UPDATE: This CAL has ended but you can still find their free pattern here!

Welcome to Part 1 of  the Amigurumi Moose CAL! I'm so excited you're here and joining in!

Today we will make the legs and body, the legs will be made separately and then joined together to make the body. By the end it will all be in one piece without any sewing needed!

Feel free to make Miles, Millie or both! I'm so excited to see all of the colors you've picked out!

If you are just learning about the CAL head over here to find out all the details, it's never to late to join in. Each part will remain free here on the blog so you crochet at your own pace.

Be sure to share your photos in the Grace and Yarn Crochet Group on Facebook, we'd love to see them. This is also a great place to ask any questions you have along the way!

Pattern

PIN to your crochet board here!

You can also find the full pattern (an ad-free PDF version) in my Etsy and Ravelry shop!

Some of you have shared that this will be your first CAL, yay! If you have any questions feel free to share them in the group or send me a message. I hope you enjoy making your own little moose!

If amigurumi is new to you, I have a Tips to Learning Amigurumi page that I think will come in handy. I've also brought over some of the main tips below as a refresher if needed!

If you're ready for Part 1 now, feel free to scroll down. Otherwise, keep reading and I'll go through the materials and how to get started with a magic circle and color changes!

This CAL will be split into 3 parts:

Part 1 - November 30 - Legs and Body (this post here)

Part 2 - December 3 - Head, Ears, and Antlers

Part 3 - December 5 - Arms, Scarf and Final Assembly

Don't want to miss any new patterns? Sign-up for my newsletter and I will send an email for each part of the CAL plus keep you updated when new patterns are posted!

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You may make and sell items made from this pattern but please do not sell, share or reproduce the actual pattern. If you sell finished items online (Etsy, etc) please provide a link to the pattern and credit to me as the designer, thank you. I hope you enjoy this pattern!

Materials

Abbreviations (US Terminology)

SC - Single crochet

SC INC - Single crochet increase

INV DEC - Invisible decrease

HDC - Half double crochet

DC - Double crochet

St(s) - Stitch(es)

Rep - Repeat

(Below is a mini tutorial for making a magic circle, invisible decrease and invisible color join. Please note the photos are for reference and were taken from previous projects, the concept will be used for our CAL.)

Magic Circle

A magic circle (also called an adjustable loop) is the most common way to start amigurumi.

1. Leaving about a 4 inch tail wrap the yarn into a circle as in the photos below.

2. Hold the loop by placing your fingers over the part where the working yarn crosses over the tail.

3. Insert your hook into the circle, yarn over, pull through and chain 1.

4. You're magic circle is complete and ready to begin as pattern instructs (ex: if round says 6 SC you will complete 6 SC around the loop).

5. Pull your tail tight to close.

Invisible Decrease

This is the preferred way to decrease in amigurumi, it keeps the decrease tight and avoids the 'bump' of a regular SC decrease.

An invisible decrease happens over two stitches, insert your hook into the front loop of the first stitch and then into the front loop of the next stitch (you will have 3 loops on your hook), yarn over, pull through two loops (you will have 2 loops left on your hook), yarn over again and pull through all loops on the hook.

You're invisible decrease is done!

Invisible Color Join

When changing colors it can give a jagged look because we are working in rounds. This method will help the colors change more smoothly!

When you are completing the last stitch before you are instructed to change colors you will complete the first half of the stitch with your old color and finish the stitch with your new color.

Insert your hook into your stitch, yarn over with the old color and pull through, now drop your old color and use your new color to yarn over and finish the stitch by pulling through all loops on your hook.

You now have your new color on your hook, I like to tie off my old color here.

As you start your next round, complete the first stitch as a slip stitch instead of a SC. When you come back around to start your next round be sure to SC into your slip stitch just as you would a regular stitch.

Ready to start? Here we go!

Part 1

Legs and Body - 

Make 2: Starting with dark brown

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

Round 2: SC INC in each st (12)

Round 3: SC in the first st, SC INC in the next, rep around (18)

Round 4: SC in the first 2 sts, SC INC in the next, rep around (24)

Round 5: SC in the first 3 sts, SC INC in the next, rep around (30)

Round 6: SC around in the back loops only (30)

Rounds 7-8: SC around (30)

Round 9: SC in the first 9 sts, INV DEC 6 times, SC in the last 9 sts (24)

Round 10: SC in the first 6 sts, INV DEC 6 times, SC in the last 6 sts (18)

Change to pant color

Rounds 11-23: SC around (18)

Fasten off on the first leg only. At the end of Round 23 on the 2nd leg, complete a SC in each of the next 7 stitches (this will line up our feet to be straight when we join).

Round 24: Chain 3 and attach to the first leg with a SC (make sure both feet are facing the same direction), SC in the remaining stitches around the leg. When you reach the chain make a SC across each of the 3 chains, SC in the remaining stitches of the next leg and SC across each of the 3 chains again (you will have SC on both sides of the 3 chains now) (42) This completes your join and is where your next round will start.

*Note - Joining the legs can be the hardest part of the pattern but I promise once you have it down it will come second nature the next time you do it. We are using the chain 3 as a bridge to join the legs into one piece.*

Rounds 25-30: SC around (42)

Change to shirt color

Round 31: SC around (42)

Round 32: SC in the back loops only (42)

Rounds 33-41: SC around (42)

Round 42: SC in the first 5 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (36)

Round 43: SC in the first 4 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (30)

Round 44: SC around (30)

Change to light brown

Round 45: SC in the first 3 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (24)

Rounds 46-48: SC around (24)

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing

If you are only making the boy version you are done with Part 1! If you are making the girl version follow below to add the ruffled edge to her shirt. 

Ruffled Edge (for Millie)

Holding your moose with her feet away from you (see picture below) attach with a slip stitch to one of the front loops from round 32. (For a cleaner look attach at the back of the body.)

Round 1: Ch 1, 2DC in the same stitch and in each st around, join with a slip stitch to the first DC (84)

Rounds 2-3: Ch 1, DC in each st around, join with a slip stitch to the first DC (84)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

You are all set and ready for Part 2, where we'll make the head, ears and antlers! I hope you all have a great weekend!