Crocheted Baby Fox Trio Versions 1,2, and 3

A fellow crocheter found a picture of a crocheted baby fox but could not acquire a pattern even with contacting the designer, so this is my version of that image, from 3 attempts. Each version has its unique qualities that I find adorable but version 3 is the closest to what she was looking for.

This is just the copy of my notes as I created the pattern and has not been tested or reviewed so there might be a few errors. If it's just a stitch count, just increase or decrease as needed to get back to the right count. I made multiple tails, ears, and legs from the pattern for the 3 versions and it worked. Sorry about the quality of the pictures as I don't have a studio area set up for product photography right now.

Each time I've pulled out the foxes to show I am startled at seeing how the faces light up, eyes sparkle, and the hands reach out when people see them.

All 3 versions were done with a size F crochet hook.

Join: When joining at the end of a round slip stitch into 1st sc of previous round to join then ch1 but that ch1 is ignored, so don't use in counts and slip stitch into 1st sc instead of the ch1. Work first sc into same position as the ch1.

Decrease = To decrease 2 sc into 1 sc, insert hook into front loop of 1st sc, yo, insert hook into front loop of 2nd sc, yo, and pull yarn through all three loops.

Increase = 2 sc in 1 sc

When changing colors, start new color at second part of last stitch of working color. Example, pattern calls for 6 sc in Color A and then switch to Color B, so work 5 sc in A, start 6th st with A and finish stitch with B.

Orange = O
White = W
Brown or Black = B

Ears for V 1,2, and 3:
Ch 9 with Orange, join, sc 8
R2: 8 sc
R3: 1 sc, increase 2x, 2 sc, increase 2x, 1 sc,  (12)
R4: 1 sc, increase, 2 sc, increase, 2 sc, increase, 2 sc, increase, 1 sc  (16)
switch to black or brown yarn
R5: 16 sc
R6: 1 sc, decr, 2 sc, decr, 2sc, decr, sc, decr, 1 sc   (12)
R 7: 1 sc, 2 decr, 2 sc, 2 decr, 1 sc, cut             (8)

Tail for V 1,2, and 3:
Start with brown or black
Magic loop, 6 sc
R2: increase 6x   (12)
R3: * 1sc, increase, repeat from *  (18)
R4: 18 sc
switch to orange
R5-6: 18 sc
R7: *3 sc, decr, repeat from * end with 1 sc, decr   (15)
R8: 15 sc
R9: *2 sc, decr, repeat from * end with 1 sc, decr   (11)
R10-12: 11 sc
add a bit of stuffing, cut yarn, leave 7-8" tail

Body for V 1:
Orange
Magic loop, 6 sc
R2: incr every stitch   (12)
R3: *1 sc, incr, repeat from *  (18)
R4: *2 sc, incr, repeat from *   (24)
R5: *3 sc, incr, repeat from *  (30)
R6-10: 30 sc
R11: *3 sc, decr, repeat from *  (24)
R12: *2 sc, decr, repeat from *  (18)
R13: *1 sc, decr, repeat from *  (12)
R14: *decr across                       (6)
cut yarn, leaving 7-9" tail, with darning needle, pick up every other stitch and tighten to close remaining hole.

Body for V2 and 3:
same as body for V1 except work 4 rounds of 30 sc instead of 5 rounds of 30 sc at R6-10.

Version 1 Head: 
Start with Orange
Magic Loop, 6 sc. join
R2: 2 sc into each sc  across      (12)
R3: 1 sc, 2 sc into 1 sc  across   (18)
R4: 2 sc, 2 sc into 1 sc, across   (24)
R5:  24 sc (work an extra sc at end of round)  (25)
R6: 6 sc with O, 6 sc with W, 6 sc with O, 6 sc with W, 1 sc O      (25)
R7: 5 sc O, 8 sc W, 4 sc O, 8 sc W,
R8: 4 sc O, 10 sc W, 2 sc O, 10 sc W
R9: 3 sc O, 22 sc W
R10: 2 sc O, *2 sc W, decrease, repeat from *
R11: all white now, *1 sc, decrease, repeat from *
add some stuffing
R12: decrease every stitch, join, cut yarn with 7-9" tail

Version 2 Head: 
Start with Orange
Magic Loop, 6 sc. join
R2: 2 sc into each sc  across      (12)
R3: *1 sc, increase, repeat from *  (18)
R4: *1 sc, increase, repeat from *   (27)
R5: *2 sc, increase, repeat from *   (36)
R6:  36 sc
R7: *5 sc, increase, repeat from * end with sc 1   (41)
R8: 6 sc with O, 6 sc with W, 10 sc with O, 6 sc with W, 4 sc O      (41)
R9: 5 sc with O, 8 sc with W, 8 sc with O, 8 sc with W, 3 sc O      (41)
R10: 4 sc with O, 10 sc with W, 6 sc with O, 10 sc with W, 2 sc O      (41)
R11: 3 sc with O, 12 sc with W, 4 sc with O, 12 sc with W, 1 sc O      (41)
R12: 2 sc with O, 14 sc with W, 2 sc with O,14 sc with W                   (41)
R13: 3 sc O, 22 sc W
add some stuffing
All white from here
R14: *1 sc, decr, repeat from * 
R15: * decr all across, join, cut yarn with 7-9" tail

Version 3 Head:
Start with Orange
Magic Loop, 6 sc. join
R2: 2 sc into each sc  across      (12)
R3: *1 sc, increase, repeat from *  (18)
R4: *1 sc, increase, repeat from *   (27)
R5: *2 sc, increase, repeat from *   (36)
R6: *5 sc, increase, repeat from * end with sc 1   (41)
R7: 6 sc with O, 6 sc with W, 8 sc with O, 6 sc with W, 15 sc O      (41)
R8: 5 sc with O, 8 sc with W, 6 sc with O, 8 sc with W, 14 sc O      (41)
R9: 4 sc with O, 10 sc with W, 4 sc with O, 10 sc with W, 13 sc O      (41)
R10-13: 3 sc with O, 12 sc with W, 2 sc with O, 12 sc with W, 12 sc O      (41)
R14: 3 sc with O, 26 sc with W, 12 sc O         (41)
R15: *2 sc, decr, repeat from * (work O and W as needed or just use W at this point)
add some stuffing
R16: *2 sc, decr, repeat from * 
R17: * decr all across, join, cut yarn with 7-9" tail

Attaching parts. Use photos for reference. These are notes I made while working up the first version on placements I used. Place where you like.
Hold body with end of magic loop facing you and place head with front edge on 3rd ring from starting center, attach to the body by sewing with the tail.
Tail, back of tail on/at center of end of body's ball facing back of head. Attach to the body by sewing with yarn tail.
Front legs, line up inner corners with 2nd rung from center.
Back legs, line up with front legs and tail bottom.
Sew on buttons for eyes or embroider eyes if needed for younger children's toy. Embroider satin stitch for nose.

Hands Down the Best Trivet/Potholder Ever

This crocheted trivet/pot holder is my go-to favorite. You can never have too many on hand.

Be warned: once you give one or a set as a gift you will be petitioned for more.

They are handy and multiple sizes make for great uses for multiple tasks. I like the small ones for the 1-quart pans, medium for 2-quart pans, and large for large pans or hot dinner plates, soup bowls, etc.

We are a society of eating on the couch while we enjoy our favorite shows and these make great plate trivets so you can hold your plate of microwaved leftovers in comfort. They can be used for pot holders, too, of course, microwave or oven, or even for those large pans whose handles or lids get too hot to handle. I actually bought a beautiful Dutch oven pan recently and was surprised to find that the handles were way too hot to handle once the chili had been cooking for a few hours.

A former co-worker told me how to do these almost thirty years ago and I have made an abundance of them over the years. They hold up really well. I am pretty sure I still have some of the original ones.

You will need cotton yarn. I like the Peaches N Cream cotton yarn for these (as well as dish clothes) and one skein is usually enough to make my favorite size trivet/pot holder. I use up the rest of the skein with the next trivet and then use another color to finish as needed. I like the stripes. Plus it makes them unique then.

Okay, a skein of cotton yarn is the first step. It can't be acrylic or it will melt. Wool is sort of an option, I guess, for those wool lovers. But these will be attacked by the food fairies so must be washable. I guess you can wash wool, by hand, or toss a wool trivet in the wash if you don't mind it felting. That's sort of a whole other project though. So if you want consistent, workable, no hassle or questions results, get yourself some cotton yarn. No matter how much you try to avoid it, food will find a way onto your trivet/pot holder.

Crochet hook: For these I used a size H. I often use size G also but could not find my G when I sat down to make these so H it was and that worked fine.

The green trivet is chain 20 +1
The cyan trivet with yellow stripe is 25 +1
The yellow trivet with gray stripe is 30 +1
The gray trivet is 40 +1

The most common sizes I make are with a 30+1 chain and with a 35+1 chain.

So with your size G or H hook, chain 35 +1, sc into first chain from hook, sc 34 (total 35 sc)
When you get to the end of the first row, do a second sc into the first ch then continue working sc on bottom side of initial chain.

When you reach the end of the bottomside row, sc into first sc of first row. (Don't slip stitch to join. This whole thing is worked in a spiral, no stepping up.) Then continue working sc around and around.

You will see a boat shape forming.

Periodically check to see if you've reached enough height to form a square. Just press the front and back of the boat down.

Once you have reached the height where if you push the sides down and the top edges touch, cut yarn, leaving a tail about 2-3 x the length of the area needing to be seamed. (Don't worry if the edges curve out a bit when checking. Once the majority of the edge reaches to touch each other, sc to the top or bottom (middle side of the boat) and cut tail. It will flatten fine even if it doesn't match exactly.) You can turn it to either side that you wish. When I do stripes with a different color I turn it so that the yarn tail that I crocheted over is inside instead of outside to keep it out of sight.

Do a running stitch with a darning needle to close up seam. You could also slip stitch it closed but I like the running stitch with a darning needle. The running stitch leaves a nice, flat seam.

If desired, you can chain a small loop and attach to the corner for hanging.

If you give these as gifts, be prepared to have people asking for more!

Gray trivet: 40+1 chain
Yellow trivet: 30+1 chain
Cyan trivet: 25+1 chain
Green trivet: 20+1 chain