I think it might be time to put down the crochet hook and dust off the sewing machine... My little sister is a tattoo artist and in looking for images of birds and blossom for a new tattoo (type in birds and blossom to google images, apart from the 80's tv character there's so much pretty I could just browse it all day) when I found this lovely thing.  The website is called 'Spool' and has some really lovely, simple free patterns.

Very much loving the cute critters and lovely fabrics used in the creations of Singapore based littleoddforest, I need to go there!  http://forestprints.com/...

 This pattern does assume a basic understanding of how to crochet and does use a few different stitches.

You will need:

Orange wool

Dark blue wool

Med. Blue wool

Beige wool

Black wool

Pink wool

Crochet needle (suitable for your wool thickness)

Wool needle

Black felt

White embroidery thread

Embroidery needle

Stuffing

Abbreviations:

sc - single crochet

*    * - repeat steps to the end of the row

dec – decrease

sl st – slip stitch

hdc – half double crochet

tc – triple crochet

Head – orange yarn

1. Magic Ring 6 – sc   (6)

2. 2 sc in each stitch   (12)

3. *2 sc then sc in next stitch*   (18)

4. *2 sc then sc in next 2 stitches*   (24)

5. *2sc then sc in next 3 stitches*   (30)

6. *2sc then sc in next 4 stitches*   (36)

7-12. sc in every stitch   (36)

13. *dec 2 then sc in next 4 stitches*   (30)

14. *dec 2 then sc in next 3 stitches*   (24)

15. *dec 2 then sc in next 2 stitches*    (18)

16. *dec 2 then sc in next stitch*   (12)

17. Stuff head quite firmly

18. *dec 2 *   sl st (6)

19. close

Ears - orange yarn

1. Chain 4

2. sc in 2^nd chain from end

3. dc

4. tc – sl st to finish, leave a nice long tail to attach it to the head

Hat – med.blue yarn

1. Magic Ring 5    (5)

2. 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc, 2sc  (8)

3. *sc*   (8)

4. *2sc*  (16)

5. *sc*   (16)

TURN

6. In outer loop only *2sc, sc in the next 3 stitches*   (20)

7. *sc* - sl st to finish

6. Using dark blue yarn embroider stripe around the bottom

8. Stuff lightly, shape and attach to head

Body – orange and med. blue yarn

1. Using blue magic ring 6   (6)

2. sc in each stitch   (12)

3. *2 sc then sc in next stitch*   (18)

4. *sc*   (18)

5-13. switch to orange *sc*   (18)

14. *dec 2 then sc in next stitch*   (12)

15. Stuff body quite firmly

16. *dec 2 *   sl st to finish (6)

17.  Attach to head with blue at the top (this is his collar)

Tummy – beige

1. ch 6 – turn sc

2. ch 1 – sc along other edge

3-8. repeat steps 1-2, sl st

9. sew on to front of body

Arms – orange

1. Magic ring 4   (4)

2. *2 sc then sc in next stitch*   (6)

3-6. *sc*   (6)

7. *2 sc then sc in next stitch*    (9)

8. Stuff very lightly, I found using the tails of yarn was enough

9. *sc*   (9)

10. *dec 2* sl st to finish

11. Attach to body where the ‘collar’ ends

Legs – 0range

1. Magic ring 4   (4)

2. *2 sc then sc in next stitch*   (6)

3-6. *sc*   (6)

7. Change to med blue for the boots, sc   (6)

8. sc, sc, 2sc, 2sc, sc, sc   (8)

9-10. sc   (8)

11. Stuff very lightly

12. dec, sc, dec, sc, dec – sl st close(6)

13. attach to body with ‘toes’ pointing forwards

Nose – beige

1. chain 6

2. sc in 2^nd chain from end

3. dc, sc, dc, sc – sl st

4. Sew on to face with the flat edge as the top of the ‘nose’

5. Using pink wool embroider a little nose in the middle at the top

Eyes

Cut 1 circle out of black felt, embroider white pupil with embroidery thread in the right corner, sew on to right side of head

Tail – orange

1. Chain 16 - turn

2. sc, slst and attach to the body

Eye patch - black

1. chain 35 (although wrap it around the head to check)

2. In second loop from end sc

3. dc

4. sc

5. sl st and sew all in place

You can now get my new book (hooray!) called "Crochet-Dress Up" by CICO publishers, full of cool, easy dress up patterns for kids.

My little beast is 3 today so it's been a lego and cake based day, loved it. 

Also obsessively crocheting sea creatures for mein teir auf Deutschland, I miss him very much.

Having not introduced myself I thought I would show you a few of the critters that I've made using other peoples patterns (that I will post links to) and then ones I've made myself (withhout written patterns as yet), all in the name of spreading the amigurumi love.  I also intend to show you other awesome things in the world of craft but that's for another day.

Hi there, I haven’t ever written any of my patterns out before and I don’t know things like wool gauges or anything, I just like making things, so please forgive me if anything is confusing, and please feel free to ask any questions that you like.  I made this for my little boy, I hope that Meomi don't mind me sharing it with everyone.

Octonauts - Crochet Captain Barnacles

This pattern does assume a basic understanding of how to crochet and does use a few different stitches.

You will need:

Thick white wool

Dark blue wool

Med. Blue wool

Grey wool

Dark grey wool
Yellow wool

Crochet needle (suitable for your wool thickness)

Wool needle

Black felt

White embroidery thread

Embroidery needle

Stuffing

Abbreviations:

sc - single crochet

*    * - repeat steps to the end of the row

dec – decrease

sl st – slip stitch

hdc – half double crochet
dc - double crochet

Head – thick white yarn

1. Magic Ring 6 – sc   (6)

2. 2 sc in each stitch   (12)

3. *2 sc then sc in next stitch*   (18)

4. *2 sc then sc in next 2 stitches*   (24)

5. *2sc then sc in next 3 stitches*   (30)

6-10. sc in every stitch   (30)

11. *dec 2 then sc in next 3 stitches*   (24)

12. *dec 2 then sc in next 2 stitches*    (18)

13. *dec 2 then sc in next stitch*   (12)

14. Stuff head quite firmly

15. *dec 2 *   sl st (6)

16. close

Ears – thick white yarn

1. Chain 4

2. sc in 2^nd chain from end

3. hdc

4. sc – sl st to finish, leave a nice long tail to attach it to the head

5. Using light grey wool embroider a few stitches on the front, inside of the ear

Hat – light blue yarn

1. Magic Ring 6 – sc   (6)

2. sc in each stitch   (12)

3. *2 sc then sc in next stitch*   (18)

4-6. *sc* - sl st to finish   (18)

7. Using dark blue yarn embroider two stripes around the bottom

8. Shape and attach to head

Body – light and dark blue yarn

1. Using light blue magic ring 6 – sc   (6)

2. sc in each stitch   (12)

3. *2 sc then sc in next stitch*   (18)

4. *sc*   (18)

5-13. switch to dark blue *sc*   (18)

14. *dec 2 then sc in next stitch*   (12)

15. Stuff body quite firmly

16. *dec 2 *   sl st to finish (6)

17.  Attach to head with light blue at the top (this is his collar)

Arms – dark blue

1. Magic ring 4   (4)

2. *2 sc then sc in next stitch*   (6)

3-6. *sc*   (6)

7. Change to thick white, sc (6)

8. Stuff very lightly, I found using the tails of yarn was enough

9. *dec 2* sl st to finish

10. Attach to body where the ‘collar’ ends

Legs – Dark blue

1. Magic ring 4   (4)

2. *2 sc then sc in next stitch*   (6)

3-6. *sc*   (6)

7. Change to light blue for the boots, sc   (6)

8. sc, sc, 2sc, 2sc, sc, sc   (8)

9-10. sc   (8)

11. Stuff very lightly

12. dec, sc, dec, sc, dec – sl st close(6)

13. attach to body with ‘toes’ pointing forwards

Nose – light grey

1. chain 6

2. sc in 2^nd chain from end

3. dc, sc, dc, sc – sl st

4. Sew on to face with the flat edge as the top of the ‘nose’

5. Using dark grey wool embroider a little nose in the middle at the top

Eyes

Cut 2 circles out of black felt, embroider white pupils with embroidery thread in the right corner, sew on to head

Belt- dark blue
1. Chain 18 - turn
2. sc in each stitch, sew ends together
3. Using yellow yarn loop a few stitches around the belt

You can also get a collection of cool patterns for kids in my new book "Crochet Dress-Up" by CICO publishers :)