Little Bigfoot Hippo 10 Inches Tall

Little Bigfoot Hippo,
The newest member of the Little Bigfoot gang! Well, he's not totally new, the smaller version of  this pattern has been available since 2012.
This larger hippo stands about 10 inches tall from foot to top of ears, scroll down this page for the written pattern.





Clothes for Hippo,
You can dress the larger hippo with overalls or a shirt and pair of pants.

How To Print The Pattern:
Use the free service found here.

The smaller version,
The smaller Hippo pattern, standing 7 inches tall is here

Copyright 2017 Author: Sharon Ojala - Amigurumi To Go, All rights reserved

Supplies:
Worsted weight yarn. You will use less than 364 yards
4.25mm hook for all parts except the inner ears that were crocheted with a 3.5mm hook
Of course you can use yarn type of your choice just be sure to choose the appropriate hook size.
blunt end yarn needle for sewing
scissors
Eyes: you can use buttons, felt, paint, safety eyes or crochet them. It's up to you. For the hippos pictured I used an 8mm and 10mm.
polyester stuffing

Abbreviations:
st = stitch
sc = single crochet
ch1 = chain one
sl st = slip stitch
2tog = crochet 2 stitches together
f/o = finish off

Magic ring:
Many parts of this amigurumi begin with a magic ring. I have 2 short video tutorials that will show you 2 different methods of making a magic ring. Use the one that is
easiest for you. View 1st method here and 2nd method here.

How to read the rows:
Add a maker at the end of row 2 and move that marker each time you finish a row. Each row has a sequence. Example: 1sc then 2sc in next st means repeat that sequence 1sc then 2sc in next st followed by 1sc then 2sc in next st over and over to the end of that row. When you land on the marker you should be putting in 2sc. The number inside the parentheses ( ~ ) is the number of stitches you should have at the end of that particular row.

Starting at the top of the head working down to bottom of body:
1) magic ring with 6sc (6)
2) 2sc in each st (12)
3) 1sc then 2sc in next st (18)
4) 1sc in next 2st then 2sc in next st (24)
5) 1sc in next 3st then 2sc in next st (30)
6) 1sc in next 4st then 2sc in next st (36)
7) 1sc in next 5st then 2sc in next st (42)
8-15) 1sc in each st for 8 rows
Now is the time to put in the safety eyes if you're using them. Placements are up to you since it's personal preference. I put this Hippo's eyes in between the 10th and 11th row with 4 visible stitch holes between them. Do not put them lower than that as you need room for the muzzle.
16) 1sc in next 5st then 2tog (36)
17) 1sc in next 4st then 2tog (30)
18) 1sc in next 3st then 2tog (24)
19) 1sc in next 2st then 2tog (18)
20) 1sc in next 4st then 2tog (15)
21) 1sc in next 4st then 2sc in next st (18)
22) 1sc in next 2st then 2sc in next st (24)
Stuff majority of head. Push the stuffing to the top of the head then make sure to gt stuffing all around the sides of the face and neck area. Shape as you stuff. It will take lots of stuffing. You will stuff more in a few more rows.
23-25) 1sc in each st for 3 rows
26) 1sc in next 3st then 2sc in next st (30)
27) 1sc in next 4st then 2sc in next st (36)
28) 1sc in next 5st then 2sc in next st (42)
29-33) 1sc in each st for 5 rows
34) 1sc in next 5st then 2tog (36)
35) 1sc in next 4st then 2tog (30)
36) 1sc in next 3st then 2tog (24)
37) 1sc in next 2st then 2tog (18)
Stuff the majority of the body.. make sure to fill in any gaps in the neck area. You will stuff more over the next 2 rows.
38) 1sc then 2tog (12)
Stuff more as needed, be sure to get all around the bottom of the belly. The belly should be nice and fat.
39) 1sc in next 2st then 2tog (9)
f/o leaving a tail for closing up the gap. Weave in and out of the remaining stitches. Add more stuffing as needed. Push it all round the bottom of the belly. Pull yarn tail tight to close gap. Knot off and hide yarn tail in the body.

Muzzle:
1) magic circle with 6sc (6)
2) 2sc in each st (12)
3) 1sc then 2sc in next st (18)
4) 1sc in next 2st then 2sc in next st (24)
5) 1sc in next 3st then 2sc in next st (30)
6) 1sc in next 4st then 2sc in next st (36)
7) 1sc in next 11st then 2sc in next st (39)
8-10) 1sc in each st for 3 rows
11) 1sc in next 11st then 2tog (36)
12) 1sc in next 4st then 2tog (30)
13) 1sc in next 3st then 2tog (24)
14-15) 1sc in each st for 2 rows
sl st next st and f/o leaving a long tail for stuffing


Nostrils: Insert yarn in between the 6th and 7th row, ch1, put 2hdc in the next 2 spaces, sl st next space then f/o. There's 4 visible stitch holes between nostrils. I added a bit of pink inside each nostril by pulling pink yarn through and knotting it off on the inside of the muzzle.
If you troubles inserting the yarn and adding nostrils this way, I have another pattern with a video that shows how to do this. Click here to view video. It's for a dragon pattern of mine. The nostrils are much bigger on the dragon because I use dc but you'll get the idea of what to do by watching that.

You can add a mouth now too. I pulled pink yarn in between the 4th and 5th row and knotted the ends off on the inside of the muzzle. I put it off center. Of course you can do any style mouth you want.

Outer Ears: make 2 with body color
1) magic circle with 6sc (6)
2) 2sc in each st (12) - work starting yarn tail into this row
3) 1sc in next 3st then 2sc in next st (15)
sl st next st and f/o leaving a tail for sewing.

Inner Ears: make 2 with alternate color and a smaller hook (I used a 3.5mm). You can skip this part and just glue pink felt inside the outer ear
1) magic circle with 6sc (6)
2) 2sc in each st (12)
3) 1sc in next 3st then 2sc in next st (15)
sl st next st and f/o
I used hot glue to attach the inner ear to the outer ear. If you choose to do the same, be careful, that glue is hot! The ears are sewn or glued with wrong sides together. Once you have them together, sew the bottom edges of the outer ear together, this shapes the ear. Knot off and use the yarn tail to sew the ears to the head.

Arms:
1) magic circle  with 6sc (6)
2) 2sc in each st (12)
3) 1sc in next 3st then 2sc in next st (15)
4-5) 1sc in each st for 2 rows
6) 1sc in next 3st then 2tog (12)
7) 1sc in next 4st then 2tog (10)
8-14) 1sc in each st for 7 rows
Stuff hand after 1 or 2 rows. Lightly stuff arm when you're done leaving the last 2 or 3 rows unstuffed.
15) fold top of arm flat and sc through both sides across.
f/o leaving a long tail for sewing.

Legs:
1) magic circle with 6sc (6)
2) 2sc in each st (12)
3) 1sc then 2sc in next st (18)
4) 1sc in next 2st then 2sc in next st (24)
5-7) 1sc in each st for 3 rows
8) 1sc in next 2st then 2tog (18)
9) 1sc then 2tog (12)
10-15) 1sc in each st for 6 rows
*stuff foot after 2 rows. At the end of row 15, stuff more into the foot, pushing stuffing into what will be the "heel" of the foot.
If you want a hippo that sits then leave the last 3 rows of the legs unstuffed and then continue onto row 16. If you want a hippo that is in a permanent standing position, then stuff the entire leg and f/o now leaving a long tail for sewing.
16) Look at where your last stitch landed then look at the shape of the foot, you might have to put 1sc in a couple more stitches to get to the side of the leg. Fold leg flat and sc through both sides across, closing up the top of the leg. ch1 and turn
17) 1sc in each st across
f/o leaving a tail for sewing. How to add the toes are in the assembly section

Tail:
1) holding 2 strands of yarn together, ch 4. Begin with long strands you can use for sewing
f/o, pull tight when you f/o then cut up shorter, about 1/4 inch or so, then fray the ends. If you want to, weave one of the starting yarn tails through the tail and cut the same length as the other and fray it as well.

The ASSEMBLY section is on a separate post. Please click here for assembly instructions. 

Other animals in this series,
See the rest of the animals in this series here