Innholdsfortegnelse for Curious Crochet Creatures - 3rd Ed i Curious Crochet Creatures - 3rd Ed

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by the natural world and all its inhabitants. The sheer diversity of life on our planet is mind-boggling, from the tiniest insect to the enormous ocean mammals. And since you, dear reader and maker, are holding this book full of crochet creatures, I bet you are an animal enthusiast, just like me! I grew up in a very crafty household in the centre of Moscow. My grandma spun yarn, crocheted and sewed beautiful clothes for us and our dolls; my mum preferred to knit. There were plenty of craft books to look through and projects to try out. We didn’t keep any pets, but we made up for it by taking in nature at every opportunity. We dived deep…

Aardvarks sit right at the start of the English dictionary, so it’s only fitting that we begin with one! These unusual mammals have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years, making them something of a living fossil. Their powerful feet dig out roomy burrows to hide in from the heat of the sun, long snouts help sniff out the next termite meal and large ears can hear any approaching predator. These nocturnal digging machines are built for keeping armies of ants and termites at bay; they can munch through 50,000 of the wriggly critters every night – quite the appetite! DIMENSIONS 40cm (153/4in) long YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton) 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Beige: 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in Vanilla Cream (shade 408) •…

Bright orange fur, big quizzical eyes and awkwardly long limbs – orangutans are our adorable, scruffy cousins! These fascinating mammals spend most of their lives moving through the tree canopy (which is quite a feat considering their large size!) and feasting on fruit. Orangutans are known for their intelligence: just like us, baby orangutans learn many skills by copying their parents. And, just like us, they really are creatures of comfort; I especially love seeing them make leafy umbrellas when it rains and snuggling down in their treetop nests to sleep on leafy pillows. What could be cuter? DIMENSIONS 48cm (19in) tall YARNS Paintbox Yarns 100% Wool Worsted Superwash (100% wool) 200m (219yds) per 100g (31/2oz) ball: • Warm Orange: 3 x 100g (31/2oz) balls in Vintage Pink (shade 1255)…

Armed with impressive claws, wiggly legs and long antennae, lobsters are rather iconic sea dwellers. These amazing crustaceans are thought to never stop growing – just imagine a metre-long giant crawling along among the ancient shipwrecks! When we think of lobsters we tend to think of red, but they can be many different colours, from muddy brown to cerulean blue and even multicoloured. Contrary to the popular line from one well-known '90s sitcom, they do not actually mate for life … never mind, plenty more fish in the sea! DIMENSIONS 30cm (12in) long YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton), 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Dark Blue: 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in Sailor Blue (shade 440) • Blue: 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in Dolphin Blue (shade…

This mysterious leafy sea dragon blends so well into the kelp forest – blink and you’ll swim right past it! A relative of seahorses, it moves around using two tiny fins near the front of the head. And, just like seahorses, the males are responsible for incubating the eggs and looking after the mini sea dragons – neat! Some say legendary dragons were inspired by these sea beauties moving gracefully in the waves. DIMENSIONS 50cm (20in) long YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton), 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Bright Yellow: 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in Daffodil Yellow (shade 422) • Light Yellow: 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in Banana Cream (shade 421) HOOKS 3mm (US C/2 or D/3) hook OTHER TOOLS AND MATERIALS • Pair 6mm…

The hoopoe is a rather stylish bird, with a ruffled crown of feathers and striking black and white wings, it looks full of attitude! To defend their territory, they puff up their crests to make themselves big and will use their long, sharp beaks to ward off intruders. Even the little chicks can stick up for themselves, hissing like snakes if someone comes near the nest (let’s not mention their other less savoury means of self-defence…). Researchers discovered hoopoes love listening to music, bobbing their heads to the beat – just imagine a bunch of these rockers at a concert! DIMENSIONS 30cm (12in) tall YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton) 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Orange: 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in Melon Sorbet (shade 417) •…

This quirky reptile lives in the Mary River in Australia, growing its distinctive head of algae hair only in these waters. Doesn’t it look like something from a fantasy film? This punky hairdo isn’t the only odd thing about this species. These turtles have two ways of breathing: as well as breathing in air like we do, they can also take water into their cloaca tail opening and extract oxygen straight from the water. The longest recorded time a Mary River turtle spent under water is three whole days – very impressive indeed! DIMENSIONS 23cm (9in) long YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton), 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Lilac: 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in Pale Lilac (shade 446) • Purple: 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in…

Irene Strange is a pen name for Irina Palczynski, a crochet designer and amigurumi maker living near London, UK. Learning to crochet and knit as a child, Irina began her current crochet adventure back in 2008, starting with small presents for friends and family. Not surprisingly, she hasn’t stopped making crochet creatures since! As well as independently releasing stand-alone designs, Irina is a frequent contributor to Inside Crochet and Mollie Makes magazines, the Zoomigurumi books series, and, together with Ilaria Caliri of Airali Design, the co-author of the ‘Amigurumi Adventures’ crochet-along seasonal events. Her other interests include tea drinking, growing wonky shaped veg at the allotment and exploring the great outdoors with her family. www.irenestrange.co.uk Instagram.com/irenestrange…

I have a bit of a soft spot for all spiky animals, and the echidna is no exception. These charming, slow-moving mammals walk with a delightful waddle, hibernate during the colder months (smart!) and spend their days rummaging around on the ground for ants and insects to eat. They have long, toothless snouts, tiny mouths and extra-long sticky tongues. Unusually, their body temperature is much lower than other mammals, only 32°C (89°F); and, to top it all off, they lay soft leathery eggs – what a unique mix! DIMENSIONS 20cm (8in) tall YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton) 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Light Green 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in Pistachio Green (shade 425) • Dark Green 2 x 50g (13/4oz) balls in Racing Green (shade…

High up in the tree canopy the slender loris creeps silently along the branches, large eyes wide open to take in the night. Let’s pause to admire this perfect nocturnal hunter. These primitive mammals spend their nights alone, foraging for insects, shoots and fruit. Because they don’t have a tail, they need a continuous tree canopy to hunt successfully – they can’t jump from tree to tree like other primates. And what is the best way to spend the day after a busy night of hunting? Why, high up in the canopy, curled up in a ball, fast asleep next to their friends, of course! DIMENSIONS 20cm (8in) long YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton), 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Brown: 2 x 50g (13/4oz) balls in…

Meet the elusive unicorn of the sea – need I say more! Narwhal horns are simply spectacular, but what’s even more intriguing is that they aren’t horns at all; in fact, they are more like an elephant’s tusk, growing like a giant tooth from one side of the mouth. No one really knows what they use them for, and little is known about narwhals in general, which, in my opinion, just adds to their charm. Isn’t it great there are still mysteries left to uncover? DIMENSIONS 40cm (153/4in) long YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton), 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Light Grey: 2 x 50g (13/4oz) balls in Misty Grey (shade 404) • Dark Grey: 2 x 50g (13/4oz) balls in Slate Grey (shade 406) • White:…

Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to stand next to a dinosaur? Look no further than the rather impressive cassowary: strong powerful legs, long sharp talons, a colourful face and a thick head crest – it is often called the most dangerous bird in the world! But these two-metre (six feet) tall, feathered giants prefer a diet of tropical fruit – which they swallow whole in one gulp – and a quiet, secluded life, walking in the forest; they really are a beautiful sight to behold! DIMENSIONS 35cm (133/4in) tall YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton), 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Blue: 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in Sailor Blue (shade 440) • Dark Grey: 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in Slate Grey (shade…

With beautiful jewel-like scales, a grumpy expression and those famously long tongues, chameleons are charismatic reptiles. It’s fascinating to watch them walk gingerly along a branch and to see their eyes lock onto their prey. Their behaviour looks more like a funky dance than the hunt of an experienced predator! Chameleons are known for their colour-changing ability; however, it seems this neat trick is designed not to help them blend in with their background but to adjust body temperature and express their emotions – the brighter the colours the feistier they feel! DIMENSIONS 23cm (9in) long in 4-ply cotton held double or 16cm (61/4in) long if made in DK weight cotton YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton 4-ply (100% cotton), 170m (186yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball held double: • Teal: 1 x…

Square heads, square rumps and square paws; these fluffy marsupials may look built for cuddles, but don’t get too close – they are armed with sharp claws and can run quickly at any intruder when defending their territory! Wombats are grass-munching digging machines, building elaborate underground burrows to hide from the heat of the sun. Unlike other marsupials, their pouches are backwards facing; I bet that comes in handy for keeping dirt away from the little joeys. But weirdest of all – and most delightful for any toddler – even their poop is square-shaped! DIMENSIONS 23cm (9in) tall YARNS Paintbox Yarns 100% Wool Worsted Superwash (100% wool) 200m (219yds) per 100g (31/2oz) ball: • Grey: 1 x 100g (31/2oz) ball in Stormy Grey (shade 1204) Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100%…

The pufferfish may not look like anything special most of the time, but just wait until it senses danger – by taking in extra water and air this fish can blow itself up into a giant, spiky ball! I’m sure to other ocean inhabitants this transformation is very intimidating, and the pufferfish safely bobs away from any unwanted encounters, but to the human eye, this transformation is rather comic: the tiny front fins fly up, the eyes are full of surprise, and the mouth is wide open – it’s as if they can’t quite believe what’s just happened! DIMENSIONS 12cm (5in) tall YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton) 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Orange: 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in Melon Sorbet (shade 417) • White: 1…

What has no bones, blue blood, three hearts and eight arms? An octopus, of course! A fluid, moving tangle of tentacles with many, many suckers, this beautiful animal is hard to wrap one’s head around. Absent are the familiar markers of a well-defined head and body – we are looking at something else entirely. Masters of camouflage, octopuses can blend into any terrain. These clever predators can also solve complex puzzles, regrow a lost arm, squeeze through the tiniest of gaps and disappear in a puff of inky ‘smoke’ too – they are better escape artists than Houdini! DIMENSIONS 50cm (20in) long YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton) 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Lilac: 3 x 50g (13/4oz) balls in Tea Rose (shade 443) • Pale Purple:…

So flexible, so slender, so elegant and oh so delightfully pink! I must confess I have a bit of an obsession with flamingos, their beautiful feathers and their unusual poses. These birds start out as fluffy grey chicks, only developing their pink plumage as they grow. Interestingly, the colour of their feathers comes from the food they eat; their favourite snack contains the same pigment that makes carrots orange. Their legs are usually longer than their entire body, and no one is sure exactly why they like to stand on one leg! DIMENSIONS 40cm (153/4in) tall YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton), 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Bright Pink: 2 x 50g (13/4oz) balls in Bubblegum Pink (shade 451) • Black: 1 x 50g (13/4oz) ball in…

Crocodiles have been around for more than 200 million years, with some mighty species growing as large as six metres (20 feet) long. Famously, crocodiles stay perfectly still in the murky water waiting for the opportune moment to snap their toothy jaws on their prey. Some even go the extra mile and use sticks and twigs to lure birds into landing on their snouts – then snap them up for a nice snack. Other species can take on sharks and climb trees … wow! I wouldn’t want to get too close to this apex predator, except in cuddly toy form, of course! DIMENSIONS 50cm (20in) long YARNS Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton), 125m (137yds) per 50g (13/4oz) ball: • Green: 3 x 50g (13/4oz) balls in Racing Green (shade…

SEWING Many of the appendages in this book are assembled by joining in with crochet, for example, a tail might pick up where the body ends; however, a bit of sewing will also come in handy. Pinning the pieces in place before you start will help to ensure everything is positioned in the best spot. (photo 1) To blend an added piece in with the rest of the fabric, try putting the needle under the front posts of the stitches rather than the top two working loops. (photo 2) For a shape that needs to have a defined, raised edge try a back stitch under the top loops. Take your time when attaching the pieces, stitching through each crochet stitch, and if something doesn’t look quite right, either keep it…