Widget the Chihuahua Mini Snuggle

Hello beautiful people!

Its been a little since Ive posted a new pattern. I've been super busy behind the scenes working on some fabby new items!

Today I want to introduce you all to Widget, who will be the first of many mini snuggles. Why mini? Well thats a good story! You see, this year I'm going to be involved in some shoebox filling for the local community. I thought about full sized snuggles but they take up a LOT of room in a shoebox. I wanted something smaller, that would still be snuggly and cute but would leave more space in the shoebox for other items. Enter the Mini Snuggle!

Widget here is a Chihuahua, and was named after a dog my partner had in his childhood. Widget is not only super quick and super small, he is also super easy! Aside from a little sewing he is all basic stitches.

I have quite a large list of animals, characters and people to work through thanks to 1am brainstorming so you can expect a lot more of these little guys in the very near future.

The Pattern
US terms

DK weight yarn in main colour, muzzle colour and a pink for the inner ears
3mm hook
5.5mm hook
9-10mm safety eyes
Sewing needle
Stitch Marker
Small amount of stuffing

Head

R1: ch2, sc 6 times in the first ch, place marker – 6 stitches
R2: 2sc in each stitch  (12)
R3: 1sc in the first stitch, then 2sc in the next stitch, repeat (18)
R4: 1sc in the next 2 stitches, then 2sc in the next stitch, repeat(24)
R5-7: 1sc in each stitch around
R6: sc in the first 2 stitches, sc2tg in the next, repeat (18)
R7: sc in the first stitch, sc2tg, repeat (12)

Insert eyes, I put mine in between R5 and R6 and approx 5-6 stitches apart.
Add some stuffing

R8: sc2tg around, back loops only.

End off leaving long tail. Stuff head firmly. Thread the end in and out of the last 6 stitches and pull tight to gather, sew in ends.

Ears (Make 2, made in the round)

R1: ch2, 4sc in the first ch, place marker (4)
R2: sc in each stitch (4)
R3: *sc in the first stitch, 2sc in the next*, repeat (6)
R4: sc in each st around (6)
R5: *sc in the first stitch, 2sc in the next*, repeat (9)
R6-8 sc in each st around
sl st and end off leaving a long tail for sewing

Inner ear (make 2, made in rows)
R1: ch5, sc in the 2nd chain from hook and each across (4)
R2: ch1, turn, sc2tg twice (2)
R3-4: ch1, turn, sc 2 (2)
R5: ch1, turn, sc2tg (1)
End off leaving long tail

Sew the inner ear to the main ear part.
Attach ears to top of head.

Muzzle
R1: ch2, 6sc in the first chain, place marker
R2: 2sc in each stitch around
R3-4: sc in each stitch around
sl st to the next and end off, leaving a long tail for sewing onto head.

Embroider on nose and mouth and sew onto head

Adding the blanket

For anyone unfamiliar with the granny square: Each 3dc cluster from R3 on is completed in the ch1 space from the previous round, and corners are in the ch2 spaces from the previous round.


R1: With main colour, turn head upside down and join with a sl st to one of the unworked stitches from head R8. ch1 and sc in the same stitch and the remaining 11 unworked loops, join.

Change to a 5.5mm hook

R2: ch3, dc twice in the same stitch, ch2, dc 3 more times in the same stitch, *ch1, skip 2 stitches, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) in the next stitch* Repeat twice more to complete the remaining 2 corners.

R3: sl st across to the next corner (the ch2 space) and ch3, (2dc, ch2, 3dc) in the same corner, *ch1, in the next ch1 space do 3dc, ch1, in the corner do (3dc, ch2, 3dc)* Repeat for the last 2 corners, join.

R4: sl st across to the next corner (the ch2 space) and ch3, (2dc, ch2, 3dc) in the same corner, *ch1, in the next TWO ch1 spaces **3dc, ch1**, in the corner do (3dc, ch2, 3dc)* Repeat for the last 2 corners, join. End this colour.

Join contrasting (muzzle) colour

R5: sl st across to the next corner (the ch2 space) and ch3, (2dc, ch2, 3dc) in the same corner, *ch1, in the next THREE ch1 spaces **3dc, ch1**, in the corner do (3dc, ch2, 3dc)* Repeat for the last 2 corners, join.

R5: sl st across to the next corner (the ch2 space) and ch3, (2dc, ch2, 3dc) in the same corner, *ch1, in the next FOUR ch1 spaces **3dc, ch1**, in the corner do (3dc, ch2, 3dc)* Repeat for the last 2 corners, join.

Finish of and weave in all ends.