Crocheted Easter Egg -- modified by Laura Eaves Skill Level: Easy Yarn: Worsted weight cotton yarn, solid color or varigated Hook: G hook Notions: polyester fiberfill stuffing Abbreviations Used: ch -- chain stitch sc -- single crochet sk1sc -- skip one stitch and single chrochet the next, thus decreasing a stitch (stitches...) rep -- repeat group of stitches Instructions: Preliminaries: 1. Tie a knot at the end tip of the yarn by making a little loop around your finger and rolling the end of the yarn through the loop several times, then pulling the yarn so the loop shrinks and forms a hard knot. This will be useful as a stitch marker in the rest of the pattern. 2. Make a slip knot about 7 inches from the knot end of the yarn. Be sure to tie it so the loop part is taken from the tail end, not the ball end, of the yarn, so the loop will adjust in size by pulling the tail end of the yarn. This is my version of a magic ring. I never did pick up how to make the original magic ring. 3. Position the loop so that the knot is at the top and the tail extends to the left, and when the tail is pulled, the right side of the loop is adjusted. It helps to lay it down on a table to be sure it is right. Now take the crochet hook and ch 1. (Note: if you crochet left handed, just reverse the left and right directions in the pattern.) Foundation Round: Work 8 sc into loop, making sure the stitches enclose both the tail and the loop. When the 8 stitches are done, you should have a ring of 8 stitches with the tail streaming out of the last stitch. Do not pull tail to close the loop until after round 1. Round 1: At this point, move tail so it is no longer enclosed in subsequent stitches. It should hang out the back. *Work 2 sc in first st, sc in each of the next 3 sts, rep from * around, do not join — 10 sts. At this point, carefully pull the tail and slide the sts on the ring as the ring shrinks. Pull as tight as needed to close the loop. The center should look like a puckered donut hole. In the following rows, as you increase the number of stitches, it is helpful to use the tail with the knot at the end as a stitch marker. After making the first sc in the round, take the hook and pull the tail through that stitch and remove it when you start the next round. It is helpful to have the marker there when you get to the end of the round. Round 2: *Work 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of the next 4 sts, rep from * around, do not join — 12 sts. Round 3: *Work 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, rep from * around, do not join — 14 sts. Round 4: *Work 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of the next 6 sts, rep from * around, do not join — 16 sts. Round 5: *Work 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of the next 7 sts, rep from * around, do not join — 18 sts. Round 6: *Work 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of the next 8 sts, rep from * around, do not join — 20 sts. Round 7: *Work 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of the next 9 sts, rep from * around, do not join — 22 sts. Turn the egg inside out. Round 8: Work 1 sc in each st around, do not join — 22 sts. Round 9: *sk1sc, 1 sc in each of the next 3 sts, sk1sc, 1 sc in each of the next 4 sts, rep from * 1 more time — 18 sts. Round 10: *sk1sc, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, sk1sc, 1 sc in each of the next 3 sts, rep from * 1 more time — 14 sts. At this point, fill with stuffing to desired density and shape, but take care not to overstuff. Round 11: *sk1sc, 1 sc in next st, sk1sc, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, rep from * 1 more time — 10 sts. Add last bit of stuffing for a rounded bottom. Round 12: sk1sc around — 5 sts. Fasten off, leaving a 6-in. tail. Use tail to weave in and out of sts from Round 12, pull to close up circle. Weave in end. This is the bottom of the egg. Note: If desired you can use a tapestry needle, but using the hook works just as well.