You’ll need up to an ounce (28g) of worsted weight yarn per bulb, in two or three colors: bulb and base for incandescent and LED, bulb and one or two base colors for CFL. Your hook size actually matters here far more than in my usual patterns: you want a hook that makes a tube 5 sc around the right size to fit a pipe cleaner inside, easily but not loosely. For me this was an E/4 hook (3.5mm) but I crochet rather loosely so you may want an F/5 (3.75mm). I made all three bulbs with the same hook.

For the CFL, on that note, you need two pipe cleaners (assuming they are about 12″/30cm long). For all the bulbs you need some stuffing and, optionally, something with weight to put in the very base of the bulb and help it stand up. I have used pebbles, beads, coins, and tangled necklace chains for this purpose.

Stitches and techniques assumed: magic ring, slip knot, chain, single crochet and its decrease (standard or invisible), needle join specifically in the second stitch, slip stitch by itself or to attach new yarn, double crochet, sewing up openings, weaving in ends, sewing pieces together

Taught in pattern: Front post double crochet, though in brief. For alternative photos visit Mon Petit Violon.

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Cartoon and some historical flour sacks are marked XXX, so that’s an appropriate option for embroidered features, but any standard amigurumi features will work just fine. The pattern is not deep enough to accommodate safety eyes.

The tail is a four-strand braid. Instructions are included, but for a more detailed photo tutorial I recommend visiting T.J. Potter’s page. Be warned that his instructions are mirrored front to back from mine; he makes the braid with strands crossing behind and then above, whereas my instructions are above and then behind, which I found much easier to do when the braid is lying on a table.

Stitches and techniques assumed: slip knot, chain, working on both sides of a chain, single crochet and its increase and decrease (standard or invisible), slip stitch, needle join (written instructions included in pattern, but no visual), in particular in the second stitch, sewing edges together, weaving in ends.

Pictures of the grain monster in its natural habitats are on the blog.

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In coarser yarn you’ll need about a half ounce (14g) of the main color and a small amount of two others for the eyes (you may replace one of those with embroidery floss). A small amount of fiberfill will finish the job.

Also in coarser yarn, the mud monster’s body is about 2.5″ long (about 6.5cm) and he has a wingspan of over 4.5″ (11.5cm).

The mud monster’s eyes are made ahead and crocheted in as you make the body; there are progress photos with the explanation. The legs are made separately and sewn on.

Stitches and techniques assumed: magic ring, slip knot, chain, working on both sides of a chain, single crochet and its increase, decrease (standard or invisible), and color change, managing off-color yarn, slip stitch, sewing up openings, weaving in ends, sewing pieces together

Photos of muddy and non-muddy adventures are on the blog.

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Materials: The barber pole lip balm cozy shown was made with embroidery floss and a size 1 steel hook (2.75mm), the darker lip balm cozy was made with fine yarn (weight class 2) and a D hook (3.25mm), and the candy stick was made with craft thread and a size 1 steel hook (2.75mm). The remaining pieces were made with worsted weight yarn: the barber poles with an F hook (3.75mm), the left-hand pen case with an H hook (5mm), and the right-hand pen case with a K hook (6.5mm).

Stitches and techniques assumed: magic ring, slip knot, chain, single crochet and its decrease (optionally: invisible decrease), slip stitch, attaching new yarn with slip stitch, half double crochet, weaving in ends, sewing up openings.

The pattern points you here in particular for links to pages on the needle join and running stitch closure.

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This pattern includes an improved write-up of the little big Pi pattern available on the blog. As with that pattern, big little pi’s legs are stitched directly onto openings left in the top bar. Directions are given to leave the top bar unstuffed until the legs are finished, to aid in bending the bar (and first leg, when stitching the second) out of the way.

The pointed foot and “horn” of the top bar curve through a combination of increasing or decreasing and a method I developed to collapse pairs of rounds into single rounds on the inside of the curve. The stitching takes some paying attention, but it isn’t difficult and all stitches are common (very common, in fact: slip stitch and single crochet).

Note that the plump foot ends with a 10-stitch round. This will close without any difficulty if you use a running stitch through the front loops, but may be a bit large for some methods.

Stitches and techniques assumed: magic ring, slip knot, chain, slip stitch, single crochet and its decrease (or invisible decrease), attaching new yarn with slip stitch, stitching in front loop or back loop only, sewing up openings.

More action shots may be seen on the blog.

Pattern extra: With less than an ounce (28 g) of yarn and instructions from the blog, you can make a tau from this pattern.

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Stitches and techniques assumed: slip knot, chain, single crochet and its decrease, sewing up openings, magic ring, sewing pieces together.

See the blog for more on these nosy hippos’ adventures.

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Note that if you crochet left-handed, you should make a small adjustment to the pattern instructions: when you add the chain-loop branches, begin at the base of the tree instead of the top. Your hook should still enter the stitch pointing toward the base of the tree, as written.

Provided the bottom is stitched before the sides, there is no sewing in this pattern. It requires about 1.5 oz (43 g) worsted weight yarn, 2/3 of which is for the branches, an F/5 hook (3.75mm), and a small amount of stuffing. It adapts well to other weights of yarn, and I have made trees with the same method using sport weight (class 3) and fine (class 2) yarn, the latter with a D/3 hook (3.25mm).

Stitches and techniques assumed: magic ring, chain, single crochet and its decrease, stitching in back loop only, weaving in ends, slip knot, slip stitch, attaching new yarn with slip stitch.

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Stitches and techniques assumed: magic ring, chain, slip stitch, single crochet and decrease, sewing edges together.

Taught in pattern: 4-dc bobble (beneficial to know double crochet), bobble color change, skip-decrease (sc dec with skipped stitch in center).

Pattern extra: Make a one-eyed sluggo with instructions from the blog.

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