Merlino, the little donkey pattern - English

One more time for all of your who don't speak German.

Here's a picture of our advent nature table. I'll share the pattern for the donkey. If you're interested in how to make Maria, Josef and Jesus you can buy the pattern here (it's not mine). I did however make some changes. I made Maria a little taller than in the pattern, Josef is even taller and slimmer. Also they have pieces of pipe cleaner in their arms to make them a little bendable.

The pattern includes a donkey pattern too but I liked my figures to be a little less cutesy so I invited my own.

And here's how Merlino looks:

And here's how to make your own donkey. Enjoy!

MERLINO, THE DONKEY

Tools & Supplies:
3 mm crocheting hook
matching yarn (use a yarn slightly to big for your hook size. You don’t want any stuffing peaking through the gaps) in colors:
grey
off white
black
Stuffing material of your choice
big needle with round tip for sewing

General:
All pieces (except ears) are crocheted in spirals. Use a stitch marker or piece of yarn to mark the beginning of your rounds.
I like to start my pieces with two chains, crocheting the first row of single crochets in the second chain from hook. Feel free to use the wonder loop method instead (tutorials can be found on the internet ☺).

Abbreveations:
ch ...  chain
sc ... single crochet
sls ... slip stitch
sc2tog ... single crochet 2 toghether (decrease)
fh ... from hook
*...* ... repeat instructions between ** x times
() ... numbers between brackets tell you how many stitches the hole round should have (chains used for  
        turning when crocheting in rows are not included)

Body:
Use grey yarn.
1. chain 2 (2)
2. 6 sc in 2. chain fh(6)
3. *2 sc in next sc* x 6 (12)
4. *1 sc, 2 sc in next sc* x 6 (18)
5. *2 sc , 2 sc in next sc* x 6 (24)
6. *3 sc, 2 sc in next sc* x 6 (30)
7. – 10. 1 sc in each sc (30)
11. *3 sc, sc2tog * x 6 (24)
12. – 16. 1 sc in each sc (24)
17. *2 sc, sc2tog * x 6 (18)
18. *1 sc, sc2tog * x 6 (12)
19. * sc2tog * x 6 (6)
20. 1 sls in next sc
Break yarn, stuff, close hole and sew in tail.

Legs: (make 4)
Use black yarn.
1. chain 2 (2)
2. 6 sc in 2. chain fh (6)
3. *2 sc in next sc* x 6 (12)
Change to white yarn.
4. – 6. 1 sc in each sc (12)
Change to grey yarn.
7. *2 sc, sc2tog * x 3 (9)
8. – 13. 1 sc in each sc (9)
{only front legs:
14. 1 sc in each sc (9) }
14. od. 15. 1 sls in next sc
Break yarn (leave a longer tail), fasten of & stuff.

Head:
Use white yarn.
1. chain 2 (2)
2. 6 sc in 2. chain fh (6)
2. *2 sc in next sc* x 6 (12)
3. – 4. 1 sc in each sc (12)
Change to grey yarn.
5. – 7. 1 sc in each sc (12)
8. *2 sc, 2 sc in next sc* x 4 (16)
9. 1 sc in each sc (16)
10. *1 sc, 2 sc in next sc* x 8 (24)
11. 1 sc in each sc (24)
12. *1 sc, 2 sc in next* x 12 (36)
13. – 14. in jede sc 1 sc (36)
15. *2 sc, sc2tog * x 9 (25)
16. – 17. 1 sc in each sc (25)
18. *2 sc, sc2tog * x 6, 1 sc (20)
19. *1 sc, sc2tog * x 6, 2 sc (16)
20. * sc2tog * x 8 (8)
21. 1 sls
Break yarn and fasten of. Stuff. Thread yarn through needle and wave in and out of the stitches of the last round. Pull tight and sew in yarn.

Ears: (make 2 grey & 2 white ones)
Use grey yarn, leave a long tail.
1. chain 6 (6)
2. 1 sc in 2. chain fh, 5 sc, chain 1, turn (5)
3. – 5. 1 sc in each sc across, chain 1, turn(5)
6. 2 sc, sc2tog, 1 sc, chain 1, turn (4)
7. 1 sc in each sc across, chain 1, turn (4)
8. 1 sc, sc2tog, 1 sc, chain 1, turn (3)
9. 1 sc in each sc, chain 1, turn (3)
10. 1 sc, sc2tog, chain 1, turn (2)
11. sc2tog, chain 1, turn(1)
12. 1 sc (1)
Break yarn, sew in end.

Use white yarn. Leave long tail.
1. chain 4 (4)
2. 1 sc in 2. chain fh, 2 sc, chain 1, turn (3)
3. – 4. 1 sc in each sc across, chain 1, turn (3)
5. 1 sc, sc2tog, chain 1, turn (2)
6. 1 sc in each sc across, chain 1, turn (2)
7. sc2tog, chain 1, turn(1)
8. 1 sc (1)
Break yarn, bind of and sew in end.
Using the white thread, sew white ears parts to grey parts.

Neck:
Use grey yarn, leave a long tail.
1. chain 21, using a sls in the first chain to make a ring. (21)
work in spirals after that
2. – 6. 1 sc in each sc (21)
7. 1 sls
Break yarn & bind of. Leave a long tail.

Hair:
Use black yarn.
Wrap yarn 10 to 15 times around for fingers. Leave a small gap between your middle and ring finger (like Mr. Spock when he says hello but smaller).
Break yarn (leave a longish tail) and pull the yarn through the gap between your fingers. Wrap around the yarns a few times and make a knot. Wriggle free your fingers and cut the loops on eather side.
Make about 5 pieces of hair.

Tail:
Use black yarn.
Cut 6 strings of yarn about 30 cm, fold in half and make a knot to secure them. Make a bread and secure.

Put it together:
Sew legs onto body. Make sure to use the longer ones for the front legs.
Sew on neck and head.
Using the long grey thread you left on the ears sew ears to head.
Estimate where the tail is going to be, take the black yarn and slip stitch your way up to in between the ears.
Break yarn and sew in ends.
Sew on the hair. Begin between the ears and stop about where the neck joins the body.
Sew on tail.
If you want to use black yarn to emboider eyes.

Tadahh!


Copyright
Please note that this pattern is originally made by me and is not to be copied, shared or restributed in any way. Make as many as you want for yourself and your friends. If you want to sell the product please contact me in advance. Don’t copy the pattern on your side but feel free to link to my blog.
Thanks for respecting my policies!

If you have any questions or find errors feel free to contact me. Also if you'd rather like the pattern send to you as pdf.

Bye, 

Elisabeth