purlJam

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# OMANYTE AMIGURUMI
### A Beginner-Friendly Crochet Plush Pattern

*Inspired by the Fossil Pokémon — featuring a simplified dome shell, round body, and 10 wiggly tentacles!*

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## FINISHED SIZE
Approximately **3.5–4 inches (9–10 cm)** tall including shell | Body diameter approx. **3 inches (7.5 cm)**

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## MATERIALS

| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| **Main Yarn (Body/Tentacles)** | Worsted weight (size 4) — Blue or teal, approx. 50 yds (46 m) |
| **Shell Yarn** | Worsted weight (size 4) — Cream, tan, or light gray, approx. 25 yds (23 m) |
| **Shell Accent** | Small amount of brown or rust yarn for shell edge detail (optional) |
| **Hook** | US G-6 / 4.0 mm |
| **Safety Eyes** | 12 mm red safety eyes, 1 pair |
| **Fiberfill Stuffing** | Polyester fiberfill |
| **Yarn Needle** | For weaving ends and sewing |
| **Stitch Marker** | 1 locking stitch marker |
| **Scissors** | — |
| **Pins** | For positioning pieces before sewing |

> 💡 **Yarn Note:** Red Heart Super Saver, Caron Simply Soft, or Lion Brand Pound of Love all work beautifully for this project.

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## GAUGE
**4 sc × 4 rows = 1 inch (2.5 cm)** in single crochet with US G-6 hook and worsted weight yarn.

*Gauge is not critical for this project — your finished size may vary slightly. What matters most is that your fabric is tight enough that stuffing does not show through.*

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## ABBREVIATIONS

| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ch | chain |
| sc | single crochet |
| inc | increase — 2 sc in same stitch |
| dec | invisible decrease — insert hook in front loop of next 2 sts, yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through 2 loops |
| sl st | slip stitch |
| rnd | round |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| [ ] | total stitch count at end of round |
| ( ) | group of stitches to repeat |
| * * | repeat between asterisks as directed |

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## PATTERN NOTES

1. **No magic ring is used in this pattern.** All pieces begin with a **ch-2 start**: chain 2, then work the specified number of sc into the **first** chain made (the one farthest from your hook). Pull the tail snug to close.

2. **How to do a ch-2 start:** Ch 2. Insert hook into the **1st ch** (not the slip knot, the very first chain stitch you made). Work 6 sc into that loop. Pull yarn tail to tighten the center hole. Place stitch marker in first stitch of next round.

3. Work in **continuous rounds** (no joining, no turning) unless otherwise stated. Move your stitch marker up each round.

4. **Stuff the body firmly** as you work — it is very difficult to add stuffing after the opening closes.

5. All tentacles are worked **directly onto the finished, stuffed, and closed body** using the slip stitch method described in the Tentacle section.

6. **Child safety note:** Safety eyes are a choking hazard. For toys intended for children under 3, embroider eyes with black yarn instead.

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## CONSTRUCTION OVERVIEW

The pattern is worked in this order:
1. **Body** (sphere, worked in the round)
2. **Shell** (dome, worked in the round, sewn onto body back)
3. **Eyes** (inserted before body is closed)
4. **Beak/Mouth** (small embroidered detail)
5. **Tentacles** (10 tentacles, each slip-stitched to base of body)

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## PART 1: BODY

*Use blue/teal yarn and US G-6 hook.*

**Rnd 1 (ch-2 start):** Ch 2. Work 6 sc into the 1st ch. Pull tail to close center. **[6]**

**Rnd 2:** Inc in each st around. **[12]**

**Rnd 3:** (Sc, inc) around. **[18]**
*(That's: sc, inc, sc, inc — repeat 6 times total)*

**Rnd 4:** (2 sc, inc) around. **[24]**
*(That's: sc, sc, inc — repeat 8 times total)*

**Rnds 5–7:** Sc in each st around. (3 rounds even) **[24]**

> 📍 **Eye placement:** After Round 6, pause and insert safety eyes now. Position them on the **front of the body**, between Rounds 4 and 5, approximately **6 stitches apart** (roughly centered on the front half of the sphere). Secure backings firmly before continuing.

**Rnd 8:** (2 sc, dec) around. **[18]**
*(That's: sc, sc, dec — repeat 6 times total)*

> 🧵 **Stuff now!** Fill the body firmly with fiberfill. Continue stuffing as you work the final closing rounds.

**Rnd 9:** (Sc, dec) around. **[12]**
*(That's: sc, dec — repeat 6 times total)*

**Rnd 10:** Dec around. **[6]**

Fasten off, leaving a 6-inch (15 cm) tail. Thread tail onto yarn needle and weave through the front loops of the remaining 6 sts. Pull snug to close the hole. Knot securely and weave in end.

> ✅ **Stitch count check:** 6 → 12 → 18 → 24 → 24 → 24 → 24 → 18 → 12 → 6. ✔️

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## PART 2: SHELL (Dome)

*Use cream/tan/gray yarn and US G-6 hook. This piece is a half-sphere — a flat-bottomed dome that sits on Omanyte's back like a hermit crab shell.*

**Rnd 1 (ch-2 start):** Ch 2. Work 6 sc into the 1st ch. Pull tail to close center. **[6]**

**Rnd 2:** Inc in each st around. **[12]**

**Rnd 3:** (Sc, inc) around. **[18]**

**Rnd 4:** (2 sc, inc) around. **[24]**

**Rnd 5:** Sc in each st around. **[24]**

Do **not** decrease. Do **not** fasten off yet.

*Optional shell edge detail:* Join brown or rust yarn with a sl st and work one round of sl st in each st around the opening edge for a rim effect. Fasten off.

Otherwise, fasten off cream yarn, leaving a **12-inch (30 cm) tail** for sewing.

> ✅ **Stitch count check:** 6 → 12 → 18 → 24 → 24. ✔️ This dome has a flat open base that will be sewn to the body's upper back.

> 💡 **Shell shape note:** This dome is intentionally simple — like a helmet or a hermit crab shell — not a coiled spiral. It sits rounded on top and flat on the bottom where it attaches to the body.

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## PART 3: ASSEMBLY — ATTACHING THE SHELL

1. Place the body in front of you with the **eyes facing you** (this is the front).
2. The **back** of the body is the side facing away from you.
3. Place the shell dome on the **upper back** of the body, centered, with the open flat edge resting against the body surface. The shell should cover approximately **Rounds 2–6** of the body's back half.
4. Pin in place.
5. Using the long yarn tail and yarn needle, **whip stitch** around the entire open edge of the shell, sewing it securely to the body surface.
6. Weave in all ends.

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## PART 4: BEAK/MOUTH (Optional Embroidered Detail)

Using a small length of yellow or gold yarn and yarn needle:
- On the **front of the body**, directly below and between the two eyes, make **2–3 small straight stitches** in a short horizontal line or tiny "V" shape to suggest Omanyte's small beak/mouth.
- Knot securely on the inside of the toy and trim ends.

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## PART 5: TENTACLES (Make 10)

*Each tentacle is worked directly onto the body. All 10 tentacles are attached along the bottom edge of the body (around Rounds 8–10), evenly spaced.*

> 📐 **Spacing tip:** Before beginning, use a stitch marker or pins to mark 10 evenly spaced attachment points around the bottom of the body. With 24 stitches in Round 8, aim to place tentacles roughly every 2–3 stitches apart, clustering them along the bottom front and underside.

### How to Work Each Tentacle:

**Step 1 — Attach yarn:**
Join blue/teal yarn at your marked attachment point with a **sl st** through the body stitch. (Insert hook into the body stitch, pull up a loop of yarn, pull that loop through itself — this anchors the tentacle.)

**Step 2 — Chain:**
Ch 5. You now have a short chain extending outward from the body.

**Step 3 — Work back down the chain:**
Work **3 sc** back down the chain as follows:
- **1st sc:** Insert hook into the **2nd ch from hook** (skip the ch closest to your hook), sc.
- **2nd sc:** Insert hook into the **3rd ch from hook**, sc.
- **3rd sc:** Insert hook into the **4th ch from hook**, sc.

> ✅ **Chain math check:** Ch 5 = 5 chain stitches. Working back: 2nd ch from hook, 3rd ch from hook, 4th ch from hook = 3 sc worked, leaving the 5th ch (the base ch attached to the body sl st) unworked. ✔️

**Step 4 — Fasten off:**
Cut yarn, leaving a 4-inch (10 cm) tail. Pull tail through the loop on your hook to fasten off. Thread tail onto yarn needle and weave the tail end **into the body** (hide it inside) so no loose ends are visible. Knot securely.

**Step 5 — Repeat:**
Repeat Steps 1–4 for all 10 tentacles, working around the bottom of the body at each of your 10 marked points.

> 💡 **Tentacle tip:** The tentacles will naturally curl slightly due to the short chain length — this gives them a lovely organic, wiggly look just like Omanyte's!

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## FINISHING

1. Weave in any remaining ends securely.
2. Give your Omanyte a gentle squeeze and reshape if needed — push the body into a round, full sphere shape.
3. If any stuffing gaps appear at the closed top or bottom of the body, use your yarn needle to work the yarn tails back and forth through the stuffing to cinch and tighten.

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## QUICK REFERENCE — STITCH COUNT SUMMARY

| Section | Round | Stitch Count |
|---|---|---|
| Body | 1 | 6 |
| Body | 2 | 12 |
| Body | 3 | 18 |
| Body | 4 | 24 |
| Body | 5–7 | 24 (even) |
| Body | 8 | 18 |
| Body | 9 | 12 |
| Body | 10 | 6 → close |
| Shell | 1 | 6 |
| Shell | 2 | 12 |
| Shell | 3 | 18 |
| Shell | 4 | 24 |
| Shell | 5 | 24 (even, fasten off) |
| Each Tentacle | — | ch 5, 3 sc back |

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## TROUBLESHOOTING

| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Center hole won't close on ch-2 start | Pull yarn tail more firmly; weave tail through center again |
| Body looks lumpy | Stuff more firmly and smooth with fingers |
| Shell won't lie flat against body | Add a few extra whip stitches at the sides to tack it down |
| Tentacles are too stiff | Try chaining 6 instead of 5 for a softer drape |
| Tentacles fall off | Re-attach with sl st and reinforce with an extra knot through the body |

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*Happy crocheting! Share your Omanyte with #OmanyteAmigurumi — this little fossil Pokémon deserves to be seen!* 🦑

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