Lion Baby Lovely FREE CROCHET PATTERN

After making the Rabbit Baby Lovey, I got a request for a lion version one. Trying to get the mane to look right was a bit tricky but it worked out in the end. This pattern involves quite a bit of sewing so takes a little while to complete, but it is so worth it. A printer friendly version is available to purchase here.

MATERIALS:

• 3mm Hook
• 3.5mm Hook
• Cotton fabric of own design choice (I bought a fat quarter and used about 1/3 of it)
• DK wool in desired colour, and small amount of black yarn for the eyes and nose
• Stuffing
• Sewing needle

ABBREVIATIONS:
MR- Magic Ring
SC- Single Crochet
INC- Increase
DEC- Decrease
F/O- Fasten Off
CH- Chain
ST- Stitch
SL ST- Slip Stitch

BEFORE YOU START:
-Please read through the whole pattern before starting.
-Work in continuous rounds without joining (unless specified differently in pattern). Place stitch markers to keep track of end of rows.
– Gauge is not important, but try to crochet tightly enough to not have stuffing showing through.

HEAD
USE 3MM HOOK
SEW EYES BETWEEN ROWS 12 & 13. PLACE THE TOP OF THE MUZZLE ON ROW 12.
1) 6SC IN MR (6)
2) INC IN EACH STITCH (12)
3) *INC, 1SC* REPEAT AROUND (18)
4) *INC, 2SC* REPEAT AROUND (24)
5) *INC, 3SC* REPEAT AROUND (30)
6) *INC, 4SC* REPEAT AROUND (36)
7) *INC, 5SC* REPEAT AROUND (42)
8) *INC, 13SC* REPEAT AROUND (45)
9-16) SC AROUND (45)
SEW ON THE EYES BEFORE CONTINUING
17) *DEC, 13SC* REPEAT AROUND (42)
18) *5SC, DEC* REPEAT AROUND (36)
19) *DEC, 4SC* REPEAT AROUND (30)
20) *3SC, DEC* REPEAT AROUND (24)
21) *DEC, 2SC* REPEAT AROUND (18)
22) *1SC, DEC* REPEAT AROUND (12)
23) DEC x6 (6)
F/O AND LEAVE LONG TAIL FOR SEWING

EARS (MAKE 2)
USE 3MM HOOK
1) 6SC IN MR (6)
2) INC IN EACH STITCH (12)
3) *INC, 1SC* REPEAT AROUND (18)
4-6) SC AROUND (18)
7) *DEC, 1SC* REPEAT AROUND (12)
8) DEC x6 (6)
F/O AND LEAVE A LONG TAIL FOR SEWING. FLATTEN THE EARS AND SEW CLOSED THE OPENING. SEW TO TOP OF THE HEAD.

MUZZLE
USE 3MM HOOK
1) 6SC IN MR (6)
2) INC IN EACH STITCH (12)
3) *INC, 3SC* (15)
4) SC AROUND (15)
SEW NOSE ONTO MUZZLE AND SEW MUZZLE TO FACE.

MANE
USE 3MM HOOK
1) CH53, TURN
2) 8DC IN 4TH FROM HOOK, SKIP 2, SL ST *SKIP 2, 8DC, SKIP 2, SLST* REPEAT *TO * TO END OF ROW. SEW THE MANE AROUND THE ENTIRE HEAD (PLACED BEHIND THE EARS AND AROUND TO BOTTOM OF HEAD- SEE PHOTOS BELOW.)
NEXT PART IS FOR THE MANE ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD. SEW IT TO COVER THE CIRCLE PATCH BEHIND THE MANE YOU HAVE JUST SEWN ON. (CAN BE SEWN TO BACK OF THE MANE IF IT IS A LITTLE TOO BIG FOR THE PATCH AT THE BACK OF HEAD)
1) 6SC IN MR (6)
2) INC (12)
3) *INC, 1SC* REPEAT AROUND (18)
4) *INC, 2SC* REPEAT AROUND (24)
5) *INC, 3SC* REPEAT AROUND (30)
6) *INC, 4SC* REPEAT AROUND (36)
7) *INC, 5SC* REPEAT AROUND (42)
8) *INC, 6SC* REPEAT AROUND (48)
9) *INC, 7SC* REPEAT AROUND (54)
10) *INC, 8SC* REPEAT AROUND (60)
11) *INC, 9SC* REPEAT AROUND (66)
12) *INC, 10SC* REPEAT AROUND (72)

BODY
USE 3.5MM HOOK

1) 5SC IN MR (5)
2) INC IN EACH STITCH (10)
3) *INC, 1SC* REPEAT AROUND (15)
4) *INC, 2SC* REPEAT AROUND (20)
5) *INC, 3SC* REPEAT AROUND (25)
6) *INC, 4SC* REPEAT AROUND (30)
7) *INC, 5SC* REPEAT AROUND (35)
8) *INC, 6SC* REPEAT AROUND (40)
9) *INC, 7SC* REPEAT AROUND (45)
10) *INC, 8SC* REPEAT AROUND (50)
11) *INC, 9SC* REPEAT AROUND (55)
12) *INC, 10SC* REPEAT AROUND (60)
13) *INC, 11SC* REPEAT AROUND (65)
14) *INC, 12SC* REPEAT AROUND (70)
15) *INC,13SC* REPEAT AROUND (75)
16) *INC, 14SC* REPEAT AROUND (80)
FROM HERE ON, YOU WILL BE WORKING IN ROWS BACK AND FORTH, CHAIN 1 AND TURN AT THE END OF EACH ROW.
17) 16SC, CH1, TURN (16)
18) DEC, 12SC, DEC (14)
19) SC ACROSS (14)
20) DEC, 10SC, DEC (12)
21) SC ACROSS (12)
22) DEC, 8SC, DEC (10)
23) SC ACROSS (10)
24) DEC, 6SC, DEC (8)
25) SC ACROSS (8)
26) DEC, 4SC, DEC (6)
27) SC ACROSS (6)
28) DEC, 2SC, DEC (4)
29) SC ACROSS (4)
30) DEC x2 (2)
31) SC ACROSS (2)
32) DEC (1)
33) 1SC (1)
34) CH1, SL ST DOWN THE SIDE OF THE TRIANGLE.
REPEAT ROWS 17-34 ANOTHER 3 TIMES (SO YOU SHOULD HAVE 4 STAR ARMS WHEN YOU FINISH AND A SPACE AT THE TOP)
35-36) SC AROUND ENTIRE PIECE.

CUT THE MATERIAL SO IT’S AROUND 1 OR 2 INCHES WIDER THAN THE BODY PIECE. (I FOUND IT EASIER TO PLACE THE BODY ONTO THE MATERIAL AND DRAW AROUND IT AN INCH OR 2 WIDER AS SHOWN IN PHOTO BELOW, THEN CUT OUT THE SHAPE). IF YOU PREFER NOT TO USE MATERIAL, YOU CAN MAKE A SECOND BODY SHAPE AND SEW THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER.

PIN THE MATERIAL TO THE BODY PIECE CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE INNER SIDE OF THE BODY. (I DID THIS SO IT WAS INSIDE OUT BUT FEEL FREE TO DO THIS YOUR OWN WAY).

SEW THE MATERIAL AROUND ALL EDGES OF THE BODY (MAKE SURE IT IS NOT TOO LOOSE OR TOO TIGHTLY PULLED). IF YOU ARE SEWING INSIDE OUT, MAKE SURE TO LEAVE A GAP TO TURN IT THE RIGHT WAY ROUND. ONCE YOU HAVE TURNED IT THE RIGHT WAY THEN SEW UP THE GAP.

SEW THE HEAD TO THE TOP OF THE BODY, WHERE THERE IS NO STAR SHAPE ARM. THE FACE OF THE HEAD SHOULD BE FACING THE SIDE OF THE BODY THAT HAS THE MATERIAL ON.

HANDS (MAKE 4)
USE 3.5MM HOOK
1) 6SC IN MR (6)
2) INC IN EACH STITCH (12)
3) *INC, 1SC* REPEAT AROUND (18)
4-6) SC AROUND (18)
7) *DEC, 1SC* (12)
8) DEC x6 (6)
STUFF HANDS AND SEW THEM ONTO EACH OF THE 4 POINTS AT THE END OF EACH STAR ARM.

I hope you enjoy making your own Baby Lion Lovey. Thank you for supporting MyBelle Creations and I hope you follow me on Facebook and Instagram. Please share and tag me in your finished items, I would love to see them all.
COPYRIGHT ©
This pattern and photos are the intellectual property of MyBelle Creations. You are not permitted to sell or share the pattern in anyway. You may sell your finished items but please credit MyBelle Creations for the design. ©