Another request that I tried out! Meet the Raccoon Blood Drop!
(Blood Drop Squeezies are used while donating blood in lieu of the rubber ball they usually hand you)
This is the first one I made, that I gave to the requester. Later I re-made it to have one for my display and to test the pattern I scribbled down!
It didn’t start well, trying to figure out how I was going to do the face… how bad, you ask? This bad:
But I finally got my act together and ended up with this (please note you could use buttons for eyes, or even safety eyes, though you’d have to make the eye surrounds first, and attach the safety eyes through them as you crocheted the body):
Pattern: Start with a Bob body
Size F Hook
Worsted Weight Yarn (I used Red Heart)
Row 1: SC 4 in magic Ring (or, ch 2 and sc 4 in second ch from hook). Join {sl st to first SC, ch1}
Row 2: SC in each st, join (4)
Row 3: SC in first st, 2 SC in next st repeat from *, join (6)
Row 4: SC in first st, 2 SC in next st repeat from *, join (9)
Row 5: SC in first st, 2 SC in next st repeat from * to last st, sc in last st, join (13)
Row 6: SC in each st, join (13)
Row 7: SC in first two st, 2 SC in next st repeat from * to last st, sc in last st, join (17)
Row 8: SC in each st, join (17)
Row 9: SC in first two st, 2 SC in next st repeat from * to last 2 st, sc in last 2 st, join (22)
Row 10: SC in each st, join (22)
Row 11: SC in first st, 2 SC in next st repeat from *, join (33)
Rows 12-20: SC in each st, join (33)
(about here you probably want to add the eyes if you’re using safety eyes)
Rows 21-23: SC in first st, SC 2tog repeat from *, join
(stuff-as-you-go decreases)
Row 24: SC 2tog
(Cram as much stuffing as you can in as you’re closing him up, remember, he’s there to be squeezed so he needs to be fairly firm.)
Fasten off.
Eyes
With Black yarn: Ch2
R1: 2sc in 2nd ch, ch1, turn
R2: inc, sc, ch1, turn (3)
R3: inc, sc, inc, ch1, turn (5)
R4: inc, 3 sc, inc, bind off (7)
R5: change to white, sc down TWO sides of the eyes, putting 3 sc in the corner (see photo)
Now add the eyeballs, I have a piece of felt that has printed dots on it, but you could use black and white felt.
Then I embroider a few lines of black yarn across the top of the eyeballs to avoid that super-startled look. The angle of these lines will influence the expression of your raccoon.
Tail (stuff as you go)
In black
Rnd 1: 4 sc in mr
Rnd 2: sc, inc (6)
Rnd 3: sc (6)
Switch to white
Rnd 4: sc, inc (9)
Rnd 5: sc (9)
Rnd 6: sc, sc, inc (12)
Switch to black
Rnd 7: sc (12)
Rnd 8: sc, sc, dec (9)
Rnd 9: sc (9)
Switch to white
Rnd 10: sc, dec (6)
Rnd 11: sc (6)
Rnd 12: sc, dec (4)
Bind off, leaving a long tail for sewing
Nose
In white
Rnd 1: 4sc in mr
Rnd 2: 4sc
Rnd 3: sc, inc (6)
Rnd 4: sc, inc (9)
Embroider end of nose with black yarn
And, Raccoon Take 2:
