How is it May already?! This year is going by so fast! I'm trying to slow down and enjoy each season and the different blessings they bring. This season? Beautiful warm weather, gardens starting, flowers blooming! I love it!

It brings me to the question....do you crochet year round or seasonally? For the past few years I have crocheted year round but I do feel I change to a night time crafter during these warmer months!

Today I'm super excited to share we are adding a mini version of our larger horse and donkey pattern! They are just as spunky and full of personality at half the size!

By changing the colors you could also have a super cute zebra or even add a horn for a unicorn. I love watching the personality of amaigurumi come together. 

If you've missed any of the other mini animals here on the blog, you can find them all below:

Mini Cow

Mini Llama

Mini Pig

Materials

• Size 4 worsted weight yarn (50g of main body color, small amount of white and choice color for accent [hooves and mane], and bandana)
• 3.5 mm crochet hook
• 4.5 mm crochet hook (these are my all time favorites!)
• 9mm safety eyes
• Black crochet/embroidery thread for eyelashes (optional)
• Scissors 
• Tapestry needle (bent tip needles work wonders for amigurumi!)
• Stuffing
• Stitch markers (a piece of scrap yarn or bobby pin gets the job done!)

Abbreviations - US terminology

MC- Magic circle

SC- Single crochet

SC INC- Single crochet increase

INV DEC- Invisible decrease

HDC- Half double crochet

St(s)- Stitch(es)





Nose-

With body color

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

Round 2: SC INC in each st (12)

Rounds 3-5: SC around (12)

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing. With a small amount of your accent color, add two nostrils by passing once or twice through 1 stitch. I made mine about 2 stitches apart just above the middle point.







Legs - Make 2 

Starting with your accent color

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

Round 2: SC INC in each st (12)

Rounds 3-5: SC around (12)

Change to white

Rounds 6-7: SC around (12)

Change to body color
Rounds 8-12: SC around (12)

Fasten off on the first leg only. When you finish the 2nd leg proceed to round 13 to join the legs and start the body.

Round 13: Attach to the first leg with a SC (I like to make sure both color changes are facing the same way, I make this the back of the horse or donkey). SC around the first leg and then the second leg (24 SC) This completes your join and is where your next round will start, from here we will work the body.




Rounds 14-20 SC around (24)

Round 21: SC in the first 2 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (18)

Round 22: SC around (18)

Round 23: SC in the first stitch, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (12)

Round 24: SC around (12)

Here is where we will start the head

Round 25: SC in the first st, SC INC in the next, repeat around (18)

Round 26: SC in the first 2 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (24)

Round 27: SC in the first 3 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (30)

Round 28: SC in the first 4 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (36)

Rounds 29-33: SC around (36)

NOTE: Here is where we will attach the facial features. Place the safety eyes 4 stitches apart between rounds 31-32. (For the girl version, I recommend sewing on the eyelashes before securing your safety eyes).

Lastly, sew the nose centered between the eyes, adding a little bit of stuffing as you go.



Round 34: SC in the first 4 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (30)

Round 35: SC in the first 3 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (24)

*Continue to stuff the head and neck firmly

Round 36: SC in the first 2 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (18)

Round 37: SC in the first stitch, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (12)

Round 38: INV DEC around (6)

Fasten off and sew remaining part closed, weave in your end.



Ears- 

Make 2 with body color

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 7 SC

Rounds 2-3: SC around (7)

Round 4: SC INC in each st (14)

Rounds 5-6: SC around (14)

Round 7: SC in the first 5 sts, INC DEC in the next, repeat around (12)

Fasten off and leave a long tail to sew onto the head.





Arms- 

Make 2 stuffing lightly at the bottom. We will start with our accent color.

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

Round 2: SC in the first st, SC INC in the next, repeat around (9)

Round 3: SC around (9)

Change to white

Rounds 4-5: SC around (9)

Change to body color

Rounds 6-11: SC around (9)

At the end of round 11 pinch the arm flat and make 4 SC across the top to close, fasten off and leave a long tail to sew onto the body.



Bandana –
With your 4.5mm hook and color of choice, chain 9

Row 1: HDC in the 2nd chain from your hook and in each chain across, chain 1 and turn (8)

Row 2: HDC DEC, 4 HDC, HDC DEC, chain 1 and turn (6)

Row 3: HDC DEC, 2 HDC, HDC DEC, chain 1 and turn (4)

Row 4: HDC DEC twice, chain 1 and turn (2)

Row 5: HDC DEC (1)

Do not fasten off, continue with the border below.


Border-

1. Chain 1 and SC down the side.

2. When you reach the first corner chain 15 (if you crochet tightly you may want to add a few extra chains).

3. SC in the 2nd chain from your hook and back down the chain. SC across the bottom of the bandana.

4. When you reach the next corner chain 15 again (if you added chains above be sure to make this side with the same count). SC in the 2nd chain from your hook and in each chain back to the bandana. SC across the last remaining side. At this point you will have crocheted across all 3 sides and have created 2 ties on either side. Lastly, weave in your ends.





Attaching everything together-

- Sew the ears onto the head starting at round 3 and ending at round 6 on each side.

- Sew the arms onto the body centered with the head at round 23.

- Lastly, tie your bandana around the neck. We’ll finish our horse and donkey by adding the mane and tail below.




Mane –

With your accent color cut multiple strips of yarn approximately 7 inches long for the horse and 6 inches for the donkey. You will need quite a few to fill in the mane.

• Taking 1 strand at a time (feel free to use 2 strands for a thicker mane) and using your crochet hook, pull the strands through a stitch next to one of the ears to create a loop (picture 1).
• Next, pull your ends through the loop (picture 2) and pull tight (picture 3).
• Complete this step across the head to the other ear (picture 4).

Continue these steps to create extra rows working down the back of the head.

Donkey – Trim your mane to be approximately 2 inches long.

Horse – Trim as needed/ to your liking.








Tail –

With your accent color, cut 4 strips of yarn approximately 6 inches long. In similar fashion to our mane pull the loops of your strands through two stitches in the back of your horse/donkey. Pull the strand through your loop and pull tight. Trim your tail as desired, I kept mine about 2 inches long.