Meet Cheese Tourist Mouse, a curious little traveler in a red polka-dot dress, cozy beige trench coat, brown shoes, and a tiny black camera, holding her cheese wedge and passport with a rolling suitcase by her side.
Please note: I strive for accuracy in every pattern, but occasional errors can happen. Thank you for understanding and for enjoying my designs.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- MR – magic ring
- ch – chain
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- inc – increase (2 sc in same st)
- dec – invisible decrease (sc 2 sts together)
- BLO – back loop only
- FLO – front loop only
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rnd – round
- rep – repeat
Work in continuous rounds unless noted. Use a stitch marker for the first st of each rnd.
Materials
- Yarn – DK / light worsted cotton or cotton blend:
- Mouse main color: light warm gray or beige
- Inner ear & nose: soft pink
- Dress: red
- Dress dots: white or cream
- Trench coat & suitcase: tan / light camel
- Shoes: medium brown
- Camera body & strap: black
- Camera lens ring: medium gray
- Cheese wedge: bright yellow-orange
- Passports: deep plum or burgundy with gold lettering
- Small accents/embroidery: dark gray or brown (mouth lines)
- Hook: 2.5–3.0 mm (or size needed for tight fabric)
- Safety eyes: 8 mm, 1 pair
- Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill
- Tapestry needle, sewing pins, scissors, stitch markers
- A little strong sewing thread or thin yarn for whiskers
Gauge & Finished Size
Gauge is not critical, but fabric should be tight so stuffing does not show.
With DK cotton and a 2.75 mm hook, the finished mouse stands about 20–22 cm (8–8.5″) tall, including ears.
Construction Overview
Cheese Tourist Mouse is worked in separate pieces:
- Legs with built-in brown shoes, joined to form the lower body.
- Body and neck worked upward as one piece.
- Head crocheted separately and sewn on.
- Ears, arms, and tail made individually and attached.
- Dress and trench coat are removable garments made in rows and rounds.
- Accessories include a cheese wedge, camera on a neck strap, rolling suitcase, and two passports.
Stuff firmly as you go so the mouse can stand assisted by the shoes and suitcase.
Mouse Body
Legs & Shoes (make 2)
With brown (shoes):
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: inc around (12)
Rnd 3: (sc, inc) x6 (18)
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) x6 (24)
Rnd 5: sc in each st (24)
Rnd 6 (toe shaping): 6 sc, (dec, sc) x4, 6 sc (20)
Rnd 7: sc in each st (20)
Change to mouse body color.
Rnd 8 (BLO): sc in each st (20)
Rnd 9–13: sc in each st (20)
Rnd 14: (3 sc, dec) x4 (16)
Rnd 15–18: sc in each st (16)
Fasten off first leg only. Do not fasten off second leg; continue to join.
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Join Legs & Work Body
From last st of second leg:
Rnd 1: ch 4, join to first leg with sc, sc around first leg (16), sc 4 across one side of ch, sc around second leg (16), sc 4 across other side of ch (40 sts total).
Place marker at center back.
Rnd 2–3: sc in each st (40)
Rnd 4: (8 sc, dec) x4 (36)
Rnd 5–6: sc in each st (36)
Rnd 7: (7 sc, dec) x4 (32)
Rnd 8–9: sc in each st (32)
Rnd10: (6 sc, dec) x4 (28)
Stuff legs and lower body firmly.
Rnd11–12: sc in each st (28)
Rnd13: (5 sc, dec) x4 (24)
Rnd14: sc in each st (24)
Rnd15: (3 sc, dec) x4 (20)
Rnd 16: sc in each st (20) – this is the neck.
Fasten off, leaving a tail if you prefer to sew head to this neck stump after.
Tail
With mouse color:
Rnd 1: 5 sc in MR (5)
Rnd 2–16: sc in each st (5)
Lightly cord the tail by rolling between your fingers; do not stuff. Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Sew to center back near bottom of body, letting it curve naturally down and to one side.
Head
With mouse color:
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: inc around (12)
Rnd 3: (sc, inc) x6 (18)
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) x6 (24)
Rnd 5: (3 sc, inc) x6 (30)
Rnd 6: (4 sc, inc) x6 (36)
Rnd 7: (5 sc, inc) x6 (42)
Rnd 8–14: sc in each st (42)
Insert safety eyes between rnds 11–12, spaced about 8 sts apart.
Rnd 15: (5 sc, dec) x6 (36)
Rnd 16: (4 sc, dec) x6 (30)
Rnd 17: (3 sc, dec) x6 (24)
Stuff head firmly.
Rnd 18: (2 sc, dec) x6 (18)
Rnd 19: (sc, dec) x6 (12)
Fasten off and close. Sew head neatly onto neck, keeping the face centered over the legs.
Ears (make 2 outer + 2 inner)
Outer Ear
With mouse color:
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: inc around (12)
Rnd 3: (sc, inc) x6 (18)
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) x6 (24)
Rnd 5–6: sc in each st (24)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Inner Ear
With pink:
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: inc around (12)
Rnd 3: (sc, inc) x6 (18)
Fasten off, leaving a tail.
Flatten the inner circle and sew it centered onto the wrong side of the outer ear, leaving a neat pink disc framed by gray. Then lightly pinch the bottom of each ear and sew a few stitches to create a gentle curve.
Attach ears high on the head, slightly toward the back, so they stand out wide as in the photo.
Arms (make 2)
With mouse color:
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: (sc, inc) x3 (9)
Rnd 3–5: sc in each st (9)
Rnd 6: (2 sc, inc) x3 (12)
Rnd 7–10: sc in each st (12)
Stuff lightly, only the hand area.
Rnd 11: (sc, dec) x4 (8)
Flatten opening and sc through both layers across (4 sts). Fasten off leaving a tail.
Sew arms to sides of body at shoulder line, slightly angled forward. Position one hand slightly upward (for the passport) and the other slightly out (for the cheese).
Face Embroidery & Whiskers
- With pink yarn, embroider a small round nose centered between eyes and 1–2 rnds below them.
- With dark gray or brown, stitch a short vertical line under the nose and two tiny downward curves for a subtle smile.
- Add thin whiskers on each side with sewing thread or very fine yarn: knot at one side, bring needle through the head, exit where whisker should start, leave a short length, then go back in and out to create 3 whiskers per side. Trim to even lengths.
Red Polka-Dot Dress
Dress is a simple sleeveless A-line that sits under the trench coat.
With red:
Ch 40, join to form a ring.
Rnd 1: ch 1, sc in each ch (40)
Rnd 2–3: sc in each st (40)
Rnd 4: (9 sc, inc) x4 (44)
Rnd 5–6: sc in each st (44)
Rnd 7: (10 sc, inc) x4 (48)
Rnd 8–10: sc in each st (48)
Try the skirt around the mouse; it should reach just above the shoes and flare slightly.
Bodice
Rnd 11: (10 sc, dec) x4 (44)
Rnd 12: sc in each st (44)
Rnd 13: (9 sc, dec) x4 (40)
Now we’ll form armholes and back opening.
Row 14 (worked flat):
- sc 12, ch 4 (first armhole), skip 4 sts, sc 8 (front center), ch 4 (second armhole), skip 4 sts, sc 12, ch 1, turn.
Row 15: sc across all sts and chains (40).
Row 16: sc2tog, sc to last 2 sts, sc2tog (38).
Fasten off. Seam a few stitches at center back of skirt if you want a small slit only at the top, or add a tiny snap/ hook at neck to close.
Dress Straps & Neckline
Join red yarn at front corner of bodice.
Strap: ch 10–12 (to fit over shoulder), sl st to corresponding st at back. Work 1 row of sc back along chain for thickness. Fasten off.
Repeat for the other side.
Polka Dots
With white or cream, embroider small French knots or tiny straight-stitch dots scattered evenly across the skirt and front bodice. Keep them round and slightly raised to mimic the fabric in the photo.
Dress the mouse in the red dress before the coat.
Beige Trench Coat
The trench coat is open at the front with a simple collar and long sleeves.
Body
With tan:
Ch 46.
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and across (45), ch 1, turn.
Row 2–4: sc across (45), ch 1, turn.
Row 5 (shape slight flare): sc 5, inc rep to end (54), ch 1, turn.
Row 6–8: sc across (54), ch 1, turn.
Now split for fronts and back.
Row 9: sc 12 (right front), ch 1, turn, leave remaining sts unworked for now.
Row 10–13: sc across 12, ch 1, turn. Fasten off.
Reattach yarn at st 21 of row 8 for back panel.
Row 9B: sc 30 (back), ch 1, turn.
Row 10B–13B: sc across 30, ch 1, turn. Fasten off.
Reattach at st 51 of row 8 for left front.
Row 9C–13C: sc 12, ch 1, turn. Fasten off.
Shoulder Join & Neck
Hold pieces together RS facing.
Row 14: With tan, starting at right front top edge, sc across 12 sts of right front, 30 sts of back, 12 sts of left front (54). This joins shoulders. Ch 1, turn.
Row 15 (neck shaping): sc2tog, sc 50, sc2tog (52).
Row 16: sc2tog, sc 48, sc2tog (50). Fasten off.
Sleeves (make 2)
With tan:
Rnd 1: Join yarn around armhole opening, picking up approx. 18 sts evenly (9 front, 9 back).
Rnd 2–6: sc in each st (18)
Rnd 7: (4 sc, dec) x3 (15)
Rnd 8–10: sc in each st (15)
Fasten off. Repeat for second sleeve. Fold cuffs once to resemble the slightly rolled look.
Front Edges & Hem
Attach tan at lower right front corner. Sc evenly up front edge, around neck, and down the other side. Fasten off.
For the hem, you can optionally add one more row of sc across the bottom in tan to give it weight.
Lapels Hint
To mimic lapels without complex shaping, run a line of slip stitches on the RS from the shoulder seam down toward mid-chest on both sides. Fold edges back slightly when dressing the mouse.
Add two small flat buttons on each side of the coat front with tan or contrasting yarn.
Shoes Details
The shoes are already part of the legs. To match the photo:
- With lighter brown, embroider a short horizontal bar across the top of each shoe near the ankle to hint at a strap.
- Optionally, work 1 rnd of sl sts around rnd 6 of shoe in brown to create a visible edge.
Cheese Wedge
With yellow-orange:
Rnd 1: 4 sc in MR (4)
Rnd 2: (sc, inc) x2 (6)
Rnd 3: sc in each st (6)
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) x2 (8)
Rnd 5–7: sc in each st (8)
Stuff firmly.
Rnd 8: (sc, dec) x2, 2 sc (6)
Fasten off and shape into a rounded triangle by pinching two corners. With a slightly darker yellow, embroider small “holes” on two faces of the wedge.
Sew or tack wedge into one hand.
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Camera with Neck Strap
Camera Body
With black:
Ch 9.
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and across (8), ch 1, turn.
Row 2–5: sc across (8).
Fasten off. Fold in half and seam sides to form a small rectangle. Stuff lightly.
Lens
With gray:
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: (sc, inc) x3 (9)
Fasten off, leaving tail. Sew centered on front of camera body. Embroider a tiny black circle in the middle for lens depth.
Strap
With black: ch 60–65 (long enough to go around neck and rest camera on chest).
Sl st in each ch back to start, fasten off. Sew strap ends to top corners of camera body. Place loop over the mouse’s head before putting on the coat, then adjust so camera sits in front of the dress.
Passport & Mini Passport
Main Passport
With plum/burgundy:
Ch 9.
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and across (8), ch 1, turn.
Row 2–6: sc across (8).
Fasten off. Fold in half like a little booklet. With gold or yellow yarn, embroider the word “PASSPORT” along the top front cover and a tiny circle near the bottom.
Place into one hand and tack with a few stitches.
Small Passport on Table
Make a second booklet:
Ch 7, work 4–5 rows of sc, fold, add small circle or tiny lines to resemble a stamp. This one can be left loose or sewn next to the suitcase.
Rolling Suitcase
Suitcase Body – with tan:
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: inc around (12)
Rnd 3: (sc, inc) x6 (18)
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) x6 (24)
Rnd 5 (walls): BLO, sc in each st (24)
Rnd 6–11: sc in each st (24)
Stuff firmly.
Rnd 12: (2 sc, dec) x6 (18)
Rnd 13: (sc, dec) x6 (12)
Fasten off and close.
Handle Loop – with tan:
Ch 14.
Row 1: sl st in 2nd ch from hook and each ch back (13).
Shape into a tall “U” and sew both ends to top of suitcase, as the rigid handle.
Wheels – with dark brown or black (make 4):
Rnd 1: 5 sc in MR (5). Fasten off, leaving tails.
Sew one wheel at each bottom corner of suitcase.
Stand suitcase by the mouse’s side and secure with a few stitches to the table or to one foot if needed.
Final Assembly
- Dress mouse in the red polka-dot dress.
- Put the camera strap over the head so the camera rests on the front.
- Add the trench coat, arranging the collar and fronts to stay slightly open so the dress peeks out.
- Place cheese wedge in one hand and the passport in the other, stitching them in place.
- Position the rolling suitcase slightly to one side near her feet, and lay the second passport on the “floor” or table for styling.
- Adjust ears, whiskers, and clothing so everything sits just like the photo.
Your Cheese Tourist Mouse is now ready to explore the world, camera ready and snacks in paw. Enjoy making her, and have fun posing her in your own cozy travel-themed photo shoots. 🧶🧀📷✈️
