How to Crochet a Tooth Pillow Pal With Hidden Pocket

Surprise your little princess with this tooth pillow pal! It does double duty as a stuffed toy, but also gets put into service when your little one is expecting the tooth fairy. It features a hidden pocket in the back to hold a tooth - and more importantly - a gift from the tooth fairy. But the best thing? It hangs on a door, so there's no need to sneak into the room when your little one is fast asleep and run the risk of getting caught.

You can easily make this for a little prince too; just leave off the eyelashes and embroider the mouth in black.

Watch the step-by-step video above to make one (you'll find timestamps on YouTube to pick up where you left off!

Yarn: The main yarn for the body is Patons Hempster (white sand). You'll also need scraps of gold (for crown), black, white, and green for eyes (or any eye colour you prefer).

3.5 mm Crochet Hook

Blunt Darning Needle

Polyfil

T-pins

ch = chain

st = stitch

sc = single crochet

dc = double crochet

incr = increase (2 sc in one st)

decr = decrease (sc 2 together: Insert hook into the front loop of the next two sts and sc together).

yo = yarn over

sl st = slip stitch

(..) = repeat instructions within brackets the given number of times

[..] = total number of stitches

This cutey is 7" tall (including the crown).

Using main colour, ch 17. Continue working on both sides of the foundation chain, starting from 2nd ch from hook. Continue working around the foundation chain, beginning from the second ch from hook.

Row 1: incr, sc in next 14 ch, 4 sc in the last ch, turn and crochet along the opposite side of the foundation chain: sc in the next 14 ch, incr [36 sts]

Row 2: (incr, sc in next 17 st) 2 times [38 sts]

Row 3: (incr, sc in next 18 st) 2 times [40 sts]

Row 4: (incr, sc in next 19 st) 2 times [42 sts]

Row 5: sc in all 42 st [42 sts]

Row 6: sc in next 2 st, (incr, sc in next 19 st) 2 times [44 sts]

Row 7: sc in all 44 st [44 sts]

After row 7, when the work starts to curl inward, flip it right side out as shown in 2nd last pic.

Row 8: sc in next st, inc, sc in next 3 st, incr, sc in next 17 st, incr, sc in next 3 st, incr, sc in next 16 st [48 sts]

Row 9: sc in all 48 sts [48 sts]

Row 10: (sc in next 11 st, incr) 4 times [52 sts]

In the next row, we’re going to create the pocket opening.

Row 11: sc 12, ch 10, skip 10 sts then sc in next st. sc 29 [52 sts]

In next row, continue to crochet across ch created for the pocket opening which will leave a temporary hole in the work.

Row 12: (sc in next 12 st, inc) repeat 4 times [56 sts]

Rows 13-18 [6 rows]: sc in all 56 st [56 sts]

Row 19: (sc in next 7 st, decr) repeat 6 times, sc in next 2 st [50 sts]

Row 20: sc in all 50 st [50 sts]

Row 21: sc in next 6 st, decr, sc in next 23 st, decr, sc in next 17 st [48 sts]

Row 22: (sc in next 10 st, decr) 4 times [44 sts]

Row 23: sc in all 44 st [44] Row 24: (sc in next 9 st, decr) 4 times [40 sts]

Now it’s time to make the ‘legs’ (the roots of the tooth). After creating the legs, we'll come back to finish the pocket.

Flatten out the work and use stitch markers or yarn scraps to mark the spacing for the legs. Each leg consists of 12 stitches, and there are 8 stitches between the legs on the back and front.

Rnd 1. Place marker then sc in next 12 st. Insert the hook into the first stitch on the opposite side (beside where you placed the marker) and sc together. This closes the circle to create the leg.

Continue working in continuous rounds:

Rnds 2-5: sc in all 12 st [12 sts]

Rnd 6: (decr) repeat 6 times [6 sts]

Fasten off the yarn, leaving a tail. Pass the yarn end through the front loops of the 6 stitches with your darning needle and pull to close the hole. Weave in the end, hiding inside the body.

Attach the yarn for the second leg and crochet it in the same way as the first one.

Fasten the yarn on the upper part of the opening with a sl st. sc across the remaining 9 sts [10 sts]. Ch 1, turn the work. Repeat for a total of 23 rows. Pull to loosen the last st so it can't accidentally unravel. Don't fasten off.

Fold the lower part of the inside pocket upward to meet the lower part of the opening. Thread the main yarn onto a darning needle and whip stitch down each sides to close the side seams.

When the pocket is done, it gets tucked inside so it hidden and all you see is the opening! Hide the pocket inside the hole (4th pic).

Now you can join the inner pocket to the bottom of the opening. Sc across [10 sts]. Fasten off and hide tail on the inside.

Your pocket is ready to test out (last pic).

With black yarn create a magic circle. 6 sc in magic circle. Tighten the circle to close.

2 sc in each of the next 3 sts. Before completing the last sc, change color to green (3rd pic).

The video doesn't show this, but carry the black across the back (as well as hide the green tail) in the follow sts. With green, 2 sc in each of the next 3 sts (pics 4-6).

Sc next st, but change back to black on the yo (this is why it's a good idea to carry the black). Loosely sl st next 5 sts.

Join white with a sl st in next st.

Loosely sl st next 6 sts catching in white tail.

Pull last white st through and thread end onto darning needle. Weave needle under next black st and pull yarn through (last pic). Put needle down through centre of last white st and pull through. Don’t pull too tight.

Now create the highlight in eye:

Use the remaining white yarn to create a highlight. Bring the needle up through the 5th black st. Insert needle back down through the 6th st. Repeat again to emphasize the white.

If you like, you can also create some eyelashes with black (3rd pic). Cut a 6” pice of black yarn and fold in half. Insert hook into outer edge of eye and slp knot as shown. Repeat this in the next st.

Repeat for the other eye.

The eyes will look messy on the back. Weave in all tails (pic 4 & 5).

Stitch Eyes On

I didn't quite get the eyes balanced perfectly straight up and down, but that's ok; it adds to the character!

Position eyes and use T-pins to hold in place while you stitch. Stitch on with a piece of the main colour.

Unravel the plies of yarn for the eyelashs and trim evenly for both eyes.

Be sure to complete the hanging cord before moving on to stuffing so it can be attached first.

Ch 2, sc into the 2nd st from hook. Turn the work to the side, (insert hook into vertical bar, yo, pull through a loop, yo and pull through 2 sts). Turn the work to the side again and repeat, but this time you’ll have 2 vertical bars. Do 5 sts.

Now we’re going to crochet the part that goes around the door knob. This should fit over a standard knob. But note that you may need more ch sts, depending on the size of your door knob, so adjust accordingly.

ch 30 and join to form a circle. sc around and slip to 1st st. [30 sts]

Fasten off but leave a long tail. Thread end onto darning needle and attach to the middle of the head. Knot on the inside and hide tail.

Now it’s time to stuff. Ensure that the pocket is resting against the back side so the stuffing ends up on top of it, as shown in 1st pic.

Start with the legs. Then stuff the body firmly with the polyfil.

Sew up the hole between the legs. Hide the end of yarn inside.

The crown is optional, but it's a cute addition!

ch 20. Remove hook and insert into first ch. Join into a circle with sl st. [20 sts]

Rnd 1. sc through back loop of each chain, work in tail as you go (2nd pic) [20 sts]

Rnd 2 sc around, but this time crochet through both loops [20 sts]

Rnd 3. Each peak of the crown is made up of a 4 st repetition. (Skip 1st st, dc 3 in next st, ch 3, insert hook into first ch and sl st, dc 3 in same st. again, skip 3rd st, sl st into 4th st) 5 times

Pull though yarn on last st and work in tail.

I used some pink embroidery cotton to create a nose and mouth as shown.

Attach crown to left side of head using the main yarn used for the body.

Now the tooth pillow pal is ready to hang on the outside door knob of your child's room and be put into use. You can surreptitiously retrieve your child's tooth from the pocket and replace it with coins or bills from the 'tooth fairy' - all without fear of waking your child!

When I was a kid, we would get a quarter from the tooth fairy. What's the going rate for the tooth fairy these days?

If we place in the Stuffed Toys Speed Challenge we will donate the equivalent of any winnings to Alzheimer's research to help find a cure!

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