These little crochet suns are sure to brighten your day.
They would be a great addition to a baby’s mobile…
or hanging in a school locker…
or on the rear dash of a car…
anyplace that needs cheering up
(I’m thinking every dentist office needs at least one).
Look how much it brightens up this workspace.
They’re fun to cuddle too.
I’m hoping to modify this pattern to make a big sun pillow at some point. I’ll keep you posted. 🙂
About a month ago, my friend Vanja published a crochet pattern for a very cute Mooshka Doll on her AmigurumiBB blog. To be honest, I had never seen a Mooshka Doll before. I thought surely this was a doll that Vanja had made up or one that came from Croatia where she lives. They are irresistibly adorable and undeniably huggable. I had to make one!
For those of you who already know what a Mooshka is, I should explain: when I made my own, I got caught up in crocheting the doll and I forgot about some of the key “Mooshka” elements like the big, round eyes and colorful striped stockings. Now that I look at her, I think she really needs some colorful hosiery.
It wasn’t until after I was finished that I decided to research the origins of the Mooshka. It was a little disappointing to find that the doll didn’t originate in Eastern European folklore, but instead with MGA Entertainment (the makers of Bratz), but she’s still really adorable and she has a good message. According to the website, their story goes like this: a group of paper dolls joined hands and, by the power of friendship, became real girls. They can be bought at Target in the US or made using AmigurumiBB’s fantastic and free pattern.
I would, of course, recommend making one of your very own using Vanja’s pattern. My favorite part was making the hair! It’s crocheted in one separate piece, done in rows that part around the face. You add two little buns to the sides after you sew the hair on. It’s quite cute!
The only trouble I had was with the placement of the arms, but in talking it over with Vanja, we were able to work it out. If after you are done with the head and ready to start the arms, you notice that you are at the front of the body (the head will be horizontal like a flat sewn doll), instead of continuing with the pattern, fasten off your yarn. Then flatten the chest so that you can find the side center stitch. Count 7 stitches back from this, and reattach your yarn there. Count 15 stitches forward (including the stitch where you attached your yarn), and single crochet those 2 stitches together. Continue with the pattern in rounds to create the arm. Repeat for the opposite arm.
The pattern will completely impress you. The hands are elegantly simple. The body is beautifully shaped. And I’ve already mentioned how much I love the hair. You can embroider the facial features as I did or use Vanja’s pattern for those big, beautiful Mooshka eyes.
I have a feeling every little girl is going to want one. Vanja, you really have your finger on the pulse of the American toy industry! Kudos for that and especially for providing this wonderful pattern. Have fun making your Mooshka dolls, everyone!
Mayor Snack Frog was the very first fatimal I ever crocheted. What’s a fatimal, you ask? A fatimal is, well, a fat animal. And at Squirrel Picnic, the fatimal clan is a bunch of fun-loving, easygoing, party animals. From their embroidered noses to their tiny little hands and feet, there’s just so much to love about them. They never consider their size to be a disadvantage. They never let anything get them down — they’re too busy having fun.
Of all the fatimals, Mayor Snack Frog could be considered the leader, but the truth is that there’s not really an organization to lead and fatimals aren’t much for being led anyway. In fact, he’s the one who gave himself the title of mayor. No one else seems to mind, so what the hoot. He has friends from all over the world who sometimes stop by to visit. He really does know how to throw a good party.
Finished size without top hat: 6″ tall and 11 1/2″ around at the widest point
Finished size of top hat: 2″ tall and 12″ around the outside of the brim
(A) 85 yds worsted-weight yarn in green (Caron Simply Soft in Dark Sage, 6 oz [170 g] / 315 yds [288 m])
(B) 32 yds worsted-weight yarn in black (Caron Simply Soft in Black, 6 oz [170 g] / 315 yds [288 m])
(C) 5 yds worsted-weight yarn in light green (Caron Simply Soft in Pistachio, 6 oz [170 g] / 315 yds [288 m])
(D) small amount of worsted-weight yarn in white (Caron Simply Soft in White, 6 oz [170 g] / 315 yds [288 m])
G-6 (4.00 mm) crochet hook
Size 12 mm safety eyes
Polyester Fiberfill
Tapestry needle
5 sts = 1″
5 rows = 1″
With D, ch 2.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook.
Rnd 2: 2 sc in ea sc around, join with slst. (12)
FO. Weave in ends.
Set aside for now.
With A, ch 7.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and ea ch across (BL only is ok), ch 1, turn. (6)
Row 2: Sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc, slst.
FO, leaving long tail for sewing.
Set aside.
With A, ch 2
Rnd 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in ea sc around. (12)
Rnd 3: * sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times. (18)
Rnd 4: * 2 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times. (24)
Rnd 5: * 3 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times. (30)
Rnd 6: * 4 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times. (36)
Rnds 7-15: Sc in ea sc around.
Rnd 16: * 5 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times. (42)
Rnd 17: Sc in ea sc around.
Rnd 18: * 6 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times. (48)
Rnd 19: Sc in ea sc around.
Rnd 20: * 7 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times. (54)
Rnds 21-30: Sc in ea sc around.
Rnd 31: * 7 sc, dec, rep from * 5 more times. (48)
Rnd 32: * 6 sc, dec, rep from * 5 more times. (42)
Rnd 33: * 5 sc, dec, rep from * 5 more times. (36)
Rnd 34: * 4 sc, dec, rep from * 5 more times. (30)
Rnd 35: * 3 sc, dec, rep from * 5 more times. (24)
Insert safety eyes into the center of the white eyes and attach to head. Sew eyelids to the frog’s head so that it wraps around the white part of the eye.
Stuff frog lightly.
Rnd 36: * 2 sc, dec, rep from * 5 more times. (18)
Rnd 37: * Sc, dec, rep from * 5 more times. (12)
Rnd 38: * Sk, sc, rep from * 5 more times. (6)
Join with slst. FO, leaving a tail. Thread tail through remaining sts and pull to close. Weave in end.
Using B, embroider two French knots for the nose and using a back stitch embroider a smile for the mouth.
Using C and back stitch, embroider an M above the nostrils and a line below the mouth to outline a snout.
With C, ch 2
Rnd 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook.
Rnd 2: 2 sc in ea sc around. Slst in 1st sc to join. (12)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, * sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times. Slst in 1st sc to join. (18)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, * 2 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times. Slst in 1st sc to join. (24)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, * 3 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times. Slst in 1st sc to join. (30)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, * 4 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times. Slst in 1st sc to join. (36)
FO, leaving long tail for sewing.
Sew to the middle of Mayor Snack Frog’s belly.
With A, ch 2.
Rnd 1: 4 sc into 2nd ch from hook. (4)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in ea sc around. (8)
Rnds 3-5: Sc in ea sc around.
Tuck in ends and press flat.
Row 6: Sc this closed with 3 scs (skipping the sts on either end where it is folded). Turn. (3)
Row 7: Ch 2, 2 dc in each of next 2 sc, (2 dc, ch 2, slst) in last sc.
FO, leaving a tail for sewing.
With the tail, thread through the 1st of the 3 sc in Row 6. Pull the thread up and over the dcs in Row 7 and back through the same space. Then thread through the 3rd sc in Row 6. Pull the thread up and over the dcs in Row 7 and back through the same space. Weave in to secure, but don’t trim just yet. (You’ll use the rest of the tail to sew the arms and legs to the frog.)
For feet, sew two of these to the bottom of the frog so that the toes stick out from under his belly. For hands, sew two of these to the sides of the frog so that the fingers reach out just in front of his belly.
Top HatWith B, ch 2.
Starting at the flat top of the hat:
Rnd 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook.
Rnd 2: 2 sc in ea sc around, join with slst, ch 1. (12)
Rnd 3: * sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst, ch 1. (18)
Rnd 4: * 2 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst, ch 1. (24)
Rnd 5: * 3 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst, ch 1. (30)
Rnd 6: * 4 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst, ch 1. (36)
Rnd 7: * 5 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst, ch 1. (42)
Moving on to the sides of the hat:
Rnd 8: Sc in BL only of ea sc around.
Rnd 9: Sc in ea sc around.
Rnd 10: * 5 sc, dec, rep from * 5 more times. (36)
Rnd 11: Sc in ea sc around.
Rnd 12: * 4 sc, dec, rep from * 5 more times. (30)
Rnds 13-15: Sc in ea sc around, join with slst, ch 1.
To create the brim:
Rnd 16: Sc in FL only of ea sc around, slst, ch 1.
Rnd 17: * 4 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst, ch 1. (36)
Rnd 18: * 5 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst, ch 1. (42)
Rnd 19: * 6 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst, ch 1. (48)
Rnd 20: * 7 sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst, ch 1. (54)
FO, weave in ends.
On the cute scale, I think koalas rank about a 9 – right up there with pandas and piglets. They’re definitely one of the cutest animals in the outback. My friend Sharon knows koala cuteness. In Melbourne, Sharon teaches classes in fiber arts and runs the blog gentlestitches, which features patterns for her aussiegurumi, the name she’s given her adorable crocheted creations.
I made this koala using her pattern. The goatee was my own addition. I’ve always thought that koalas look like they have goatees.
You can make a koala, too, with her free pattern.
Squirrel Picnic 
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