Bacterial Amigurumi

Hi,

So, I completed my first weekly knit project! In complete honesty, I actually finished it on Tuesday (so one day after my original deadline). Another bonus is that he takes only like five hours to make! It's an amigurumi in the image of "Earl", the bacterial growth in an LB media jar in the lab. It's also a belated birthday present for one of my grad students. :) It came out pretty close to what I sketched out, and people who I've shown it to recognize it as "Earl"! Which is great!

Sorry if the instructions are confusing in any way. Just let me know, and I will gladly fix stuff to make more sense!

So, here is the pattern and some pictures:

Earl, the friendly neighborhood bacterium

Chain 2, chain 5 into 2nd st from hook (ie. Magic ring)

Row 2: Sc2 in each st (10)

Row 3: *Sc2 in one st, sc one* repeat till end of row (15)

Row 4: *sc2 in one st, sc two* repeat till end of row (20)

Row 5: *sc2 in one st, sc three* repeat till end of row (25)

Row 6: *sc2 in one st, sc four* repeat till end of row (30)

Row 7: *sc2 in one st, sc five* repeat till end of row (35)

Row 8: *sc2 in one st, sc six* repeat till end of row (40)

Row 9: *sc2 in one st, sc seven* repeat till end of row (45)

Row 10: *sc2 in one st, sc eight* repeat till end of row (50)

Row 11: *sc2 in one st, sc nine* repeat till end of row (55)

Row 12: *sc2 in one st, sc ten* repeat till end of row (60)

Row 13: *sc2 in one st, sc five* repeat till end of row (70)

Row 14: sc in each st around (70)

Row 15: sc in bottom loop of st (see pictures below- hold the disc you've crocheted at this point with the side you want to be on the exterior facing away from you. Then, sc into the lower loop of the st (ie. the loop closest to you)) around (70)- the effect of this row is seen on the picture below to the right. You effectively "turn" the stitches 90 degrees.

side view of "turn"

Row 16: *Sc2tog, sc five* repeat till end of row (60)

Row 17: *sc2tog, sc four* repeat till end of row (50)

Row 18: *sc2tog, sc three* repeat till end of row (40)

Row 19: *sc2tog, sc two* repeat till end of row (30)

Row 20: *sc2tog, sc one* repeat till end of row (20)

Row 21: *sc2tog* repeat till end of row (10) #Begin adding stuffing now (The more you add, the firmer it  will be. I want this one to be fairly squishy, so I won't be stuffing as much as I can, just enough so that it holds its shape, but I can squish it easily.

Row 22: *sc2 in one st, sc one* all in top loop of st (15)

Row 23: *sc2tog* sc one (8) (Now, normally when I decrease (sc2tog), I use only the bottom loop. If you do not, you need to for just this row so that there is a st. outside that you can use later. This is your last chance to add any more stuffing easily.

Soon won't be able to stuff anymore

Row 24: *sc2tog* (4)

Cut string and weave in end.

Depress the pointy center so that it is within the ball, and such that the loops from row (23) are facing out. 

Point out

Point pressed in

Row 25: Sc in each loop around middle of the ball (This is from row 15)

Knitting into the loops from row 15

Row 26-27: Sc in each st around
cut string and weave in ends

Row 28: sc in each loop formed in row 23

Row 29-30: sc in each st around

cut string and weave in ends

This is the bottom

Finally, choose an alternate color (I chose a black yarn with some shiny color strip in it) and using a yarn needle make eyes, mustache, and mouth. 

Earl!

What a great mustache!

And now you can properly squish him into the desired shape- flat, round, crumpled, etc. 

I've already started on my next project! I am making a hat- I found the pattern online. I got quite a few balls of yarn for Christmas, and I've been eyeing them for awhile. So I gave in and started on a hat that I am actually trying to finish by tomorrow afternoon. 

Why tomorrow afternoon? I am going to Boston tomorrow for an interview weekend! And I wanted a cozy hat to bring since I seem to have lost the other one I made. And the yarn I am using is soft and nice looking! I've also planned out my next two knitting projects. Anyway, I will probably post about the hat on Sunday, and about a new project the same time or Monday. 

Have a great week!

Sarah