Elephant Elephant

Everyone is jealous when they see me riding by on a friend of such great size!

design, execution, and photos by Helen Apocalypse

Suggested Entertainment

Difficulty

MoonPrincess CoquetteDark
Click here for definitions of difficulty levels.

Materials

• DK-weight yarn scraps, 10yd/9.1m of grey (to be held double throughout)
• DK-weight yarn scraps, 1yd/1m of both red and blue (to be held double throughout)
• Size D (UK size 10, or 3.25mm) crochet hook (or whatever size gives you a good, tight amigurumi fabric)
• Fiberfill
• 4 8mm black safety eyes
• Tapestry needle
• Scrap ribbon, lace, or leather in color(s) to coordinate with dress

Gauge

N/A for amigurumi.

Design Notes

US terminology is used for all instructions. (Click for US to UK conversions.)

Everything is worked in a spiral (except where noted). Use a stitch marker to mark the beginning of rounds, if you don't want to count obsessively. My general amigurumi tips are here.

You can substitute chunky-weight yarn for the DK-weight held double

Special Stitches
Magic Ring - best explained over at CrochetMe.com.

Directions

Heads: (Make 2)

Elephant and elephant detail.

Rnd 1: Sc 6 into magic ring
Rnd 2: Sc into back of stitch around (6 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc around (6)
Rnd 4: *1 sc, inc* around (9)
Rnd 5: Sc around (9)
Rnd 6: *2 sc, inc* around (12)
Rnd 7: Sc around (12)
Rnd 8: Inc around (24)

Now work in rows instead of rounds.

Row 9: Sc, dec, sc18, dec, sc (22 sts)
Row 10: Turn (so WS is facing), sc, dec, sc16, dec, sc (20)
Row 11: Turn (so RS is facing), sc, dec, sc14, dec, sc (18)
Row 12: Turn, sc, dec, sc12, dec, sc (16)
Row 13: Turn, sc, dec, sc10, dec, sc (14)
Row 14: Turn, sc, dec, sc8, dec, sc (12)
Row 15: Turn, sc, dec, sc6, dec, sc (10)
Row 16: Turn, sc, dec, sc4, dec, sc (8)
Row 17: Turn, sc, dec, sc2, dec, sc (6)
Row 18: Turn, sc, dec, dec, sc (4)

Switch back to rounds!

Rnd 19: Turn, sc4, pick up and sc 20 (ish) sts (24)
Rnd 20: *1sc, inc* around (36)
Fasten off.

Head Joining:

Hold heads together side by side, RSs together. Attach yarn and join heads together with 8sc. Immediately begin working in rounds for the Body, below.

Body:

Rnd 1: Sc around (56 sts; now is a good time to do the eyes and stuff the heads with fiberfill)
Rnd 2: Dec, sc26, dec, sc26 (54)
Rnds 3-9: Continue decreasing in this way, at the midpoint between Elephant and Elephant both top and bottom (you should be able to see the decs on the previous row and work the next decs on top of them) for 7 more rounds.
Rnd 10: Sc around (40; finish stuffing body with fiberfill)
Rnds 11-13: *sc1, dec* around
Next Rnds: Dec every st around until hole in elephant's bottom closed up. Ch 5 to make elephant's tail.
Fasten off.

Legs: (Make 5)

Rnd 1: Sc 6 into a magic ring (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc around (12)
Rnd 3: Sc in back loop around (12)
Rnds 4-6: Sc around (12)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing leg onto Body.

Ears: (Make 4)

Row 1: Pick up and sc 6 sts on side of head
Row 2: Turn, inc every st (12 sts)
Row 3: Turn, sc12 (12)
Fasten off.

Jaunty Hats: (Make 2)

Rnd 1: Sc 6 into a magic ring (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc around (12)
Rnd 3: Sc in back loop around (12)
Rnds 4 and 5: Sc around
Rnd 6: Dec in back loop around (6; stuff with fiberfill)
Dec further to close if necessary. Fasten off.

Ch 15 on each side of the hat to make chinstrap ties.

Finishing:

Placement of elephant legs to keep Bimba and Kimba upright.

Attach legs to body as you see fit (or as I, with three in thee front and two in the back). Tie jaunty hats onto elephant heads. Take Bimba and Kimba to see their best friends, Evelyn and Evelyn.

About

contact Helen: • Apocalypse Knits • legal info