fredag 8 mars 2013

Puffy amigurumi sheep


These sheep where made quite by accident last easter. I had just made a puff stitch pillow and had some yarn left from a cotton baby toy. There were a lot of movies to see and I just started crocheting purposelessly (if that is a word?).

At first I thought I was making a hippopotamus, but when I started on the puff stitches I realized it was going to be a sheep.

I apologize for the different qualities of the pictures. They where taken at different times, in different light conditions and (I admit) using different Instagram-filters.

This is the Ravelry-page for the pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/puffy-amigurumi-sheep

Mönstret finns på svenska härhttp://arbetsbien.blogspot.se/2012/12/far-far-far-ja.html



Abbreviations:
I use american terminology throughout the pattern.
Dc – double crochet
Sl st  - slip stitch
Ch – chain
Inc – increase (2dc in the same stitch)
Sc – Single crochet
Dec - decrease (Make 1 sc through 2 stitches. There is a good tutorial at Crochet Spot if you do not know how.)

Magic ring - There is a great tutorial for this as well at Crochet Spot

Puff stitch: 



(The video is from Crochet Geek)


ImportantIn the beginningof each row, always replace the first sc with 1 ch. In the end of each row, always finish with a sl st in the first stitch.

If nothing else is written, make 1 dc in every stitch of the last row.

The body of the sheep (you start from the butt):
Start by making a magic ring.
Row 1: 6 dc in the ring
Row 2: Inc in every dc (All in all this row is 12 dc)
Row 3: Inc in every other dc. (All in all this row is 18 dc)
Row 4: Inc in every fourth dc.(All in all this row is 22 dc)
Row 5: Make 1 puff stitch in every fourth stitch
Row 6: 1 dc in every stitch
Row 7: Like row 5, but place the puff stitches in the spaces between the puff stitches from row 5, instead of lining them up
Row 8: Like row 6
Row 9: Like row 7
Row 10: Like row 6
Row 11: Like row 7
Row 12: Like row 6
Row 13: Like row 7
Row 14: Like row 6
Row 15: Like row 7, but make 1 dec between every puff stitch
Row 16: Like row 6, but make 1 dec for every puff stitch on the previous row
Stop crocheting here, but don't cut off the yarn.


The legs:
(Change colors here if you want to)
Start by making a magic ring.

Row 1: 6 dc in the ring
Row 2: Inc in every dc (All in all this row is 12 dc)
Row 3-5: 1 dc in every stitch
Varv 6: Dec 2 dc evenly spaced during the row. (All in all this row is 10 dc)
Row7-10: 1 dc in every stitch
Stop crocheting here and cut off the yarn, but don't weave it in.
Make four legs.


The tail:

Start by making a magic ring.
Row 1: 6 dc in the ring
Row 2-3: Inc in every dc (All in all this row is 12 dc)
Stop crocheting here and cut off the yarn, but don't weave it in.

If you haven't done so already; weave in the pieces of yarn that you started with (at the feet, the end of the tail and the butt). Fill the legs with cotton (or your stuffing of choice). Leave the tail empty. Sew the legs and the tail to the body using the ends that you have cut off and left loose. Then weave them in.
Fill the body with cotton or your stuffing of choice.




The head:
Now keep working with the yarn from the body. 
Fill the head with cotton a little at the time.
Row 17: 1 dc in every stitch
Row 18: Inc in every fourth st on the top and sides of the head, but not on the bottom
Row 19: Like row 18
Row 20-23: 1 dc in every stitch
Row 24-27: Dec in every sixth st
Row 28:1 dc in every stitch
Row 29: Dec in every third st
Varv 30: This row consists only of 3 decreases. Skip 1 st between every dec. 
Cut off the yarn, thread it through your last stitch, and weave it in.


Ears:





Start by making a magic ring.
Row 1: 10 dc in the ring. close the ring with a sl st in the first dc.
Sew the side of the ear onto the head. (I'm not sure how to explain it better than that, but I hope you get it from the pictures.)



The white of the eye:

Start by making a magic ring.
Row 1: 10 dc in the ring. close the ring with a sl st in the first dc.
Leave one string of yarn loose, and weave the other one in.

The iris:

Start by making a magic ring.
Row 1: 3 dc in the ring. close the ring with a sl st in the first dc. It gets a bit bulky, but that's the point.
Leave one string of yarn loose, and weave the other one in..

Sew the iris to the white with the loose yarn from the iris.
Sew the white to the sheep with the loose yarn from the white of the eye.

Be careful about the placement of the eyes, they pretty much determine the look of the sheep!

Now your sheep is done, I hope you'll enjoy it!