Helen, I knitted for years. How the patterns are expressed has changed.

The Tardis mouse pattern seems to be no longer available online. I have a copy, but if the maker doesn't want it online, I'm not going to post it, of course.

Here's a couple of puzzling instructions:

Ssk – slip 2 sts, one at a time as if to knit, and knit them together
Sssk – slip 3 sts, one at a time as if to knit, and knit them together

(Does this mean you slip three stitches in order so the effect is to twist them, because stitch 1, 2 and 3 become 3, 2 and 1 on the spare needle?)

And in crochet:

Ch – chain
Hdc – half double crochet Sc – single crochet
Sl st – slip stitch

And another:

…work i-cord tail for 6 inches.

What is i-cord?