Sweater Frog

It's been a little while, I know! I have made a few creatures since May, but somehow they never got their portraits made, and subsequently, never made it to this blog.

Here's a new design- I'll call him "Sweater Frog" because of the stripes.  I couldn't find the exact kind of frog I wanted to make online, so I created my own (for my mom, who has placed several "orders" in the last few months.) He features bug eyes made of felt, an embroidered nose and mouth, pink stripes and froggish feet.


Pattern will be posted...

Bumblebee design

I spent five hours selling my "emigurumis" yesterday at our church's craft fair. Both teacup kitties and a bear got bought :-) I also had an order for a brown and yellow bee... and here he is! Pattern below....

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Body

R1: (yellow) ch2, 5 sc

R2: 2 sc in ea (10 stitches)

R3: 2 sc in ea (20 stitches)

R4: sc, 2 sc around (30 stitches)

R5: add eyes, sc 30

R6-R7: sc 30, embroider mouth

R8: sc 2, 2sc around (40 stitches)

R9-R17: (brown) sc 40

R18-20: (yellow) sc 40

R21: sc 2, dec 1 (30 stitches)

R22: sc 30

R23: (brown) sc 30

R24: sc 1, dec 1 (20 stitches)

R25: sc 20

R26: sk 1, sc 1 (10 stitches)

R27: sc 10

R28: sk 1, sc 1... until stinger comes to a point! Tie off.

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Wings (make 2 using white)

R1: ch 2, 5 sc in second loop from hook

R2: 2 sc in each (10 stitches)

R3: 1 sc, 2 sc around (15 stitches)

R4-R6: sc 15

R7: sc 1, dec 1 (10 stitches)

R8: sc 10, tie off, flatten and sew shut.

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Antennae (make 2 using brown)

R1: ch 10

R2: sc 2 in second bump from hook, slip stitch to end, tie off

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Hershey Snail

This is my first amigurumi design. I did look at a lot of snails on Etsy and elsewhere on the web, so it's not like I didn't borrow inspiration, but the pointy shell and antennae are my own take on this friendly garden snail.

Here's my pattern:
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Shell
R1: ch 2, 3 sc in second loop from hook
R2: 2 sc in each around [6 stitches]
R3: hdc 1, 2 hdc around [9 stitches]
(All half-double crochets are done in outer loop to give the shell the swirl pattern)
R4: 2 hdc in each around [18 stitches]
R5: hdc 1, 2 hdc around [27 stitches]
R6: hdc 2, 2 hdc around [36 stitches]
R7: hdc 2, dec 1 around [27 stitches]
R8: hdc 1, dec 1 around [18 stitches]
R9: hdc 1, dec 1 around [ 12 stitches]
R10: hdc 1, sk 1 around [6 stitches] tie off, leaving long tail for weaving shell to body
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Body
R1: ch 2, 5 sc in second loop from hook
R2: sc 2 in each around [10 stitches]
R3: (If stringing pony beads into stitches for eyes, add them now five stitches apart. Adding the first eye at the first stitch of the row also makes a good row marker.)
R3 - R19: sc in each around [10 stitches] (Stuff head and embroider mouth at R5 or R6. The rest of the body is "stuffingless"]
R20: sc 1, sk 1, tie off [5 stitches]
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Antennae
R1: ch 17
R2: In second bump from hook, sc 1
Then sl st the next 14 bumps
Finally, 2 sc in last bump and tie off
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Assembly notes
I used my crochet hook, but you could use a yarn needle to weave the shell to the body. Note that the highest attaching point between the head and shell is almost right behind his eyes. This will give him a curved up neck.

To secure the antennae, choose a stitch on the top of Hershey's head. Stick your crochet hook through it to make the holes on either side of the stitch a little roomier. Then hook one end of your antennae and pull it through the holes so that one antenna sticks through each hole evenly. I didn't secure them in any other way because it was a pretty snug fit, but you could use body-colored yarn or thread to sew head and antennae together.