Cute Kitty Ornament

This is one kitty that won't mind hanging out in your Christmas tree!  Great for cat fans of all ages, this Cute Kitty Ornament makes a wonderful gift or stocking stuffer for any cat lover on your list.  You could also use this cute crocheted ornament as a gift tag or embellishment on your holiday gift package.  Use up all your yarn scraps by crafting cats of all colors and make yourself a colorful ornament set in no time!

Materials:

• 1 ball Red Heart Holiday yarn in Wine/Gold (C)
• 1 ball Red Heart Holiday yarn in Hunter/Gold (B)
• 1 ball Red Heart Holiday yarn in Aran/Gold (A)
• 4mm [US G-6] crochet hook
• Split-ring stitch marker
• Yarn needle
• Polyester fiberfill
• 2 buttons for eyes
• Black embroidery floss and needle
• Sewing thread and needle
• White glue
• Ribbon

Gauge:  14 sc = 3”; 18 rows = 4”.

Special Abbrevation:

• Sc2tog = [draw up a loop in next st] twice, yo and draw through all 3 loops on hook.

Instructions:
Unless otherwise indicated, do not join rounds; instead, place marker in first st of round and move up as work progresses.
When changing colors, work last st of old color until 2 loops are left on hook, drop old color, yo with new color and complete st. Fasten off old color.

Body

1. With A, ch 2.
    
2. Round 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook – 6 sts.
    
3. Round 2: 2 sc in each st around – 12 sts.
    
4. Round 3: * 2 sc in next st, sc in next st; repeat from * around – 18 sts.
    
5. Rounds 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12: Sc in each st around.
    
6. Round 5: * 2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts; repeat from * around – 24 sts.
    
7. Round 7: * 2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts; repeat from * around – 30 sts.
    
8. Round 9: * 2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts; repeat from * around – 36 sts.
    
9. Round 11: * 2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts; repeat from * around – 42 sts.
    
10. Round 13: * 2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts; repeat from * around – 48 sts.
     
11. Rounds 14-23: Sc in each st around.
     
12. Round 24: * Sc2tog, sc in next 6 sts; repeat from * around– 42 sts.
     
13. Round 25: * Sc2tog, sc in next 5 sts; repeat from * around– 36 sts.
     
14. Round 26: * Sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts; repeat from * around– 30 sts.
     
15. Round 27: * Sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts; repeat from * around– 24 sts. Add stuffing.
     
16. Round 28: * Sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts; repeat from * around– 18 sts. Finish stuffing ornament firmly.
     
17. Round 29: * Sc2tog, sc in next st; repeat from * around –12 sts.
     
18. Round 30: Sc2tog around – 6 sts. Fasten off, leaving a long tail. With yarn needle, weave tail through remaining sts and pull tight. Weave in ends.
     
19. Sew both pieces of Muzzle together down center; sew onto Body. With embroidery floss, stitch nose and mouth according to picture. Thread 3 pieces of floss through Muzzle, trim ends to ½” and stiffen with glue. Sew Spots randomly over Body. Tie ribbon around Kitty’s neck.
     
20. With A, ch 25. Sew into loop at top of Ornament.
     
21. Weave in ends.

Arms & Legs (Make 4)

1. With B, ch 2.
    
2. Round 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook – 6 sts.
    
3. Round 2: 2 sc in each st around – 12 sts.
    
4. Round 3: * 2 sc in next st, sc in next st; repeat from * around – 18 sts.
    
5. Rounds 4-5: Sc in each st around.
    
6. Round 6: * Sc2tog, sc in next st; repeat from * around – 12 sts.
    
7. Round 7: Sc in each st around. Fasten off, a leaving long tail. Stuff firmly.

Tail

1. With B, ch 2.
    
2. Round 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook – 6 sts.
    
3. Round 2: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts] 2 times – 8 sts.
    
4. Round 3: Sc in each st around.
    
5. Round 4: Repeat Round 3, changing to A in last st.
    
6. Rounds 5-14: With A, sc in each st around. Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Stuff firmly.

Ears (Make 2)

1. With A, ch 2.
    
2. Round 1: 4 sc in 2nd ch from hook – 4 sts.
    
3. Round 2: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 2 times – 6 sts.
    
4. Round 3: * 2 sc in next st, sc in next st; repeat from * around – 9 sts.
    
5. Round 4: * 2 sc in next st, sc in next st; repeat from * around to last st; 2 sc in last st – 14 sts.
    
6. Round 5: Sc in each st around.
    
7. Round 6: * Sc2tog, sc in next st; repeat from * around to last 2 sts; sc2tog – 9 sts. Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Do not stuff.

Spots (Make 5)

1. With C, ch 2.
    
2. Round 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join with a slip st – 6 sts.
    
3. Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around; join – 12 sts.
    
4. Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Muzzle (Make 2)

1. With A, ch 2.
    
2. Round 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook – 6 sts.
    
3. Round 2: 2 sc in each st around – 12 sts.
    
4. Round 3: Repeat Round 2 – 24 sts. Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Finishing

1. With the wider part of the body at the bottom, use long tails to sew Arms & Legs, Ears, and Tail to Body as pictured.
    
2. Attach Eyes securely with sewing thread and needle.