Deer Pajama Holder

Difficulty Level: advanced

Crochet amigurumi deer pajama holder

Free crochet tutorial for a Deer Pajama Holder by @egoreva_knit_toys. The pattern is based on the Matilda Deer tutorial by Wolltastish Handmade - Alexandra Schwarz.

With this pattern, you can crochet a plush deer pajama holder. Any plush yarn will work for this amigurumi project, such as Himalaya Dolphin Baby or YarnArt Dolce. The deer's head and paws are crocheted, and the body is knitted.

The finished toy measures about 58-60 cm.

Materials and Tools

Himalaya Dolphin Baby 80301 white or YarnArt Dolce 741 white yarn (1 skein)
Himalaya Dolphin Baby 80317 beige or YarnArt Dolce 747 beige yarn (1 skein)
Adelia Fantasy Luxe 12 beige pom-pom yarn (1 skein)
YarnArt Dolce 754 mocha yarn (for the face details and antlers)
3.5 mm crochet hook
2.5 mm circular knitting needles
Toy stuffing
Beige elastic cord (about 40-50 cm)
Cord lock
Stitch marker
Needle
Scissors

Abbreviations

MR - magic ring
ch - chain stitch
sl st - slip stitch
sc - single crochet
dc - double crochet
hdc - half double crochet
inc - increase
dec - decrease
(...) x n - repeat n times

Crochet Pattern for an Amigurumi Deer Pajama Holder

Head

White yarn:

1. 6 sc in MR (or ch 2, then work 6 sc into the second ch from the hook)
2. 6 inc (12)
3. (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)
4. 1 sc, inc, (2 sc, inc) x 5, 1 sc (24)
5. (3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)
6. 2 sc, inc, (4 sc, inc) x 5, 2 sc (36)
7. (5 sc, inc) x 6 (42)
8. 3 sc, inc, (6 sc, inc) x 5, 3 sc (48)
9. (7 sc, inc) x 6 (54)
10. 4 sc, inc, (8 sc, inc) x 5, 4 sc (60)
11-16. 60 sc (60)
17. 4 sc, dec, (8 sc, dec) x 5, 4 sc (54)
18. (7 sc, dec) x 6 (48)
19. 3 sc, dec, (6 sc, dec) x 5, 3 sc (42)
20. (5 sc, dec) x 6 (36)
21. 2 sc, dec, (4 sc, dec) x 5, 2 sc (30)
22. (3 sc, dec) x 6 (24)
Stuff the head with fiberfill
23. 1 sc, dec, (2 sc, dec) x 5, 1 sc (18)
24. (1 sc, dec) x 6 (12)
Add more fiberfill
25. (2 sc, dec) x 3 (9)
26. 1 sl st, fasten off and cut the yarn

Head Applique

Beige yarn:

Starting with row 18, turn the work after each row.

18. Continue this row in the same direction without turning: 14 sc, 1 ch (15), turn the work and crochet on the wrong side (in all following rows, start working the stitches into the second ch from the hook):
19. 14 sc (14), turn
20. 13 sc (13), turn
21. 12 sc, 1 ch (13), turn
22. 12 sc (12), turn
23. 11 sc (11), turn
24. 10 sc, 1 ch (11), turn
25. 10 sc (10), turn
26. 9 sc (9), turn
27. 8 sc (8), turn
28. 7 sc, 1 ch (8), turn
29. 7 sc (7), turn
30. 6 sc, 1 ch (7), turn
31. 6 sc (6), turn
32. 5 sc (5), turn
33. 4 sc (4), turn
34. 3 sc, 1 ch (4)

Next, crochet the edging around the applique. Do not turn the work after row 34; continue crocheting:

14 sc along one side of the applique, work 3 sc together with one top (1 sc into the last stitch of the applique, 1 sc under the last stitch of row 18, 1 sc into the first stitch after the applique, which is the 15th stitch of row 17), 38 sc, work 3 sc together with one top (1 sc into the remaining stitch, 1 sc under the first stitch of row 18, 1 sc into the first stitch on the second side of the applique), 14 sc, sl st, fasten off, and leave a tail for sewing the applique to the head.

Crochet amigurumi deer pajama holder. Head applique

Muzzle

White yarn:

1. 6 sc in MR (or ch 2, then work 6 sc into the second ch from the hook)
2. 6 inc (12)
3. (3 sc, inc) x 3 (15)
4-5. 15 sc (15)
6. (4 sc, inc) x 3 (18)
7. 18 sc, sl st, fasten off and leave a tail for sewing

Ears

Make 4 pieces total: 2 in white and 2 in beige.

1. 8 ch
2. Start crocheting the row into the second ch from the hook: inc, 5 sc, 4 sc into the last ch of the chain. Continue on the other side of the chain, crocheting around it: 5 sc, inc (18)
3. inc, 7 sc, inc, inc, 7 sc, inc (22)

For the white pieces, after row 3, finish with a slip stitch, fasten off, and cut the yarn. For the beige pieces, do not cut the yarn; continue crocheting, joining each beige piece to a white piece. Place the beige and white pieces together with the right sides facing out. Under the sl st of the white piece, work the first sc to join both pieces. Then crochet through both pieces: 9 sc, 1 hdc, dc2tog, 1 hdc, 9 sc. Skip 2 stitches and insert the hook into the 3rd stitch from the hook from the inner (white) side of the ear, work a sl st, and pull tight (this folds the ears at the base). Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.

Crochet amigurumi deer pajama holder. Ears

Antlers

Mocha yarn:

Piece A - make 2

1. 7 sc in MR (or ch 2, then work 7 sc into the second ch from the hook)
2-5. 7 sc (7), sl st, fasten off and cut the yarn

Crochet amigurumi deer pajama holder. Antlers

Piece B - make 2

1. 7 sc in MR (or ch 2, then work 7 sc into the second ch from the hook)
2-5. 7 sc (7)
6. Join Piece A: work a sl st under the sl st of Piece A to connect the pieces. Place a marker in the slip stitch you just made; this is where you will start counting the stitches of row 6. Next, work 6 sc around Piece A, make a decrease (to avoid a hole at the join, make the decrease through two slip stitches: the one on Piece A and the sl st made at the beginning of this row), then work 5 sc around Piece B, dec (14)
7. 3 sc, dec, 5 sc, dec, 2 sc (12)
8-11. 12 sc (12), sl st, fasten off and leave a tail for sewing

Arms (Make 2)

Start with white yarn:

1. 6 sc in MR (or ch 2, then work 6 sc into the second ch from the hook)
2. (1 sc, inc) x 3 (9)
3. (2 sc, inc) x 3 (12)
4. 12 sc (12)
5. (3 sc, inc) x 3 (15)
6. 15 sc (15)
7. 15 sc (15)
Change from white yarn to beige yarn
8. (3 sc, dec) x 3 (12)
9-20. 12 sc (12)

Fold in half and crochet through both sides: 5 sc, sl st into the last stitch, fasten off, and leave a tail for sewing.

Legs (Make 2)

Start with white yarn:

1. 6 sc in MR (or ch 2, then work 6 sc into the second ch from the hook)
2. 6 inc (12)
3. (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)
4. (2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)
5-6. 24 sc (24)
7. 6 dec, 12 sc (18)
8. (1 sc, dec) x 2, 6 sc, change from white yarn to beige yarn, 6 sc (16)
9. 1 sc, 2 dec, 11 sc (14)
10. 1 sc, dec, 11 sc (13)
11. 1 sc, dec, 10 sc (12)
12-20. 12 sc (12)

Fold in half and crochet through both sides: 5 sc, sl st into the last stitch, fasten off, and leave a tail for sewing.

Tail

Make 2 pieces: 1 in white and 1 in beige.

1. 10 ch
2. Start crocheting the row into the second ch from the hook: 4 dc, 3 hdc, 1 sc, inc into the last ch of the chain. Continue on the other side of the chain, crocheting around it: 1 sc, 3 hdc, 4 dc.

For the white piece, after row 2, finish crocheting, fasten off, and cut the yarn. For the beige piece, do not cut the yarn; continue crocheting, joining it to the white piece.

3. Place the beige and white pieces together with the right sides facing out and crochet around them with single crochet through both pieces to join them: 4 sc, inc, 7 sc, 2 inc, 7 sc, 1 sc under the first sc of this row (the edging closes), fasten off, and leave a tail for sewing.

Crochet amigurumi deer pajama holder. Tail

Body

Knit the body with knitting needles using pom-pom yarn. First, cast on the first row of stitches on the needle:

1. Cast on 20 stitches (2 stitches between each pom-pom) (20), turn the work
2. Fold the next pom-pom in half and purl 2 stitches (you do not need to slip the first stitch the way you would with regular yarn), then continue knitting the row with purl stitches (20), turn the work
3. 20 knit stitches, turn
4. 20 purl stitches, turn
5. 20 knit stitches, turn
...

Continue knitting, alternating a purl row and a knit row, until the yarn in the skein is almost finished. Before finishing, count back from the end of the yarn and leave 10 pom-poms, which you will need for binding off. Bind off the stitches.

At the binding-off stage, use a crochet hook. As with the knitted rows, fold the first pom-pom in half. Then use the hook to pull the first stitch from the needle through, place the new loop from the hook back onto the needle, then work a chain stitch through 2 stitches on the needle and pull the yarn through this stitch (it is best to singe the yarn end before pulling it through so it does not unravel). Remove both stitches from the needle; this secures the first pom-pom.

Then work the first stitch on the needle in the same way with the yarn after the next pom-pom, place the loop from the hook onto the needle, and again work a chain stitch through the 2 loops on the needle and pull the yarn through. Continue this way to the end of the row. At the end of the row, after working the last stitches, pull the yarn tight and cut it if there are any pom-poms left. Singe the yarn end.

Next, sew the body: using regular thread in a matching color, sew the knitted stitches together from the wrong side, without catching the pom-poms. Then turn the body right side out.

Toy Assembly

Crochet amigurumi deer pajama holder. Toy assembly

Sew the muzzle (lightly stuffed with filling) between rows 1 and 4 of the head, placing it slightly below the center.
Sew the applique to the head. I used the yarn I crocheted the applique with.
Embroider the eyes and nose with contrasting plush yarn (you can use the same color as the antlers).
Sew the antlers between rows 14 and 17 of the head applique. The distance between the antlers is 3 sc.
Sew the ears 4 sc away from the antlers, between rows 14 and 15 of the applique.
Use white yarn to embroider details on the applique.
Sew the body to the head 4 rows below the muzzle.
Sew the arms between rows 2 and 3 of pom-poms, catching the strand between the pom-poms.
Sew the legs between rows 9 and 10 of pom-poms, catching the strand between the pom-poms.
Sew the tail between rows 7 and 8 of pom-poms, catching the strand between the pom-poms.
Insert the elastic cord from the inside between rows 10 and 11 of pom-poms (use a needle to thread the cord through the loops). Put the cord lock onto the cord and tie small knots at the cord ends.

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