Cardcaptor Sakura: Kero

 

Difficulty: 1/5
Today’s pattern is Kerberos from Cardcaptor Sakura! I was obsessed with the Cardcaptors anime when I was a kid, and eventually read almost everything else Clamp put out. The other day I found some of my old Tsubasa Chronicle books while I was cleaning and decided to re-read the series all over again. One thing led to another after that, and I ended up also reading all of Tsubasa World Chronicle, xxxholic:Rei, and Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card to catch up on all of Clamp’s more recent stuff.
 

I just had to make Kero after that all-night manga binging session. He’s got a nice, simple design that was a pleasant breather after the complicated assembly I did for the Corsola pattern. It was also great to have an opportunity to use the pom-pom technique for his tail! I think it ended up super cute, and felt fitting given how he pretends to be a doll as his disguise.

Happy Crafting!

Materials
-Yarn. Use a worsted or aran weight in a material of your choice. I use acrylic for my doll patterns due to its firm weave, which provides the doll with some structure. Regardless of the material you choose, you will need:

(A) ~150m of yellow

(B) ~50m of white

-4.5 mm crochet hook
-Fiberfill or crafting scraps for stuffing
-Yarn needle
-Pins
-Scraps of yarn for round markers
-Scraps of felt or fabric for details such as eyes. I use needle felting for this, but you can also cut out pieces of fabric if you prefer.

Gauge: Gauge is not important for this work. With the given yarn and hook size, the finished doll will stand about 7 inches (17.7 cm) in height; adjust yarn and/or hook size if a bigger or smaller doll is desired. Just make sure your stitches are of a consistent size and tightness.

Notation (US crochet)
ch: chain
st: stitch
sc: single crochet
hdc: half-double crochet
slst: slip stitch
inc: increase stitch (perform 2 sc in the next stitch)
dec: decrease stitch (insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through the stitch. Insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through first loop. Yarn over again, pull through all 3 loops on hook.)

Pattern
Head and Body (Make 1)
Round 1: With A, 6 sc in starter circle. (6)
Round 2: inc in each st around. (12)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (18)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Round 5: *sc in next 3 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (30)
Round 6: *sc in next 4 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (36)
Rounds 7-12: sc in each et around. (30)
Round 13: *sc in next 4 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (30)
Round 14: *sc in next 3 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around (24)
Round 15: *sc in next 2 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around (18)
Round 16: *sc in next st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around (12)
Round 17: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around (18)
Round 18: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Round 19: *sc in next 3 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (30)
Rounds 20-31: sc in each st around (30)
Round 32: *sc in next 3 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Round 33: *sc in next 2 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (18)
Round 34: *sc in next st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (12)
Round 35: dec in each st around. (6)

Ears (Make 2)
Round 1: With A, 6 sc in starter circle (6)
Round 2: inc in each st around. (12)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (18)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Rounds 5-7 : sc in each st around. (24)
Round 8: “sc in next 2 st, dec* Repeat from * to * around. (18)
Round 9: “sc in next st, dec* Repeat from * to * around. (12) Finish off, leaving tail.

Arms (Make 2)
Round 1: With A, 4 sc in starter circle (4)
Round 2:  inc in each st around. (8)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (12)
Rounds 4-9: sc in each st around. (12) ch 1, turn. begin working in rows.
Row 10: sc in 2nd loop from hook. continue to sc in next 5 st. (6) ch 1, turn.
Row 11: sc in 2nd loop from hook. continue to sc across the row. (6) Finish off, leaving tail, and stuff lightly.

Legs (Make 2)
Round 1: With A, 5 sc in starter circle (5)
Round 2:  inc in each st around. (10)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (15)
Rounds 4-8: sc in each st around. (15) ch 1, turn. Switch to working in rows.
Row 9: sc in 2nd loop from hook. continue to sc in next 6 st. (7) ch 1, turn.
Rows 10-11: Repeat row 9.
Row 12: 3 dec, starting in 2nd loop from hook. sl st in final st of row (4).
Row 13: 2 dec, starting in 2nd loop from hook. (2) Finish off, leaving tail, and stuff lightly.

Feet (Make 2)
Round 1: With A, 4 sc in starter circle (4)
Round 2:  inc in each st around. (8)
Rounds 3-5: sc in each st around (8) Add a small amount of stuffing.
Round 6: dec in each st around (4)
Round 7: dec around until closed. Finish off, leaving tail.

Tail (Make 1)
*Work in rows*
Row 1: ch 31. Turn.
Row 2: sl st in 2nd loop from hook. Continue to sl st across the row (30) Finish off, leaving tail.

Tail Pom-pom (Make 1)
With B, make a pom-pom about 1” in diameter to attach to the end of the tail. You can do this with a pom-pom tool if you have one, otherwise it is VERY easy to do by hand. Follow the instructions below:
1. Wrap B around three fingers on one of your hands, as pictured below.
2. Continue wrapping the yarn around your fingers. The number of times you wrap it will determine the number of strands on the pom-pom; I went around 30 times for mine.
3. Carefully slide the wrapped yarn off your fingers. Cut a ~5” length of B and use it to tie the wrapped yarn into a bundle. Make sure this knot is as tight as you can make it - otherwise the pom-pom will fall apart.
4. Cut the loops on each half of the bundle in half. When you’re finished, fluff them out and spread them around to make the pom-pom fluffy.

Large Feather (Make 2)
Round 1: With B, ch 5 in starter circle. (5)
Round 2: inc in each st around. (10)
Rounds 3-14: sc in each st around. (10)
Round 15: dec in each st around. (5)
Round 16: dec around until closed. Finish off, leaving tail.

Medium Feather (Make 2)
Round 1: With B, ch 5 in starter circle. (5)
Round 2: inc in each st around. (10)
Rounds 3-12: sc in each st around. (10)
Round 13: dec in each st around. (5)
Round 14: dec around until closed. Finish off, leaving tail.

Small Feather (Make 2)
Round 1: With B, ch 5 in starter circle. (5)
Round 2: inc in each st around. (10)
Rounds 3-10: sc in each st around. (10)
Round 11: dec in each st around. (5)
Round 12: dec around until closed. Finish off, leaving tail. 

Assembly
1. Assemble the wings. Stack a large, then medium, and then small feather as pictured, and sew together with whip stitch. You will want to make 2 of these, one pointing left and one pointing right.

2. Assemble the legs. Whip stitch the feet to the leg pieces. Just like with the wings, you will want to make left- and right-oriented pieces for either side of the doll.

3. Assemble the tail. Sew the pom-pom to one end of the tail piece.

4. Pin down and whip switch the ears, arms, wings, legs, and tail to the head and body piece.

5. Add the details to Kero’s face with your preferred method of choice. Small buttons and craft eyes work well for the eyes since they’re are so tiny, but you can also embroider them on or make them from cut pieces of fabric. I used needle felting in the pictured doll.

Pokemon #0222: Corsola

Difficulty: 2/5

Today's pattern is Corsola! This squishy pink sweetie is one of my favorites from Gen 2, so I've been looking forward to making a pattern for it. It's a beginner-friendly pattern made from simple shapes, but the assembly is just tricky enough that I bumped up the difficulty a point. Make one or make a bunch - you can make your own Corsola reef if you'd like! 

As a side note, I made the branches thicker in this pattern to go for a slightly more chibi look. If you want thinner branches to make a shape more consistent with the in-game models, use a smaller starter circle for the branch pieces (4 st instead of 8 st) and adjust the pattern accordingly. This is a good pattern to practice adjusting patterns so you can learn how to customize to your preferences.

Happy Crafting! 

 

Materials
-Yarn. Use a worsted weight in a material of your choice. I use acrylic for my doll patterns due to its firm weave, which provides the doll with some structure. You will need:

For regular Corsola: (A) ~150m of coral pink, (B) ~20m of white

For a shiny Corsola: (A) ~150m of aqua blue, (B) ~20m of white

-4.5 mm (size 7) crochet hook
-Fiberfill or crafting scraps for stuffing
-Yarn needle
-Pins
-Scraps of yarn for round markers
-Scraps of felt or fabric for details such as eyes. I use needle felting for this, but you can also cut out pieces of fabric if you prefer.

Gauge: Gauge is not important for this work. With the given yarn and hook size, the finished doll will stand about 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) in height; adjust yarn and/or hook size if a bigger or smaller doll is desired. Just make sure your stitches are of a consistent size and tightness.

Notation (US crochet)
ch: chain
st: stitch
sc: single crochet
hdc: half-double crochet
slst: slip stitch
inc: increase stitch (perform 2 sc in the next stitch)
dec: decrease stitch (insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through the stitch. Insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through first loop. Yarn over again, pull through all 3 loops on hook.) 

Pattern

Body (Make 1)
Round 1: With A, 6 sc in starter circle (6)
Round 2: inc in each st around (12)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (18)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Round 5: *sc in next 3 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (30)
Round 6: *sc in next 4 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (36)
Round 7: *sc in next 5 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (42)
Round 8: *sc in next 6 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (48)
Round 9: *sc in next 7 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (54)
Rounds 10-18: sc around. (54) Switch to color B.
Round 19: *sc in next 7 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (48)
Round 20: *sc in next 6 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (42)
Round 21: *sc in next 5 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (36)
Round 22: *sc in next 4 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (30)
Round 23: *sc in next 3 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (24) Begin to stuff, and continue to do so as you work.
Round 24: *sc in next 2 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (18)
Round 25: *sc in next st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (12)
Round 26: dec around (6)
Round 27: dec around until closed. Finish off, and weave in ends.

Small horn (Make 1)
Round 1: With A, 8 sc in starter circle (8)
Round 2: inc in each st around (16)
Rounds 3-8: sc around. (16)
Round 9: *sc in next st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Round 10: sc around. (24) Finish off, leaving tail. Stuff firmly, but do not overstuff.

Medium horn (Make 2)
Round 1: With A, 8 sc in starter circle (8)
Round 2: inc in each st around (16)
Rounds 3-14: sc around. (16)
Round 15: *sc in next st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (24) Finish off, leaving tail. Stuff firmly, but do not overstuff.

Large horn (Make 2)
Round 1: With A, 8 sc in starter circle (8)
Round 2: inc in each st around (16)
Rounds 3-15: sc around. (16)
Round 16: *sc in next st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Rounds 17-18: sc around. (24)
Round 19: *sc in next 2 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (32)
Rounds 20-22: sc around. (32) Finish off, leaving tail. Stuff firmly, but do not overstuff.

Horn branches (Make 8)
Round 1: With A, 4 sc in starter circle. (4)
Round 2: inc in each st around. (16)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (12)
Rounds 4-6: sc in each st around (12)
Round 7: *sc in next 2 st, inc* Repeat from * to * around. (16) Finish off, leaving tail. Stuff firmly, but do not overstuff.

Arms (Make 2)
Round 1: With A, 8 sc in starter circle (8)
Round 2: inc in each st around (16)
Rounds 3-8 sc around. (16) Finish off, leaving tail. Stuff firmly, but do not overstuff.

Legs (Make 4)
Round 1: With B, 8 sc in starter circle (8)
Round 2: inc in each st around (16)
Rounds 3-6 sc around. (16) Finish off, leaving tail. Stuff firmly - these will support the weight of the doll, so they need to be sturdy.

 

Assembly
1. Pin and whip stitch the legs to the body. You’ll want to space them out equally in the shape of a square, to evenly distribute the doll’s weight.

 2. Pin and whip stitch the arms and small horn to the body, as pictured.

 3. Pin and whip stitch the large horns on the top of the body. You’ll want to point them outwards and back a bit, as symmetrically as you can. Then pin and whip stitch the medium horns to the back of the body. Their base can partially overlap the base of the large horns to get the angle you like best.

5. Pin and whip stitch 2 horn branches onto each of the large and medium horns. I angled mine a bit to make a slight “V” shape on each branch, but attach them wherever looks best on your doll.

6. Finish the details of Corsola’s face by adding eyes and a mouth using whatever method you’d like. I use needle felting and loose wool roving, but you can also cut the shapes for these details out of felt or fabric and sew them down.

Pokemon #0298: Azurill

Difficulty: 1/5

This little cutie was a Valentine's Day request from my husband this year! This is a cute and simple pattern that can be made up in a day or two. I used a chevron stitch, which is used to add zig-zag textures in crochet, to add a bit of a curl to the tail. I'm really happy with how it came out, and so is he!

Materials
-Yarn. Use a worsted weight in a material of your choice. I use acrylic for my doll patterns due to its firm weave, which provides the doll with some structure. You can use 

For regular Azurill: (A) ~100m of cobalt blue, (B) ~2m of black

For a shiny Azurill: (A) ~100m of mint green, (B) ~2m of black

-4.5 mm (size 7) crochet hook
-Fiberfill or crafting scraps for stuffing
-Yarn needle
-Pins
-Scraps of yarn for round markers
-Scraps of felt or fabric for details such as eyes. I use needle felting for this, but you can also cut out pieces of fabric if you prefer.

Gauge: Gauge is not important for this work. With the given yarn and hook size, the finished doll will stand about 3 inches (7.6 cm) in height; adjust yarn and/or hook size if a bigger or smaller doll is desired. Just make sure your stitches are of a consistent size and tightness.

Notation (US crochet)
ch: chain
st: stitch
sc: single crochet
hdc: half-double crochet
slst: slip stitch
inc: increase stitch (perform 2 sc in the next stitch)
dec: decrease stitch (insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through the stitch. Insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through first loop. Yarn over again, pull through all 3 loops on hook.)

Pattern

Body (Make 1)
Round 1: With A, 6 sc in starter circle (6)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (18)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Round 5: *sc in next 3 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (30)
Round 6: *sc in next 4 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (36)
Round 7: *sc in next 5 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (42)
Rounds 8-13: sc around (42)
Round 14: *sc in next 5 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (36)
Round 15: *sc in next 4 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (30)
Round 16: *sc in next 3 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Round 17: *sc in next 2 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (18) Begin stuffing, and continue to do so until finished.
Round 18: *sc in next st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (12)
Round 19: dec around (6)
Round 20: continue to dec until closed. Tie off and weave in loose ends.

Ears (Make 2)
Round 1: With A, 6 sc in starter circle (6)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around (12)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (18)
Rounds 4-6: sc around (18)
Round 7: *sc in next st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (12)
Round 8: dec around (6)

Feet (Make 2)
Round 1: With A, 5 sc in starter circle (5)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around (10)
Rounds 3-7: sc around (10) Add a small amount of stuffing at the end of row 7.
Round 8: dec around (5)
Round 9: dec around until closed.

Tail (Make 1)
Round 1: With A, 6 sc in starter circle (6)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (18)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Round 5: *sc in next 3 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (30)
Round 6: *sc in next 4 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (36)
Round 7: *sc in next 5 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (42)
Rounds 8-13: sc around (42)
Round 14: *sc in next 5 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (36)
Round 15: *sc in next 4 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (30)
Round 16: *sc in next 3 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Round 17: *sc in next 2 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (18) Begin stuffing, and continue to do so until finished.
Round 18: *sc in next st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (12)
Round 19: dec around (6)
Round 20: continue to dec until closed. Switch color to B in final stitch.
****Switch to working in rows****
Row 1: ch 40, turn. (40)
Row 2: sc in the first 4 ch, starting in 2nd ch from hook. *inc. sc in next 4 st. dec. sc in next 4 st.* Repeat from * to * until the end of the row. Secure the tail rows by finishing off with a sl st under where they connect to the ball. Finish off and weave in ends.

Tail connection (Make 1)
Round 1: With A, 5 sc in starter circle (5)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around. (10)
Round 3:  *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (15)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (20)
Round 5 sc around (20). Finish and tie off, leaving tail.

Assembly

Step 1: Sew the ears and feet to the body. If you want the body to be able to balance on top of the tail, attach the feet at an angle as shown. Weave in loose ends.
Step 2: Sew the loose end of the tail to the tail connection piece. Sew the tail connection piece to the body, adding small amount of stuffing under the connection piece as you go. Weave in loose ends. 

Step 3: Add the ear and face details (eyes, mouth, and blush marks) using the method of your choice. I use needle felting to finish my dolls, but you can also cut the details out from fabric and sew them on, if you prefer.

Pokemon #0001: Bulbasaur

 Difficulty: 3/5 (Intermediate)

After a long decade away from crafting and blogging, I decided to begin my comeback with the very beginning of Pokemon! I've always loved Bulbasaur, even though I almost always picked Squirtle as my first Pokemon in the games. He's fairly straightforward to make, but the bulb is a bit tricky to assemble. Take your time, and be sure to pin everything in place before you sew so you can adjust positioning as needed.

Materials
-Yarn. Use a worsted weight in a material of your choice. I use acrylic (Caron Simply Soft brand) for my doll patterns due to its firm weave - this provides the doll with some structure when it's meant for display. I'd recommend using a natural material such as cotton or wool if you are planning to give the doll to a child.

For a regular Bulbasaur, you will need (A) ~150 yds (144m) of blue-green, and (B) ~150 yds (144m) of leaf-green

For a shiny Bulbasaur, you will need (A) ~150 yds (144m) of light green, and (B) ~150 yds (144m) leaf-green

-4 mm (size G) crochet hook
-Fiberfill or crafting scraps for stuffing
-Yarn needle
-Pins
-Scraps of yarn for round markers
-Materials for detailing work, such as eyes. I use needle felting for this, but you can also crochet them or cut them out of scraps of fabric or felt. Use whatever method works best for you!

Gauge: Gauge is not important for this work. With the given yarn and hook size, the finished doll will stand about 6.5 inches (10.6 cm) in height; adjust yarn and/or hook size if a bigger or smaller doll is desired. Just make sure your stitches are of a consistent size and tightness.

Notation (US crochet)
ch: chain
st: stitch
sc: single crochet
hdc: half-double crochet
slst: slip stitch
inc: increase stitch (perform 2 sc in the next stitch)
dec: decrease stitch (insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through the stitch. Insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through first loop. Yarn over again, pull through all 3 loops on hook.)

Pattern
Head (Make 1)
Round 1: With A, 8 sc in starter circle. (8)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around. (16)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (32)
Round 5: *sc in next 3 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (40)
Round 6: *sc in next 4 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (48)
Rounds 7-13: sc in each stitch around. (48)
Round 14: 23 sc, inc, 24 sc (49)
Round 15: 23 sc, inc, sc, inc, 23 sc (51)
Round 16: 12 sc, inc, inc,  11 sc, inc, 11 sc,  inc, inc, 12 sc. (56)
Rounds 17-18: sc around (56)
Round 19: “sc in next 5 st, dec” Repeat from * to * twice. Switch to back loops only, repeat from * to * 3 times. Return to working both loops to repeat from * to * twice. This will create a subtle line in the crochet for Bulbasaur’s mouth (48)
Round 20: *sc in next 4 st, dec* Repeat from * to * around. (40)
Round 21: *sc in next 3 st, dec* Repeat from * to * around. (32)
Round 22: *sc in next 2 st, dec* Repeat from * to * around. (24) Begin stuffing, and continue to do so as you work.
Round 23: *sc in next st, dec* Repeat from * to * around. (16)
Round 24: dec around (8)
Round 25: dec around until closed. Cut off and finish. 

Ears (Make 2)
Round 1: With A, 4 sc in starter circle (4)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around. (8)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (12)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (16)
Rounds 5-7: sc around (16). Sl st after final sc, tie off, and stuff lightly. Leave thread tail for sewing later. 

Body (Make 1)
Round 1: With A, 8 sc in starter circle (8)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around. (16)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (32)
Round 5: *sc in next 3 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (40)
Round 6: *sc in next 4 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (48)
Round 7: *sc in next 5 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (56)
Round 8-24: sc in each stitch around (56)
Round 25: *sc in next 5 st, dec* Repeat from * to * around. (48)
Round 26: *sc in next 4 st, dec* Repeat from * to * around. (40)
Round 27: *sc in next 3 st, dec* Repeat from * to * around. (32)
Round 28: *sc in next 2 st, dec* Repeat from * to * around. (24) Begin stuffing, and continue to do so as you work.
Round 29: *sc in next st, dec* Repeat from * to * around. (16)
Round 30: dec around (8)
Round 31: dec around until closed. Cut off and finish, weaving in all tails.

Legs (Make 4)
Round 1: With A, 5 sc in starter circle (5)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around. (10)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (15)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (20)
Rounds 5-10: sc around. ch 1 and turn, and change to working in rows.
Row 1: 10 sc. ch 1, turn.
Row 2: 10 sc, ch 1, turn.
Row 3: 10 sc, ch 1, turn.
Row 4: dec, 6 sc, dec. ch 1, turn.
Row 5: dec, 4 sc, dec. ch 1, turn.
Row 6: dec, 2 sc, dec. ch 1, turn.
Ro 7: dec, dec. Cut off and finish, leaving a tail.

Leaves (Make 6)
Round 1: With B, 6 sc in starter circle (6)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (18)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Round 5: *sc in next 3 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around. (30)
Rounds 6-10: sc around (30)
Round 11: *sc in next 3 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (24)
Rounds 12-13: sc around (24)
Round 14: *sc in next 2 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (18)
Rounds 15-16: sc around (18)
Round 17: *sc in next st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around. (12)
Rounds 21-23: sc around (12)
Round 24: dec around (8)
Round 25: dec around until closed. Cut off and finish, leaving a tail.

Assembly
Part 1: Body Assembly
Step 1: Pin the ears to either side of the head and sew down. Weave in all loose ends.
Step 2: Pin the head to the body. It will look best if you offset it slightly up from the center of the body.

Step 3: Pin and sew the legs into place, then weave in all loose ends.

 

Part 2: Bulb Assembly
Step 1: Flatten each leaf piece.

 

Step 2: Pin two leaves together, and tightly whip stitch a seam along one side. Turn and backstitch to reinforce this seam. Leave a small amount (~1/2 inch) at the top of the leaves open.

 

Step 3: Repeat Step 2 until all six leaves are together in a loop. Leave the small gaps at the bottom and top of the bulb open for now.

 

Step 4: Turn the bulb inside-out, so the stitched seams are inside. Press out the seams to inflate the bulb. Finish sewing the tops of the leaves together. 

Step 5: Flip the bulb over and stuff firmly through the bottom hole until it is filled out. Leave the bottom hole open.

 

Step 6: Sew the bulb to the back of the body, as pictured. Weave in all loose ends.

NOTE: This method will produce a tightly shut bulb. If you prefer a more layered look, you can assemble the leaves into the bulb using a method similar to the one in my Bellossom pattern. If you go this route, you may need to make a few extra leaf pieces. Feel free to experiment!

Part 3: Detailing
Finish the doll by adding details to the face (eyes) and body (spots, claws) using the method of your choice. I use needle felting to finish my dolls, but you can also cut the details out from fabric and sew them on, if you prefer. I modeled the spots on mine after May's Bulbasaur from the TV series, but you can position yours wherever you'd like. You can also add fangs at the edges of the mouth if you'd like - some Bulbasaur art includes those as well. Play around a bit, and decide what you like best. Happy crafting!

I'm back! And better than ever

Hey there everyone!

First, you have my sincerest apologies for the MANY years I've been away. Life, school, and a major tendon injury in my dominant wrist got in the way of crafting and running this blog for a long while. But now I'm back and (mostly) healed up, so I want to begin updating this blog regularly again. Here are some announcements!

First, I will be resuming my written guides for making dolls. I recently came into possession of a LOT of acrylic yarn, so I've got the materials I need ready to go. I still have to limit how much I crochet or knit in one sitting to avoid re-aggravating the injured area, but having this giant pile of yarn around really inspired me to get back in the game of crochet. I'll be easing myself back into this at first, so I'm aiming for at least 1 post/month to start.

Second, I'm thinking I'd like to eventually supplement the blog with videos on Youtube. If I can figure out how to make my desk look halfway decent on camera, that will be my next big project.

Finally, I'm getting my Etsy shop up and running again! If I put something fun in there I'll be sure to let you all know.

Thank you all for your support these past years. I'm so excited to be crafting with you all again!!!

Pokemon #182: Bellossom

Difficulty: 3/5 (Moderate)

This week, it's time for one of my favorite Pokemon, Bellossom. Her parts are fairly simple, but there's a lot to make and assemble at the end, so this project will require a lot of patience. It's a good doll to make if you've done a lot of simpler dolls and are looking for more of a challenge. Also, sorry about the poor lighting in some of the pictures - I feel that some really don't do this adorable little doll justice.

Materials 
-Yarn (in addition to the quantities below, you will also need a small amount of black yarn for finishing touches, such as the details on the screws)

• For regular Bellossom: (A) 6-oz skein of light green, (B) 1.5 6-oz skeins of dark green, (C) 1/2 of a 6-oz skein of yellow, and (D) small amounts of red
• For a shiny Bellossom:  (A) 6-oz skein of purple, (B) 1.5 6-oz skeins of bright green, (C) 1/2 of a 6-oz skein of pale yellow, and (D) small amounts of pink

-4.5 mm (size 7) crochet hook

-Fiberfill – I recommend a nice, soft variety that's good for stuffed animals
-Yarn needle
-Pins
-Scraps of yarn for round markers
-Materials to make the eyes. This may be any combination of felt and fabric scraps, needle felting materials, or whatever other materials you'd like. Whichever material you choose to use, you will need black, pink, blue, and light blue.

Gauge: Gauge is not important for this work. With the given yarn and hook size, the finished doll will stand about 5 inches (10.6 cm) in height; adjust yarn and/or hook size if a bigger or smaller doll is desired. Just make sure your stitches are of a consistent size and tightness.

Notation (US crochet)

ch: chain 
st: stitch 
sc: single crochet

hdc: half-double crochet
slst: slip stitch
inc: increase stitch (perform 2 sc in the next stitch of the work)
dec: decrease stitch (insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through the stitch. Insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through first loop. Yarn over again, pull through all 3 loops on hook.)
*Note: You do not need to use the same brand or colors of yarn I used, but you should try and pick a 100% acrylic yarn for this doll. Acrylic yarn is generally best for amigurumi dolls as it holds the stiff weave required to maintain the structure of the doll. 


Head and Body
Round 1: With A, 7 sc in starter circle. (7)
Round 2: inc in each st of the round. (14)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (21)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (28)
Round 5: *sc in next 3 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (35)
Round 6: *sc in next 4 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (42)
Round 7: *sc in next 5 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (49)
Round 8: *sc in next 6 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (56)
Rounds 9-14: sc in each st around (56)
Round 15: *sc in next 6 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (49)
Round 16: *sc in next 5 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (42)
Round 17: *sc in next 4 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (35)
Rounds 18-20: *sc in each st around. (35) Begin to stuff the piece, and continue to do so as you work.
Round 21: *sc in next 4 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (42)
Rounds 22-33: *sc in each st around. (42)
Round 24: *sc in next 4 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (35)
Round 25: *sc in next 3 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (28)
Round 26: *sc in next 2 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (21)
Round 27: *sc in next st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (14)
Round 28: dec around until closed. (7) Finish off, leaving trail.

Arms (Make 2)
Round 1: With A, 5 sc in starter circle. (5)
Round 2: inc in each st of the round. (10)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (15)
Rounds 4-10: sc in each st around. (15) Finish off, leaving trail. Stuff the piece.

Skirt Leaves (Make 8 with B, and 4 with C)
Round 1: With (B or C), 6 sc in starter circle. (6)
Round 2: inc in each st of the round. (12)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (18)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (24)
Round 5: *sc in next 3 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (30)
Round 6: *sc in next 4 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (36)
Round 7: *sc in next 5 st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (42)
Rounds 8-14: sc in each st around. (42)
Round 15: *sc in next 5 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (36)
Round 16: sc in each st around. (36)
Round 17: *sc in next 4 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (30)
Round 18: sc in each st around. (30)
Round 19: *sc in next 3 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (24)
Round 20: *sc in next 2 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (18)
Round 21: *sc in next 1 st, dec.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (12)
Round 22: dec around until closed. (6) Finish off, weave in ends, and flatten. Do not stuff.

Flowers (Make 2)
The flowers consist of 2 components: a single "center" piece and 5 "petal" pieces, which you will assemble when you put the doll together at the end of the project

1. Flower Center (Make 1)
Round 1: With (C), 6 sc in starter circle. (6)
Round 2: inc in each st of the round. (12)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc.* Repeat from * to * around the round. (18) Finish off, leaving trail.

2. Flower Petals (Make 5)
*For this part, work in regular crochet rather than rounds.*
Row 1: ch 6 (6) Turn.
Row 2: sc in second ch from hook. sc in remaining st of the row. (5)
Rows 3-7: Repeat Row 2. (5) Finish off, leaving trail.

Flower assembly: Use a yarn needle and a whipstitch to sew the petals together at round 2 of the center piece. You should also sew the first few rows of adjacent petals together; this will help make the petals look continuous when you're finished with the flowers.

Assembly: Begin by attaching the skirt to the doll, since it is the trickiest part of the assembly. It is added in three layers, each of which needs to be sewed down before you add the next layer. Be careful with your placement, and make sure to pin everything down before you start sewing.

1. Layer 1: This layer will consist of four green leaf pieces, as pictured in the photo below. The trick is to start with two leaves on opposite sides of the doll, then adding two more perpendicular to the first pair. This will give the skirt a nice, consistently round shape. Also, you only want to sew down the first four rounds of the leaf pieces to the body of the doll; allowing the bottom 3/4 of the leaf to remain free helps keep the skirt flexible and "swishy" like a real skirt.

2. Layer 2:  The second layer is made of four yellow pieces. Attach them the same way you did the first layer's leaves, two at a time on opposite sides of the doll. The yellow leaves will be staggered with the green leaves in layer 1, as shown in the images below

3. Layer 3: The final layer is made using the last for green leaves. You should be an expert at this process by now, so repeat it again. This final layer should be staggered with the pieces in the yellow layer, as shown in the image below.

Finally, attach the arms and flowers to the body.

Finishing touches: Bellossom's finishing touches are the details on her face. Her eyes are simple black circles with dark blue and white highlights. I ran out of white, so I used light blue in those parts instead. The mouth can be styled however you wish, but it should be small and cute. I did a super smiley face with a black base and pink interior. Finally, add a few rosy circles to her cheeks to really emphasize how happy she is.

And that's it! Below are some extra images to help you assemble your doll.