Spike, the Scuba Diver \~ He's got his C card & he's not afraid to use it...
Spike is completely outfitted for an afternoon of diving in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, (no wetsuits needed here). He measures about 14" from the tip of his fins to the top of his head, (excluding hair which is 3 \* long) & has pose able arms, legs & neck. Scuba diver is somewhat of a high risk sport so safety is key here..Spike is outfitted with an octopus which includes; a regulator, a buddy breather (extra regulator), gauge console for assessing depth & air usage & a dive watch for “watching" his bottom time. Gauge: unimportant, just make certain to have a tight stitch so stuffing won't show through.
Materials:
Hooks: F-5 $\left(3.75\,\mathrm{mm}\right)$ , G-6 (4 mm) Worsted weight yarn of choice, in small amounts (I used Redheart Super Saver) Small amount of $100\%$ wool for hair or novelty fur yarn, (see notes about hair choices) Polyester stuffing Tapestry needle Sewing needle & thread LargeWobbly Eyes Small piece of clear plastic film for scuba mask glass Coment olue White colored florist wire for making pose-able armature Plastic cord “Jelly” bracelets or lanyard cord for making hoses Square beads to be used as dive weights Three small, light colored shank style buttons (2 for depth gauge, 1 for dive watch)
Pattern Notes:
Bracelets & beads make nice dive equipment parts
Spike is worked in un-joined spiral rounds, Amigurumi style. Remember to stuff as you go and add the eyes while you still can if using safety eyes, (post & washer eyes). Spike has a wire armature in his neck, arms & legs so that he can be positioned into various poses. The armature is made of florist wire, which is stronger than chenille wires, (pipe cleaners). Model was constructed using florist wire since a heavier hold was required. His legs & arms are not stuffed. The snorkel & regulator hoses are made of round plastic cord bracelets. They are simply cut to size & glued with cement glue. I found them at Wal mart, (those of you with little girls probably have a bunch lying around). The weights are square beads attached by sewing or gluing with strong cement to a crocheted belt. Spike's hair is applied after his head & torso are done. A crochet hook is used to pull loops of yarn through the existing stitches,( in the fashion of attaching tassel fringe to a scarf end). The hair is then felted by letting Spike swim around in a super hot washing machine & cold water rinse, (OR use novelty fur yarn for hair). The idea is to have his hair standing on end. The dive mask glass is made out of a small sheet of clear plastic - use piece of a blister package or one of those clear report folders for glass. I used the clear top to a box of greeting cards. Glue mask into place along the edge of the crocheted mask. Finally, the swim trunks are made out of fabric & hand-sewn together, ( See pattern below). A word about glue vs sewing. I don't always have time or inclination to hand sew every little thing so I use E-6ooo cement glue when I can. LOVE it! It doesn't melt, like a glue gun, (good to know for down here in the deep south), and it REALLY holds! Just be careful, as it's hard to get off if you make a goof & it does tend to make the glue-soaked area a little darker. Use of a toothpick for applying glue can work wonders.
Stitches:
$[\,]=$ repeat steps in brackets as indicated after bracket $\mathbf{acr=}$ across arnd $=$ around $\mathrm{ch}{=}$ chain rnds $=$ rounds $\mathbf{S}\mathbf{C}=$ single crochet hdc $=$ half double crochet sl st $=$ slip stitch $\operatorname{st}(\mathbf{s})=$ stitch, stitches tog $=$ together Rnd 1: Sc 6 sts in adjustable loop Rnd 2: 2 sc in ea st arnd (12) Rnd 3: [2 sc in st, sc x 1] arnd (18 sts) Rnd 4: [2 sc in st, sc x 2] arnd (24 sts) Rnd 5: [2 sc in st, sc x 3] arnd (30 sts) Rnd 6: [2 sc in st, sc x 4] arnd (36 sts) Rnd 7: [2 sc in st, sc x 5] arnd (42 sts) Rnd 8-i2: Sc in ea st around (42 sts) Rnd 13: [2 sc tog, sc x 5] arnd (36 sts) Rnd 14: Sc in ea st around (36 sts) Rnd 15: [2 sc tog, sc x 4] arnd (30 sts) Rnd 16: Sc in ea st around (30 sts) Rnd 17: [ 2 sc tog, sc x 3] arnd (24 sts) Stuff head firmly & add eyes now, if using post & washer “safety eyes". Rnd 18: [ 2 sc tog, sc x 2] arnd (18 sts) Rnd 19: [ 2 sc tog, sc x 1] arnd (12 sts) Continue stuffing head & neck as you work. Insert doubled florist wire into neck, pack stuffing around wire to hold in place. Rnd 20: Sc in ea st around (12 sts) Rnd 21: [2 sc in st, sc x 1] arnd (18 sts) Rnd 22: [2 sc in st, sc x 2] arnd (24 sts) Rnd 23: [2 sc in st, sc x 3] arnd (30 sts) Rnd 24-27: Sc in ea st around (30 sts) Rnd 28: [ 2 sc tog, sc x 3] arnd (24 sts) Rnd 29-32: Sc in ea st around (24 sts) Rnd 33: [2 sc in st, sc x 3] arnd (30 sts Rnd 34: [ 2 sc tog, sc x 3] arnd (24 sts) Rnd 35: [ 2 sc tog, sc x 2] arnd (18 sts) Rnd 36: [ 2 sc tog, sc x 1] arnd (12 sts) Rnd 18: 2 sc tog arnd (6 sts) Finish off, weave ends & trim.
HAIR
Step 1: For felted hair; Using $100\%$ felt-able wool, cut about 30 strands in $_{6-8^{\circ}}$ lengths. Step 2: Using 2 strands at a time, attach plugs of hair as you would for attaching fringe on a scarf or afghan; beginning at the top of head insert smaller hook into st, fold strands of yarn in half to form loop & place the loop on the hook end. Pull yarn through (under the st) & thread ends through the loop. Pull to tighten. Step 3: Space hair plugs a few sts apart, (felting will close gaps between plugs). Attach as much or as little hair as desired. Model has hair on top & around crown of head only. Step 4: Trim hair as desired & felt in the washer, using a hot wash & cold rinse. Check between cycles to ensure hair isn't tangling too much. Give his head a good shake or finger comb his hair to maintain the “standing-onend" look. Do not dry in dryer. While Spike is drying, proceed to the next step; the legs & feet LEGS & FEET (make 2) Rnd 1: Ch 6, join with sl st, ch 1 Rnd 2-17: sc in ea st arnd (6 sts) Do not stuff legs. Rnd 18: 2 sc in first 4 sts, sc in next 2 sts (10 sts) Beginfoot as follows; Rnd 19-20: Ch 2 (counts as $\mathbf{1}^{\mathrm{st}}$ st now & throughout), hdc 4 sts, sc 6 (11 sts) Form top of foot by working in rows as follows; Step 1-4: Hdc in first 4 sts, ch 2 & turn (11 sts) Finish off with long tail. Sew & stuff foot as follows; Looking at flap just made, with “toe” end pointing forward, fold this piece under towards what will become the bottom of the foot & sew edges together. Stuff lightlv & sew each of the 2 sides together. Optional: Use yarn to define toes by looping over foot end at intervals, pulling yarn tightly to pucker the design a bit. Carefully thread florist wire through leg & into feet. Make bend in the end to prevent the wire poking through sts. ARMS (make 2) Rnd 1: Ch 6, join with sl st, ch 1 Rnd 2-15: sc in ea st arnd (6 sts) Rnd 16: [2 sc in st, sc 2] twice (8 sts) Rnd 17: Ch 3, sc in $\mathbf{1}^{\mathrm{st}}$ ch 2 times, (to make thumb), sc in ea st arnd (8 sts plus a thumb) Rnd 18-19: sc in ea st arnd (8 sts) Rnd 20: 2 sc tog in ea st arnd (4 sts) Finish off leaving long tail for sewing. Do not stuff arms. Instead, finish as follows; ?Locate “shoulder” area & insert wire through entire body as shown in picture, (thread wire through larqe tapestry needle for easier insertion.). Picture is blurry, sorry...
Fold wire over at the end to prevent it catching on yarn & to prevent poking through sts. Also tie a knot in one side to hold in place, as shown below... Pull arm over wires & sew into place at shoulder.
BCD
Row 1: Using G hook Ch 25 & sc in ea of the back bumps starting with the $\mathbf{\dot{\underline{{\rho}}}_{2}^{n d}}$ from hook (24 sts) Row 2-3: Ch 1, sc in ea st acr , adding contrasting color in last st of last row, do not finish main color off (24 Ssts) Row 4-5: Ch 1, sc in ea st acr , adding main color in last st of last row, finish off contrasting color (24 sts) Row 6: Ch 1, sc in 9 sts, hdc next 6 sts, ch 2 & turn Row 7: Hdc in ea hdc (6 hdc) Row 8: Ch 1 & sl st in rows ends of hdc rows just made, sc acr remaining 9_ sc sts Finish off by sl stitching arnd entire BCD. Leave long tail for sewing to Spike.
BCD Straps
Attach contrast yarn to upper corner of BCD, (see photo) Ch 8,attach to front as shown, with sl st, sl st in next st Sc acr ch, join with sl st &finish off
Tank Strap
Attach yarn to middle back of BCD & ch 13 Sc in ea ch acr, join to BCD with sl st &finish off Place tank in strap & sew other end of tank FINS (make 2) Rnd 1: Using G hook , ch 12, join with sl st & ch 1 Rnd 2: Working in back bumps only, sc in ea ch arnd (12 sts) Rnd 3-7: Sc in ea st arnd (12 sts) Rnd 8: [2 sc in st, sc x 1] arnd (17 sts) Rnd 9: 2 sc in first 2 sts, sc 7 , 2 sc in next 2 sts, sc x6 (21 sts) Rnd 10: sc in ea st arnd (21 sts) Lay piece flat, holding both layers together, sl st the end opening closed. Finish off.
MASK
Row 1: Using F hook chain 29 sts Row 2: Working in back bumps, sc in ea st acr (28 sts) Finish off by sewing finished piece into a loop. Weave & trim ends. Make mask head strap as follows; Using $F$ hook, attach yarn to back side of face mask & Ch 22 & attach to opposite side with a sl st Row 3: Sl st in next st & sc back acr ch, join with sl st & finish off.
REGULATOR MOUTHPIECE (make 2)
Knd 1: Using F hook, Sc 6 sts in adjustable loop Rnd 2: 2 sc in first st, sc in remaining sts (8 sts) Rnd 3: sl st in every other st arnd, finish off Cut plastic cord bracelets to approximately 4 1/2 “to form hose. Using cement glue, coat tip of cord with glue & insert in between sts of mouthpiece. Repeat for other regulator & depth gauge. Set aside to dry.
DEPTH GAUGE
Row 1: Ch 4 , working in back bumps, sc in ea st (3 sts) Row 2: Ch 1, working arnd the entire piece, beginning at row end, [2 sc in row end, sc 3] twice (10 sts) Row 3: sc in ea st arnd, finish off. Sew or glue 2 light colored shank style buttons inside the depth gauge casing you've just created. Draw gauge detailswithSharpie. TANK (tank is worked from bottom upwards) Rnd 1: Using F hook, Sc 6 sts in adjustable loop, join & ch 1 Rnd 2: 2 sc in ea st arnd, join & ch 1 (12 sts) Rnd 3: Working in the back loops only, sc in ea st arnd, do not join (12 sts) Rnd 4-10: sc in ea st arnd (12 sts) Rnd 11: [sc 2 tog, sc 3] twice, sc 2 tog (10 sts) Rnd 12: sc 2 tog arnd (5 sts) Rnd 13: attach gray yarn & sc ea st arnd Finish off. Insert & glue regulators & depth gauge by dipping tip of cord in glue & inserting in gray top of tank, between sts
DIVE WATCH
Row 1: Ch 10 (more or less - to fit wrist) Rnd 2: Sc in ea ch acr Finish off leaving long tail for finishing. Sew or glue light colored shank style button to watch strap. Draw in watch hands & a few details to look like watch face. Attach watch to Spike's wrist.
WEIGHT BELT
Ch 27 & sc in ea ch acr, finish off leaving long tail for sewing on to Spike, (or attach snap if you want to make belt remove-able) Attach (bead) “weights" by either sewing or cement glue.
SWIM TRUNKS
Swim trunk are sewn from fabric remnant. Either hand or machine stitch. Using the pattern below & keeping sewing shortcuts in mind try to cut out the pieces with the hem on the selvedgeorfinished edge,thusreducingsewingtasks $\circledcirc$ Cut 2 pieces on thefold as labeled With right sides tog, sew the front & back seam, with about 1/4 “ seam allowance Open piece up & match leg seams, starting from the bottom inside hem area of the right leg, sew the seam up through the crotch & down the $2^{n d}$ leg. Clip seams, as needed & press, (fold & press waistband) Put trunks on Spike & attach by tacking it on in several places arnd the waistband. No need to sew waistband, unless you really want to
Cut 2 on fold
FINISHING
By now you should have attached the arms, legs, hair & glued, sewn or put his eyes on. O.K., you divers know the drill... Attach weight belt, attach watch if you haven't already Put on BCD, (after checking all the hoses, right?),fins & mask Enjoy!! Warning: Please be aduised that I have not tested this pattern. Consequently, there may be errors, (I sincerely hopenot). This pattern is mine, mine, mine! It was designed by me, Miss Julep, of yarnjulepsontheveranda.com. You may sell completed items but please give me design credit, ok? Oh & I'd love to see ones you've done?
