Lions and Tigers and Bears Baby Blanket

Round 1 (right side): Ch 3 (counts as first dc here and throughout), 11 dc in ring; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—12 dc.
Round 2: Ch 3, dc in same st as join, 2 dc in each st around; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—24 dc.
Round 3: Ch 3, 2 dc in next st, *dc in next st, 2 dc in next st; repeat from * around; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—36 dc.
Round 4: Ch 3, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, *dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st; repeat from * around; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—48 dc.
Round 5: Ch 3, dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st, *dc in next 3 sts, 2 dc in next st; repeat from * around; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—60 dc. Fasten off.
Round 6: With right side facing and working in back loops only, join D with slip st in any st, ch 4 (counts as first tr), dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next 9 sts, hdc in next st, dc in next st, tr in next st, *ch 3, tr in next st, dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next 9 sts, hdc in next st, dc in next st, tr in next st; repeat from * twice, ch 3; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—8 tr, 8 dc, 8 hdc, 36 sc, and 4 ch-3 spaces.
Round 7: Ch 1, sc in same st as join, sc in next 14 sts, 5 sc in next ch-3 space, *sc in next 15 sts, 5 sc in next ch-3 space; repeat from * twice; join with slip st in first sc—80 sc.
Round 8: Ch 3, dc in next 16 sts, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next st, *dc in next 19 sts, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next st; repeat from * twice, dc in last 2 sts; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—92 dc and 4 ch-3 spaces.
Round 9: Ch 3, dc in next 18 sts, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next ch-3 space, *dc in next 23 sts, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next ch-3 space; repeat from * twice, dc in last 4 sts; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—108 dc and 4 ch-3 spaces.
Round 10: Ch 3, dc in next 20 sts, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next ch-3 space, *dc in next 27 sts, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next ch-3 space; repeat from * twice, dc in last 6 sts; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—124 dc and 4 ch-3 spaces. Fasten off.

Mane
Round 1: With right side of square facing, join A with slip st in any unworked front loop of Round 6, ch 3, 2 dc in same st as join, 3 dc in each front loop around; join with slip st in top of beginning ch. Fasten off, leaving a long end for sewing on this and all facial pieces.

Ear (make 2)
With B, ch 2.
Round 1: Work 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook— 6 sc. Do not join. Place marker for beginning of round and move marker up as each round is completed.
Round 2: Work 2 sc in each sc around— 12 sc.
Round 3: *Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc; repeat from * around—18 sc.
Round 4: *Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc; repeat from * around—24 sc.
Round 5: Working in front loops only, slip st in each sc around; join with slip st in first slip st. Fasten off.

Top of Nose
With D, ch 6.
Round 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch, 3 sc in last ch, working on opposite side of foundation ch, skip first ch, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, ch 2; join with slip st in last ch. Fasten off.

Bottom of Nose
With C, ch 6.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn—5 sc.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in last 2 sc. Fasten off. 

Ears (make 2)
With E, work same as lion’s ear. Stripes (make 3) With F, ch 5.
Row 1: Slip st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 2 chs, hdc in last ch. Fasten off.

Cheek (make 2)
With A, work same as Rounds 1–3 of lion’s ear—18 sc. Fasten off.

Nose
With F, ch 2.
Round 1: Work 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook— 6 sc. Do not join.
Round 2: *Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc; repeat from * around—9 sc. Fasten off.

Ears (make 2)
With C, work same as lion’s ear.

Nose
Work same as tiger’s nose.

Snout
With G, ch 2.
Rounds 1–4: Work same as Rounds 1–4 of lion’s ear—24 sc.
Round 5: Sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc. Fasten off.

Lion: Sew ears in place as shown slightly overlapping edge of head. Sew top and bottom of nose together, center on base of face and sew in place. With H, embroider satin stitches for eyes and straight stitches for mouth (see first image below for satin stitch visual).

Tiger: Sew ears same as lion. Position stripes at top of base, equally spaced apart, and sew in place. Embroider eyes and mouth same as lion.

Bear: Sew ears same as lion. Sew nose to snout. On snout, embroider mouth same as lion then sew piece in place. Embroider eyes same as lion.

Arrange squares as shown in photograph or as desired. With wrong sides held together and working through both thicknesses, with D, sew through matching stitches and chain spaces in Round 10.

Border
Round 1 (right side): With right side facing, join D with sc in any st, sc in each st and ch-3 space between squares and working 5 sc in each ch-3 space at outer corners (corner made); join with slip st in first sc¬— 408 sc. Fasten off.
Round 2: With right side facing, join A with slip st in center sc of any 5-sc corner, ch 3, 4 dc in same st (corner made), *dc in each st to center st of next 5-sc corner, 5 dc in center st (corner made); repeat from * twice, dc in each remaining st; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—424 sc.
Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as first hdc), hdc next st, 3 hdc in next st, *hdc in each st to center st of next 5-dc corner, 3 hdc in center st; repeat from * twice, hdc in each remaining st; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—432 hdc. Fasten off.
Round 4: Join D with sc in any st, hdc in next st, 2 dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st, slip st in next st, *sc in next st, hdc in next st, 2 dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st, slip st in next st; repeat from * around; join with slip st in first sc. Fasten off.