Storm Trooper

Of course after making Darth Vader, I had to make the Storm Trooper pattern to go with my Norbert (who will of course be dressed as Princess Leia). They are such bad shots anyway so I’m not going to have them holding their weapons…

 

Worsted weight yarn (or any weight of your choosing) in black and white
Size G hook (or whatever hook to make a tight crochet with your yarn)
Safety eyes, 12mm
Poly-fil for stuffing

Legs(make two) start in black
8 sc in magic circle
inc around
sc around for 2 rounds and switch to white
dec x4, sc x8
dec x2, sc x8 (by this round it should be 10sc) Stuff foot and continue to stuff as you go.
sc around for 8 rounds. Bind off both, but no need to leave a long tail for sewing.

Now about joining the legs, what you need to do is hold the legs together and sl st through both the legs twice in the middle where they meet, from the front of the legs to the back. Then continue around the legs. You should end with 2 sl st and 16 sc (8 sc around each leg). Moving on to the body you will forgo the sl st and only work in the sc.

Body
sc around for 2 rounds and switch to black
sc around for 1 round and switch back to white
*dec, 3* x3, sc, make sure to continue to stuff as you go
sc around for 2 rounds
sc, *dc tog (dc 2tog), sc, sc* x3, dc tog, sc
sc around for 5 rounds and switch to black
sc, dec, dec, 2 sec, dec, dec
dec around, Bind off both, but no need to leave a long tail for sewing.

Arms (make two) start with black
6 sc in magic circle
inc around and switch to white
sc around for 2 rounds
*dec, sc in next 2* around, make sure to stuff lightly as you go and switch to black
sc around and switch to white
sc around for 7 rounds and switch to black
sc around for 2 rounds. Bind off, leaving a tail to go ahead and sew onto the sides of the body.

Head start with white
6 sc in magic circle
inc around
*inc, sc* around switch to black
sc around and switch to white
sc around for 4 round, insert safety eyes between rounds 4 and 5, leaving about 3 sc in between.
*inc, 2 sc* around
sc around
*dec, 2 sc* around and switch to black
*dec, sc* around, be sure to stuff
dec around, bind off, leaving a tail to go ahead and make an upside down ‘v’ for the mouth then sew it onto the body.

Mad Hooking!

Darth Vader

Again I find myself in need of a pattern and not a free suitable one in sight. My original Norbert Calendar was a hit that I didn’t realize that so many people liked. We didn’t make one this year and had many people inquire about it… so here I go again.

I wanted to make a roughly 6″ Darth Vader and Storm Troopers. I do have a long standing grump about paying for patterns, so I’ve decided to pay homage to these iconic characters in yarm. I freely give this pattern out for others to celebrate them as well.

Worsted weight yarn i(or any weight of your choosing) n black, dark grey, red and green
Size G hook (or whatever hook to make a tight crochet with your yarn)
Safety eyes, 12mm
Poly-fil for stuffing

Legs(make two)
8 sc in magic circle
inc around
sc around for 2 rounds
dec x4, sc x8
dec x2, sc x8 (by this round it should be 10sc) Stuff foot and continue to stuff as you go.
sc around for 8 rounds. Bind off both, but no need to leave a long tail for sewing.

Now about joining the legs, what you need to do is hold the legs together and sl st through both the legs twice in the middle where they meet, from the front of the legs to the back. Then continue around the legs. You should end with 2 sl st and 16 sc (8 sc around each leg). Moving on to the body you will forgo the sl st and only work in the sc.

Body
sc around for 3 rounds
*dec, 3* x3, sc, make sure to continue to stuff as you go
sc around for 8 rounds
sc, dec, dec, 2 sec, dec, dec
dec around, Bind off both, but no need to leave a long tail for sewing.

Arms (make two)
6 sc in magic circle
inc around
sc around for 2 rounds
*dec, sc in next 2* around, make sure to stuff lightly as you go
sc around for 10 rounds. Bind off, leaving a tail to go ahead and sew onto the sides of the body.

Upper body armor
4 sc in magic circle, ch 1 and turn
*inc, sc* across, ch 1 and turn
sc across, switch colors to dark grey, ch 1 and turn
sc across, switch back to black, ch 1 and turn
sc across for 3 round, switch colors to dark grey, ch 1 and turn
sc across, switch back to black, ch 1 and turn
*dec, sc* across, ch 1 and turn
dec x2, ch 1 and sc around the armor
sl, ,st to first sc of the round going around the armor, bind off and leave a long tail. Sew this to the top of the body (no need to stuff, just push the ends under as you sew), the sides hanging down over the ‘shoulders’.

Head
6 sc in magic circle
inc around
*inc, sc* around
sc around for 5 round, insert safety eyes between rounds 4 and 5, leaving about 3 sc in between.
*dec, sc* around, be sure to stuff
dec around, bind off, leaving a tail to go ahead and sew in the middle of the upper body armor.

Mouth
ch 2, ,3 sc in first ch, ch 1 and turn
sc across, ch 1 and turn
sc, sc inc, sc, bind off, leave a tail and sew to face. Stuff the end behind as you sew. Sew two vertical lines in grey for accent markings.

Helmet
6 sc in magic circle
inc around
*inc, sc* around
sc in next 2, hdc and dc in next, dc and hdc in next, sc in the rest. Ch 1 and turn
sc in the next 12, ch 1 and turn. Repeat this for 6 rows. Ch 1 and sc around the helmet, put 3 sc in the bottom points/corners of the back of the helmet (the sc rows). Bind off, leave a tail and sew onto the head.
Ch 18 and bind off, leave a tail and sew down the middle of the helmet starting between the eyes.

Belt
Start with black and ch 19. Sc in second chain from hook and across. Ch 1 and turn
sc across, bind off with a long tail to sew around his middle.
In grey, for the buckle, ch 5, sc in the second chain from hook and across. Ch 1 and turn
sc across, bind off with a long tail to sew to the front of the belt.

Abdomen light box
ch 6, sc in second chain from hook, ch 1 and turn
sc across, ch 1 and turn. Repeat for a total of 4 rows. Bind off with a long tail to sew on the abdomen. Before you sew though, use the blue, red and grey to add some accent lines.

Cape
Now, with the cape you can attach some felt or cloth if you prefer. I went ahead and crocheted one up so I could include it in these instructions and as a matter of preference as well.
ch 27, dc in the third chain from hook and across, ch 2 (does not count as a st) and turn
dc across, ch 2 and turn for total of 12 rows. Sc around it all, putting 3 sc in each corner. When you get back to the beginning of the sc around, sl st to the first one and tie a little knot leaving a long tail for sewing.
Now to make your life easier to make the gathered look of the top of the cape use your needle to help weave the end in about every 2-3 stitches along the top. When you get to the end, gently pull and compare it to where you will sew the cape to the upper body armor then sew it on. 

And that’s all there is!
Mad Hooking!

Flasher Banana (slightly NSFW)

This pattern began as someone messaging me on Facebook.  They couldn’t find the pattern anywhere and wanted to make it for a friend of theirs that has cancer.  I’ve been wanting to write more patterns of my own up and I loved this idea and reasons!  Not to mention this is right up my alley….

This is worked in the round as typical for amigurumi.  Mine turned out to be about 10″ tall.  I choose to make it a little larger and not use wire for the arms and legs.  This way it is washable!

G hook
12mm safety eyes
worsted weight yarn in yellow, white and black
polyfill for stuffing
Start with black
6 sc in magic circle
*inc, sc* around
sc around then change to yellow (leave a long end of black here on the outside to make sewing the eyebrows and mouth a little easier on yourself if you want)
In back loops only (just for this round) sc around
*inc, sc in next 2* around
sc around for 2 rounds
*inc, sc in next 3* around
sc around for 3 rounds
*inc, sc in next 4* around
sc around for 3 rounds
*inc, sc in next 5* around
sc around for 3 rounds
*inc, sc in next 6* around
sc around for 3 rounds then change to white
in back loops only (just for this round) sc around
Take a moment to insert the safety eyes before moving on.  Count down 11/12 rounds of yellow and place them with 4 stitches in between. Also, stuff the head at least to eye level to make your life easier and then keep stuffing as you go. Keep in mind that as you stuff you are also giving it that slightly curved shape as well.  This is the easiest way since it is just a slight curve than to get fancy with the stitches I have found.
sc around for 6 rounds
*dec, sc in next 6* around
sc around for 3 rounds
*dec, sc in next 5* around
sc around for 3 rounds
*dec, sc in next 4* around
sc around for 3 rounds
*dec, sc in next 3* around
sc around for the next 3 rounds
*dec, sc in next 2* around
sc around for the next 2 rounds
*dec, sc* around
dec around then bind off and weave in the end
Now, turn your banana upside down with the yellow end facing down.  Locate the approximate middle of the back where you did the round of back loop only in yellow before changing to white.  This may or may not be the beginning of the round, but it doesn’t matter.  (Also, you may be off a stitch or two.  It’ll be fine.  I’m not one for counting exactly as you may have noticed from my patterns.  I like stress free as possible.) Join your yellow yarn here and continue as follows:
ch 1 and sc around in the front loops only then sl st to beginning (ch does not count as a stitch)
ch 1 and then sc around to the front stopping about halfway, in the middle,  Leave the rest of this round unworked for now and turn.
ch 1 and sc back to where you started then turn
ch 1, sc across then turn for 3 rows
ch 1, dec, sc across then dec over the last 2 stitches
ch 1, sc across then turn for 4 rows
ch 1, dec, sc across then dec over the last 2 stitches
ch 1, sc across then turn for 4 rows
ch 1, dec, sc across then dec over the last 2 stitches
ch 1, sc across then turn for 4 rows
ch 1, dec, sc across then dec over the last 2 stitches
ch 1, sc across then turn for 4 rows
ch 1, dec, sc across then dec over the last 2 stitches (it really is a dec, dec basically since you should be down to 4 or 5 stitches.
ch 1, sc across then turn for 2 rows
ch 1, then dec across the last stitches, cut and bind off yarn.
Now, join yarn in the last sc you worked before turning (yeah, the same, not the next one).
ch 1 and then sc around to the back stopping at the last stitch before the peal you just made.
ch 1 and sc back to where you started then turn
ch 1, sc across then turn for 3 rows
ch 1, dec, sc across then dec over the last 2 stitches
ch 1, sc across then turn for 4 rows
ch 1, dec, sc across then dec over the last 2 stitches
ch 1, sc across then turn for 4 rows
ch 1, dec, sc across then dec over the last 2 stitches
ch 1, sc across then turn for 4 rows
ch 1, dec, sc across then dec over the last 2 stitches
ch 1, sc across then turn for 4 rows
ch 1, dec, sc across then dec over the last 2 stitches (it really is a dec, sc, dec basically since you should be down to 3 stitches. At least I was.. if you aren’t it should be close and it will be fine.
ch 1, sc across then turn for 2 rows
ch 1, then dec across the last stitches.  It was a dec over 3 for me.
ch 1, turn then sc evenly up and down both sides of the peals. Place 2 sc at the tips of the peals. Sl st then bind off and weave in ends.
Legs, make two and make them both before sewing as it makes it easier to get an even amount of stuffing in each.
start with black
6 sc in magic circle
*inc* around
*inc, sc* around
sc around
6 dec, 6sc
sc around, change to white and making sure to stuff as you go.  Keep it stuffed pretty tightly as it will help him stand, but try to keep the bottom fairly flat.
sc around for 12 rounds, bind off leaving a long tail to sew.
To sew on, keep in mind that the legs go down with the bottom of the banana facing out.  I found it best to turn the banana to the side, count down about 10-12 white rows, pinch the top of the legs closed and then sew onto the banana. Some people find it easier to pin in place before sewing and it might make it easier to line them up better.
Arms, make two and make them both before sewing as it makes it easier to get an even amount of stuffing in each.
with yellow
6 sc in magic circle
*inc* around
sc around
8 sc, 3 dc in same st, 3 sc (make sure to push the dc outwards to create a thumb)
8 sc, dec over the next 3 dc, 3 sc
*dec, sc* around and stuff the hand to hold shape and stuff very lightly as you go so it bends easily
sc around for 10 rounds.
To sew on, pinch the top of the arms closed and sew it onto the yellow part of the banana about 3-4 rows above the peal.  Make sure to have the thumbs facing up.  I did sew at a slight slant from back to front, but that’s me.  I then ran the yarn on the inside of the arms to the hands to sew the peal into place so it look like he is holding open the peals.
Finally take the black yarn and sew on the face and eyebrows and you’re done!
Mad Hooking!