Temple Fat Cat

A friend of mine has asked me to make a Fat Cat in red and white for her daughter, who will be attending Temple University in the fall. Since I am not a fan of sewing seams, I altered the pattern to knit it in the round. Here's what I did.

Yarn
Main Color (MC): Red Heart Super Saver, Cherry Red
Contrast Color (CC): Red Heart Super Saver, White
Scraps of black and pink yarn

Materials
Size 9 needles (circulars and double points both useful for this project)
Size F crochet hook
Fiberfill

Gauge
I didn't bother.

Stripe Pattern
Knit 9 rows in MC, knit 9 rows in CC

Body
Cast on 102 sts. Join, being careful not to twist.
Rd 1 - 9: K102 MC
Rd 10 - 18: K102 CC
Rd 19 - 27: K102 MC
Rd 28 - 36: K102 CC
Rd 37 - 45: K102 MC
Rd 46: (SSK K30 K2tog) around CC (96 sts)
Rd 47 -49: K96 CC
Rd 50: (SSK K28 K2tog) around CC (90 sts)
Rd 51 - 53: K90 CC
Rd 54: (SSK K26 K2tog) around CC (84 sts)
Rd 55 - 57: K84 MC
Rd 58: (SSK K24 K2tog) around MC (78 sts)
Rd 59 - 61: K78 MC
Rd 62: (SSK K22 K2tog) around MC (72 sts)
Rd 63: K72 around MC
Rd 64 - 65: K72 around CC
Rd 66: (SSK K20 K2tog) around CC (66 sts)
Rd 67: K66 CC
Rd 68: (SSK K18 K2tog) around CC (60 sts)
Rd 69: K60 CC
Rd 70: (SSK K16 K2tog) around CC (54 sts)
Rd 71: K54 CC
Rd 72: (SSK K14 K2tog) around CC (48 sts)
Rd 73: K48 MC
Rd 74: (SSK K12 K2tog) around MC (42 sts)
Rd 75: K42 MC
Rd 76: (SSK K10 K2tog) around MC (36 sts)
Rd 77: (SSK K8 K2tog) around MC (30 sts)
Rd 78: (SSK K6 K2tog) around MC (24 sts)
Rd 79: (SSK K4 K2tog) around MC (18 sts)
Rd 80: (SSK K2 K2tog) around MC (6 sts)
Rd 81: (SSK K2tog) around MC (6 sts)
Rd 82: (K2tog) around MC (3 sts)

Ears (make 2 of each color)
Cast on 10 sts.
Work stockinette stitch (knit 1 row, purl 1 row) for 8 rows.
Dec 1 st each end of next and every following alt row to 2 sts.
Last row: P2tog. Fasten off.
With WS facing each other, sew Ear made with MC to Ear made with CC.

Base
With pair of double-pointed needles and MC, cast on 4 sts.
1st rnd: Inc 1 st in each st to end of row. Divide these 8 sts onto 3 needles.
Join in rnd, placing marker on first st.
2nd and alt rnds: Knit.
3rd rnd: *Inc 1 st in next st. Rep from * around. 16 sts.
5th rnd: *Inc 1 st in next st. K1. Rep from * around. 24 sts.
7th rnd: *Inc 1 st in next st. K2. Rep from * around. 32 sts.
9th rnd: *Inc 1 st in next st. K3. Rep from * around. 40 sts.
Cont in this manner to 104 sts, transferring sts onto circular needle when necessary. Cast off.

I crocheted the eyes and nose and backstitched the mouth and whiskers. I think he's rather adorable!