Introduction: Amigurumi Lorax

By
About: In a valiant attempt to keep myself from dying of boredom, I create.
“You want me to make a what?” was my reply to my daughter at her suggestion to create a Lorax.  She had just seen the movie and thought I should make one.  I haven’t seen the movie so I needed to do some research and to do some thinking.  This is the first time I have created a knitted amigurumi pattern.  I tried to apply to knitting some of the same techniques I used in crocheting amigurumi patterns.  It turned out cute.   So this is my pattern for making a Lorax.

Step 1:

Supplies:
Scrap of 4 play worsted white
Caron Simply Soft color Mango (+/- $4)
Yarn Bee Haute Fur color Goldlash (+/- $7)
4 size 5 double pointed knitting needles
4 needle covers
Stitch holder (I used a large safety pin, not shown)
Scissors
Yarn needle
Row counters
Polyester stuffing (not in the picture)
2 15mm safety eyes (green, not in the picture, they were already on the Lorax, and they were the only ones I had)
Size G crochet hook

Step 2:

Terms and abbreviations:  You need to know all these- if you don’t, learn how by Googling the term and learn from the tutorials found there.
Cast on
Cast off
k – knit
p – purl
st – stitch
kfb – knit front & back – Knit the same stitch to the front and to the back, a way of increasing a stitch without leaving a hole
k2tog – knit 2 together, a way of decreasing a stitch
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
dc – double crochet
tc – triple crochet
ch – chain
ss- slip stitch


This is an advanced pattern, knitting in the round (thus the double pointed needles), stopping in the middle of a row and knitting back and forth for a few rows, then continuing on are all things done in making socks. Socks are not a beginner’s first project.  Once you divide the stitches between the 3 needles, I will no longer refer to each individual needle.  One row is knitting all the total stitches of the three needles.  So the tail left from casting on will be consistently, the start of each row.  You will need to mark the rows, so that you can keep track of where you are in the pattern.  I put a marker on every 10th row, I only had to count from the last marker to the last row you completed.

Step 3:

Body (mango yarn, from the seat to the top of the head)
Cast on 9 stitches onto one needle.
Row 1 – k all, dividing the stitches evenly between the three needles (9st)
Row 2 – kfb all stitches (18st)
Row 3 – k all
Row 4 – (k1, k1fb) repeat 9 times (27st)
Row 5 – k all
Row 6 – (k1, k1fb) repeat 12 times (36st)
Rows 7-8 (2 rows) k all
Row 9 – k12, (k1, k1fb) repeat 6 times, k12 (42st)
Rows 10-11 (2 rows) k all
Row 12 – k13, (k1, k1fb) repeat 9 times, k13 (53st)
Rows 13 – 33 (20 rows) k all
Row 34 – k14, (k2tog, k3) repeat 5 times, k14 (48st)
Row 35 – k all
Row 36 – k15, (k2tog, k1) repeat 6 times, k15 (42st)
Row 37 – 41 (5 rows) k all
Row 42 – k18, k6fb, k18 (48st) {this makes the chin}
Row 43-45 (3 rows) k all
Row 47 – k18, k2tog 6 times, k 18 (42st)
Row 48-54 (7 rows) k all
Row 56 – k21, k4fb, put the next 8 stitches on a holder, Work the last 8  stitches (the ones underlined) back and forth, so turn p8, turn, k8, turn, p8, turn k8, pick up the 8 stitches from the holder and k to the end of the row (this creates the start of the nose)
Row 57 – k all
Row 58 – k 21, k2tog 4 times, k21
Row 59 – k all
Row 60 – k3, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k10, (k2tog 3 times), K10 k2tog, k3, k2tog, k3 (39 st)
Row 61 – k all
Row 62 – k3, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k23, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k3 (35st)
Row 63 – k all
Row 64 – k4, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k23, k2to, l3, k2tog, k4 (31st)
Rows 65-67 (3 rows) k all
Row 68 – k8, turn and p8 plus the 8 on the next needle (p total 16st), turn, k16, turn, p16, turn, k16, k to the end
Cast off all stitches, leaving a long tail of yarn.

Sew close the hole in the bottom, stuff stiffly with polyester fiber fill. Don’t close off the head yet. ( I know the picture has it closed, but I had to reopen it to add the eyes, so do as I say not as I do.)

Step 4:

Legs: make 2 from mango yarn
Cast on 15st
Row 1 – k all divide evenly between 3 needles (15st)
Rows 2-8 (7 rows) k all
Row 9 – k2, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k1 (12st)
Rows 10-18 (9 rows) k all
Row 19 – k8, turn p4, turn k4, turn p4, turn k8, (12st) {this make the heel)
Row 20-28 (9 rows) k all
Cast off, leaving a long tail of yarn.

Start to stuff the legs, I used mango yarn and sewed down the end of the toes and put a few stitches to make 3 or 4 toes (you choice), I also closed the holes left by making the heel.  Then I drew the yarn through the center of the foot, brought it over the top of the foot brought it back through the center of the foot and pulled tight.  This made the bend in foot.  Finish stuffing the leg.  (Look at the other pictures for various stages of leg formation.)

Step 5:

Use the whip stitch,  sew the legs on the lower body so that Lorax will be sitting.  See the picture for placement.

Step 6:

Arms:  make 2 from mango yarn
Cast in 12
Row 1 – k all dividing evenly between 3 needles
Rows 2-16 (15 rows) k all
Row 17 – k1, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k1 (9st)
Rows 18-35 (17 rows) k all
Cast off, leaving a long tail of yarn.
Whip stitch the end of the arm to form a hand and fingers.  You will add thumbs a little later.  Use a running stitch to make 3 fingers.  Stuff more into the arms.  Where the decrease takes place, sew a running stitch across the arms to make an elbow.  Finish stuffing the arm and close off the top.  Repeat for the other arm.

Step 7:

Thumb:  make 2 from mango yarn
Cast on 4st.
Row 1 – k all
Row 2 – p all
Row 3 – k all
Row 4 – p all
Cost off, leaving a long tail of yarn.

Fold thumb in half, length wise, use the tail yarn to sew the thumb closed from its tip to the base, then whip stitch the thumb to the hand.  Repeat with the other thumb and hand. 

Step 8:

Look at the Lorax and determine where the shoulders are.  With a long piece of mango yarn, stick the yarn needle completely through the center of the body.  On the opposite side, stick the needle through the arm then back through the body and back through the other arm.  You should have two yarns pieces going in and out of each side of the body and each arm.  Pull the yarn tight and tie a square knot where the two ends meet.    Hide the yarn ends inside the Lorax body.  This will allow some movement of the arms.

Step 9:

Whites of Eyes: make 2 from white yarn and crochet hook,  if you don’t know how to crochet, cut ovals from white felt.
Chain 5, make circle by ss into the first ch.
Crochet into the center of the circle, ch2, 1dc, 1tc, 1dc, 2hdc, 4sc, 1hdc, ss into the beginning stitch. 

Step 10:

Now put the eyes on the face:  1st – Put the safety eyes through the holes in the whites you created, place the eyes on either side of the bridge of the nose, pushing the stem through the yarn. Push the back of the safety eyes on to the stem (you may need pliers to get this to happen, so that the eyes will be secure). 

Step 11:

2nd – Using mango yarn, whip stitch the whites down to the face.  Make the stitches so close together that the stitches look like upper and lower eye lids.

Step 12:

Eyebrows:  Make 2 of the goldlash color yarn, this will be worked flat, working back and forth. Yyou will notice that the long hairs of the yarn flow downward from the needles.
Cast on 4 stitches
Row 1 – k all
Row 2 – p all
Row 3 – k all
Row 4 – p all
Row 5 – k all
Row 6 – p all
Row 7 – k all
Row 8 – p all
Row 9 – k all
Row 10 – p all
Row 11 – k all
Row 12 – p all
Cast off, leaving a long tail of yarn.
Using the tail, whip the opening at the top of the head closed.  This line will be covered by the eyebrows.  Whip the last row of the eyebrows to the face above the eyes and long the closing seam.  Since the picture of the Lorax I was using, made it look like the eyebrows were only attached at that one spot that is how I chose to attached it.

Step 13:

Mustache:  Make a small ball of the goldlash yarn. This will be worked flat, going back and forth.  Since the long hairs of the yarn flow downward from the needles, we will start from the bottom of the mustache and work to the top.

Step 14:

Using the 2 balls of yarn, cast one 5 stitches from each ball, on the same needle.
Row 1 – k all, each 5 stitches from its on ball, keep doing this until told otherwise.
Row 2 – p all
Row 3 – k1, k1fb, k1, k1fb, k1 (7st for each part)
Row 4 – p all
Row 5 – k1, k1fb, k1, k1fb, k1, k1fb, k1 (10st for each part)
Row 6 – p all
Row7 – k1, k1fb, k1, k1fb, k1, k1fb, k1, k1fb, k1 (13st for each part)
Row 8 – p all
Row 9 – k all, this time knitting all 26st together
Row 10 – p all (26st)
Row 11 – k1, k1fb, k22, k1fb, k1 (28st)
Row 12 – p all
Row 13 – kl, k2fb, k22, k2fb, k1 (32st)
Row 14 – p all
Cast off.
With the fake fur yarn, you will need to take a little time to comb the long hair out from the front of the knitting to the back.  This will make the eyebrows and the mustache look long and full.  Using mango yarn, whip stitch the top of the mustache to the face just below the nose.  You do not need to whip to the ends of the mustache, for the mustache ends must be able to move in the wind.
Done!  Isn’t he fun! :)  ENJOY!
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