Tiny Totoro

A coworker jokingly asked if I would make him a Totoro when he discovered that I crocheted well enough
to work shows and sell what I stitched. I surprised him by slowly working my way through this tiny Totoro by the end of the summer.

It was simple enough. Starting with leftover grey yarn from the Bender Hat and my trusty cthulhu hook, I made a magic circle of six, increased to twelve, and maintained that for eight or so rounds. I cut felt to appear as the whites of the eyes, punched a hole in it, put a safety eye through it and then clipped it into the body. The ears were chain and single crochet except for a half double at the turn around to flare it out. They were stitched on using my yarn needle and the tail. I cut short pieces of grey and pulled apart the strands, pulling them through the cheeks and tying for the whiskers. Then I stuffed it and decreased to the end like with the cthulhu (using the back stitches) so he would sit without falling over. Finally, I hot glued on the white felt stomach and puff-painted on the accents.

My kids were taken with him, the coworker was surprised but appreciative and I was proud, as it's the first thing I've managed after babying my wrist.