Lion Keyrings

My daughter wanted a lion/safari themed party for last year.  As one of the party prizes I created some keyrings.  I looked for an appropriate pattern, but couldn't find one that was easy and quick enough.  So I ended up making up my own.

And here it is.  It is in American terms. I used a 3.5mm hook for the head and a 3mm hook for the ears.


Lion's Head: (make 2)
Begin with a magic circle.

Row 1: Chain 1, and work 6 single crochet into the ring, pull tight and slip stitch into the 1st chain.

Row 2: Chain 1, and work 2 single crochet into every stitch, slip stitch into the 1st chain.

Row 3: Chain 1, *Work 2 single crochet into the 1st stitch, and 1 single crochet into the next stitch*, repeat between the *s to end and slip stitch into the chain.

Row 4: Chain 1, *Work  a 2 single crochet into the 1st stitch, and 1 single crochet into the next 2 stitches*, repeat * section until end and slip stitch into chain and finish off, leave a longish tail on one to sew the two parts together

On one of the circles with the smaller tail CHANGE COLOUR

Row 5: Chain 1 in new colour and single crochet into every stitch, then slip stitch into the chain.

Row 6: Chain 3, 2 double crochet into the 1st stitch *slip stitch into the next stitch, 3 double crochet into the next stitch*, repeat * section to end and slip stitch into 3rd chain at the end.  Finish off.

CHANGE COLOUR AND HOOK SIZE FOR THE EARS
Cast on to part of R5, Chain 3, and then 4 double crochet into the same stitch, slip stitch and cast off.  Do the same again a bit further along for the other ear.  I did this by eye, rather than counting stitches, slightly less then a third of the circle apart.

Finishing Off
Sew on the face using beads for eyes or french knots. As I explained before I'm not great at sewing, so the faces took a long time, and I just tried to make them look like lions! Then sew the back onto the front and stuff with whatever stuffing you want to use (I used the inside of an old pillow - washed), and add a keyring near the top.

I made every lion keyring slightly different, so everyone had their own unique lion.  They won these as part of a treasure hunt they created for each other using the compasses they had won completing the Big Cat Coded treasure hunt I had made for them.

Six months on and I still see little lions attached to my daughter's friends' bags, and that always makes me feel happy!