Here's another tiny version of one of South Africa's Big 5. It was almost impossible to find a pattern for a Cape buffalo, so I had to come up with my own. This one was mostly made from Victoria Matveeva's Crochet cow and bull amigurumi pattern on Amigurumi Space, except I decided not to include the clothing and the horns. Instead, I used the horn pattern from Vera Matrebo's Buffalo pattern on Ravelry. To get that distinctive shape, a pipe cleaner is inserted inside the horns, so you can bend them how you want. Unfortunately you can't see the eyes very clearly on my version, because I embroidered them with black wool. Usually I would have used safety eyes or beads, but this particular creation was going to be used to make a baby's mobile, and I didn't want to include any choking hazards. But I think he looks pretty cute anyway.
Use a 1.5mm hook.
Legs (make 2)
R 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]
R 2: (1 sc, inc) repeat 3 times [9]
R 3: 9 sc
R 4-5: 9 sc (2 rows)
Crochet the second leg, do not fasten off.
Make 3 ch and join with the first leg.
R 6: 9 sc on the first leg, 3 inc in 3 ch, 9 sc on the second leg, 3 inc in 3 ch (opposite side) [30]
R 7-8: 30 sc (2 rows)
R 9-10: 30 sc (2 rows)
R 11: (3 sc, dec) repeat 6 times [24]
R 12-13: 24 sc (2 rows)
R 14: (2 sc, dec) repeat 6 times [18]
R 15-16: 18 sc (2 rows)
R 17: (1 sc, dec) repeat 6 times [12]
R 18: 12 sc
Fasten off.
Arms (make 2)
R 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]
R 2: 6 sc
R 3-8: 6 sc (6 rows)
Don’t stuff with fiberfill.
Fold the top opening flat and 3 sc through both sides.
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Ears (make 2)
R 1: 5 sc in magic ring [5]
R 2: (inc) repeat 5 times [10]
R 3-5: 10 sc (3 rows)
Don’t stuff with fiberfill.
Fold the top opening flat and 5 sc through both sides.
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Head
R 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]
R 2: (inc) repeat 6 times [12]
R 3: (1 sc, inc) repeat 6 times [18]
R 4: (2 sc, inc) repeat 6 times [24]
R 5: (3 sc, inc) repeat 6 times [30]
R 6: (4 sc, inc) repeat 6 times [36]
R 7-11: 36 sc (5 rows)
If using safety eyes, insert them between R 8 and R 9 at the distance of 5 st from each other.
R 12: (4 sc, dec) repeat 6 times [30]
R 13: (3 sc, dec) repeat 6 times [24]
R 14: (2 sc, dec) repeat 6 times [18]
R 15: (1 sc, dec) repeat 6 times [12]
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Muzzle
Make 7 ch.
R 1: inc, 4 sc, 4 sc in next st, 4 sc, inc [16]
R 2: 1 sc, inc, 4 sc, 4 inc, 4 sc, 1 sc, inc [22]
R 3-4: 22 sc (2 rows)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Tail
Using a crochet hook, insert three strands of embroidery floss through a stitch, and pull up a loop. Pull the ends of the floss through the loop to form a knot. Braid the strands to form the tail, ending in a knot.
Horns
First horn:
All slsts should be worked loose.
ch6, close to circle with 1. st of R1
R1-3 (= 3R): sc (6)
R4: sc2tog, sc4 (5)
R5: sc
R6: slst2, sc3
R7-9 (= 3R): slst2, sc2, slst
R10: slst2tog, slst, sc2 (4)
R11: slst2, sc2
R12: slst, sc, slst2tog
R13: sc1, fasten off, leave short tail (don´t close)
Second horn:
start in st left of the 'step' in bottom loops of the chs
R1-3 (= 3R): sc (6)
R4: sc, sc2tog, sc3 (5)
R5: sc
R6: sc, slst2, sc2
R7: sc, slst3, sc
R8+9: sc2, slst3
R10: sc2, slst, slst2tog (4)
R11: slst, sc2, slst, insert pipe cleaner
R12: slst2tog, sc, slst (3)
R13: sc1, fasten off, bend pipe cleaner in the middle, cut if necessary, sew tips of horns closed,
form horns and sew onto body at R3-7
