Purrrfect Crochet Play Rug

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Bernat® Baby Blanket™, 4 balls: Baby Sand (MC)
• Bernat® Baby Blanket™, 1 ball each: Vanilla (A), Baby Pink (B)
• Sizes U.S. N/15 [10 mm] and U.S. L/11 [8 mm] crochet hooks or size needed to obtain gauge.

MEASUREMENT:
Approx 35" in diameter.

GAUGE:
6 dc and 4 rows = 4" with larger hook and yarn held double.

DIRECTIONS:

Note: Ch 3 at beg of rnd counts as dc.

FACE
With 2 strands of MC held tog and larger hook, ch 4. Join with sl st to first ch to form ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3. 11 dc in ring. Join with wl st to top of ch 3. 12 dc.
Rnd 2: Ch 3. 1 dc in first dc. 2 dc in each dc around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 24 dc.
Rnd 3: Ch 3. 1 dc in first dc. 1 dc in next dc. *2 dc in next dc. 1 dc in next dc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 36 dc.
Rnd 4: Ch 3. 1 dc in first dc. 1 dc in each of next 2 dc. *2 dc in next dc. 1 dc in each of next 2 dc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 48 dc.
Rnd 5: Ch 3. 1 dc in first dc. 1 dc in each of next 3 dc. *2 dc in next dc. 1 dc in each of next 3 dc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 60 dc.
Rnd 6: Ch 3. 1 dc in first dc. 1 dc in each of next 4 dc. *2 dc in next dc. 1 dc in each of next 4 dc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 72 dc.
Rnd 7: Ch 3. 1 dc in first dc. 1 dc in each of next 5 dc. *2 dc in next dc. 1 dc in each of next 5 dc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 84 dc.
Rnd 8: Ch 3. 1 dc in first dc. 1 dc in each of next 6 dc. *2 dc in next dc. 1 dc in each of next 6 dc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 96 dc.
Rnd 9: Ch 3. 1 dc in first dc. 1 dc in each of next 7 dc. *2 dc in next dc. 1 dc in each of next 7 dc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 108 dc. Cont as established, inc 12 sc every rnd until piece measures approx. 35" in diameter. Fasten off.

EARS [make 2]
With 2 strands of MC held tog and larger hook, ch 18.
Row 1: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 1 sc in each ch to end of chain. Turn. 17 sc.
Row 2: Ch 1. 1 sc in each sc to end of row. Turn.
Row 3: Ch 1. Sc2tog. 1 sc in each sc to last 2 sc. Sc2tog. Turn. 15 sts.
Row 4: Ch 1. 1 sc in each st to end of row. Turn. Rep last 2 rows to 3 sts.
Next row: Ch 1. Sc3tog. Fasten off.

INNER EAR [make 2]
With 1 strand of B and smaller hook, ch 14.
Row 1: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 1 sc in each ch to end of chain. Turn. 13 sc.
Row 2: Ch 1. Sc2tog. 1 sc in each sc to last 2 sc. Sc2tog. 11 sts.
Row 3: Ch 1. 1 sc in each st to end of row. Turn. Rep last 2 rows to 3 sts.
Next row: Ch 1. Sc3tog. Fasten off. Sew Inner Ear to Ear as shown in picture.

EYES [make 2]
With 1 strand of A and smaller hook, ch 4.
**Rnd 1: 9 dc in 4th ch from hook. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 10 dc.
Rnd 2: Ch 3 [counts as dc]. 1 dc in first dc [counts as 2 dc]. 2 dc in each dc around. Join with sl st to
top of ch 3. 20 dc.**
rnd 3: Ch 3 [counts as dc]. 1 dc in first dc [counts as 2 dc]. 1 dc in next dc. *2 dc in next dc. 1 dc in next dc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 30 dc. Fasten off.

PUPIL [make 2]
With 1 strand of MC and smaller hook, ch 4. Work from ** to ** as given for Eye. Fasten off. Sew Pupil to Eye as shown in picture.

NOSE
With 1 strand of B and smaller hook, ch 9.
Row 1: [RS]. 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 1 sc in each ch to end of chain. Turn. 8 sc.
Row 2: Ch 1. Sc2tog. 1 sc in each sc to last 2 sc. Sc2tog. Turn. 6 sts.
Row 3: As 2nd row. 4 sts.
Row 4: Ch 1. [Sc2tog] twice. 2 sts.
Row 5: Ch 1. Sc2tog. Do not fasten off. Ch 1. Work 1 rnd of sc around 3 edges, working 3 sc in each corner. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

FINISHING:
Sew Eyes, Nose and Ears to Face as shown in picture.

Mouth
With 2 strands of A and smaller hook, ch 30. Fasten off. With 2 strands of A and smaller hook, ch 15. Fasten off. Sew longer chain to Face, starting at tip of Nose and curving up to form Mouth. Sew shorter chain to form other side of Mouth.

Whiskers [make 4]
With 2 strands of A and smaller hook, ch 12. Fasten off. Sew 2 Whiskers on either side of face as shown in picture.

ABBREVIAITONS:
Approx = Approximate[ly]
Beg = Begin[ning]
Ch = Chain
Cont = Continue
Dc = Double crochet
Inc = Increase[ing]
Rep = Repeat
Rnd = Round
RS = Right side
Sc = Single crochet
Sc2[3]tog = Draw up a loop in each of next 2[3] stitches. Yoh and draw through all loops on hook
Sl st = Slip stitch
St[s] = Stitch[es]
Tog = Together
WS = Wrong side
Yoh = Yarn over hook