Crochet Mouse Cat Toy

My son gave me a bag of his old socks.   I did not want to toss them,  so I thought of a way to reuse them.  Since he has cats,  I decided to  crochet some toy mice for the cats and use the socks for the stuffing.  I am adding the pattern here if anyone would like to make some for their pets.  This is my own copyright pattern.  You may sell items made from the pattern but not the pattern itself.  Please do not attach the pattern to other sites, please link to my site.  They measure 4 inches without the tail.

Materials needed

worsted weight yarn- 1oz more or less

size F crochet hook

old sock for stuffing.

Stitch marker

small amount of black crochet or embroidery thread for eyes and nose

Stitches Used

sc – single crochet

hdc-half double crochet

4dccl- double crochet cluster, keeping the last loop on hook, dc 4 times in the next st, yarn over and draw through all 5 loops.

Scdec- single crochet decrease- draw up a loop through the next 2 st, yarn over and draw through all three loops.

Page 1 You will be working in rounds, do not join at the end of the round, work in top of the beginning stitch at the end of the round. If you want to work the ears before closing, make an extra small ball of yarn or use the other end of the skein.

Row 1: ch 3 (does not count a hdc), 4 hdc in 3^rd ch from hook,

Row 2: add marker to your first hdc, you will be moving the maker on each round to keep track of the rows, 2hdc in first hdc made on row 1, hdc in next 3 hdc

Row 3-5: *2 hdc next st, hdc in next st * repeat between * around.
Row 6: hdc next 5 st, working in the back loops only, hdc next 3 st ( you will be working the ears in these stitches later), hdc through both loops on next 2 st, hdc in the back loops only of the next 3 st, hdc through booth loops of remaining st to marker

Row 7-11: hdc in each st around. Do not fasten off.

Row 12: At this point insert the sock in the mouse, you may need to cut the sock to fit, I also at this point worked the ears, and pull the end tails to the inside of the mouse.

Scdec around.

Row 13: scdec around.

Row 14, scdec remaining st together to close end. Ch 25 for tail and fasten off.

For ears, join with a sl st to the first unworked front stitch on row 5, ch 3, 4dccl in the next front st, ch 3, sl st in 3^rd front st. Fasten off and work in ends. Repeat for other ear in the remaining unworked front loops.

Use black  crochet thread to make the eyes and nose

You can also make them for your dog.

Halloween Skull Pot Holder- Hot Pad

I used a variation of the skull doily and made a hot pad.  It measures about 9 1/2 inches.  The center is worked in 2 strands of worsted weight yarn  with an h hook, the white skulls are worked in one strand with a g hook.  This is my copyright pattern.  You may sell what items you make from the pattern,  but not sell the pattern. I have not tested the pattern yet,  I have only made one and typed the pattern yesterday, so if you have any problems,  let me know. 

Row 1: Using h hook, with orange ch 3 (counts as first hdc), 7 hdc in 3^rd ch from hook, join to top of first ch 3. 8hdc

Row 2: ch 2, hdc in same st, 2 hdc in each st around, join with a sl st in top of first ch 2. 16hdc

Row 3: same as row 2. 32 hdc

Row 4: ch 2, hdc in each st around, join with a sl st in top of first ch 2. 32hdc

Row 5: ch 2, 2 hdc in next st, * hdc next st, 2 hdc in next st* repeat between * around, join with a sl st in in top of beg ch 2. 48 hdc

Row 6: ch 2, hdc in each st around. Join with a sl st in beg ch 2 and fasten off. 48 hdc

Row 7: join black with a sl st in beg hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc in next st, * hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st* repeat between * around, join with a sl st to top of first ch 2. 72hdc

Row 8: ch 1, sc in same st, ch 2, sk 2 st, * sc in next st, ch 2, sk 2 st * repeat between * around, join with a sl st in beg sc. Fasten off 24sc, 24 ch 2 sp

Row 9: Using g hook and a single strand of white, join with a sl st in ch 2 sp, ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same sp, ch 5, sk ch 2 sp, keeping the last loop on hook, 4dc in next ch 2 sp, yarn over draw through all 5 last loops ( 4dccl made), ch 1, 4dccl in same sp, ch 5, sk ch2 sp, 2dc in next ch2 sp, ch 5, * sk ch2 sp, 4dccl, ch1, 4dccl in next ch2 sp, ch 5, sk next ch 2 sp, 2dc in next ch 2 sp, ch 5 * repeat between * around, join with a sl st in 3^rd ch of beg ch 3.

Row 10: ch 1, sc in same dc, sc in next dc, * 5 sc in next ch sp ch 4, sc in sc between 4dccl, ch 4, 5sc in next ch sp, sc in next 2 dc, * repeat between * around, join with a sl st in beg sc.

Row 11: ch 2, dc in next dc (counts as a decrease), ch6, sk 4 sc, sl st in next sc, 2dhc,3dc in next ch 4 sp, dc in next sc, 3dc, 2hdc in next ch 4 sp, sl st in next sc, ch6, sk 4 sc, keeping last loop on hook, dc in next 2 dc, yarn over draw through all 3 loops (dcdec made) ch 3, sl st in top of dcded( picot made), * ch 6 sk 4 sc, sl st in next sc, 2dhc,3dc in next ch 4 sp, dc in next sc, 3dc, 2hdc in next ch 4 sp, sl st in next sc, ch6, dcdec in next 2 dc, picot, * repeat around to beg cl, join with a sl st in beg cl, ch 12, sl st back in cl, turn, hdc in each 12 ch around for hanging loop, sl st back in cl and fasten off.