This elephant is probably my best-selling item at craft shows. It’s also a fun thing to make, so I’m sharing my pattern with you so you can create your very own cuddly pachyderm!
Materials:
- Yarn of desired weight
- Fiberfill stuffing
- 2 button eyes
Gauge/Yarn
Gauge is unimportant; use a hook that ensures stitches are tight enough that stuffing doesn’t ooze out.
Notes:
- Pattern is worked in the round unless otherwise noted.
- Decrease: insert hook into front loop of next stitch, then into front loop of stitch after that. YO, pull through both front loops, YO, pull through loop. This is called an invisible decrease.
Body:
Ch 2 (or work magic loop).
Rnd 1: In second stitch from hook (or in magic loop), 6 sc. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: 2sc in first sc of previous round, 2sc in each of the next 5 sc. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: (Sc, 2sc in next sc) 6 times. (18 sc)
Rnd 4: (Sc in next 2 stitches, 2sc in next sc) 6 times. (24 sc)
Rnd 5: Sc in next stitch, (2sc in next st, sc in next 3 stitches) five times, 2sc in next stitch, sc in next 2 stitches. (30 sc)
Rnd 6: (Sc in next 4 stitches, 2sc in next sc) 6 times. (36 sc)
Rnd 7: Sc in next 2 stitches, (2sc in next st, sc in next 5 stitches) five times, 2sc in next stitch, sc in next 3 stitches. (42 sc)
Rnd 8-12: 42 sc around. Mark last stitch in row. (42 sc)
Trunk:
Rnd 13: Sc in next 6 stitches. (6 sc)
Rnd 14: Sc in first stitch of the previous row (next to the stitch that’s marked), (2sc in next stitch, sc in next stitch) x 2, 2sc in next stitch. (9 sc)
Rnd 15-17: 9 sc around. (9 sc)
Rnd 18: Dec in next stitch, sc, 2sc in next stitch, sc, 2 sc in next stitch, sc, dec. (9 st)
Rnd 19: (Sc in next stitch, dec) x3. (6 st)
Rnd 20: Sc around (6 sc).
Finish off, leaving tail long enough to sew trunk shut and sew hole where trunk meets body.
Body (continued):
Rnd 13: Continuing next to where the trunk was made, sc around. (36 sc)
Rnd 14: Sc around. Mark last stitch in row. (36 sc)
Stuff trunk.
Legs (make 4):
Rnd 15: Sc in next 9 stitches. (9 sc)
Rnd 16: Sc in first stitch of the previous row (next to the stitch that’s marked), sc in next stitch, (2sc in next stitch, sc in next 2 stitches) x 2, 2sc in next stitch. (12 sc)
Rnd 17-21: Sc around. Finish off. (12 sc)
Rnd 22: Working in back loops with different color, 6 dec. Finish off, leaving long enough tail to sew hole shut. (6st).
Stuff each leg.
Belly:
Foundation: Working in sc between legs, (sc in sc, ch 4) x4. Sl in first sc made.
Rnd 1: 3 sc in each ch space. (12 sc)
Rnd 2: 6 dec around. Finish off, leaving tail that can wrap around elephant at least 3-4 times. (6 st).
Stuff body. Using tail, sew the ch spaces to each leg so that no stuffing can come out.
Ears (make 2):
Ch 2.
Rnd 1: In second loop from hook, 4 sc. Turn. (4 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1. 2sc in each sc around. Turn. (8 sc)
Rnd 3: Ch 1. Sc in first stitch, (2sc in next stitch, sc in next stitch) x3, 2sc in next stitch. Turn. (12 sc).
Rnd 4: Ch 1. Sc in first 2 stitches, (2sc in next stitch, sc in next 2 stitches) x3, 2sc in next stitch. Turn. (16 sc).
Rnd 5: Ch 1. Sc in first 3 stitches, (2sc in next stitch, sc in next 3 stitches) x3, 2sc in next stitch. Finish off, leaving long enough tail to sew ears to body. (20 sc).
Assembly:
Sew ears to body.
Sew button eyes to body, on either side of the trunk. Or conversely, make yarn eyes (ch 2, 6 sc in second chain from the hook. Finish off) and sew them on.
