Small Rhinoceros

Kristi Tullus, http://sidrun.spire.ee

Size
11,5 cm (4 1/2") long and 5,5 cm (2 1/5”) tall, with DK weight cotton and a 2,50 mm hook.

Difficulty
2. Beginner - suitable for novice crocheters, includes small details and requires patience
and precision when assembling the rhino.

Skills required
Crocheting in spiral, chain stitch, single crochet stitch, increasing and decreasing.

Contact Info
Pattern includes unlimited support from me over email or Skype. Crochet photo and
video tutorials and helpful tips are available on my website.

kristi@spire.ee http://sidrun.spire.ee a0kristi

Copyright © 2012 TÜ Spire. All right reserved.

Contents of this document MAY NOT be copied, reproduced, altered, published or
distributed in any way. You MAY sell finished products made with this pattern, provided
you credit me (KristiTullus, http://sidrun.spire.ee) as the designer.
Tip! You can use the same pattern to make larger or smaller toys by using finer or bulkier yarn. Pick a
crochet hook at least a size smaller than suggested on the yarn label and crochet tightly enough to
achieve a tight gauge that will not allow the stuffing to show through the fabric. You may also need
to adjust the size of the safety eyes.

Materials & Tools

• Yarn. I used DK weight 100% cotton, 105 m = 50 g
(115 yds = 50 g) / 8 ply / 11 wpi / 3: light. You will
need about 20 g of yarn for the body and about
5 g for details.
• 2,25 - 2,75 mm crochet hook (US size 1/B - 2/C)
or according to the yarn.
• Polyester fiberfill, wool, wadding etc. fo stuffing.
• 6 mm (1/4") safety eyes or buttons, beads, felt etc.
• Yarn needle, scissors, stitch marker.

Abbreviations
• mr, sc n = magic ring – crochet n single crochet stitches in to the adjustable loop (see page 7).
• sl st = slip stitch (single crochet stitch in UK and Australia).
• ch = chain stitch.
• sc = single crochet stitch (double crochet stitch in UK and Australia).
• sc (or sl st, ch etc.) n = make n single crochet stitches (or sl st, ch etc.), one in each stitch.
• inc = increase – crochet two single crochet stitches in the same stitch.
• dec = decrease – crochet two stitches together using the invisible decrease method (see page 8).
• (sc 4, inc) x n = repeat the pattern between parentheses n times.
• (sc 4, inc) x 6 (36) = number of stitches in a round after finishing round.

Notes
• Work in a continuous spiral, do not join rounds or turn, unless instructed otherwise in the pattern.
• Use a stitch marker or a piece of yarn to mark the end or the beginning of a round. Move the
marker up after completing each round.
• All stitches are worked in to both loops, unless instructed otherwise in the pattern.

Tip! You can either leave one long yarn tail on the head and use it to assemble to whole rhino or
leave shorter yarn tails on each piece and use them to sew on individual pieces.

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Color Code
A – Main color for the body, in this example light gray.
B - Color for details, in this example dark gray.

Head Legs (make 4)

With A: With B:
1: mr, sc 6 (6) 1: mr, sc 6 (6)
2: inc x 6 (12) 2: (sc, inc) x 3 (9)
3: (sc, inc) x 6 (18) Change yarn (see page 8).
4: (sc 3, inc) x 4, sc 2 (22)
5-9: sc in each stitch (22) With A:
10: (sc 3, dec) x 4, sc 2 (18) 3-4: sc in each stitch (9)
11: (sc 5, dec) x 2, sc 4 (16)
Cut the yarn, leaving a yarn tail for sewing, and
12-14: sc in each stitch (16) fasten off. Stuff the legs firmly.
Stuff the nose firmly. Place safety toy eyes to
the opposite side from the round end, between
rows 12 and 13, leaving 5 stitches (count 4 holes) Tail
between them.
With A:
15: (sc 2, dec) x 4 (12)
Start with a slip knot about 15 cm (6”) from
16: dec x 6 (6)
the yarn end. Chain 5, cut the yarn, leaving
Finish stuffing the head. Cut the yarn, leaving a a 5 cm (2”) tail, and fasten off. Cut another
long tail, and fasten off. Pick up all the remaining 10 cm (4”) strand of yarn and draw it through
stitches and close the opening (see page 4).
the last stitch. Make a knot and push it close
to the tail. Cut off the extra yarn.

Ears (make 2)
Large Horn
With A:
With B:
1: mr, sc 5 (5)
2: sc in each stitch (5) 1: mr, sc 4 (4)
3: sc, dec, fasten off. (4) 2: sc in each stitch (4)
3: sc, inc x 2, sc (6)
Cut the yarn, leaving a yarn tail for sewing, and
4: sc 2, inc x 2, sc 2 (8)
fasten off. Do not stuff the ears.
5: sc 2, inc, sc, inc, sc 3 (10)
6: sc in each stitch (10)
7: sc 5, inc, sc 4 (11)
Body 8: sc 2, fasten off (11)
With A: Cut the yarn, leaving a yarn tail for sewing, and
fasten off. Stuff the horn firmly.
1: mr, sc 6 (6)
2: inc x 6 (12)
3: (sc, inc) x 6 (18) Small Horn
4: (sc 3, inc) x 4, sc 2 (22)
With B:
5-12: sc in each stitch (22)
13: (sc 3, dec) x 4, sc 2 (18) 1: mr, sc 4 (4)
14: (sc, dec) x 6 (12) 2: sc in each stitch (4)
15: dec x 6 (6) 3: (sc, inc) x 2 (6)
Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail, and fasten off. 4: (inc, sc 2) x 2 (8)
Pick up all the remaining stitches and close the Cut the yarn, leaving a yarn tail for sewing, and
opening. fasten off. Stuff the horn firmly.

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Head
a ) Attach safety toy eyes after finishing round 13.
Tip! If your gauge is on the looser side, put a thin layer of your stuffing material between the fabric
and the washer to keep it from showing through the fabric.

1. Place the eyes between rows 12 and 13, leaving 5 2. Make sure you are satisfied with the placement of
stitches (count 4 holes) between them. the eyes before pushing the washer in to place.

b ) Finish the head and stuff it firmly. Close the opening by picking up all the remaining stitches and
pulling the center tightly closed. Use the same method to finish the body.

1. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail, and draw the end 2. Insert the needle from the center and under the
through the loop. Thread the yarn tail on to a yarn front loop only. Draw the yarn through. Pick up all the
needle. remaining stitches.

3. Grab the yarn and pull until the hole is tightly closed. 4. Insert the needle into the center and bring the yarn
to the bottom of the head.

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Tail
a ) Crochet a chain for the tail.

1. Finish the tail and fasten off. Draw another strand 2. Make a knot and push it close to the tail. Cut off the
of yarn through the last stitch. extra yarn, leaving a short tuft.

Assembling the rhino

a ) Finish all the pieces. Sew the legs and tail to the body and ears and horns to the head.
Tip! Sew the head to the body first. Use sewing pins to attach the pieces to the head and body before
sewing to find the right placement and get a symmetrical result.

1. Push the ears flat and sew them to the head. Insert 2. Place them on round 15.
the needle through both stitches.

3. Sew the head to the body, making tiny stitches 4. Sew the tail to the body just above the second
below the head. round.

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5. Pin the legs to the body before sewing to make sure 6. Sew the legs to the body.
you will get a symmetrical result.

7. Sew the larger horn to the head just above round 4

and the smaller horn one row above that.

b ) Finish sewing and hide all yarn tails.

Tip! You can weave in any loose yarn ends or fasten them more securely with a knot and hide inside
the pieces (see page 10).

c ) Squeeze and squash the rhino to redistribute the stuffing and coax it back in to a perfect shape.

Tip! Use a large yarn needle or a fine knitting needle to help redistribute the stuffing. Be careful not
stretch a large hole in the fabric.

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 Amigurumi Essentials
Magic Ring
A magic ring is a way to begin crocheting in round by crocheting the first round in to an adjustable
loop and then pulling the loop tight. Alternatively you can chain 2, crochet n single crochet stitches
into the second chain from hook.

1. Make a loop an inch from the 2. Insert the hook through the 3. Yarn over and draw through
yarn end. Grab the join with loop from front to back, yarn over the loop.
your thumb and forefinger. and draw up a loop.

4. Pull the yarn tight. This does 5. Start the first sc. Insert the 6. Draw up a loop. Yarn over and
not count as the first single hook through the starting loop draw through both loops.
crochet stitch. from front to back.

7. Continue crocheting over the 8. Grab hold of the yarn tail and
loop and the yarn tail until you pull until the center is tightly
have the required number of sc closed.
for the first round, usually six.

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Changing yarn

1. Stop before the last step of the last single crochet 2. Tie the “new” yarn around the “old” yarn and
stitch with the “old” yarn. push the knot close to the piece. Cut the “old“
yarn and tie the yarn tails together.

4. Pick up the “new” yarn and draw through both 5. There will be a jolt where the yarn is changed
loops. Continue crocheting with the “new” yarn. and the stripes will not line up.

Invisible decrease

1. Insert the hook under the front 2. Insert the hook under the front 3. Yarn over and draw through
loop of the first single crochet stitch. loop of the second stitch and pick the first two loops. Yarn over and
Do not yarn over. it up onto the hook. draw through all loops.

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Finishing an open piece
This is a way to finish an open piece that will later be sewn to another closed or open piece. If you
need to leave a yarn tail for sewing, stop after step 2.

1. Make a slip stitch in the next 2. Insert the hook through the next 3. Insert the hook through the
stitch. Cut the yarn and draw the stitch. Grab the yarn and draw the next stitch and draw the yarn tail
yarn tail through the loop. yarn tail through the stitch from through the stitch from front to
back to front. back.

Stuffing the pieces

Stuffing is what gives your finished amigurumi the shape, so take your time. Loosen the stuffing
between your hands and add a little bit at a time. Keep adding until your piece is firm and holds
shape. If you start getting lumps, pull out all the stuffing, loosen it and start over. If you can see the
stuffing through the fabric, you have overstuffed. Then it is best to start over and stuff more lightly.

Sewing an open piece to a closed piece

This is a method for sewing an open piece to a closed piece. When pieces are different color, use the
yarn you used for the open piece to sew it to the closed piece.

1. Bring the needle up through the 2. Bring the needle back up directly 3. Draw the yarn tight after every
fabric under a stitch of the open under the next stitch. stitch. Make sure your stitches
piece. Go down through both loops are parallel to one another.
of the stitch and into the same hole.

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Fastening with a knot and hiding the yarn tail
This tutorial will show how to knot the yarn tail and hide it inside a piece. This method can be used
when the yarn tail and the main piece are the same color.

1. Bring the yarn up through the 2. Insert the needle under one 3. Pull until you have a small loop.
fabric after you have finished loop of a stitch right next to the
sewing. hole.

4. Make a double knot. Do not 5. Cut off the loop end. 6. Insert the needle into the same
push the first knot close to the hole, going up and through the
fabric. piece.

7. Pull lightly until the knot disappears 8. Pull lightly on the yarn tail and 9. Yarn tail will completely
into the fabric. cut it off close to the fabric. disappear into the fabric

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