Crochet Blue and White Totoros

Totoro is the endearing forest spirit from Studio Ghibli's Japanese animated movie My Neighbor Totoro. (if you have never seen it I would highly recommend it.) Today I am going to be showing you how to make the two smaller of the three Totoro characters from the movie so that you can have your own.

MC: Magic Circle (I will use this to start all the body parts. However, you can use the chain method if you prefer.)

st: Stitch ot Stitches

sc: Single Crochet (US), Double Crochet (UK)

dc: Double Crochet (US), Treble Crochet (UK)

sc2tog: decease by working 2 stitches together

FO: Fasten Off

For the small white Totoro you will also need to know:

5 dc pop: popcorn stitch. (Work 5 dc into 1 st, take hook out leaving the loop, put hook through the 1st dc and pull the loop through.

Using white yarn

Round 1: 8 sc into MC. Pull tight and FO leaving a tail.

Using blue yarn

Round 1: 4 sc into MC - 4 st

Round 2: (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) 2 times - 6 st

Round 3: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st) 2 times - 8 st

Round 4: sc in all st - 8 st

Round 5: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st) 2 times - 10 st

Round 6: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st) 2 times - 12 st

Round 7: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 st) 2 times - 14 st

Round 8: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 st) 2 times - 16 st

Round 9: (Sc2tog, sc in next 2 st) 4 times - 12 st

Round 10: (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) 6 times - 18 st

For the first ear FO, leaving a tail.

For the second ear do not FO. Instead you will join the two ears leaving three stitches not joined between the ears. (See next step)

Using the working end of ear two:

Round 1: Sc into the 1st st of the first ear, sc in next 14 st, sc into 4th st of the second ear, sc in next 14 st - 30 st

Round 2&3: Sc into each st around (two rounds) - 30 st

Using the tail from ear one sew the gap between the two ears closed

Round 4: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st) 6 times - 36 st

Rounds 5-10: Sc in each st around (6 rounds) - 36 st

Stuff the ears as much as you can.

Round 11: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 st) 6 times - 42 st

Rounds 12-21: Sc in each st around (10 rounds) - 42 st

Put the start of your current round at the back, then fit the eyes at the front. Push the safety eyes through the hole in the center of the eyes you made then put them through the body between Rounds 6&7. Secure the washers on the inside. Stuff the body as much as you can (and continue to stuff it as you go).

Round 22: (Sc2tog, sc in next 12 st) 3 times - 39 st

Round 23: (Sc2tog, sc in next 11 st) 3 times - 36 st

Round 24: (Sc2tog, sc in next 10 st) 3 times - 33 st

Round 25: (Sc2tog, sc in next 9 st) 3 times - 30 st

Round 26: (Sc2tog, sc in next 3 st) 6 times - 24 st

Round 27: (Sc2tog) 12 times - 12 st

Round 28: (Sc2tog) 6 times - 6 st.

FO, leaving a tail. Finish stuffing and sew up the hole. Sew the edges of the white eyes, using the tail (of the eyes).

Using blue yarn

Round 1: 6 sc into MC - 6 st

Round 2: (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) 3 times - 9 st

Round 3: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st) 3 times - 12 st

Round 4: Sc in each st around - 12 st

Round 5: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st) 3 times - 15 st

Rounds 6-8: Sc in each st around (3 rounds) - 15 st

FO leaving a tail. Stuff firmly then sew to body making sure that the second half of the round is at the bottom.

Using white yarn

Round 1: 6 sc into MC - 6 st

Round 2: 2 sc in each st around - 12 st

Round 3: 2 sc in each st around - 24 st

Round 4: (Sc in next 3 st, (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 6 st, (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 3 st) - 30 st

Round 5: (Sc in next 4 st, (2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st) 3 times, sc in next 6 st, (2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st) 3 times, sc in next 2 st) - 36 st

Round 6: (Sc in next 5 st, (2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st) 3 times, sc in next 6 st, (2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st) 3 times, sc in next st) - 42 st

Round 7&8: Sc in each st around (2 rounds) - 42 st

FO leaving a tail. Sew the belly to the body, with the top level to the top of round 11 of the body. Embroider the nose on the face using a couple of short horizontal lines. Hide the ends inside the body.

Using blue yarn

Round 1: 4 sc into MC

Round 2: (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) 2 times - 6 st

Round 3: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st) 2 times - 8 st

Round 4: Sc in each st around - 8 st

Round 5: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st) 2 times - 10 st

Round 6: Sc in each st around - 10 st

Round 7: (Sc2tog, sc in next 3 st) 2 times - 8 st

Round 8&9: Sc in each st around - 8 st

FO leaving a tail. Stuff lightly and flatten then sew the top edges together. Sew the arms to the sides of the body roughly in line with the top of the belly, then use the yarn to make three upside down v's on the belly.

If you do not wish to make the small white Totoro to go along with it you are now done. Congratulations!

If you would like to make the white Totoro continue onto the next step.

Materials:

1.) White double knitting weight yarn

2.) 6mm safety eyes

3.) Stuffing

4.) Crochet hook

5.) Yarn needle

Ok lets start!

Using white yarn.

Round 1: 6 sc into MC - 6 st

Round 2: (2 sc into next st, (5 dc pop) 2 sc in next st) 2 times - 10 st

Round 3: (2 sc into next 4 st, sc in next st) 2 times - 18 st

Round 4 & 5: Sc into each st (2 rounds) - 18 st

Round 6: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st) 6 times - 24 st

Round 7-9: Sc into each st (3 rounds) - 24 st

Round 10: Sc in next st, (3 dc in next st) 2 times (make these 6 dc into a popcorn st - remove hook from working loop put hook through 1st dc and pull working loop through.) sc into next 21 st - 23 st

Place safety eyes between rows 5 & 6 attach washers inside. Start to stuff to body.

Round 11: Sc in next 3 st, (sc2tog, sc in next 2 st) 5 times - 18 st

Round 12: (Sc2tog) 6 times - 12 st

Round 13: (Sc2tog) 6 times - 6 st. FO leaving a tail.

Finish stuffing and sew closed. Hide ends.

Great job! You're done! If you would like to give these guys as a pair however, continue onto the last step and attach them together.

Attach the small white Totoro to the underside of the blue Totoro's arm.

Using white yarn

Starting at the bottom of the white Totoro whip stitch it to the side of the Blue Totoro.

Once you reach the ears, sew these to the underside of the arm. (See images.)

FO and hide ends.

That's it! Now go ahead and give it to someone! (or maybe after having done all that work you would rather keep it for yourself.)