Mark our words, there’s nothing better than a squished possum. This cute, comical bookmark is just the fun craft project to remind you of that.

Words and photos: Jane Wrigglesworth

Level: Intermediate

Materials:
Fawn yarn
Pink yarn
2 x 7.5mm crystal safety eyes
Wool needle
3mm crochet hook
Small bit of stuffing

Tip: At the end of each round, insert a marker (piece of different coloured yarn) into the last stitch. This helps you identify the end of the previous round when completing another.

Head

Start with the nose. Keep the stitches tight for the nose part otherwise it won’t form a point.

Using the fawn yarn, make a magic circle with 6 ch (join last ch to first ch with a slip stitch).

Round 1: 1sc then 2sc in next st. Repeat until end of round (9).
Round 2: 1sc in next 2sts then 2sc in next st. Repeat until end of round. (12).
Round 3: 1sc in next 2sts then 2sc in next st. Repeat until end of round. (16).
Round 4: 1sc in next 3sts then 2sc in next st. Repeat until end of round. (20).
Round 5: 1sc in next 4sts then 2sc in next st. Repeat until end of round. (24).
Round 6: 1sc in each stitch.
Round 7: 1sc in next 5sts then 2sc in next st. Repeat until end of round. (28).
Round 8-10: 1sc in each stitch.
Round 11: 1sc in next 5sts then crochet 2tog. Repeat until end of round. (24).
Round 12: 1sc in next 2sts then crochet 2tog. Repeat until end of round. (18).
Round 13: 1sc to end of round. (18).

At this stage apply the safety eyes and stitch the nose. (Do NOT cut the yarn. You will continue crocheting from this yarn.) Crochet the ears then attach with needle and fawn yarn. Stuff head.

Ears
Using the pink yarn, make a magic circle with 6 ch.

(2sc into first 3sts, 2ch [insert marker]), repeat.

Finish off leaving a tail for sewing.

Join fawn yarn.

1sc in 6sts, 1sc, 1ch, 1sc into ch space at marker, 6sc in next 6sts.

Finish off leaving a tail for sewing.

Top Legs and Body

(Continuing on from head)

Row 14: (first leg) 7ch. 4sc in next 4 chain spaces, 2 sl st in next 2ch.

Press the opening of the head together, with leg on the right.

Row 15: Work across the head opening (through both sides of head) with sc (9).

Row 16: (second leg) 7ch. 4sc in next 4 chain spaces, 2 sl st in next 2ch.

When finished 2nd leg, work body.

Row 17: 1ch, 9sc, turn.

Row 18: 1ch, 9sc, turn. Repeat until required length of body.

Bottom Legs and Body

(third leg) 7ch. 4sc in next 4 chain spaces, 2 sl st in next 2ch.

9sc across body.

(fourth leg) 7ch. 4sc in next 4 chain spaces, 2 sl st in next 2ch.

Sc 2tog, 5sc, sc 2tog. Turn (7).

Sc 2tog, 3sc, sc 2tog. Turn (5).

Sc 2tog, 1sc, sc 25tog (3).

Tail

Sl st into 2nd st and commence tail.

25ch. Sc into each chain st (back up to the possum’s bottom).

Sc into each stitch going down the tail.

Sl st into end of tail, then press tail together and sc through both sides of tail. Finish off.

Claws

Join pink yarn onto ends of legs. Leave a bit of a tail for pulling through at the end.

(4ch, 1sc, 2 sl sts). Repeat 4 more times.

Pick up loop at base of each claw (you should have 5 loops on your hook), then pull the yarn (tail) through all 5 loops. Cut yarn, tie both yarn ends together and weave into claws with needle.