Wilhelmina is often a cat… or a horse.. but mostly a cat and can spend hours being one.
Now that I am crocheting, I thought it would be a great way to make her some ears and a tail.
I looked for some patterns but I couldn’t find anything that looked like what I wanted so I decided to make it up as a went along.
I am going to do my best to write this out because as I said, I made it up as I went along and I am still not 100% sure how to write one yet and am doing this from memory, but I will try my best. Hopefully at least it will be a starting point.
The tail was quite easy. ( I used worsted weight yarn and a 5mm hook)
- Round 1 : Make a magic circle (or chain 3 and join with a sl st) chain one, and then HDC (half double crochet) six stitches into the circle and join with first stich. (6 hdc)
- Round 2 :chain 2, 2hdc in each hdc and sl st in starting stich (12 hdc)
- Round 3 : chain 1, hdc in each sc and do not join or turn but continue going around and around until you reach the desired length. (I made it about 19 inches)
- When you are the length you wish, with the working stitch completely to one side, squeeze the circle together and sc across the top so that is closes the tail. chain one, turn.
- HDC the next 4 rows and TO leaving a long tail (you will use it to sew the tail on the belt)
- Chain as many stitches to achieve the desired length for the waist plus another inch or two for where the button-hole will overlap, chain 2 and hdc into the second chain from hook.
- Row 1: HDC across the whole row, chain 2, turn
- Row 2: HDC in 2nd stitch, sl st through next two stitches this will create the button-hole) HDC until you reach the end, chain 2 and turn.
- Row 3: HDC in 2nd stich, HDC until you reach the stich before the 2 sl st in the previous row. 2 HDC in that stitch, skip the 2 sl st and then HDC in the next stich and to the end. chain 1, turn.
- row 4: SC in the next 6 stiches and then join to the 3rd row with a sl st (this is reinforce the top of the button-hole without widening the whole belt… though you can HDC and go to the end if you want and have a wider belt)
Sew a button onto one side of the belt and then sew the tail into the middle of the belt.
Now the ears…
The headband was actually a knitting mishap where I messed up half way through and did the opposite that I was supposed to. Instead of unravelling it, I made it into a headband. It is about 4 inches wide and tapers at the ends where they meet and is K, P for half and just P on the other.
You can use the same instructions for the belt to make the headband though, minus the button-hole it you don’t want it… just chain the length you want it to be and then crochet the rows in sc or hdc until you get the desired width.
For the ears themselves… (make 2 in the inner ear colour and 2 in the outer ear colour)
- Round 1: Make a magic circle or chain 3 and sl st to join. SC 6 in circle, tighten the circle (where the magic circle comes in handy)
- Round 2: [SC, chain 2, SC] in same stitch, SC in next, [SC, chain 2, SC], SC in next st, [SC, chain 2, SC], SC in last stitch. Join with sl st to first st. chain 1.
- Round 3: SC in same stitch, SC in next stitch, chain 2, (should be above the last chain 2) SC in next 3 st, chain 2, SC in next 3 st, chain 2, SC in next st and join to first st and TO. ( I then tied both loose yarns together in the back of the ear and cut the ends off)
Isn’t she adorable?
Writing the pattern out was actually easier than I would have thought, but I might have made some mistakes so don’t hesitate to point them out if you see them 🙂
note: please do not sell items that are made from this pattern unless you buy the License, and if you do make something please give due credit and send people back to this page. Thank you!
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Thank you! and happy sewing!
WAWWW wilhemina must be sooo happy! kids of that age just love to play “déguisement” and to see you make it for her is so magical!
she is lucky!
So. Basically these pictures are the cutest.
First of all….your daughter is precious!!! What wonderful pictures! Thank you so much for taking the time to write out your pattern. I need to make a cat costume for one of my twins. If I may….I am stumped by the last step in the tail section (I am very much a beginner crocheter….so I am so sorry if this is a ridiculous question :O) What does “H the Next 4 Rows” mean?
THANK YOU!!
Karen
Not a ridiculous question at all! That was a mistake by me! HDC the next four rows 🙂 It makes a flat surface that will then attach to the belt 🙂
I would love to see the result !!
Ohhhhhhh! Thank you so very much. That completely makes sense!
I am trying to do the ears, but I am stuck. After step 2 you end up with 15 stitches, but step three only has 8 before the slip stitch. Am I supposed to skip over the chain 2 portions and not do a stitch in them? Or am I reading something wrong!? Thanks for the pattern reguardless!
Exactly… the chain 2 portions are where you get the sharp angle to make the triangle shape. On the 3rd round the chain 2’s should align over the last chain 2 in the previous round and only crochet into the SC of the previous round.
The tail portion row 3 is it SC all around or hdc