Cat in a Christmas Tree Costume

Safety eyes and noses go in before the piece is stuffed and closed (see the pieces above); embroidery is easier before the piece is sewn on.

• Safety eyes with a printed glint 14 mm (on the face): in round 3, 15 st apart (count along round 3: about 7.6 st each side of the centre top line).
• Satin stitch (on the face): in rose pink thread, a triangle about 8 mm wide and 5.5 mm tall, horizontal stitches; centred in round 1, on the centre bottom line.
• Embroidery in soft brown thread (on the face), straight stitches through: (between rounds 1 and 2, on the centre bottom line) → (in round 2, on the centre bottom line ).
• Embroidery in soft brown thread (on the face) (2, symmetric: the toy's left side is described, the right is its mirror image), straight stitches through: (in round 2, on the centre bottom line ) → (between rounds 2 and 3, 1 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's left ) → (between rounds 2 and 3, 2 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's left ).
• Blush about 11 mm, dry pastel or blush (on the face, both sides): between rounds 4 and 5, 5 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's left . Colour rose pink.
• Strap (on the middle tier): with gold, ch 41 (≈ 12.1 cm); for a firmer strap sl st back along it. Sew it along (between rounds 3 and 4, 13.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right ) → (in round 4, 10.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right ) → (between rounds 3 and 4, 5.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right ) → (in round 4, 1.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right ) → (between rounds 3 and 4, 2.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left ) → (in round 4, 7.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left ) → (between rounds 3 and 4, 10.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left ), catching it every 2–3 ch.
• Strap (on the tree top): with gold, ch 34 (≈ 10.1 cm); for a firmer strap sl st back along it. Sew it along (in round 12, 2 st from the centre back line, toward the toy's right) → (in round 11, 4 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right ) → (in round 10, 0.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left ) → (in round 9, 4.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left) → (in round 8, 0.5 st from the centre back line, toward the toy's left) → (in round 7, 4.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right ) → (in round 6, 1 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right ), catching it every 2–3 ch.