ROW 16: (Ch-12, sl st next 2 sts) across, turn.
ROW 17: Rep row 15.
RND 18: Sl st in ea st across, sl st end ea row to rnd 13, sl st ea remaining sts rnd 13, sl st end ea row, sl st top beg sl st, off.
HEAD:
With Black and H hook ch-3, sl st to form a ring.
RND 1: Ch-1, work 6 hdc in ring, sl st top beg hdc, ch-1, turn. (6 sts)
RND 2-3: Hdc ea st around, sl st top beg hdc, ch-1, turn.
RND 4: (2 hdc next st, hdc next 2 sts) around, sl st top beg hdc, ch-1, turn. (8 sts)
RND 5: (2 hdc next st, hdc next 3 sts) around, sl st top beg hdc, ch-1, turn. (10 sts)
RND 6: (2 hdc next st, hdc next 4 sts) around, sl st top beg hdc, ch-1, turn. (12 sts)
RND 7: Rep rnd 4. (16 sts)
RND 8: Rep rnd 5. At end rnd 8 fasten off. (20 sts)
TUMMY:
RND 1: With Black and H hook, ch-12, hdc 3rd ch from hook, hdc next 8 ch, 2 hdc last ch, turn piece so you are now working across the bottom of the foundation ch (in the bottom of the sts just made) hdc ea ch across, sl st top beg hdc, turn. (20 sts)
RND 2: 2 hdc next st, hdc next 8, 2 hdc next 2, hdc next 8, 2 hdc last st, sl st top beg hdc, turn. (24 sts)
RND 3: 2 hdc next 2 sts, hdc next 8, 2 hdc next 4, hdc next 8, 2 hdc last 2 sts, sl st top beg hdc, turn. (32 sts)
RND 4: 2 hdc next 3 sts, hdc next 10, 2 hdc next 6, hdc next 10, 2 hdc last 3 sts, sl st top beg hdc, turn. (44 sts)
RND 5-7: Hdc ea st around, sl st top beg hdc, ch-1, turn. End rnd 7 fasten off.
LEGS:
With Black and H hook ch-4, sl st to form a ring.
RND 1: Ch-1, work 12 hdc in ring, sl st top beg hdc, ch-1, turn. (12 sts)
RND 2: Working in bk lps only, hdc ea st around, sl st top beg hdc, ch-1, turn.
RND 3-6: Hdc ea st around, sl st top beg hdc, ch-1, turn. End rnd 6 fasten off.
-Make 4.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:
Lightly stuff just the bottoms of the legs. With needle and yarn sew legs to edge of tummy spacing them out. Sew the tummy to the inside of back stuffing it as you sew and leaving row 14-18 of back free. Stuff head lightly and sew to body. It is designed to form into a ball by taking the flap from the back (row 14-18) and placing it over the head so that it connects to the other end of the back-like a ball. If you like you can sew a button to the head of the echidna and loop one of the back loops over the button to hold the echidna in the ball form.