I’d love to share with you all my enthusiasm for my first amigurumi with chenille yarn, the “Flower Power” Hippo! The PDF file with step-by-step photos and written instructions is completely free for you to enjoy.

Continue reading this post for other curiosities, tricks and my personal impressions on chenille/velvet yarn for amigurumi.

Last summer I used DMC Happy Chenille for the first time and it won me over! I must admit I’m a huge fan of DMC yarns – all my Globetrotters and many more projects are made with DMC Natura and Happy Cotton. Could I not try their new chenille yarn?

Happy Chenille is a super soft 100% polyester chenille yarn (this means it’s vegan!). The thickness of this yarn makes the crochet work smooth and quick too, plus there is no need to work tight to get that stiff work suitable for amigurumi.

I chose this yarn to make the “Flower Power” Hippos because it is perfect for simple patterns which give immediate gratification. The chenille texture makes these funny crochet animals even more adorable! This yarn has a good stitch definition, so it is also recommended for those who have recently learned to crochet!

The irresistible temptation to try all of Happy Chenille’s colors and combine them together has led to this family of crochet hippos. After making the first it was impossible to stop!

Here are the Flower Power Hippos, presented one by one:

• “Peace” hippo: with a gray body (012 Hefalump x2 balls of yarn) and a rainbow crochet sweater
• “Dance” hippo: with a lime-colored body (029 Fizzy x2 balls of yarn), a two-layer skirt and a flower behind the ear!
• “Sing” hippo: with a turquoise body (030 Surfs Up x2 balls of yarn) and red dungarees decorated with a daisy

What is your favorite?

The PDF pattern includes the list of all DMC Happy Chenille colors used and step-by-step photos to make all 3 dresses that are worked separately without sewing them to the hippo. Try on different outfits and make your hippos a colorful wardrobe. Add flowers and details to them to make fun hippie hippos!

Do we have any tips to work chenille in an easier way? Yes, of course!

Tip 1: Chenille/velvet yarn has a different structure than classic wool or cotton yarns so it must be worked with care, but that doesn’t mean it’s difficult! At the beginning we just have to feel the thread and the movement of the crochet hook, making the first stitches slowly, without the haste of wanting to complete the project in the blink of an eye ;)

Tip 2: Reading the diagram you will notice that I DO NOT use the magic ring to start the pieces. To close the magic ring you have to pull tight on the thread, this is more tricky with a chenille yarn and sometimes breaks the thread. This step may not be very easy with a chenille yarn but the chenille yarn behaves very well starting the work in the round with 2 chains. Try both techniques and use your favorite!

Tip 3: Counting the stitches could cause headaches… but even in this case there is a solution: use a contrasting color tail of yarn so it stands out of the crochet fabric and you will always have the situation under control! (Click here for the photo tutorial)

I hope these tips will make your first crochet experience with chenille easier and “Happy”!

Click the button below to download your copy of the PDF pattern and visit the DMC website to browse the complete color chart and purchase the materials for your Flower Power Hippo!