Greetings, my fellow artisan. Patricia here.
We are about to bring forth life from mere fiber. This project is a celebration of balance. The heavy, sculpted cheeks anchor the design in youthful innocence, while the vibrant accessories demand attention. Pay close attention to the mathematical structure of the face; those specific increases are not suggestions. They are the architecture of character.
Prepare your hooks. Let us begin.
About This Creation
These two companions represent the vibrant energy of the Lunar Festival. The Lion Dancer channels bold, percussive joy, while Persimmon Joy brings sweet, gentle fortune. Both utilize a foundation of exaggerated, rounded proportions to enforce the Baby Schema aesthetic. The heads consume seventy percent of the total mass. The limbs remain delightfully stunted.
Project Snapshot
🧶 Size: 14cm tall when using recommended materials.
🧶 Skill Level: Intermediate. Requires precise stitch counting for asymmetrical shaping.
🧶 Construction: Legs and body are worked continuously. Head and accessories are sewn on.
Materials
🪡 Yarn: Sport weight cotton yarn in White, Red, Spring Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, and Black.
🪡 Hook: 2.5mm crochet hook to ensure a dense, gapless fabric.
🪡 Eyes: 6mm safety eyes.
🪡 Extras: Polyester fiberfill, stitch marker, yarn needle, small amounts of pink pastel or blush.
Abbreviations
✨ sc: single crochet
✨ inc: increase (2 sc in one stitch)
✨ dec: invisible decrease (sc 2 together through front loops)
✨ ch: chain
✨ sl st: slip stitch
✨ BLO: back loops only
✨ FLO: front loops only
✨ Bo: Bobble stitch (4 double crochet cluster)
The Pattern
The Shared Head (Make 2)
Worked in White yarn.
Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: 6 inc (12)
Round 3: [1 sc, inc] x 6 (18)
Round 4: [2 sc, inc] x 6 (24)
Round 5: [3 sc, inc] x 6 (30)
Round 6: [4 sc, inc] x 6 (36)
Round 7: [5 sc, inc] x 6 (42)
Rounds 8-12: 42 sc (42)
Round 13: 12 sc, [inc, 1 sc] x 4, 2 sc, [1 sc, inc] x 4, 12 sc (50)
Rounds 14-17: 50 sc (50)
Insert 6mm safety eyes between Rounds 14 and 15, spacing them exactly 9 stitches apart. Ensure they sit symmetrically above the cheek increases made in Round 13.
Round 18: 12 sc, [dec, 1 sc] x 4, 2 sc, [1 sc, dec] x 4, 12 sc (42)
Round 19: [5 sc, dec] x 6 (36)
Round 20: [4 sc, dec] x 6 (30)
Round 21: [3 sc, dec] x 6 (24)
Round 22: [2 sc, dec] x 6 (18)
Round 23: [1 sc, dec] x 6 (12)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Stuff the head firmly, concentrating the fiberfill in the lower cheek pouches.
The Floppy Ears (Make 4)
Worked in White yarn.
Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: [1 sc, inc] x 3 (9)
Round 3: [2 sc, inc] x 3 (12)
Rounds 4-8: 12 sc (12)
Round 9: [2 sc, dec] x 3 (9)
Rounds 10-11: 9 sc (9)
Pinch the opening flat and crochet 4 sc across both layers to close. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.
Lion Dancer Legs & Body
Worked in Red yarn.
Leg 1:
Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: [1 sc, inc] x 3 (9)
Round 3: 9 sc (9)
Fasten off Leg 1.
Leg 2:
Work Rounds 1-3 exactly as Leg 1. Do not fasten off.
Chain 2.
Round 4: Join to Leg 1 with a sc. Work 8 more sc around Leg 1. Work 2 sc across the chain. Work 9 sc around Leg 2. Work 2 sc across the other side of the chain (22)
Round 5: [10 sc, inc] x 2 (24)
Rounds 6-8: 24 sc (24)
Round 9: BLO 24 sc (24)
Round 10: [2 sc, dec] x 6 (18)
Round 11: 18 sc (18)
Stuff the body firmly.
Round 12: [1 sc, dec] x 6 (12)
Fasten off and hide the yarn tail.
Lion Dancer Skirt Trim
Join Yellow yarn to the remaining front loops of Round 9 on the body.
Round 1: [Bo, ch 1, skip 1 stitch] x 12 (12 bobbles)
Fasten off and weave in ends.
Persimmon Legs & Body
Worked in Spring Green yarn. Follow the exact same instructions as the Lion Dancer Legs & Body, but work entirely in Spring Green. Ignore the BLO instruction on Round 9; work Round 9 as a standard 24 sc.
The Arms (Make 4)
Begin with White yarn.
Round 1: 5 sc in a magic ring (5)
Change to Red (for Lion Dancer) or Spring Green (for Persimmon).
Rounds 2-5: 5 sc (5)
Pinch flat and work 2 sc across to close. Fasten off with a long tail.
The Lion Headpiece
Begin with White yarn.
Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: 6 inc (12)
Round 3: [1 sc, inc] x 6 (18)
Change to Red yarn.
Round 4: [2 sc, inc] x 6 (24)
Round 5: [3 sc, inc] x 6 (30)
Round 6: [4 sc, inc] x 6 (36)
Round 7: [5 sc, inc] x 6 (42)
Round 8: [6 sc, inc] x 6 (48)
Rounds 9-12: 48 sc (48)
Change to fuzzy White yarn.
Round 13: 48 sc (48)
Fasten off and weave in ends.
Applique Eyes (Make 2): With Yellow, 6 sc in a magic ring (6). Change to Red, 6 inc (12). Fasten off and sew to the front of the headpiece.
Central Bobble: With Yellow, 6 sc in a magic ring (6). Round 2: 6 sc (6). Fasten off and sew between the applique eyes.
Persimmon Waist Ring
Worked in Orange yarn.
Chain 30. Join with a sl st to form a ring, careful not to twist.
Rounds 1-4: 30 sc (30)
Fold the tube in half lengthwise. Work 30 sc through both layers to seal the ring. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Persimmon Hat
Worked in Orange yarn.
Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: 6 inc (12)
Round 3: [1 sc, inc] x 6 (18)
Round 4: [2 sc, inc] x 6 (24)
Round 5: [3 sc, inc] x 6 (30)
Round 6: [4 sc, inc] x 6 (36)
Round 7: [5 sc, inc] x 6 (42)
Round 8: [6 sc, inc] x 6 (48)
Rounds 9-12: 48 sc (48)
Round 13: [6 sc, dec] x 6 (42)
Fasten off and weave in ends.
Stem: With Brown yarn, chain 6. Sl st in the 2nd chain from hook and the next 4 chains. Fasten off and sew to the top center.
Leaf: With Spring Green yarn, chain 4. Sc in the 2nd chain, hdc in the next, sc in the last. Fasten off and sew beside the stem.
Small Accessories
Golden Scroll: With Gold yarn, chain 8. Work 7 sc across for 4 rows. Roll the ends slightly and stitch in place.
Golden Firecrackers: With Gold yarn, chain 5. Work 4 sc across. Make three of these and tie them together with a red thread.
Assembly
➡️ Head to Body: Sew the head directly to the opening of the body. The chin should rest just above Round 12 of the body.
➡️ Ears: Sew the ears to the head at Round 7. They should drape naturally downwards.
➡️ Arms: Attach the arms on either side of the body at Round 11, just below the neck seam.
➡️ Details: Embroider a tiny red nose between the eyes. Stitch a small, gentle curve for the mouth. Apply pink blush beneath the eyes.
➡️ Dressing: Place the Lion Headpiece on the red bunny. Slip the Persimmon Waist Ring over the legs of the green bunny and pull it up to the waist. Place the Persimmon Hat on the green bunny’s head. Attach the respective golden accessories to their hands.
