Backpack Buddies
Designed by Lori Zeller


Need a special gift to tuck in someone's stocking for Christmas morning? Our delightful, fun-to-make stocking stuffers will fit the bill!

Skill Level
Easy

Finished Sizes
Elephant: 4 inches tall, excluding ears
Pig: 3 1/2 inches long, including tail
Octopus: 3 inches high

Materials

* Fine (sport) weight yarn
o 1 oz/90 yds/28g each pink, dark green, medium green, red, black and lavender
* Size D/3/3.25mm crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge
* Tapestry needle
* Fiberfil
* Swivel clips: 3
* 12 inches 1/4-inch ribbon
* Stitch marker
* Click here for a diagram of the Straight Stitch (PDF format)

Gauge
6 sc = 1 inch; 6 sc rnds = 1 inch

Pattern Notes
Work in continuous rounds, do not turn or join unless otherwise stated.
Mark first stitch of each round.
Join with slip stitch as indicated unless otherwise stated.

Elephant
Head & Body
Rnd 1: With lavender, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, do not join (see Pattern Notes). (6 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around. (18 sc)
Rnds 4-8: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 9: [Sc dec in next 2 sts] around. (9 sc)
Rnd 10: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 11: 2 sc in each st around. (18 sc)
Rnd 12: [Sc in each of next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (21 sc)
Rnds 13-22: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 23: [Sc in next st, sc dec in next 2 sts] around. Stuff. (14 sc)
Rnd 24: [Sc dec in next 2 sts] around.
Leaving long end, fasten off.

Arm
Make 2
Rnd 1: With lavender, ch 2, 5 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (5 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (10 sc)
Rnds 3-7: Sc in each st around. At end of last rnd, leaving long end, fasten off.

Leg
Make 2
Rnd 1: With lavender, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sc)
Rnds 3-8: Sc in each st around. At end of last rnd, leaving long end, fasten off.

Trunk
Rnd 1: With lavender, ch 2, 4 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (4 sc)
Rnd 2: Working in back lps, ch 1, sc in each st around.
Rnd 3: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 4: Sc in each of first 3 sts, 2 sc in last st. (5 sc)
Rnd 5: Sc in each of first 4 sts, 2 sc in next st. (6 sc)
Rnd 6: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 7: [Sc in next sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (9 sc)
Rnd 8: Sc in each st around, join (see Pattern Notes) in next st. Leaving long end, fasten off.

Ear
Make 2
Row 1: With lavender, ch 3, 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 2 sc in last ch, turn. (4 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each of next 2 sts, 2 sc in last st, turn. (6 sc)
Row 3: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each of next 4 sts, 2 sc in last st, turn. (8 sc)
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Leaving long end, fasten off.

Assembly
1. Sew opening at bottom of Body closed.
2. Stuff Arms and Legs. Using long ends, sew to Body so Elephant is in sitting position as shown in photo.
3. Stuff Trunk lightly and using long end, sew to Head as shown in photo.
4. Using long end, sew Ears to side of Head as shown in photo.
5. Cut 3 strands lavender each 10 inches in length. Pull strands through st at center back bottom of Elephant. Braid strands for 1 inch, knot ends and trim.
6. Sew 1 swivel clip to top of Head.
7. Using black, embroider eyes on Head above Trunk.
8. Tie ribbon in bow around neck.

Pig
Head & Body
Rnd 1: With pink, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, do not join (see Pattern Notes). (6 sc)
Rnd 2: Working in back lps, ch 1, sc in each st around.
Rnd 3: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sc)
Rnd 4: [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around. (18 sc)
Rnd 5: [Sc in each of next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (21 sc)
Rnd 6: [Sc in each of next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (24 sc)
Rnds 7-17: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 18: [Sc in each of next 2 sts, sc dec in next 2 sts] around. (18 sc)
Rnd 19: [Sc in next st, sc dec in next 2 sts] around. Stuff. (12 sc)
Rnd 20: [Sc dec in next 2 sts] around, join (see Pattern Notes) in next sc.

Tail
Rnd 21: Sk next 2 sts, sl st in next st, ch 5, 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 2 sc in each ch across, sl st in last sl st. Fasten off.

Leg
Make 4
Rnd 1: With pink, ch 2, 8 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join in beg sc. (8 sc)
Rnd 2: Working in back lps, ch 1, sc in each st around, join in beg sc.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join in beg sc. Leaving long end, fasten off.

Ear
Make 2
Row 1: With pink, ch 2, sc in 2nd ch from hook, turn.
Row 2: 3 sc in next sc. Leaving long end, fasten off.

Assembly
1. Sew Legs to bottom of Body as shown in photo.
2. Sew Ears to top of Head as shown in photo.
3. Using straight stitch (see Fig. 1), with black embroider eyes as shown in photo.
4. Sew 1 swivel clip to top of Head.

Octopus
Head & Body
Rnd 1: With dark green, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, do not join (see Pattern Notes). (6 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around. (18 sc)
Rnd 4: [Sc in each of next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (21 sc)
Rnd 5: [Sc in each of next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (24 sc)
Rnds 6-10: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 11: [Sc in each of next 4 sts, sc dec in next 2 sts] around. (20 sc)
Rnd 12: [Sc in each of next 3 sts, sc dec in next 2 sts] around. (16 sc)
Rnd 13: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 14: Working in back lps, [sc dec in next 2 sts] around. Stuff. (8 sc)
Rnd 15: [Sc dec in next 2 sts] around, join in beg sc. Leaving long end, fasten off.

Leg
Working in rem lps of rnd 13, join light green with sc in any st, ch 16, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, [sc in each of next 2 sts on rnd 13, ch 16, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across] around ending with sc in last st, join (see Pattern Notes) in beg sc. Fasten off.

Finishing
1. Using straight stitch, with red, embroider V-shaped smile as shown in photo.
2. Using straight stitch with black embroider eyes above mouth as shown in photo.
3. Sew 1 swivel clip to top of Head.