Dam*ed Beaver!

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by Hannah (BitterSweet)

Living in the suburbs, I like to think that you get the best of both worlds; the convenience of the city isn’t too far away, and yet you’re close enough to nature that you might get to cultivate a garden, or get close to the native wildlife. Depending on the circumstances though, it can easily feel like the opposite. Got loud neighbors? Rowdy kids who bash in your mailbox overnight? Well, welcome to the city my friend! Worse, however, is when nature doesn’t know when to stay in its place. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a tree-hugging, plant-loving vegan, but I don’t take kindly to an invasion of ants or aggressive weeds consuming that carefully planted garden. That cozy little home of yours right on the fringe of modernity and tradition is far more precariously perched than one might care to believe, in fact. It’s pretty hard to ignore this when the elements try to evict you every time the rains come pouring down and turning the basement into a swimming pool.

Shockingly enough, it wasn’t a downpour that flooded the lower level the other day when I ventured down the winding staircase to retrieve an old book. Having experienced a string of crystal-clear, sunny days, puzzlement and alarm sent me charging back up those stairs to investigate. Nope, no burst pipes or overflowing bath tubs to be found, so what on earth was going on? Inspecting the perimeter of the house in a last desperate effort, the problem quickly became much clearer. Mysteriously, our shallow little puddle of a swamp had become swollen and was now seeping into every open pore in the siding. Following the trail of soggy earth back into the woods, it was there that the source became obvious. Towering over the diminutive creek sat a newly forged dam, solid as a rock and built of fallen trees and debris. Who could possibly be responsible for this monstrosity? Who would be so malicious, so uncaring, so…

Cute. Damn it. (Forgive the pun!)

Even Isis couldn’t believe it, sniffing around with trepidation.

Clearly, some serious discussion was in order. Reluctant to move his masterpiece, I could understand how much work he put into his dam, but something just had to give. Explaining the situation back at home, he eventually agreed to move further on down the river, but on one condition: That some other family would be kind enough to let him take up residence in their babbling brook or lazy stream. So I implore you, dear readers, to open your doors (or at least yard) to this sweet little critter and take him in. Just make sure he knows where the run-off from his blockades are going!

Head and Body:

Using an F hook and worsted weight yarn in dark brown, sc6 into a loop
Sc twice in each st (12 sts)
Sc1, sc twice into next st* around (18 sts)
Sc2, sc twice into next st* around (24 sts)
Sc3, sc twice into next st* around (30 sts)
Sc4, sc twice into next st* around (36 sts)
Sc even for 4 rounds
Sc4, sc2tog (30 sts)
Sc even for one round
Sc3, 2tog* around (24 sts)
Sc2, 2tog* around (18 sts)
Sc2, sc twice into next st* around (24 sts)
Sc3, sc twice into next st* around (30 sts)
Sc4, sc twice into next st* around (36 sts)
Sc5, sc twice into next st* around (42 sts)
Sc6, sc twice into next st* around (48 sts)
Sc even for 6 rounds
Sc6, sc2tog* around (42 sts)
Sc5, sc2tog* around (36 sts)
Break yarn

Bottom:

With light brown yarn, sc6 into a circle
Sc twice in each st (12 sts)
Sc1, sc twice into next st* around (18 sts)
Sc2, sc twice into next st* around (24 sts)
Sc3, sc twice into next st* around (30 sts)
Sc4, sc twice into next st* around (36 sts)
Break yarn, leaving long tail to sew with

Muzzle:

With light brown yarn, ch6, sc into 2nd ch from hook, sc into remaining sts (5 sts)
Turn, ch1, sc1, sc2 into the next st, sc1, sc2 into the next st, sc1 (7 sts)
Turn, ch1, sc2, sc2 into each of the next 3 sts, sc2 (10 sts)
Continue around and sc into back posts of first row of sts, and sc remaining even (15 sts)
Sc even for one round
Break yarn, leaving long tail to sew with

Ears: (Make 2)

Sc5 in a circle
Sc twice in each (10 sts)
Break yarn, fold in half, sew around edges.

Tail: (Make 2)

Ch 12
Sc 10, sc 3 times in last st, continue around, sc into the back of each st (23)
Turn, ch1. Sc 5, sc 2 into next, sc3, sc 2 into next, sc 3, sc2 into next, sc 3, sc2 into next, sc 5 (27)
Sl st 7, sc2 into one, sc1, sc2 into one, sc1, sc2 into one, sc 3, sc2 into one, sc1, sc 2 into one, sc 1, sc 2 into one, sl st 7 (33)
Sl st 7, sc 2 (sc 2 into one, sc 2) x5, sl st 7 (38)
Break yarn and tie off

Limbs: (Make 4)

Start with light brown yarn and sc 5 in a circle
Sc twice into each st (10 sts)
Switch to dark brown, sc into back loops
Sc even for one round
Break yarn and tie off

Assembly:

Embroider the muzzle with black worsted weight yarn. Cut small rectangles out of white felt for the teeth, and sew them on by hand with invisible (clear) thread. Lightly stuff, and sew the muzzle onto the head. Insert safety eyes and secure tightly. Stuff both the head and body with a gentle but firm touch, and sew the bottom to cover the open hole. Tie off and bury the knot.

Embroider one side of the tail as per the picture above, in a grid-like pattern with a mid-tone brown yarn, and sew the two pieces together. Sew the tail to the bottom of the body. Lightly stuff and attach limbs. Press the ears together and sew them on with a slight curve, so that they appear somewhat rounded. Enjoy your new friend, but keep an eye out for flooding!

80 thoughts on “Dam*ed Beaver!”

  2. You make me wish I knew how to crochet. I was a knitter once upon a time, but then I had a baby! Now I just don’t have the time! If I did, though, I would certainly make your adorable critters. This beaver is precious!

  5. This makes my heart want to melt. His little teeth remind me of my guinea pigs’ cute little faces, and the tail! Oh, the tail!!

  6. Adorable! Do you mind if I translate it into Spanish? I’d link back here and give you all credit, of course.

  11. AWESOME!!!! LOL!!! Me and my twin sister both had very large front teeth when we were young and kids would tease us calling us ‘bucky beavers’~ i have got to make one for her!!!!!

  15. Totally ADORABLE. Your Critter Patterns ROCK!!!!!! Thank You for sharing Your story and the Super CUTE Beaver Pattern!!!!! Big Critter Hugs to You!!!!!!!
    jeni

  16. your beaver is AMAZING!! I loved the little story, too : )
    I wish I knew how to crochet… is there a big learning curve?

  18. Hannah,
    I’ve nominated you for a Brilliante Blog Award, for being so awesome! Check out my blog for details. Then copy the award, link to me as the person who nominated you…and then nominate 7 of YOUR favorite blogs!

  19. This is so great! I had just been getting to try and do my own beaver pattern. There’s this song – you probably know it – The Beaver Song, and i sing it to annoy one of my friends and I’d been thinking that it would be great to have a little beaver to go along with the song! I might still do my own pattern, but I’ll be sure to make one of yours too!

  20. Tony:

    It really isn’t that hard to crochet – I’ve been doing it for about 30 years, but that’s only because I taught myself in 3rd grade when I was home sick and driving my Mom nuts.

    Just be patient and practice, and realize that at the beginning you are going to make a lot of mistakes. I have seen so many people who didn’t make a perfect project their first time, got frustrated, and never tried again. I told them you fell down an awful lot before you figured out how to walk, and now you’re pretty good at it! It’s eady to unravel mistakes in crochet, too, and pick up right where you left off. It’s much more forgiving than knitting that way.

    (The advantage of starting in crochet is that the materials are cheap! A few balls of decent quality yarn, a few hooks, a book or two from the library or a friend’s help, and that’s it – no expensive equipment or batteries required. And since so many people are impressed by anyone who can make something, you can always make simple cotton potholders to match someone’s new kitchen when they buy their first house, or a baby afghan for a sister who is having a baby, or a simple warm winter scarf for your uncle for Christmas, and the ooh’s and ahh’s are very gratifying to the ego.) :)

    Good luck!

  24. o my gosh, what a cutie he is, so of course i just had to copy him. hope mine turns out half as cute as yours.
    love the lil sotories that go along with em too, keep up the good work. such an imagination u have.
    i’m going into a lil home business of my own and wish i had the imagination to put lil stories with my lil guys i make as well. u’ve inspired me to try, thanks alot. hopefully i’ll have a web page as well too, just need to learn how to make one, havent got that part down yet, in fact dont even know where to start.
    back to you, youre awesome!

  30. I love all of your patterns and the stories that go with them are perfect. BTW, As has been said in the previous comments here, crocheting is really easy. Once the basic stitches are learned the sky is the limit.
    Janet

  34. that beaver is tooooooo cute. We used to live near a pond and the beavers would chew down these huge trees to make their little dams and homes. Then the enviro peeps would come and clear some away so the water would run again. Then the beavers would get back to work….it was pretty funny seeing this go back and forth…..

  37. I started reading your story and was delighted to find your Beaver. He’s so very cute and the story just brings him to life. Thank you for letting your talent share.

  38. LOVELY!!!!!!!!, one request, sorry to bother, but I like to keep my patterns with name and the hitory. But the name I must, almost in every pattern, again copy and paste, think most of people just want a pattern…….not me, Most of the times I make them and somebody (mostly my DD and her friends), so, I gave them with the name and their history, to add your signature!!. And for me, I imagine them as my pets, not just something you buy!. Thanks for the pattern, Ruth in Chile.

  40. MUST MAKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  41. Hi,
    I love the animal patterns, but sometimes it does not give the finished size. These are being donated to children in hospitals and we don’t want the tiny ones, but something larger and more cuddly. Can you please tell me what size the beaver turns out to be. Thanks!
    Ann

  42. I was so excited to find this pattern. My daughter’s high school mascot is the beaver. So I made this for her birthday. I added a pin with some charms and a little pennant to add some school spirit. It turned out so cute! Thank you for the wonderful patterns.

  44. I could take those beavers off your hands! We live on a hill above a little stream, but when it pours down rain, the city might be upset…that stream gets rid of the floods upstream. Not everyone is lucky enough to have my hill!

    I love your pattern, very cute!!

  45. I showed this to my sister and she made it for my hubs for his birthday. Sooooo cute!!! He loves it (and so do my kids!!!)

  46. hi Jen you mentioned you made this can you please email me direct thhis is a christmas gift but i need to know the meterial list and the finishing size.. all help is welcome.. .

  48. Being very familiar with beavers, I can see how you might object to a dam in your backyard! I have an Ozzy buddy who shared your site with me when I asked her if she could make me a little beaver like the owly critter she made for me (he will be on my blog soon). You’re right, he is dam cute! Oh, and best of all, my Russel is the first Beaver in my collection! LOL

    Kathy Beaver

  49. He is just prescious – will probably sit up all night making him – it is like a good book – I can’t put it down til finished. Am making them for my 3 yr old granddaughter and one more any day – it is such a joy and such FUN – do you have another animals – teddy bears, lambs, elephants – made a 15 inch elephant in white trimmed in an “electric” purplse – he is beautiful!!!
    “Gramma”

  50. hi I finished my Beaver for my son ;) he loved! thank you so much for sharing this for free, i posted photos of it on my blog if you want to see him, and I also linked you to this pattern and make mention of your blog ;0 thanks again
    ps i did have a lot of trouble with the tail.. so I ended up making my own, otherwise everything else was nice and easy to follow! thanks again!

    here is the my beaver version:
    http://dianasrocks.blogspot.com/2009/06/amigurumi-damed-beaver-and-chocolate.html

  51. […] meinen Sohn habe ich diesen kleinen Biber gehäkelt und ihn Bodo getauft. Die Anleitung ist von hier #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: […]

  52. Is that a Basenji in that beaver photo???????

    I have had four over the years! We really miss our last one. She died 2 yrs ago.
    That photo made my day!
    The beaver is cute ,too. LOL
    Trudy

  54. Will you send me a picture of the little critter? My fiancee went to Oregon State and is a HUGE fan of the Beavers! We are getting married in August and I may make him a beaver as a wedding present. Thanks, the email address is JLucero25@hotmail.com

  55. my fiances nick name is beaver and now that i have found a pattern for this i get to make a beaver for my beaver lol thanks

  56. I LOVE this little guy, he is too cute.
    I’ve started this pattern three times now and I’m having some trouble (I’m new at this)
    When I get past the first row : Sc twice in each st (12 sts), I get a bit lost in the second row : Sc1, sc twice into next st* around (18 sts). Does this mean that I Sc1 in the first stich then two Sc in the next stich and then Sc in the rest of the stiches? I tried it that way several times and I don’t end up with 18 sts??
    If anyone can help me out I would really appreciate it :0)
    Thanks

  57. I LOVE this! I have a Cafe and Art Gallery/ Gift shop in VA. We are family friendly and I am looking for some patterns for some local crocheters to do some animals to sell in our shop. We are also a Ministry and I plan to contribute a portion of every animal sold to a shelter or organization. Please let me know if I can use your pattern for friends to make for resale. Thanks and Be Blessed!
    Lisa
    Skyline Cafe and Art
    60 Mount Olivet Church Rd
    Elkton, VA 22827

  58. Hi there
    Just finished your great pattern and turned it into a Beaverrrrr
    he’s soooooooo cute really love it
    Although I had to get mad now and then when the tail gave me a hard time …. lolll
    thanks for the share
    big hugs
    Consolata

  60. What size are the eyes? How big is the beaver? The pattern seems really easy but you left out the most important thing. A materials list.

  61. So cute! My corgi has already found a new game, by the way: chase the yarn ball as it unwinds. Naughty corgi.

    You say to start the bottom with the light brown yarn, but in your picture it looks like the bottom of the beaver is the same dark brown as the top. Why is that? Are the 6 rounds of single crocheting, followed by the next two rounds enough that you won’t really see the light brown?

    I wonder if I did something wrong, bc I just finished the top, and it looks about as tall as the head. Maybe after I stitch the bottom on it will look more normal.

  62. I tried this pattern and I got done with the Head and body and the body was ridiculously big compared to the head. was I supposed to do the head and body separate? From what I understood about the pattern, no. Did I miss understand?

  63. I haven’t tried this pattern yet but I think the big problem is that the beaver in the picture does not seem to match the pattern. The pattern makes a much larger beaver. The one here looks cuter. Click on the link of the lady that made the beaver above and it will give you an idea of what it will look like. I think I’m going to try and cut it down and make it smaller some how. I’ve made a few animals but have never altered a pattern before. I made a frog and technically the head and body can be made together but she didn’t do that here. Wish me luck

  65. Hello,

    Thank you so much for sharing this pattern for free. He is just adorable. I am in the middle of trying to make one for my son, but I am a little stuck on the muzzle piece. I got to where there are 10 sts, but don’t understand how to continue from there to end up with 15 sts. Could you please try to explain that part to me a little more?

    Continue around and sc into back posts of first row of sts, and sc remaining even (15 sts)
    Sc even for one round

    I don’t understand what you mean by continue around to back of first row. And how will I end up with 15 sts if I am working evenly and only have 10 sts to start with? Sorry to bother you with this, but I would really like to be able to complete this little guy for my little guy. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Thank you again for sharing your work with others.

    1. Hi Tonya,

      You’re “continuing around” because those instructions don’t cover the entire round. You’re only crocheting into the back posts of 10 stitches, but there are 15 total.

      Does that make any more sense?

      Happy crafting!

      1. You’re “continuing around” because those instructions don’t cover the entire round. You’re only crocheting into the back posts of 10 stitches, but there are 15 total.

        —5V and 10 X around??

    2. I also had trouble with the muzzle piece so I just made up my own. I asked my sister what she thought it might mean but she hasn’t gotten back with me yet.

  66. What’s the difference between an F hook and a G hook? I have never heard of crocheting hooks being reffered to in letters – only in measurements. Other than that, this beaver is adorable and I’ll try it out as soon as I figure out the abbreviations…

  67. I just finished this beaver! I had to revise the head and body so the proportions were right (which also meant that some other things had to be changed too but nothing huge). When I first started this the body was GIANT compared to the head (I wonder if she just forgot to right down certain changes as she went) so I just made a few minor changes and it worked out well! htank you for this FREE pattern!

  69. I found one thing that was making the pattern hard to follow, was that the rows weren’t numbered. I found myself having to keep going back to the top of the page and count the rows , until I pasted it to ” notes” and numbered them myself. Problem solved.

  71. Thank you for this tutorial. I used it and posted a photo of it on my blog. Mine is not as beautiful as yours (in fact my beaver is a bit scary) but my boyfriend loves it.

  72. Thanks for this pattern. I made him for my son. Just a comment about it; i made the tail differently. I think you forgot to mention that you have to turn your work more often. Or else i didn’t understand it. Anyway, it’s finished now. My son is very happy with it. He is going to give it to the kids at school. The name of his class is bevende bevers, witch means shivering beaver.

    1. Right around where the four rows of even SC in the head begin, but the exact positioning is a matter of personal preference. I like to have the head nearly completed so I can get a better idea of the finished shape before committing to any permanent placement. Play around with it to see what looks best!

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