Head onto the body. Stuff the body firmly. Hold the head's closing point (last round) at the centre of the body's opening (R22) and sew the edge of the opening all round to the head: the seam runs along rounds 15–17 of the head (all the way round). Top up the neck with stuffing before closing the seam so the head does not wobble. Press it into the base by about 10 mm.

Tail → body. Centre: at the centre of the magic ring. Flatten the opening (16 st against 17 st) and sew it on in a straight line top to bottom (along the body): rounds 3–10 of the body (all the way round). It points backward.

Gill stalk (top) → head (make 2). Centre: in round 15, 8 st from the centre top line, toward the toy's left (the one on the toy's left is described; sew the other as its mirror image). Sew the piece on by its start (the magic ring side); it touches rounds 14–15 of the head, about 2 st wide. It points up and outward.

Gill stalk (mid) → head (make 2). Centre: in round 15, 11.5 st from the centre top line, toward the toy's left (the one on the toy's left is described; sew the other as its mirror image). Sew the piece on by its start (the magic ring side); it touches rounds 14–15 of the head, about 2 st wide. It points outward.

Gill stalk (low) → head (make 2). Centre: in round 15, 15.5 st from the centre top line, toward the toy's left (the one on the toy's left is described; sew the other as its mirror image). Sew the piece on by its start (the magic ring side); it touches rounds 14–15 of the head, about 1 st wide. It points outward.

Leg (front) → body (make 2). Centre: in round 18, 16 st from the centre top line, toward the toy's left (the one on the toy's left is described; sew the other as its mirror image). Flatten the opening (5 st against 5 st) and sew it on in a straight line top to bottom (along the body), along the round: rounds 17–19 of the body, about 4 st wide. It points outward and down.

Leg (back) → body (make 2). Centre: in round 5, 9.5 st from the centre top line, toward the toy's left (the one on the toy's left is described; sew the other as its mirror image). Flatten the opening (5 st against 5 st) and sew it on in a straight line top to bottom (along the body), along the round: rounds 5–6 of the body, about 6 st wide. It points outward and down.

Cheek → head (make 2). Centre: between rounds 8 and 9, 17.5 st from the centre top line, toward the toy's left (the one on the toy's left is described; sew the other as its mirror image). Sew it flat all round its edge; it covers rounds 7–10 of the head, about 4 st wide.

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 12 mm (on the head): in round 6, 22 st apart (count along round 6: about 10.8 st each side of the centre top line).
Embroidery in black thread (on the head), straight stitches through: (between rounds 4 and 5, 4.5 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's left ) → (in round 5, 3.5 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's left ) → (between rounds 5 and 6, 2 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's left ) → (in round 6, on the centre bottom line ) → (between rounds 5 and 6, 2 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's right ) → (in round 5, 3.5 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's right ) → (between rounds 4 and 5, 4.5 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's right ).

Pink Axolotl

What you'll need