Friday Fortnight Freebies! - Nyanko Sensei

So I said I would try to be doing this more often so this is going to be my first one! I'm quite excited. I'm releasing quite a simple one today and it's going to involve needlefelting as well as crochet techniques! But don't be worried. As always, if you don't want to needlefelt, all the things that I have needlefelted on can be sewn on out of fabric instead or painted on with fabric paint or however you prefer to complete.

If you make this pattern, please send me photos because I would like to see what everyone else makes!

First I started with the body. The body is made from an oval kind of shape and very slightly tapers towards the head part. It is made from the tail end to the head end so if you need to, you might want to leave a marker to where the top of the piece is or leave the tail attached until after you've finished the head.

Body
Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)
Round 2: 2SCx6 (12)
Round 3: [2SC, SC]x6 (18)
Round 4. [2SC, SCx2]x6 (24)
Round 5. [2SC, SCx3]x6 (30)
Round 6. [2SC, SCx4]x6 (36)
Round 7. [2SC, SCx5]x6 (42)

Round 8. [2SC, SCx6]x6 (48)

Round 9 - 22. SCx48 (48, 14 rounds)

Round 23. [SC2tog, SCx6]x6 (42)

Round 24. [SC2tog, SCx5]x6 (36)

Round 25. SCx36 (36)

Round 26. [SC2tog, SCx4]x6 (30)

Round 27. [SC2tog, SCx3]x6 (24)

Round 28. [SC2tog, SCx2]x6 (18)

Stuff before proceeding the last few rounds.

Round 29. [SC2tog, SC]x6 (12)

Round 30. SC2togx6 (6)

Sew the piece closed and cut off the tail. 

Side view of the body.

Top view of the body.

 I forgot to take pictures here. I started needlefelting the orange and grey onto the body. I took pictures of the head part so there will be instructions on how I did the needlefelting there but for now I'll just leave you the finished picture of the whole toy for reference.

Next I moved onto the head piece. 

Head

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2nd stitch from the hook (6)
Round 2: 2SCx6 (12)
Round 3. [2SCx3, SCx3]x2 (18)
Round 4. [2SC, SC]x3,SCx3,[2SC, SC]x3, SCx3 (24)
Round 5. [2SC, SCx2]x3, SCx3,[2SC, SCx2]x3, SCx3 (30)
Round 6. [2SC, SCx3]x3, SCx3,[2SC, SCx3]x3, SCx3 (36)
Round 7. [2SC, SCx4]x3, SCx3,[2SC, SCx4]x3, SCx3 (42)
Round 8 - 15. SCx42 (42, 8 rounds)
Round 16. [SC2tog, SCx4]x3, SCx3,[SC2tog, SCx4]x3, SCx3 (36)
Round 17. [SC2tog, SCx3]x3, SCx3,[SC2tog, SCx3]x3, SCx3 (30)
Round 18. [SC2tog, SCx2]x3, SCx3,[SC2tog, SCx2]x3, SCx3 (24)
Round 19. [SC2tog, SC]x3,SCx3,[SC2tog, SC]x3, SCx3 (18)
Stuff piece but don't stuff too firmly. You want it to remain a more oval shape than round.
Round 20. [SC2togx3, SCx3]x2 (12)
Round 21. SC2togx6 (6)
Sew closed by leave a long tail.

Side view of the head

Top view of the head.

The next step I did was to make the ears and attach those. 

Ears

Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2^nd stitch from the hook (6)

Round 2. SCx6 (6)

Round 3: 2SCx6 (12)

Round 4 - 5. Scx12 (12, 2 rounds)

I attached the ears to the head with a little stuffing.

Try not to overstuff the ears so that they become too round. Unless you prefer it that way of course. I preferred my own ears slightly flattened.

 To get the colour onto the head, I first marked out what I needed with a fabric marker. The one I have dries in air over time so I find it really useful. I held the head to the body and marked out where I wanted the colours to meet.

I always start by tacking down the edges of where I want the colour to end. I find by doing that I get cleaned finishes to each of the colours.  Once I've done that, I then go back and fill in the rest. I start with a light amount of roving and then go back over it if I see any slightly balder patches. 

After the colour patches were done, I go back and add the face.   Once that is done, I attached the head to the body. I wanted it to be a lying down plush so I attached it to the front and in line so that he's lying flat. He's a little front heavy but the bell will offset that when it's done and allow him to lie upright.

Collar
Chx 30
2nd Chain from hook SC to the end.
Leave a short tail and sew the red collar around his neck.

Bell
Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2^nd stitch from the hook (6)
Round 2: 2SCx6 (12)
Round 3-4. SCx12 (12, 2 rounds)
Round 5. [SC2tog, SC]x6 (12)
Stuff firmly. 
Round 6. SC2togx6 (6)
Sew to the collar. 
I then went and needlefelted some black onto the bell. 

Tail
Round 1: CH2, SCx6 in the 2^nd stitch from the hook (6)
Round 2: 2SCx6 (12)
Round 3-5. SCx12 (12, 3 rounds)
Round 6. [SC2tog, SC]x6 (12)
Stuff firmly.
Round 7. Round 6. SC2togx6 (6)
Sew to the back of the body.

And now you have your own little lying down Nyanko sensei. I might come back and make a full Nyanko sensei at some point. :) I'll need to re-watch the series for inspiration.