochet hook and then I roll the piece between my fingers to make sure the fluff is moulded to the tapered shape I want and then bend it to curve.

Body

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)

Round 2: 2SCx6 (12)

Round 3: [2SC, SC]x6 (18)

Round 4: [2SC, SCx2]x6 (24)

Round 5: [2SC, SCx3]x6 (30)

Round 6: [2SC, SCx4]x6 (36)

Round 7 - 12: SCx36 (36, 6 rounds)

Round 13: [SC2tog, SCx4]x6 (30)

Round 14 - 15: SCx30 (30, 2 rounds)

Round 16: [SC2tog, SCx3]x6 (24)

Round 17 - 18: SCx30 (30, 2 rounds)

Round 19: [SC2tog, SCx2]x6 (18)

Stuff firmly and sew to the head.

Arms

Start with white

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)

Round 2: SCx6 (6)

Round 3: [2SC, SC]x3 (9)

Round 4: SCx9 (9) change colours to main colour.

Round 5 - 7: SCx9 (9, 3 rounds)

Round 8: [2SC, SCx2]x3 (12)

Round 9: SCx12 (12)

Row 1: SCx6 chain and turn.

Row 2: SCx6

Stuff firmly and sew onto the body at a slight angle.

Legs

Start with white

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)

Round 2: SCx6 (6)

Round 3: [2SC, SC]x3 (9)

Round 4: SCx9 (9) change to main colour.

Round 5: SCx9 (9)

Round 6: [2SC, SCx2]x3 (12)

Round 7: SCx12 (12)

Round 8: [2SC, SCx3]x3 (15)

Round 9 - 10: SCx15 (15, 2 rounds)  

Row 1: SCx8, chain and turn =

Row 2: SCx8

Leave a long tail. Stuff firmly and sew to the body.

Tail

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)

Round 2: SCx6 (6)

Round 3: SCx3, HDCx3 (6)

Round 4: 2SC, SC, [2HDC, HDC]x2 (9)

Round 5 - 6:  SCx3, HDCx6 (9, 2 rounds)

Round 7 - 8: SCx9 (9, 2 rounds)

Round 9: [2SC, SCx2]x3 (12)

Round 10 - 11: SCx12 (2 rounds)

Leave a tail to sew onto the plush. Stuff firmly and then sew on.

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)

Round 2: 2SCx6 (12)

Round 3 - 4: SCx12 (12, 2 rounds)

Round 5: SC2togx6 (6)

Flatten and sew underneath the other tail piece to complete the tail.