Meet Majestic Max – Darla’s Little Pony.  Back in December I crocheted ‘Our Little Bunny‘ because I wanted to use one of the balls of Bernat Pop! for something other than another scarf or shawl project. As soon as my children saw Our Little Bunny, they put in their own requests for crocheted toys too.

Drew requested a Seal – he has a love for seals and I am totally unsure where it has come from – he hasn’t even ever seen a real one except on television.  So I made Drew his Seal (pattern coming soon!).

Then I set to making Darla her Pony – Darla has been taking riding lessons for a few months now and she is totally enamored with horses and ponies. The pony she rides every week is Max and she adores him!

This is Majestic Max! Darla’s Little Pony:

This little pony is crocheted with 1 ball of Caron Baby Cakes yarn. You will need 1 complete ball to make the project. You may substitute any similar weight yarn if you prefer to have more control over the colors you have available for your pony.

Majestic Max – Darla’s Little Pony

Supplies

• Yarn: Caron Baby Cakes. [4] 3.5 oz / 100g; 231 yds / 211 m. 82% Acrylic and 18% Nylon. Machine Washable and dryable.  Color Dreamy Violet
• Hook: 3.5 mm (E)
  
• Finished Project Yardage: 231 yds (1 full ball)
• 15 mm Safety Eyes (2), PolyFil, Scissors, Yarn Needle, Stitch Marker (optional)

Difficulty Level

Easy

Finished Size

11 inches long (nose to tail)

6.5 inches tall from hooves to back

8 inches tall from hooves to tips of ears

torso is 4 inches wide

stance measure 6 inches from outside edges of hooves

Gauge

Approximately 3 hdc per 3/4 inch (0.75 inch) after stuffing
Approximately 3 rounds per inch after stuffing

You can substitute any yarn and hook for this stitch pattern – just remember when you substitute if your gauge is different, the finished size of your project will also be different.

Abbreviations

US Terminology used

ch – chain
DMR – double magic ring
hdc – half double crochet
hdc2tog – half double crochet 2 stitches together
R – round
rem – remaining
rep – repeat
sk – skip
st/sts – stitch/stitches
* – Repeat the instructions between the asterisks the number of times indicated. This repeat will contain of multiple instructions.
[] – at the end of the row – the total number of stitches

Special Stitches

hdc2tog

When I work the hdc2tog for amigurumi, I work it as follows (image follows):

1. Yarn over hook.
2. Insert hook under the front loop of the first st, insert hook under the front loop of the next st.
3. Yarn over and pull up 1 loop. You now have 4 loops on your hook.
4. Yarn over and pull through all 4 remaining loops on your hook.

Step 1 (upper left), Step 2 (upper right), Step 3 (lower left); Step 4 (lower right)

I find using this method makes the decreases less noticeable and less bulky.

Helpful Tutorials

Stitch Anatomy

Double Magic Ring

Whip Stitch

Color Changes on the Last Yarn Over

Invisible Join

Simple Closing Method

Helpful Video Tutorials

Quick Stitch Guide 

Slip Knot and Starting Chain

Notes

• DMR (double magic ring) is secured with 1 chain stitch. I do not chain any additional stitches before I begin working the hdc stitches in R1. This project is worked in continuous rounds so you will need a stitch marker to mark your position. This means at the end of the round you do NOT join with a slip stitch and you do NOT chain any additional stitches for extra height. The hdc is short enough that you do not need to do this and by eliminating these unnecessary stitches you will have a much neater finished item without an ugly seam.
• I have included instructions on how I crochet the hdc2tog for amigurumi projects in the Special Stitches Section above. You can of course use a regular hdc2tog if you want.
• This project is worked in parts and then seamed together using a simple whipstitch to join the segments of the pony.
• I did not choose yarn colors from the ball for this project. I began at the center pull end of the ball and crocheted with whichever color came out of the ball next. You may want to roll the ball into separate small balls of different colors  if you want to control where the color changes happen. If you need to join new colors I recommend you join using the color change after the last yarn over of the stitch method. I have included a link to a tutorial in the Helpful Links Section above.
• When I add eyes to my projects I always temporarily stuff the head to see how it looks ‘stuffed’ and then I pop the eyes into position. Once I have them where I like them, I remove the polyfil and add the safety backs securely. Then I restuff the head.
• Be sure to stuff your Pony firmly but not too firmly (ie do not let the spaces between the stitches open up too much so you can see the stuffing through to the outside).
• If you want the Pony’s head to be held up higher, attach the neck portion a little further back from the front of the body and then stretch it into a more oval shape as you attach the other end to the front of the torso. So make the neck circle an oval shape when whipstitching it to the torso.

Majestic Max – Darla’s Little Pony Pattern Instructions

Little Pony’s Head

R1: DMR: 8 hdc. [8]
R2: 2 hdc in each st around. [16]
R3: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 7 sts**. Rep from * to ** 2 times. [18]
R4: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 8 sts**. Rep from * to ** 2 times. [20]

R5: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 9 sts**. Rep from * to ** 2 times. [22]
R6: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 10 sts**. Rep from * to ** 2 times. [24]
R7: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 5 sts**. Rep from * to ** 4 times. [28]
R8: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 6 sts**. Rep from * to ** 2 times. [32]

R9: 1 hdc in each st around [32]
R10: 1 hdc in each st around [32]
R11: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 7 sts**. Rep from * to ** 4 times. [36]
R12: 1 hdc in each st around [36]

R13-R16: Rep R12
R17: *Hdc2tog, 1 hdc in each of the next 7 sts**. Rep from * to ** 4 times. [32]

I recommend you stuff the head at this point and decide where you want to place the eyes. Once you have decided, remove the polyfil and assembly the safety eyes securely. Then refill the had with polyfil. Fill firmly but do not overstuff so the stitches become overstretched.

I placed the eyes like this:

R18: *Hdc2tog, 1 hdc in each of the next 6 sts**. Rep from * to ** 4 times. [28]
R19: *Hdc2tog, 1 hdc in each of the next 5 sts**. Rep from * to ** 4 times. [24]
R20: *Hdc2tog, 1 hdc in each of the next 4 sts**. Rep from * to ** 4 times. [20]

Stuff more fiberfill into the Pony’s head.

R21: *Hdc2tog, 1 hdc in each of the next 3 sts**. Rep from * to ** 4 times. [16]

Finish off leaving a long tail of yarn. We need to close the head AND have yarn left over to sew the head to the neck.

Try this simple closing method to cinch the hole from R21 closed securely and neatly:

Simple Closing Method

Put the head aside for the moment and continue with the remaining body parts.

Little Pony’s Body

R1: DMR: 8 hdc. [8]
R2: 2 hdc in each st around. [16]
R3: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in the next st**. Rep from * to ** 8 times. [24]
R4: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 2 sts**. Rep from * to ** 8 times [32]

R5: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 3 sts**. Rep from * to ** 8 times [40]
R6: 1 hdc in each st around. [40]
R7-R17: Rep R 6
R18: *Hdc2tog, 1 hdc in each of the next 3 sts**. Rep from * to ** 8 times. [32]

I recommend you stuff the body firmly at this point

R19: 1 hdc in each st around. [32]
R20: *Hdc2tog, 1 hdc in each of the next 2 sts**. Rep from * to ** 8 times. [24]
R21: 1 hdc in each st around. [24]
R20: *Hdc2tog, 1 hdc in the next st**. Rep from * to ** 8 times. [16]

I recommend you add more polyfil at this point. Stuff firmly but not over-full.

R21: 1 hdc in each st around. [16]

Finish off leaving a long tail of yarn. We need to close the body AND have yarn left over to sew the body to the neck.

Try this simple closing method to cinch the hole from R21 closed securely and neatly:

Simple Closing Method

Put the body aside for the moment and continue with the remaining parts.

Little Pony’s Neck

R1: DMR: 8 hdc. [8]
R2: 2 hdc in each st around. [16]
R3: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in the next st**. Rep from * to ** 8 times. [24]
R4: 1 hdc in each st around. [24]

R5-R8: Rep R4.

Finish off leaving a long tail of yarn. We to attach the neck to the body.  Stuff firmly (you need the pony to have a strong neck to support the head).  We do not close the one end of the neck. Instead, we actually attach it to the body OPEN. This allows you to position the head in a variety of spots more easily. Darla’s pony’s head is lower on the body because she wanted it to be able to graze and she  just preferred in this position when I showed her Max and asked. If you want the head to be held more upright on the pony then you will need to stretch the open end of the neck and attach it to the back of the horse a little further back from the front. When you stretch it it becomes more of an oval shape for assembly. Ours was attached as circle shape.

Put the neck aside and proceed to the Legs section.

Here is a photo of the neck on the pony:

To make the head stand up more you would still start the bottom of the neck assembly where the Pony has it in the above photo but you would stretch the opening of the neck into a more oval shape and attach it slightly further back toward the tail end of the horse. When I whipstitched around the loops (both the front loop and back loop), I did so for every stitch around the neck; one by one.

Little Pony’s Legs (make 4)

We are starting at the hoof of the leg.

R1: DMR: 8 hdc. [8]
R2: 2 hdc in each st around. [16]
R3: 1 hdc in each st around. [16]
R4: Rep R3

I recommend you stuff the bottom portion of the hoof at this point.

R5: *Hdc2tog, 1 hdc in each of the next 2 sts**. Rep from * to ** 4 times. [12]
R6: 1 hdc in each st around. [12]
R7-R9: Rep R6.
R10: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in the next st**. Rep from * to ** 6 times. [18]

R11: 1 hdc in each st around. [18]
R12: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in the next st**. Rep from * to ** 9 times. [27]

Stuff the leg firmly with Polyfil. Finish off leaving a long tail of yarn for assembly. We do not cinch the legs closed. They are left open to be attached. Set aside and continue to the Ears Section.

Little Pony’s Ears (make 2)

We are starting at the tip of the ear.

R1: DMR: 8 hdc. [8]
R2: 1 hdc in each st around. [8]
R3: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in the next st**. Rep from * to ** 4 times. [12]
R4: *2 hdc in the next st, 1 hdc in the next st**. Rep from * to ** 6 times. [18]

R5: 1 hdc in each st around. [18]

Finish off, leaving a long tail of yarn for assembly.

Little Pony Assembly

Each part of the horse is assembled using a simple whip stitch seam. I worked 1 whipstitch for every stitch available for every body part. I worked around both the front and back loops of each available stitch. After whip-stitching the pieces securely, I finished off and wove in my ends.

Please see the following photos to assist you. This is where I attached Max’s body parts. You can easily use spare pieces of scrap yarn to gently tie the pieces in place before whipstitching them to the pony. I’ve also seen some people using pins to do this – although I have never personally  had any luck with pins holding my pieces together. They always tend to come loose and stab me (ouch!) so I use yarn ends and scrap yarn to tie them down and then remove those after I am done seaming.

For the Mane and Tail I used this simple technique.

How to add a simple fringe to a scarf.

I used a 5 mm (H) hook and 2 strands of the remaining yarn and hooked it around the post of each hdc in the section I wanted the mane and tail to be. Each strand was 12-inches long to begin (I wrapped the yarn lengthwise around my mobile phone before cutting it along one edge – yep – I use the tools on hand lol). After I had used up the remaining yarn from the ball I trimmed the tail to one almost even length and tidied up the mane just a bit. My daughter is big into doing braids and hair-dos right now so I knew she’d want extra hair on her pony to play with. Here are a couple images for positing for these hair sections.

I hope you like this little pony pattern 🙂 My daughter adores her Max stuffy!

Looking for another toy to make? You may like Our Little Bunny:

Our Little Bunny – A Free Crochet Toy Pattern

#babycakes #amigurumi #freepattern #freecrochetpattern #crochettoys