Free Pattern Friday: Mama and Baby Foxes

Are foxes still trending? Whatever. They're super cute, trending or not. When I was little I always loved those stuffed animals that had a mother and babies, like puppies or kittens, that cuddled up next to the mom. Remember those?

Mother and Baby Fox

I originally wrote this pattern for Michaels. Simple stitches and soft wool-blend yarn in earthy colors make the project perfect for a Mother's Day gift (you've got so much time!) or a baby's nursery.

Materials List

LionBrand "Wool-Ease" – Pumpkin (A, 1 skein), Black (B, 1 skein), &Fisherman (C, 1 skein)

CrochetHook, Sizes 3.5mm (US E/4)

Tapestry needle

Polyester fiberfill

Embroidery Needle

White felt

White thread

Black embroidery floss

Notes:

The pieces are all crocheted in the round in unjoined spirals. Use a locking stitch marker if necessary to mark the beginning of each round. When you complete a round, move the marker to the loop on your hook and continue crocheting.

Mama Fox Head

With yarn A and an E hook, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, sc 6 into ring. Pull tail gently to close ring.

Rnd 1: Work 2 sc into each st (12 sts)

Rnd 2: Work 2 sc into each st (24 sts)

Rnd 3: *(2 Sc into next st, sc into next st), rep from * to end of rnd (36 sts)

Rnds 4-6: Sc into each st around.

Rnd 7: *(Sc2tog, sc into next 9 sts), rep from * to end of rnd (33 sts)

Rnd 8: Sc into each st around.

Rnd 9: *(Sc2tog, sc into next 8 sts), rep from * to end of rnd (30 sts)

Rnds 10-11: Sc into each st around.

Rnd 12: *(Sc into next 3 sts, sc2tog), rep from * to end of rnd (24 sts)

Rnd 13: *(Sc into next 2 sts, sc2tog), rep from * to end of rnd (18 sts)

Insert a stitch marker. Stuff the Head firmly. Continue to add stuffing as you work the last rows.

Rnd 14: *(Sc2tog, sc into next st), rep from * to end of rnd (12 sts)

Rnd 15: Sc2tog around (6 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long strand of yarn for sewing. Thread through last rows of stitches and pull to close. Weave in ends. Set aside.

Mama Fox Body

Starting at the head end of the Body, with yarn A and an E hook, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, sc 6 into ring. Pull tail gently to close ring.

Rnd 1: Work 2 sc into each st (12 sts)

Rnd 2: *(2 Sc into next st, sc into next st), rep from * to end of rnd (18 sts)

Rnd 3: *(2 Sc into next st, sc into next 5 sts), rep from * to end of rnd (21 sts)

Rnds 4-6: Sc into each st.

Rnds 7-14: Hdc into next 11 sts, sc into next 10 sts (21 sts)

Rnds 15-17: Sc into each st.

Rnd 18: *(Sc2tog, sc into next 5 sts), rep from * to end of rnd (18 sts)

Rnd 19: *(Sc2tog, sc into next st), rep from * to end of rnd (12 sts)

Insert a stitch marker. Stuff the Body firmly.

Rnd 20: Sc2tog around.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Thread a yarn needle with the yarn tail. Weave through the last round of stitches and pull to close the hole. Weave end into the inside.

Mama Fox Ears (Make 2)

Starting at tip of Ear with yarn B and E hook, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, sc 3 into ring. Pull tail gently to close ring.

Rnd 1: Work 2 sc into each st (6 sts)

Rnd 2: *(2 Sc into next st, sc into next st), rep from * to end of rnd (9 sts)

Change to yarn A at end of Rnd 2.

Rnd 3: *(2 Sc into next st, sc into next 2 sts), rep from * to end of rnd (12 sts)

Rnds 4-6: Sc into each st.

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Set aside.

Mama Fox Legs (Make 4)

With yarn B and an E hook, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, sc 5 into ring. Pull tail gently to close ring.

Rnds 1-11: Sc into each st (5 sts)

Fasten off and set aside.

Mama Fox Tail

Starting at the tip of the Tail, with yarn C and an E hook, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, sc 3 into ring. Pull tail gently to close ring.

Rnd 1: Work 2 sc into each st (6 sts)

Rnd 2: *(2 Sc into next st, sc into next st), rep from * to end of rnd (9 sts)

Rnd 3: Sc into each st.

Rnd 4: 2 Sc into next st, sc into next 8 sts (10 sts)

Rnd 5: Sc into next 5 sts, 2 sc into next st, sc into next 4 sts (11 sts)

Change to yarn A at the end of Rnd 5.

Rnds 6-9: Sc into each st around, increasing one stitch each round. 15 sts at the end of Rnd 9.

Rnds 10-13: Sc into each st (15 sts)

Rnd 14: Sc2tog, sc into each st (14 sts)

Rnd 15: *(Sc into next 5 sts, sc2tog), rep from * to end of rnd (12 sts)

Insert a stitch marker and stuff Tail firmly.

Rnd 16: Sc2tog around (6 sts)

Rnd 17: Sc into each st.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Set Tail aside.

Assembly

Sew Head to Body at an angle, as shown. Use matching yarn and weave in ends.

With yarn tails, sew Ears, Legs, and Tail to Mama Fox. Legs should be positioned to all lay to the side so she can lay down.

Cut a wide teardrop shape from white felt for the muzzle. With straight stitches and an embroidery floss and embroidery needle, stitch a nose and mouth onto the felt. Stitch muzzle to Mama Fox Head with white thread.

Baby Fox Head

With yarn A and an E hook, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, sc 6 into ring. Pull tail gently to close ring.

Rnd 1: Work 2 sc into each st (12 sts)

Rnd 2: Work 2 sc into each st (24 sts)

Rnds 3-5: Sc into each st around.

Rnd 6: *(Sc2tog, sc into next 6 sts), rep from * to end of rnd (21 sts)

Rnd 7: Sc into each st around.

Rnd 8: *(Sc2tog, sc into next 5 sts), rep from * to end of rnd (18 sts)

Rnd 9: Sc into each st around.

Rnd 10:  *(Sc2tog, sc into next st), rep from * to end of rnd (12 sts)

Insert a stitch marker and stuff Head firmly.

Rnd 11: Sc2tog around (6 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long strand of yarn for sewing. Thread through last rows of stitches and pull to close. Weave in ends. Set aside.

Baby Fox Body

Starting at the head end of the Body, with yarn A and an E hook, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, sc 6 into ring. Pull tail gently to close ring.

Rnd 1: Work 2 sc into each st (12 sts)

Rnd 2: *(2 Sc into next st, sc into next st), rep from * to end of rnd (18 sts)

Rnds 3-4: Sc into each st.

Rnds 5-10: Hdc into next 9 sts, sc into next 9 sts (18 sts)

Rnds 11-13: Sc into each st.

Rnd 14: *(Sc2tog, sc into next st), rep from * to end of rnd (12 sts)

Insert a stitch marker. Stuff the Body firmly.

Rnd 15: Sc2tog around (6 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Thread a yarn needle with the yarn tail. Weave through the last round of stitches and pull to close the hole. Weave end into the inside. Set aside.

Baby Fox Ears (Make 2)

Starting at tip of Ear with yarn B and E hook, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, sc 3 into ring. Pull tail gently to close ring.

Rnd 1: Work 2 sc into each st (6 sts)

Change to yarn A at end of Rnd 1.

Rnd 2: *(2 Sc into next st, sc into next st), rep from * to end of rnd (9 sts)

Rnds 3-4: Sc into each st.

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Set aside.

Baby Fox Legs (Make 4)

With yarn B and an E hook, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, sc 5 into ring. Pull tail gently to close ring.

Rnds 1-5: Sc into each st (5 sts)

Fasten off and set aside.

Baby Fox Tail

Starting at the tip of the Tail, with yarn C and an E hook, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, sc 3 into ring. Pull tail gently to close ring.

Rnd 1: Work 2 sc into each st (6 sts)

Rnd 2: *(2 Sc into next st, sc into next st), rep from * to end of rnd (9 sts)

Rnd 3: Sc into each st.

Change to yarn A at the end of Rnd 3.

Rnd 4: 2 Sc into next st, sc into next 8 sts (10 sts)

Rnds 5-7: Sc into each st around, increasing one stitch each round. 13 sts at the end of Rnd 7.

Rnds 8-9: Sc into each st (13 sts)

Rnd 10: Sc2tog, sc into each st (12 sts)

Rnd 11: *(Sc into next 4 sts, sc2tog), rep from * to end of rnd (10 sts)

Insert a stitch marker and stuff Tail firmly.

Rnd 12: Sc2tog around (5 sts)

Rnd 13: Sc into each st.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Set Tail aside.

Assembly

Sew Head to Body at an angle, as shown. Use matching yarn and weave in ends.

With yarn tails, sew Ears, Legs, and Tail to Baby Fox. Legs should be positioned to all lay to the side so he can lay down.

Cut a wide teardrop shape from white felt for the muzzle. With straight stitches and an embroidery floss and embroidery needle, stitch a nose and mouth onto the felt. Stitch muzzle to Baby Fox Head with white thread.

Embroider closed eyes as shown on face of Head with black embroidery floss and embroidery needle.

Abbreviations

Ch: Chain

Sc: Single Crochet

Hdc: Half Double Crochet

Dc: Double Crochet

St: Stitch

Rnd: Round

Rep: Repeat

Sc2tog: Single Crochet 2 stitches Together

Techniques

Adjustable ring: Make a ring with yarn. Insert hook into ring, yarn over and draw up a loop. Ch 1, as directed in pattern. Work the stitches required in pattern into the ring. When complete gently, but firmly, pull tail to close up the ring.

*Some links in the post are affiliate links which provide me with a small compensation when you make a purchase.

AmiguruME PETS!

I've been BUSY. I'll go into the whos, whats and whys next time. For now, I want to tell you all some amazing, fantastic, exciting, long-awaited (for me anyway) super spectacular news!

I'm writing another book!!

Yep, I am really excited about this one. Since I started making dolls, people have asked me to make their little pet companions. I've done several, actually, but I've never published any. There are a couple of pets in AmiguruME: Make Cute Crochet People, but there's more ground to cover.

Whether you have a dog, cat, monkey, unicorn, hamster, fish, whatever, you'll need this book if you want to recreate your little pal in crochet form. There's going to be a ton of patterns in this one. A ton. Not just pets, but pet stuff and lots of examples and instructions, and photos, and animal cuteness. Can you tell I'm looking forward to it?!

Unfortunately, as is so often the case in the publishing world, its going to be over a year before it comes out. I'll share more as the time comes around. For now, here's a little taste of what you might see in AmiguruME Pets!

Thank you all for staying interested, for being crafty and COOL, and for liking my work. Seriously, could not be doing this without all of your inspiration and support.