Hippo Crochet Square

Hip Hip Hooray! The Hippo is the sixth square in our Animal Square CAL! We are already halfway through the year! Make your hippopotamus any color from the Red Heart Super Saver line or pick this fun purple to add a pop of color to the final blanket.

If you aren’t familiar with my Animal Square CAL you can read all about it HERE.

Each month (January through December of 2023) I will post a new Crochet Animal Square.  These are simple crochet squares that are embellished with adorable animal faces! These squares work up quickly and won’t take you more than an hour or two. This project is extremely beginner friendly and you can add more or less embellishments. Customize to your liking!

At the end of the year, I will be stitching these all together to make a blanket! But they could also be turned into a pillow(s), a scarf, or any other creative way you’d like to use them.
Note: I am making two squares of each animal because I will be crocheting them together back-to-back at the end to make a double sided blanket.

Materials:
– Red Heart Super Saver Yarn in color medium purple for the main square and ears
– Red Heart with Love in color blush for the snout and border << shop yarn at Yarnspirations.com
– Red Heart Super Saver Yarn in white for the eyes and teeth
– Size H Crochet Hook
– Two 20mm Black safety eyes (or smaller) or crochet your eyes
– Tapestry Needle

First let’s make the Square:
With purple yarn
Chain 21, SC in second chain from hook and the rest of the way down chain, chain 1, turn
Row 2-23: SC in each stitch across, chain 1, turn
now continue making a SC in the 3 sides (2 Chains in each corner)
join in pink/lighter purple yarn, fasten off purple, SC in each stitch all the way around 4 sides making 2 SC in each corner.

Fasten off weave in ends.

Note: It’s a good idea to measure your square so you know it is in fact square after row 23. Add more or less rows to accommodate if needed. We all crochet with a different tension so size can vary.

Hippo Ears (Make 2):
with purple yarn
Chain 6, TC in 3rd chain from hook, DC in next two, SC in last, chain 1, turn
Row 2: SC around ear making 2 SC in each stitch along the top of ear.
fasten off and sew ears onto top two corners of square.

Hippo Eyes (Make 2):
with white yarn
Magic Ring, chain 1 and make 10 SC in ring, join, chain 1
Round 2: 2 SC in each stitch around, join, fasten off leaving long tail.
Attach large 16mm safety eyes to each eye and then stitch to square. OR crochet circles for the eyeballs with black yarn: Magic Ring, chain 1, make 8 SC in ring, join, fasten off.

Hippo Teeth (make 2):
with white yarn
Chain 5, DC in 4th and 5th chain from hook, fasten off leaving long enough tail to stitch teeth on under snout so they are just barely poking out.

Hippo Snout:
with light purple or pink yarn
Chain 12, DC in 3rd chain from hook and the rest of the way down chain. Make a total of 3 DC in last stitch. Now working on other side of chain, DC in each stitch and make 3 DC in last stitch. Join to first DC, chain 2. (24 DC)
Round 2: (2 DC in first stitch, DC in next stitch)-do that 4 times, 2 DC in next 4 stitches, (2 DC in first stitch, DC in next stitch)- do that 4 times, 2 DC in last 4 stitches. Join to first DC. (40 DC)
Round 3: Chain 3, make 2 DC in last chain of chain 3, skip one stitchand join to next (this creates the nostril), slip stitch in next 10, chain 3, make 2 DC in last chain, skip one stitch and join with slip stitch to make the second nostril.
Fasten off leaving long tail to sew onto square

Tip: Lay everything out so you are sure you have it in the correct spots before you stitch everything down.

VIDEO TUTORIAL IS ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
All the animal square videos will be available on my Repeat Crafter Me YOUTUBE Channel! 
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Find all the Animal Square Crochet-Along info HERE on the landing page!
Be sure to hashtag #AnimalSquareCAL on social media!

Speaking of Hippo’s….
Henrietta the Hippo is an easy amigurumi pattern from my book Crochet Cute Critters!

There is also a FREE Hippo pattern HERE on Yarnspirations.com.
It would make a cute Christmas in July project! FREE HIPPO PATTERN HERE

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