This poor mama kangaroo is not getting much sleep these days with her squirmy little joey! This is how I feel as I start my 7th month of pregnancy with my surrogate baby boy. He kicks me all day and night! But, just as mama kangaroo hasn’t lost that loving twinkle in her eye, I too feel it is all worthwhile. Every sacrifice for my own children, and for this IVF miracle growing inside me, brings rewards that cannot be measured.
A few months ago, a surrogate sister asked me to make her a kangaroo and joey to represent herself as a surrogate and her Intended Parents from Australia. I wrote down the pattern as I made it, but left out major chunks! So, when I went back to type it out, I realized, I was going to have to recreate the whole project to ensure the pattern’s accuracy!
I am happy I did though because I was able to add some more personality to this sleep deprived mama!
Ready to make your own?
Skill level: intermediate
Techniques:
Mostly single crochet stitches worked in rounds and rows. You also need to know how to switch colours and work with jacquard or tapestry crochet.
Resources:
Heart Pattern from the book ‘201 crochet motifs, blocks, projects and ideas’ by Melody Griffiths, which you can purchase from Amazon.ca. Or, find a heart pattern online – (instructions on gauge and alternative options are in the pattern)
Materials:
Crochet Hook size 3.5
Yarn needle
Medium worsted weight yarn in:
- brown (1 skein)
- off-white (l skein)
- light brown
- black
- white
- grey
- purple
Fiber Fill stuffing
Needle and thread
1 pipe cleaner – optional to create a pacifier – consider safety if you are gifting this to a child under 3
Abbreviations
Rd – round
hk – hook
sl st- slip stitch
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
ch – chain
ea – each
st – stitch
Mama Kangaroo: in brown
Starting with the head and continuing through the body, work in rounds:
Rd 1: ch 2, 8 sc in 2nd ch from hk (8)
Rd 2: 2sc around (16)
Rd 3: (2sc, sc) around (24)
Rd 4: (2sc, sc in 2) around (32)
Rd 5: (2sc, sc in 3) around (40)
Rd 6-15: sc around (40)
Rd 16: (sc2tog, sc in 3) around (32)
Rd 17-18: sc around (32)
Rd 19: (sc2tog, sc in 2) around (24)
Rd 20: sc around (24)
— note – you may wish to stop here and add the facial details or continue through to make the body and add them on later!
Rd 21: (sc2tog, sc) around (16)
Rd 22: sc around (16)
Rd 23: (2sc, sc) around (24)
–note- you will be switching colours here between brown and off-white to create the stomach – I used jacquard crochet, but tapestry is also fine!
Rd 24-30: brown: sc in 8; off-white: sc in 8; brown: sc in 8 (24)
Rd 31: (2sc, sc in 2) around— complete using brown for 10 st; off-white for 12; brown for 10 (32)
Rd 32-35: brown: sc 10; off-white: sc 12; brown sc 10 (32)
Rd 36: (sc2tog, sc in 2) around — complete using brown for 8st; off-white for 8; brown for 8 (24). Fasten off the off-white
Rd 37: (sc2tog, sc) around (16)
Rd 38: sc around (16)
Stuff firmly
Rd 39: sc2tog around (8)
Rd 40: sc around (8)
Add more stuffing if needed
Rd 41: sc2tog around (4), sl st, fasten off and sew closed
Snout in off-white
Rd 1: ch 2, 8 sc in 2nd ch from hk (8)
Rd 2: 2sc around (16)
Rd 3: (2sc, sc) around (24)
Rd 4-10: sc around (24)
sl st and fasten off. Embroider nostrils and mouth in black. Stuff and sew onto face.
Eyes and lashes:
Embroider in black eyes as shown in the picture
Eye twinkle in white:
Embroider as shown
Eyebrows in off-white:
Embroider as shown
Ears: (make 2) start in brown
Rd 1: Ch 8, sc in 2nd ch from hk, sc in 5, 6sc in last st, sc in 5 foundation st, 3 sc in last st (20)
Rd 2: sc in 7, 2c in 4 st, sc in 7, 2sc in last 2 st (26)
Rd 3: sc around (26)
Rd 4: attach off-white (leave a tail of brown yarn to sew the ear onto the head): sc 12, (ear ruffles) ch 3, sc in same st, sc, ch 3, sc in same st, sc, ch 3, sc in same st, sc in 12.
sl st and fasten off.
Arm: (make 2) start in brown
Rd 1: ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hk (6)
Rd 2: 2sc around (12)
Rd 3-5: dc in 3, sc in 9 (12)
Rd 6-8: sc around (12)
Rd 9: (sc in 2, sc2tog) around (9)
Rd 10: sc around (9)
(Hands)
Rd 11: (sc in 2, 2sc) around (12)
Rd 12-13: Switch to off-white, sc around (12)
Stuff now
(Fingers)
–note: You will now fold the hold closed and switch to working in rows:
Row 1: ch 1, fold hand closed, sc across through both thicknesses (6)
Row 2: turn (ch 2, dc, sl st)- repeat 3 times. Fasten off.
Sew arms to the body using brown
Leg: (make 2) in brown
Rd 1: ch 2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hk (6)
Rd 2: 2sc around (12)
Rd 3: (2sc, sc) around (18)
Rd 4: (2sc, sc in 2) around (24)
Rd 5-12: sc around (24)
Rd 13: (sc2tog, sc in 2) (18)
Rd 14: (sc2tog, sc) (12), sl st and fasten off
Stuff firmly.
Make your foot. When done, your foot will sew to the open end of the leg
Foot: (make 2) in off-white
Row 1: ch 12, sc in 2nd ch from hk and in ea ch down (11)
Row 2-16: ch 1, turn, sc across (11)
Fold in half, stuff lightly and sew closed and to bottom of the leg (leave the top open for toes)
Make the toes and sew three on each foot.
Toes in off-white:
Middle Toe: (make 2) (1 per foot)
Rd 1: ch 2, 8 sc in 2nd ch from hk (8)
Rd 2: sc around (8), sl s and fasten off
End Toes (make 4) (2 per foot)
Rd 1: ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hk (6)
Rd 2: sc around (6), sl st and fasten off
Assemble your foot as previously instructed and sew your legs onto the body.
How she looks before the pouch:
Pouch: in light brown
Make a heart shape:
I used the heart pattern by Melody Griffiths from her book ‘201 crochet motifs, blocks, projects and ideas’. (See resources above for a link).
You may use a heart pattern you find online instead. Just try to gauge your heart to fit just a bit wider than mama kangeroo’s stomach.
When you are done your heart, switch to brown and sc in back loops only around and then in both loops for a second rd. sl st, fasten off and sew to her stomach and legs, ensuring the top is open for her joey.
Alternatively, you could crochet an oval or square (again, the fit should be just a bit wider than the stomach and then add two sc rows of brown).
The heart is a subtle shape here so it isn’t necessary, but I like the sentiment.
After pouch pic:
Tail: start in off-white
Rd 1: ch 2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hk (6)
Rd 2: (2sc, sc) around (9)
Rd 3-7: sc around (9)
Rd 8: fasten off the off-white and change to brown: (2sc, sc) around (12)
Rd 9-13: sc around (12)
sl st, fasten off, stuff and sew into place
Sleeping eye mask: in purple
This is made by creating two circles, sl stitching them together, and crocheting around the edges
Rd 1: ch 2, 8 sc in 2nd ch from hk (8)
Rd 2: 2sc around (16)
Rd 3: (2sc, sc) around (24). Sl st and fasten off.
Make your second circle by repeating rds 1-3 but do not fasten off.
Attach your eyepieces together by holding them side by side and sl st in 5 st of both eyes together
Rd 4: in back loops only sc around (40) sl st and fasten off.
Mask Strap:
Sl st black to one side, ch 36, sl st into the second side.
Eyes
Embroider closed eyes and lashes with black on each eye circle as shown in the picture
Sew the back of the mask strap to the back of kangaroo’s head, ensuring the mask can be raised and lowered on her face.
There! Mama is done!!
Joey: in grey
Rd 1: ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hk (6)
Rd 2: 2sc around (12)
Rd 3: (2sc, sc) around (18)
Rd 4-8: sc around (18)
Rd 9: (sc2tog, sc) around (12)
Rd 10-12: sc around (12)
–note, you may stop here to add on the facial features or continue on to finish the body first
Rd 13: (2sc, sc) around (18)
Rd 14: 2sc, sc in 8, 2sc, sc in 8 (20)
note, you will be switching colours using jacquard or tapestry crochet in next rounds
Rd 15-19: in grey: sc 5; off-white: sc 5; grey: sc 10 (20)
Detach off-white at end of rd 19
Rd 20: sctog around (10)
Stuff firmly
Rd 21: sc2tog around (5)
sl st, fasten off and sew closed
Snout: in off-white
Rd 1: ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hk (6)
Rd 2: (2sc, sc) around (9)
Rd 3-6: sc around (9), sl st and fasten off. Embroider nostrils in black.
Pacifier: (optional) – otherwise embroider a mouth in black
Shape a pipe cleaner into a pacifier (circle and handle) and trim.
Sew the pacifier onto the snout below the nostrils using a needle and thread
Stuff and sew the snout to Joey’s face
Eyes
embroider in black as shown with white yarn for the eye twinkles
Eyebrow
Use off-white as shown
Ear: (make 2) start in grey
Rd 1: ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hk, sc in 2, 3sc in last st, working on opposite side of ch, sc in 2, 2 sc in last st (10)
Rd 2: sc in 4, 3sc, sc in 5 (12)
Rd 3: attach off-white, leaving a long tail of grey for sewing; sc around (12) sl st and fasten off
Sew to head using grey
Arm: (make 2) in grey
Rd 1: ch 2, 5 sc in 2nd ch from hk (5)
Rd 3-8: sc around (5)
St sl and fasten off. Do not stuff.
Use off-white to embroider fingers.
Sew arms onto the body
Legs: (make 2) in grey
Rd 1: ch 2, 8 sc in 2nd ch from hk (8)
Rd 2-3: sc around (8)
sl st and fasten off. stuff.
Make feet and sew to open side of legs. Sew legs to the body
Foot: (make 2) in off-white
Row 1: ch 6, sc in 2nd ch from hk and in each st across (5)
Row 2-6: ch 1, turn, sc across (5)
Sl st, fasten off, sew closed without stuffing. Embroider toes in grey. Sew to open end of legs.
Tail: in off-white
Row 1: ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from hk, sc in next 2 st, ch 1, turn (3)
Row 2-3: sc across, ch 1 turn (3)
sl st, fasten off. Roll and sew closed and sew to body
Tada!!! All done!
Now, you can enjoy your sleepless mama kangaroo and her little joey or gift them to a special friend!
If you use my pattern, please credit Crochetstein! Like and share my page! Also, follow me @crochetstein on FB and Instagram! 😀 thank you
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