Animal balls: Panda

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I always like to have a bin of small, easy to make toys for when I do craft shows. Kids love it and parents love it as well. This way they can get something new and it is less than $5.  Keeps the kids happy and not screaming as they walk away. That makes me happy. So I decided to write up my animal balls that seem to be a hit. Kids like balls and animals… so get those kids some animal balls!

Panda Ball

Size G hook
9mm safety eyes or small buttons
Some black and white yarn

Eyes
6 sc in magic circle, but don’t close tightly if you are using the safety eyes
2 sc in next, 2 hdc in next, sc and sl st in next.
bind off, leaving a long tail for sewing. The safety eye will slide through the magic circle then through the ball (when we get to putting the eyes on) and then you can sew the black spot you just made in place.

Ball
6 sc in magic circle
*inc (2sc in next sc)* around
*inc, 1sc in next* around
*inc, 1sc in next 2* around
*inc, 1sc in next 3* around
*inc, 1sc in next 4* around
Sc around for 2 rows then switch to black. Sc around for 5 rows then switch back to white for 2 more rows.
*dec (sc over next 2 sc),1sc in next 4* around
*dec, 1sc in next 3* around
*dec, 1sc in next 2* around
Make sure to place eyes and stuff before it is too late. It is easier to wait until after you have finished it off the ball to sew the eye patch in place.
*dec, 1sc in next 1* around
Dec around, bind off and sew close.

Tail
6 sc in magic circle
*inc, 1sc in next* around
Sc around. Bind off and sew on.

Ears
6 sc in magic circle
*inc, 1sc in next* around
Sc around for two rows. Bind off, flatten and sew on.

Now just sew on a cute nose and mouth and you are done.

Mad Hooking!

12 comments on “Animal balls: Panda

  1. What is a “magic circle?”

    *inc(2sc in next sc)* acound WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

    THANK YOU
    rITA

    • Rita:

      Magic Circle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLUaywX0-WE

      *inc(2sc in next sc)* An inc is an increase so you’ll stitch 2 into the same space instead of in two separate spaces. Usually coming out of the magic cirle you do this the whole way… so six stitches in the magic circle than two in each of those stitches will give you 12 stitches etc.

      Hope that makes sense… learned this all a week or so ago and have been making things like crazy!!

      • Hey, thanks for taking the time to write that out… so much nicer than me pointing toward google or youtube… lol!

        • Thank YOU for the pattern! It’s so adorable! I’m using it to make sensory toys for my niece’s first birthday 🙂

          • What a cool idea! I need to make more of these myself and some different animals. They make wonderful kid toys.

  2. Hello!
    Do you have standard instructions where I can make sense of what you are doing?
    I will pay for the instructions.

    Thanks .
    Pina.

    • I don’t actually off the top of my head, but I use typical amigurumi style for making of my toys if that helps.

  3. I absolutely love this and have a few friends who would simply adore having their own panda ball! I’ll be making them some for sure. Quick question though, if I were to add your name/link to you, would you mind me selling the finished product? I’ll just continue making them as gifts if you do mind, no biggie, just figured I’d ask first =)

    • Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I was on vacation… But absolutely you can sell what you made. You made it! All I ask is if someone asks where you got the pattern, share it along. The only thing I have some small claim on is the pattern and as long as you aren’t selling that I’m cool. I’m so glad you like these! I need to make some more really… They are a great quick project that kids love.

  4. WE HAVE A NEW GREAT GRANDSON BORN 6 WEEKS EARLY 2# 14 OZ. HE IS NOW 4 MONTHS AND 10# 13 OZ. HIS NAME IS KODY AFTER THE KODIAK BEAR. WE CALL HIM KODY BEAR. THIS LITTLE TOY IS PERFECT, I AM JUST GETTING BACK INTO CROCHETING AFTER ABOUT 30 YEARS. IT IS VERY RELAXING AS I HAVE A HUSBAND WITH DEMENTIA AND IT GETS A LITTLE TENSE SOMETIMES. THANK YOU.

  5. I absolutely love this panda ball because I’ve been looking for something different to try. But I’m having a little trouble reading the patterns.

  6. I made this cute panda ball. It was easy but the counting for each row was not so easy as to how many stitches I should have. It would be helpful to put the number at the end of each round. I know if I had a marker this would solve this problem. Thank you for this great pattern.

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