I celebrated a birthday this week, so what better time to share Harriet the “Happy Birthday” Hippo with the world?! Harriet was originally created for a crochet pattern design contest, she’s a cute hippo with a fun party hat and a birthday cake!

This is a fun, beginner-friendly pattern perfect for a stuffed animal loving birthday celebration!

Harriet the “Happy Birthday” Hippo

Supplies Needed: medium rose yarn, magenta yarn, purple yarn, white yarn, a small amount of orange yarn, a pair of 15 mm safety eyes, 3.5 mm crochet hook, yarn needle, and polyfil stuffing.

Stitch Abbreviations Used: ch – chain, sc – single crochet, sc2tog, single crochet two together, slst – slip stitch, hdc – half double crochet, bobble – 4 double crochet bobble stitch, FLO – front loop only, BLO – back loop only.

Approximate Finished Size: using a 3.5 mm hook and worsted weight yarn, Harriet the Hippo measures about 9 inches tall.

Head (medium rose yarn)

Round 1: ch 7, begin stitches in 2nd chain from hook, sc 5, 3 sc in last chain, turn to continue working along to opposite side of the foundation chain, sc 4, 2 sc in last stitch. (14 stitches)

Round 2: 2 sc in first stitch, sc each of the next 4 stitches, 2 sc in each of the next 3 stitches, sc next 4, 2 sc in each of the last 2 stitches.

Round 3: *2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next stitch, sc each of the next 4 stitches, repeat * to * 3 times, sc each of the next 4 stitches, repeat * to * 2 times. (26 stitches)

Round 4: 2 sc in first stitch, sc each of the next 10 stitches, 2 sc in each of the next 3 stitches, sc next 10, 2 sc in each of the last 2 stitches.

Round 5: 2 sc in first stitch, sc each of the next 12 stitches, *2 sc in first stitch, sc next* repeat * to * 2 times, sc each of the next 13 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch, sc in last stitch. (36 stitches)

Round 6: sc each of the first 5 stitches, bobble, sc next 5, bobble, sc each of the next 24 stitches.

Round 7 – Round 9: sc around.

Round 10: *sc2tog, sc next 4* repeat * to * around. (30 stitches)

Round 11: *sc2tog, sc next 3* repeat * to * around. (24 stitches)

Round 12: sc around.

You have now created the nose/snout, you will continue working to create the rest of the head.

Round 13: sc each of the first 2 stitches, 2 sc in each of the next 6 stitches, sc each of the next 16 stitches.

Round 14: sc each of the first 2 stitches, *2 sc in next stitch, sc next* repeat * to * 6 times, sc each of the next 16 stitches. (36 stitches)

Round 15: sc each of the first 2 stitches, *2 sc in first stitch, sc each of the next 2 stitches* repeat * to * 6 times, sc each of the next 16 stitches. (42 stitches)

Round 16: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next 6 stitches* repeat * to * around. (48 stitches)

Round 17: *sc each of the first 7 stitches, 2 sc in next stitch* repeat * to * around. (54 stitches.

Insert 15 mm safety eyes between rounds 15 and 16 with 7 stitches between them.

Round 18 – Round 27: sc around.

Round 28: *sc2tog, sc each of the next 7 stitches* repeat * to * around.

Round 29: *sc2tog, sc each of the next 6 stitches* repeat * to * around. (42 stitches)

Begin stuffing head.

Round 30: *sc each of the next 5 stitches, sc2tog* repeat * to * around.

Round 31: *sc each of the next 4 stitches, sc2tog* repeat * to * around. (30 stitches)

Round 32: *sc2tog, sc each of the next 3 stitches* repeat * to * around.

Round 33: *sc2tog, sc each of the next 2 stitches* repeat * to * around. (18 stitches)

Finish stuffing head.

Round 34: *sc in first stitch, sc2tog* repeat * to * around.

Round 35: sc2tog around.

Fasten off, leave a tail. Use the tail to weave the remaining stitches closed.

Ears (make 2 in magenta and 2 in medium rose, starting with magenta)

Round 1: magic ring – 6 sc.

Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around.

Round 3: *2 sc in first stitch, sc in next* repeat * to * around. (18 stitches)

Fasten off magenta pieces, continue on with medium rose pieces holding one magenta and one medium rose piece with the wrong sides facing each other.

Round 4: *2 sc in first stitch, sc each of the next 2 stitches* repeat * to * around.

Fold ear in half, slst 2 times to create a pinched look.

Fasten off, leave tail for sewing to head between round 25 and round 27.

Arms (magenta yarn, make 2)

Round 1: magic ring – 6 sc.

Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around.

Round 3: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next stitch* repeat * to * around. (18 stitches)

Round 4: *2 sc in first stitch, sc each of the next 5* repeat * to * around.

Change to medium rose yarn.

Round 5: BLO sc around. (21 stitches)

Round 6 – Round 8: sc around.

Round 9: *sc2tog, sc each of the next 5 stitches* repeat * to * around. (18 stitches)

Round 10 – Round 12: sc around.

Round 13: *sc2tog, sc each of the next 4 stitches* repeat * to * around. (15 stitches)

Round 14 – Round 15: sc around.

Round 16: *sc2tog, sc each of the next 3 stitches* repeat * to * around. (12 stitches)

Lightly stuff arm, flatten top.

Round 17: holding round 16 of the arm closed, complete stitches through two layers of arm, sc 4 to close.

Fasten off.

Legs (magenta yarn, make 2)

Round 1: magic ring – 6 sc.

Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around.

Round 3: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next* repeat * to * around. (18 stitches)

Round 4: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next 2 stitches* repeat * to * around.

Change to medium rose yarn.

Round 5: BLO sc around.

Round 6 – Round 8: sc around.

Round 9: *sc2tog, sc next 6 stitches* repeat * to *around. (21 stitches)

Round 10 – Round 12: sc around.

Round 13: *sc2tog, sc next 5 stitches* repeat * to * around. (18 stitches)

Round 14 – Round 16: sc around.

Fasten off leg 1, repeat to create leg 2 and then continue to body.

Body (medium rose yarn)

Round 1: ch 3, attach stitch marker, begin working stitches in leg 1, sc 42 around both legs and all chains.

Round 2: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next 6 stitches* repeat * to * around. (48 stitches)

Round 3 – Round 6: sc around.

Round 7: *sc2tog, sc next 6 stitches* repeat * to * around. (42 stitches)

Round 8 – Round 10: sc around.

Round 11: *sc2tog, sc next 5 stitches* repeat * to * around. (36 stitches)

Round 12 – Round 13: sc around.

Round 14: *sc2tog, sc next 4 stitches* repeat * to * around. (30 stitches)

Round 15: sc around.

Round 16: sc first 4, complete next series of stitches holding one arm up to the body and stitching through both to connect, sc 4, sc next 11 stitches of the body, complete next series of stitches holding one arm up to the body and stitching through both to connect, sc 4, sc remaining 7 stitches of the body.

Round 17: *sc2tog, sc next 3 stitches* repeat * to * around. (24 stitches)

Round 18: sc around.

Fasten off, leave tail for sewing to bottom of head between round 20 and round 25.

Party Hat (purple yarn)

Round 1: magic ring – 6 sc.

Round 2: *2 sc in first stitch, sc in next 2* repeat * to * around. (8 stitches)

Round 3: *2 sc in first stitch, sc in next* repeat * to * around. (12 stitches)

Round 4: sc around.

Round 5: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next 2* repeat * to * around. (16 stitches)

Round 6: sc around.

Round 7: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next 3* repeat * to * around. (20 stitches)

Round 8: sc around.

Round 9: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next 4* repeat * to * around. (24 stitches)

Round 10: sc around.

Round 11: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next 5 stitches* repeat * to * around. (28 stitches)

Round 12: sc around.

Round 13: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next 6* repeat * to * around. (32 stitches)

Round 14: sc around.

Change to magenta yarn.

Round 15: ch 2, FLO 3 dc in each stitch around, slst to first dc of round. (96 stitches)

Fasten off, place the hat over one ear and tack onto head.

Cut about 5 strands of magenta yarn, approximately 4 inches each, fold in half and loop onto round 1 of hat. Unravel each strand of yarn.

Cake (white yarn)

Round 1: magic ring – 6 sc.

Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around.

Round 3: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next* repeat * to * around. (18 stitches)

Round 4: *2 sc in first stitch, sc each of the next 2 stitches* repeat * to * around.

Round 5: *2 sc in first stitch, bobble, sc each of the next 2 stitches* repeat * to * around. (30 stitches)

Round 6: BLO sc around.

Round 7 – Round 10: sc around.

Round 11: *sc, change to purple yarn, bobble, change to white yarn* repeat * to * around.

Fasten off, weave in ends.

Cake Bottom (white yarn)

Round 1: magic ring – 6 sc.

Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around.

Round 3: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next* repeat * to * around. (18 stitches)

Round 4: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next 2* repeat * to * around.

Round 5: *2 sc in first stitch, sc next 3 stitches* repeat * to * around. (30 stitches)

Fasten off, leave tail for sewing to round 11 of cake. Add stuffing to cake as you sew the bottom into place.

Candle (orange yarn)

Round 1: magic ring – 4 sc.

Round 2: 2 sc in first stitch, sc next* repeat * to * around. (6 stitches)

Round 3: *sc2tog, sc next stitch* repeat * to * around. (4 stitches)

Change to purple yarn.

Round 4 – Round 7: sc around.

Fasten off, leave tail for sewing to round 1 of cake.

For a more printer-friendly pdf version of the pattern, check out ravelry!