Plum the Platypus

What You Will Need

Yarn:

• Burgundy or deep wine red (for the head, body, arms, and tail)
• Gray (for the bill, hands, and feet)
• Tip: The photo shows a soft chenille or velvet style yarn, which gives that plush, squishy look. For this yarn, use a 4.0 to 4.5 mm hook. You can also use regular worsted weight cotton or acrylic with a 3.5 mm hook for a firmer, neater look. Dark velvet yarn is hard to see, so work in good light and count your stitches often.

Tools:

• 4.0 mm (G/6) or 4.5 mm (7) crochet hook for chunky velvet yarn
• 10 mm safety eyes (1 pair), black or dark brown with an amber ring if you can find them
• Poly-fil or fiberfill stuffing
• Yarn needle with a large eye for sewing and weaving in ends
• Stitch markers
• Sharp scissors
• Straight pins for placing the pieces before sewing

The Basics (US Terms)

• MR = magic ring
• sc = single crochet
• inc = increase (work 2 single crochets into the same stitch)
• dec = decrease (work 2 single crochets together, invisible decrease is best)
• All pieces are worked in continuous rounds. Use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each round.
• When changing colors, pull the new color through on the last stitch of the previous round, and carry on with the new color.

Let Us Get Started

We will make six types of pieces, the head, the body, the bill, the arms, the feet, and the tail, then sew them all together.

Part 1: The Head

Worked with burgundy yarn.

1. Round 1: Work 6 sc into a magic ring. (6 stitches)
2. Round 2: Inc in every stitch around. (12 stitches)
3. Round 3: (1 sc, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
4. Round 4: (2 sc, inc) repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)
5. Round 5: (3 sc, inc) repeat 6 times. (30 stitches)
6. Rounds 6 to 12: Work 1 sc in every stitch around. (30 stitches) If you are using safety eyes, place them now between rounds 8 and 9, about 12 stitches apart. Platypus eyes sit on the sides of the head. Secure them tightly on the inside.
7. Round 13: (3 sc, dec) repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)
8. Round 14: (2 sc, dec) repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
9. Stuff the head firmly so it is nice and round.
10. Round 15: (1 sc, dec) repeat 6 times. (12 stitches)
11. Round 16: Dec 6 times. (6 stitches)
12. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail. Pull the tail through the front loops of the last 6 stitches and pull tight to close. Weave in the end.

Part 2: The Body

Worked with burgundy yarn.

1. Round 1: Work 6 sc into a magic ring. (6 stitches)
2. Round 2: Inc in every stitch around. (12 stitches)
3. Round 3: (1 sc, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
4. Round 4: (2 sc, inc) repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)
5. Round 5: (3 sc, inc) repeat 6 times. (30 stitches)
6. Round 6: (4 sc, inc) repeat 6 times. (36 stitches)
7. Rounds 7 to 13: Work 1 sc in every stitch around. (36 stitches)
8. Round 14: (4 sc, dec) repeat 6 times. (30 stitches)
9. Round 15: (3 sc, dec) repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)
10. Round 16: (2 sc, dec) repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
11. Stuff the body firmly, making sure the bottom is nice and round so Plum sits upright.
12. Round 17: (1 sc, dec) repeat 6 times. (12 stitches)
13. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing. Leave the 12 stitches open for attaching the head.

Part 3: The Bill

Worked with gray yarn.

1. Round 1: Work 6 sc into a magic ring. (6 stitches)
2. Round 2: Inc in every stitch around. (12 stitches)
3. Round 3: Work 1 sc in every stitch around. (12 stitches)
4. Round 4: (1 sc, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
5. Rounds 5 to 9: Work 1 sc in every stitch around. (18 stitches)
6. Stuff lightly, just enough to keep the shape. Pinch the bill flat so it looks like a wide, rounded duck bill, with the closed end at the tip.
7. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing. Leave the end open.

Part 4: The Arms (Make 2)

Worked with gray and burgundy yarn. Start at the hand.

1. Round 1 (gray): Work 6 sc into a magic ring. (6 stitches)
2. Round 2 (gray): (1 sc, inc) repeat 3 times. (9 stitches)
3. Round 3 (gray): Work 1 sc in every stitch around. (9 stitches)
4. Round 4 (burgundy): (1 sc, dec) repeat 3 times. (6 stitches)
5. Rounds 5 to 7 (burgundy): Work 1 sc in every stitch around. (6 stitches)
6. Stuff the arm very lightly, mostly in the gray hand. Pinch the hand flat so it looks like a tiny paddle.
7. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing. Leave the end open.

Part 5: The Feet (Make 2)

Worked with gray yarn.

1. Round 1: Work 6 sc into a magic ring. (6 stitches)
2. Round 2: Inc in every stitch around. (12 stitches)
3. Round 3: Work 1 sc in every stitch around. (12 stitches)
4. Round 4: (2 sc, dec) repeat 3 times. (9 stitches)
5. Round 5: Work 1 sc in every stitch around. (9 stitches)
6. Stuff very lightly, then pinch the foot flat so it looks like a small webbed paddle.
7. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing. Leave the end open.

Part 6: The Tail

Worked with burgundy yarn.

1. Round 1: Work 6 sc into a magic ring. (6 stitches)
2. Round 2: Inc in every stitch around. (12 stitches)
3. Round 3: (1 sc, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
4. Rounds 4 to 8: Work 1 sc in every stitch around. (18 stitches)
5. Round 9: (1 sc, dec) repeat 6 times. (12 stitches)
6. Stuff lightly, then pinch the tail flat so it looks like a rounded paddle.
7. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing. Leave the end open.

Assembly and Finishing

This is where Plum comes to life. Take your time pinning before you sew.

Attaching the Bill:

1. Pin the bill on the front of the head, with the flat side facing down and the open end against the face. Place it about 3 rounds below the eyes, so the face looks sweet and curious.
2. Sew it on all the way around with the long tail. Add a little more stuffing under the edge if needed to make the bill stand out from the face.
3. Tilt the head slightly up for a cheeky, curious look.

Attaching the Head:

1. Pin the head on top of the open end of the body, tilting it slightly forward.
2. Using the long tail from the body, whip stitch all the way around so the head feels firm and does not wobble. Add a bit more stuffing in the neck before closing, if needed.

Attaching the Arms:

1. Pin the arms on the sides of the body, just below the head, angled slightly forward, with the gray hands resting on the belly.
2. Sew the top of each arm on firmly, leaving the hand free so it can sit on the body.
3. For the sweetest look, sew one arm slightly higher than the other.

Attaching the Feet:

1. Pin the feet on the lower front of the body, pointing forward and slightly outward, spaced about 8 stitches apart.
2. Sew them on firmly, going around twice so Plum can sit up straight.

Attaching the Tail:

1. Pin the tail at the bottom back of the body, with the flat side resting on the table.
2. Sew it all the way around. The tail helps Plum balance, so make sure it feels secure.
3. Weave in all remaining ends.

A Few Friendly Tips

• Keep it snug: Keep your tension tight and even. Loose stitches let the stuffing show through, especially with velvet yarn.
• Firm neck: Stuff the neck area firmly. A firm neck keeps the big head from drooping.
• Making Plum sit: If he tips over, sew the feet a little further forward, move the tail slightly lower, and add a bit more stuffing to the bottom of the body.
• Eye placement: Pin the eyes in place and look at them before you secure them. Eyes on the sides give the real platypus look, and eyes closer to the front look cuter and more cartoon-like.
• Make it your own: Try a soft brown platypus with a cream bill, a teal one for a fun twist, or add a tiny scarf for cold days.
• Size up: For a bigger platypus, use a thicker yarn and a larger hook with the same stitch counts.
• Safe for little ones: For babies and toddlers, skip the safety eyes and embroider the eyes with black yarn instead.

I hope you enjoy making this sweet little creek friend. He is such a fun project and makes a wonderful handmade gift.

If you run into any trouble or just want to share how your platypus turned out, please reach out. I love seeing what you create.

Happy crocheting!