October Monster of the Month

 

October Monster

By Elaine Okupski of Penguin Place Crafts

Uses .6 oz worsted weight yarn in main color and a few yards in contrasting color, small amount of black for mouth and optional eyebrows

Size F (3.75mm) crochet hook

12 mm safety eyes

Sorry this is showing up a bit late, in November. I'm into craft show season, with craft shows every Saturday from October 26 through November 16, with three days of weekday shows mixed in! 

Since I've been so busy with shows, I made the October monster a smaller, simpler, quicker version. The only sewing needed is to add the spike strip to the head. 

Pattern: 

Start with legs, in main color.

R1: 6 sc in MR

R2: inc x 6 (12)

R3: *sc, inc* x 6 (18)

R4-6: sc (18)

Finish off first leg. After making the second leg, don’t cut yarn. Continue on to connect legs and start work on the body:

R7: sc 6 on first leg, inc x 6, sc x 6. Sc 6 on second leg, inc x 6, sc 6. (48)

R8-9: sc (48)

R10: *sc 10, dec* x 4 (44)

R11: sc (44)

R12: *sc 9, dec* x 4 (40)

R13: sc (40)

R14: sc 8, dec, sc 4, arm, dec, sc 4, dec, sc 4, arm, sc 4, dec, sc 8 (36)

(Arm: ch 15. Sl st 3, *ch 4, sl st 3* x 2, sl stitch back along chain)

Stuff legs, and continue to stuff body/head as you go.

R15: sc (36)

R16: *sc 4, dec* x 6 (30)

R17: sc (30)

R18: *sc 3, dec* x 6 (24)

R19: sc (24)

Eyes go between rounds 18 & 19, with 2 stitches showing between. Embroider a small smile under the eyes.

R20: *sc 2, dec* x 6 (18)

R21: sc (18) Finish stuffing.

R22: *sc, dec* x 6 (12)

R23: dec x 6 (6). FO, leaving tail to close up hole.

 

Spikes:

With contrasting color:

Ch 5. Starting in second chain from hook, sl st, sc, hdc, dc. *Ch 6, starting in second chain from hook, sl st, sc, hdc, dc* x 5. Sew spikes to sides of head. Finish off, leaving a tail to sew to monster. The chain between your 3^rd and 4^th spike will be over the final round of the head.

Thanks to Strawberry Bonnie for testing my pattern for me. She did embroidered eyes, and added some cute little cheeks!

#MYC1024 Option Two

If you follow me on my YouTube Channel you would know that I took over the Mystery Yarn Challenge from Lori, the Armchair Chef. With shipping prices going higher and higher, some people can't afford to send a package of yarn, so I want to have an Option 2 for people to participate. 

For the month of October, we are playing Bingo! Here is the Bingo board: 

How is it going to work? When you finish a project that matches one of the squares on the board, you cross it off (or fill it in with pretty colors). If you get five in a row, you are entered in the end-of-month drawing for a prize. 

 

Here is an explanation of the squares: 

Some have a color (orange, purple, green, ombre, Retro Stripe (a Red Heart Super Saver yarn) and Candy Corn Colors (bright yellow, bright orange, white). For this square, you just need to finish a project using that color. No double-dipping, though! If you make a project that uses orange and green, you can only fill in one block!) 

There are three designers in the grid... Yes, I am one of the three. 

You can see all my patterns on Ravelry 

Katie at Yarn Society is also on Ravelry, YouTube and has her own website

The third is Stringy Ding Ding, who has a bunch of adorable free patterns on her  and she is also on Ravelry

Some of the blocks list a specific animal or group of animals: penguin (of course... since I love penguins), Pet (dog, cat, fish, ferret, hamster, gerbil, etc.), Creepy Crawlie (bug, snake, lizard, dinosaur, turtle), Forest (deer, squirrel, fox, bear, etc.), Farm (chicken, horse, donkey, pig, etc.)

Other blocks: 

Fantasy: dragon, unicorn, mermaid, monster, etc. 

New to you pattern: find a pattern you have never made before

2 oz scrap: find a 2-ounce (or more) scrap yarn and finish it off

From a Book: pull a book from your crafting library and make something from it

New To You yarn: make something from a yarn you have never used before

3-weight or lighter: make something with thin yarn (yes, you can hold two strands together)

5-weight or higher: pull out that bulky or super-bulky yarn! 

Halloween: anything with a Halloween theme

Fuzzy Yarn: fun fur, yarn with a halo, eyelash yarn, etc. 

Motif: make something with a motif, like a granny square or hexagon

I know that some people make wearables, not Amigurumi, but you can apply the categories to wearables, too... you could make an animal hat, or add an animal applique to a blanket. I hope this challenge inspires you to try something new! 

No double-dipping, please. One project cannot fill in multiple squares. For instance, if you made a green and purple snake with bulky yarn, you would have to choose one square to fill in... you can't do green, purple, 5-weight or higher, Creepy Crawlie and Halloween. Sorry! 

Pics of the 5 items to complete your Bingo row need to be in by October 31. You can do more than one Bingo. I will enter your name in the prize drawing for each Bingo row you complete. 

Once I have my YouTube video done about the challenge, I will link it here. 

If I get questions in the comments on my YouTube video, I will try to remember to post the answers here, too. 

Micro Octo - no-sew pattern

An early version of the pattern, where I put more rows in the body, making it taller. 

Micro Octo

Pattern by Elaine Okupski of Penguin Place Crafts

This is one of my go-to patterns when I'm trying to finish off some scrap yarn. It works up quickly, about 20 minutes, and only uses half an ounce of yarn. I usually have a basket of them on my table for craft shows as an inexpensive option for parents wanting to get their child a little stuffie. 

I made these with worsted weight yarn and an F (3.75mm) crochet hook. I have also made them with two strands of sport weight yarn held together for a "tweedy" look, or with bulkier yarn and a larger hook. With the worsted weight yarn, I used .47 oz for the light blue octo I made as I was preparing this post. 

You start at the top, add the tentacles in the front loop of your last full row, then move to the back loops of that same row to close up the bottom. Here goes: 

Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6)

Round 2: inc x 6 (12)

Round 3: *sc, inc* x 6 (18)

Round 4: *sc 2, inc* x 6 (24)

Rounds 5-7: sc (24)

Round 8: hdc (24) Sl st to FLO of first hdc in the round. Move your stitch marker to the back loops of that same stitch. 

Note: I like to do my last full row in hdc so that I have one front loop for the tentacles, and two back loops for the decreases. 

It's easier to embroider your octo's face now, before the tentacles get in the way. I put the eyes around round 5, and the smile over rows 7/8. You can use safety eyes instead of embroidering. 

Round 9a (tentacles) All of the stitches of 9a are worked in FLO

*Ch 7, in 2nd ch from hook, sc inc, sc inc, hdc inc, hdc 2, connecting dc, skip the next stitch, sl st* repeat from * to * 7 more times. Your final sl st will go into the base of your first tentacle.

Connecting dc: draw up a loop in your last available chain, and then another loop from the next available front loop. Finish off as a normal dc (yarn over and pull through two loops, yarn over and pull through two loops). 

 

Round 9b: Now you are working in the back loops of round 8, starting with the stitch with the stitch marker. 

*sc 2, dec* x 6 (18)

Round 10: *sc, dec* x 6 (12) Stuff your octo's body. 

Round 11: dec x 6 (6). FO, leaving a tail to sew closed. Weave your yarn tail through the stitches of round 11 and pull to close. Tie off and hide your yarn tail inside the octo. 

Variations: 

It's easier to make your tentacles longer... start with a longer chain for each tentacle, and add extra sc.

You can make the tentacles less curly by doing sc in the first two chains instead of sc increases. 

If you turn your work before you start working on the tentacles, the tentacles will curl inward instead of outward. 

 

September Monster of the Month

 

September Monster

The first two (in front) are made with chunky yarn and an H (5 mm) hook. The pink monster in the back is made with worsted weight yarn and an F (3.75mm) hook. It used .7 oz of worsted weight yarn, and a small amount of contrast color for the bottom of the feet and the horns.

Leg (start with contrast color)

R1: 6 sc in MR

R2: inc x 6 (12)

R3: *sc, inc* x 6 (18)

R4: *sc 2, inc* x 6 (24)

Change to body color

R5-8: sc (24). FO first leg, after second leg, continue on to body:

Body:

R1: continue with second leg. Ch 3, sc 24 around first leg, sc in each chain, sc around leg 2, sc in back loops of ch (54)

R2-5: sc (54)

R6-18 : decrease one stitch at each side. You should have 28 stitches now.

Insert eyes between rows 16 & 17, with four stitches showing between them. Embroider a small mouth between rows 15 & 16. For the pink monster, I used the yarn from embroidering the mouth to add some eyebrows, too! Stuff the feet well, and continue to stuff the body as you decrease.

R19: *sc 5, dec* x 4 (24)

R20: *sc 2, dec* x 6 (18)

R21: *sc, dec* x 6 (12) Add more stuffing if needed.

R22: dec x 6. FO and use tail to close opening, then weave in end.

 

Long ears:

Ch 20. Starting in 2^nd chain from hook, sc 18, 8 dc in last chain, sc 18 in the back side of the chain. FO, leaving a tail to sew to head (or crochet in) at row 20.

Arms:

Chain 10. Starting in 2^nd chain from hook, sc 8, 5 dc in last chain, sc 8 in the back side of the chain. FO, leaving a tail to sew to head (or crochet in) at row 16. I like to sew mine on, so I can sew them at an angle toward the belly.

 

Alternate arms (shown on pink monster):

Ch 15. Starting in 2^nd ch from hook, sl st 4. (Ch 5, sl st 4) twice. Sl st back to the beginning of the chain. FO, leaving a tail to sew to the body.

 

Horns:

With white:

R1: sc 3 in MR

R2: inc, sc 2 (4)

R3: inc, sc 3 (5)

R4: inc, sc 4 (6)

R5: sc (6)

FO, leaving tail to sew to head. I sewed on either side of the magic ring, lined up with the eyes.

 

Thanks to my tester, Bonnie. She made her monster in worsted weight yarn, using 12 mm safety eyes and the alternate arms. 

 

 

 

#MonthlyMonsterMakealong

 Since January, I have made 8 new monster designs and put them up as free patterns on my blog. Now, in the month of September, and going forward, I am going to have a prize drawing for everyone who makes one of those monsters! 

In January, I introduced this cutie with fuzzy yarn and dreads: 

https://freecellpenguin.blogspot.com/2024/01/monster-of-month-january.html

In February, I made up this pattern: 

February Monster

 

March Monster

April Monster

May Monster

May Monster Pattern

June Monster

June Monster Pattern:

July Monster

August Monster

So, if you make a monster in September, how do you enter the giveaway? 

There are three different ways... 

You can e-mail me a picture of your finished monster

Add to your projects on Ravelry, linking the pattern

Put on YouTube or Instagram using the hashtag #MonthlyMonsterMakealong

I will put each finished monster into a drawing for a box of yarn. I will draw the winner on or about October 1st. 

Happy Monster Making! 

No-Sew Flip Coffee

 I've been selling my Happy / Sad / Angry coffee cups at craft shows for a couple of years now... but at a show last year or so, a guy said, "You know what you should make? A coffee that flips from angry to sad." 

At first, I was using the same pattern as my Happy/Sad coffee, but then I realized they were a little too small to flip easily, so I played with the pattern a bit. Here is the result: 

Each coffee cup takes about .4 oz yarn (worsted weight). I used an F hook (3.75 mm)

Worsted weight yarns can vary in weight, so it's important that the yarn for both cups is the same wraps per inch. If you don't want to mess with wraps per inch, you could do the first two rounds in each yarn and make sure they're the same size. 

Round 1: 6 sc in MR

Round 2: inc x 6 (12)

Round 3: *sc, inc* x 6 (18)

Round 4: *sc 2, inc* x 6 (24)

Round 5: *sc 3, inc* x 6 (30)

Round 6: sc in BLO (30)

Round 7: make handle - ch 10, starting in 2nd ch from hook, hdc 9. Sl st in the side of the last sc of  Round 6. Sc around (30)

Round 8: sc around, pushing handle to front. (30)

Rounds 9-11: sc (30)

Round 12: attach handle with your first two sc, then continuing sc around (30)

Round 13: sc (30) For your first cup, finish off. Embroider a face centered on the cup (fold the cup in half to find your center). For second cup, don't finish off. Continue on to join the cups. 

Once you have both cups finished, with faces, place them with their rims together and sc around both rims. 

For best results, work with the first cup (not the color you are crocheting with) facing you, as the right side. 

August Monster of the Month

 

August Monster

By Elaine Okupski of Penguin Place Crafts

Uses 1.4 oz worsted weight yarn in your main body color, with less than a yard of red needed for embroidering the mouth, and a few yards of white for the antenna.

Size F hook (3.75 mm)

I used 12 mm safety eyes. I think he would look cute with even bigger eyes. He measures about 6.5” tall (including antenna) when made with worsted weight yarn.

I made my legs first, so I could crochet them in as I went. I like putting the arms on at an angle, so I sewed them on. If you wanted your arms to stick out to the side, you could make them before the body and crochet them in, too.

 

Leg (make 2)

Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6)

Round 2-4: sc (6)

Round 5: dc 3, sc 3 (this helps to make the transition from foot to leg) (6)

Round 6-8: dc (6)

Round 9 is a short row to even out the row: hdc, sc, sl st. FO. Do not stuff legs. If you are crocheting them into the body, you stuff your yarn tail into the leg. If you prefer to sew the legs on, leave a long tail.

 

Head:

Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6)

Round 2: inc x 6 (12)

Round 3: *sc, inc* x 6 (18)

Round 4: *sc 2, inc* x 6 (24)

Round 5: *sc 3, inc* x 6 (30)

Round 6: *sc 4, inc* x 6 (36)

Round 7: *sc 5, inc* x 6 (42)

Rounds 8-13: sc (42)

Round 14: sc 19, (2dc bobble), (4 dc bobble), (2 dc bobble) (nose finished), sc 20 (42)

Eyes go between rows 11-12, centered over the nose. There are about 6 stitches between.

Rounds 15-16: sc (42)

Round 17: *sc 5, dec* x 6 (36) We’re decreasing for the neck. Stuff head, and stuff body as you go.

Round 18: *sc 4, dec* x 6 (30)

Embroider a smile below the nose.

Round 19: *sc 3, dec* x 6 (24)

Round 20: *sc 2, inc* x 8 (32)

Round 21: *sc 3, inc* x 8 (40)

Round 22: *sc 4, inc* x 8 (48)

Rounds 23-29: sc (48) If  you are crocheting your arms in, you can do so around rounds 23-25.

At this point, make sure your starting point is at the center back, so your tail is centered. You can fold your monster in half using the nose as the center front, and move your stitch marker if needed.

Make tail – ch 20, starting with 2^nd chain from hook, sc inc, sc inc, hdc 7, dc 9, sl st to last stitch of round 29.

Secure  the legs with stitch markers to be crocheted on in Row 30. I put my blue monster’s legs under the eyes, about 8 stitches apart, but further apart with the brown monster. Placement is up to you! After all, it’s your monster! Continue on as usual with the rest of round 30. When I got to the stitch where a leg was placed, I removed the stitch markers and crocheted through both the leg and the body. Make sure the foot faces forward!

Round 30: *sc 4, dec* x 8 (40)

Round 31: *sc 3, dec* x 8 (32)

Round 32: *sc 2, dec* x 8 (24)

Round 33: *sc, dec* x 8 (16)

Round 34: dec x 8 (8) FO, leaving tail to close up round 34.

Arms: make 2 or 4, depending on how much yarn you have, and how crazy you want your monster to be.

Round 1: 8 sc in MR (8)

Rounds 2-7: sc (8)

FO, leaving a tail if you are sewing the arms on, or weave in the tail if you are crocheting the arms on. Arms are not stuffed.

Sew arms to body over rounds 23-25, angled toward the belly.

 

Antenna: make 2 with white yarn

Ch 6

Round 1: Starting in 2^nd ch from hook, sc 4, 3 sc in last chain, sc 4 on back of chain. (11) Ch 3 and turn

Round 2: Sl st in first stitch. *ch 3, sl st in next stitch* x 10. (11 loops). FO, leaving tail to sew to head. Sew on sides of head over rows 6-7.

 

Thank you to Strawberry Bonnie for testing my monster! She used 14 mm eyes and I think they make her monster look adorable!