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This charming crocheted lamb (on the right in the
photo above left) is a companion to the crocheted cat that appears
in the November/December 2003 issue of PieceWork (see "Crochet
a Cat" on page 37). Both were adapted from patterns in Weldon's
Practical Needlework, the cat from Volume
9 and the lamb from Volume
7.
The combination of fine yarn for the lamb's
legs, underside, and face, with fuzzy yarn for the fleece, is
particularly intriguing. The body of the lamb is an armature over
which the crocheted fleece is sewn.
Materials
Fingering or baby-weight yarn, 50 grams (1 3/4 ounces)/ball, natural,
1 ball
Sportweight yarn with soft fuzzy texture, 50 grams (1 3/4 ounces)/ball,
natural, 1 ball
Embroidery floss for mouth and nostrils, red
Crochet hooks, size 3 (D) for fingering yarn, size 5 (F) for sportweight
yarn
Needles, tapestry and embroidery
Sewing thread to match yarn
Cotton batting, 1 yard (91.4 cm)
Interfacing, heavy-duty nonfusible, 1 yard (91.4 cm)
Beads, black for eyes, 2
Ribbon for neck
Materials are available at yarn stores
or from mail-order or online resources.
Finished Size: 10 inches (25.4
cm) from nose to beginning of tail, about 5 3/4 inches (14.6 cm)
tall
Gauge: 11 sts = 2 inches (5.1 cm) with fingering
yarn and size 3 hook over dc; 3 sts = 1 inch (2.5 cm) with sportweight
yarn and size 5 hook over dc
Abbreviations
ch--chain
dc--double crochet
dc dec--double crochet decrease (yarn over, insert hook in next
st, draw up lp, yarn over, draw through 2 lps) twice, yarn over,
draw through all 3 lps on hook
dc inc--work two dc in next st
dec--decrease
inc--increase
lp(s)--loop(s)
rem--remain(ing)
rep--repeat
rnd(s)--round(s)
sl st--slip stitch
st(s)--stitch(es)
tr--triple crochet
Instructions
Notes:
• Fasten off--break yarn, draw end through lp on hook, tighten.
• Join—attach to start of rnd with a sl st.
• Work even—work into previous row or rnd without
inc or dec.
• Weave in yarn at the beginning of the ears only; end yarn
will be used to sew the ears to the head. Rem yarn ends will not
show on the inside of the work.
Front Legs (make 2)
Rnd 1: With fingering yarn and size 3 hook, ch 4, join;
ch 2, work 10 dc in ring; join.
Rnd 2: Ch 2, dc around, working dc inc in every second
st; join.
Rnd 3: Ch 2, dec for top of foot as follows--* dc in
first st, dc dec; rep from * around; join.
Rnds 4 - 9: Work even in dc.
Rnd 10: Ch 2, * dc in next 4 sts, dc inc; rep from *
around, join.
Rnd 11: Work even.
Rnd 12: Ch 2, * dc in next 3 sts, dc inc; rep from *
twice more. Fasten off.
Back Legs (make 2)
Work as for front legs through Rnd 9.
Rnd 10: Ch 2, (dc inc, dc in next st; rep from * until
4 sts rem, dc in last 4 sts.
Rnd 11: Work even.
Rnd 12: Ch 2, dc in first 2 sts, dc inc, dc in next st,
dc inc, dc in last 8 sts; join, fasten off.
Body
Row 1: With fingering yarn and size 3 hook, ch 21, dc
in 3rd ch from hook and in each rem ch across; turn.
Rows: 2 - 16: Ch 2, work even in dc; turn.
Row 17: Sl st in first 5 sts, ch 2, work 9 dc; turn,
leaving rem sts of row unworked.
Row 18: Ch 2, work dc in each st across; fasten off.
Next row: Rotate body piece so Row 1 is at the top of
the work. With right side facing, skip first 5 sts, join yarn
in next st, ch 2, dc in next 9 sts; turn.
Following 2 rows: Work even. Fasten off.
Head
Rnd 1: Ch 2, work 4 dc in 2nd ch from hook; join.
Rnd 2: Ch 2, inc in each st of previous rnd; join.
Rnds 3 - 9: Ch 2, dc around, inc twice in each rnd; join.
Fasten off at end of Rnd 9.
Ears (make 2)
Row 1: Ch 9, skip 3 chs, tr in 6 rem chs; turn.
Row 2: Ch 2, dc in next 4 sts, work 5 dc in ch-3 turning
ch of Row 1, work 5 dc along other side of tr worked in foundation
ch; turn.
Row 3: Ch 2, dc in next 4 sts, dc inc in next st, dc
in next st, dc 3 times in next st, dc in next st, dc inc in next
st, dc in remaining sts. Break yarn, leaving long tail to sew
the ear to the head; fasten off.
Fleece
Change to the sportweight yarn and size 5 hook for fleece and
tail.
Rnd 1: Beginning at the head and neck area, ch 15, join.
Ch 3, tr twice in each ch; join.
Rnds 2 - 3: Ch 3, work even in tr; join.
Rnds 4 - 6: Ch 2, work even in dc; join; fasten off.
Flap for the back: Join yarn and work tr back and forth over center
22 sts of last rnd of fleece for 9 rows or until fleece is as
long as the body. Fold the last row in half and sl st the edges
together up to the fold. Fasten off.
Tail
Row 1: Ch 17, skip 3 ch, tr in remaining 14 chs across.
Turn.
Rows 2 - 4: Ch 3, tr across; turn. Fasten off at the
end of the last row.
Finish the tail: Fold the strip lengthwise and sl st together.
The tail should curve because tr edge is much looser than ch edge.
Break yarn, leaving long tail to sew the tail to the body. Fasten
off.
The Armature
Crumple pieces of the cotton batting to roughly the size of the
body. Wrap them in another piece of batting and lash with yarn
to hold in place. Shape and bind down one end for the head. Form
the pairs of legs by rolling up a rectangle of interfacing and
batting together, and wrapping tightly with yarn.
Put the legs in place on the body by threading them through the
lashing on the body mass. Make sure the body is the right size
by trying on all the crocheted parts. Clip, trim, and lash tighter
or looser until the shape is correct. Thread a double length of
sewing thread into the embroidery needle and stitch the legs to
the body.
Dressing the Lamb
Once all the crocheted parts are on the body, thread the tapestry
needle with a length of the fingering yarn. Beginning where one
of the legs meets the fleece and underside, join the pieces together
with a loose overcast stitch. Push any loose ends of yarn to the
inside as you stitch past them.
To attach the ears and tail, thread the yarn
ends into the tapestry needle and stitch down. Using the embroidery
needle and sewing thread, anchor the ears in place to the cotton
batting of the body. Sew on the beads for the eyes. Using the
embroidery floss, stitch in the mouth and nostrils. Tie the ribbon
around the lamb's neck. The little baby is ready to be adopted--if
you can give it up!
About the Author Meg Grossman,
lead interpreter for textiles at Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge,
Massachusetts, has been teaching textile classes and workshops
since 1985. She earned her B.F.A. in crafts/textiles at the University
of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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