Crochet: Baby Beegu

Those of you that have known or followed me for a while will know of The Bug's obsession with Beegu by Alexis Deacon. She has loved this book since she was tiny, and I'm sure it informed her choice of yellow as her favourite colour. Well age has not wearied, nor the years condemned her love, and shortly before Christmas she informed me that she thought that her soft Beegu's tummy was getting a bit fatter, and that perhaps Beegu was going to have a baby!  There was a little discussion of the parentage, and it emerged that Boogle-Jinni was the father of this baby. I asked when the baby might be born (not being fully aware of the usual pregnancy length of yellow aliens) and it was revealed that the baby was due on Christmas day!
Thankfully this gave me a few weeks to get to work, and sure enough, on Christmas morning there was a special parcel under the Christmas tree, labeled Beegu (sorry this photo is not a good one, there was a lot of jumping around involved).

Baby Beegu has been named Beeyana. She is just about half the size of Beegu, and her pattern is below (as usual I've used American crochet nomenclature, and I use little polybeads to weight the legs, arms, bottom and ears).

Teachers! I've had a huge number of requests for knitted/crocheted Beegus over the last 18 months. If you want to make a little Beegu for your class I suggest this pattern, it's so much quicker to put together.

Head (including muzzle) -
magic circle 5

Row 1: 2 sc in each sc (10)

Row 2: *sc 1, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 5 (15)

Row 3: sc 6, *sc 2, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (18)

Row 4: sc 6, *sc 3, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (21)

Row 5: sc 6, *sc 4, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (24)

Rows 6 and 7: sc 24

Row 8: sc 2, *3 sc in next sc* repeat 2, sc 2, *sc 5, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (31)

Row 9: sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc 6, 2 sc in next sc, sc, *sc 6, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (36)

Row 10 - 14 (5 rows): sc 36

Row 15: *sc 4, sc2tog* repeat 6 (30)
Row 16: sc 30

break here to attach eyes and stuff almost to the top

Row 17: *sc 3, sc2tog* repeat 6 (24)
Row 18: sc 24

Row 19: *sc 2, sc2tog* repeat 6 (18)

Row 20: *sc, sc2tog* repeat 6 (12)

finish stuffing
Row 21: sc2tog repeat 6 (6)

Fasten off and weave in end.

Body

magic circle 6

Row 1: 2 sc in each sc (12)

Row 2: *sc 1, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (18)

Row 3: *sc 2, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (24)

Row 4: *sc 3, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (30)

Row 5: *sc 4, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (36)

Row 6 - 18 (13 rows): sc 36

Row 19: *sc 4, sc2tog* repeat 6 (30)

Rows 20 and 21: sc 30

Row 22: *sc 3, sc2tog* repeat 6 (24)

Rows 23 and 24: sc 24

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing on the head.

Legs (make 2!) - this is a confusing pattern to read.  If you keep in mind that you are making a sole of a foot to start with, starting with a chain then working along one side and then back again to form an oval shape, it might make more sense!

ch 5

Row 1: sc in 2nd chain from hook. sc 2, 3 sc in last sc

then turn and the following is in the same foundation chain stitches:

sc 2, 2 sc in the first sc. slst to first sc (10 stitches in oval)

Row 2: {sc 2, *2 sc in next sc* repeat 3} repeat 2 (16)

Row 3: {sc 2, *sc 1, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3} repeat 2 (22)

Rows 4 and 5: sc 22

Row 6: sc 2, *sc 1, sc2tog* repeat 3, sc 11 (19)

Row 7: sc 2, sc2tog repeat 3, sc 11 (17)

Row 8: sc2tog, sc 3, sc2tog. sc 11 (15)

Rows 9 - 18 (10 rows): sc 15

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing on to the body.

Arms (make 2!)

Magic circle 5

Row 1: 2 sc in each sc (10)

Row 2: *sc 1, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 5 (15)

Rows 3 - 17 (15 rows): sc 15

Fasten off, leaving a long tail to sew on to body

Ears (make 2!)

magic circle 6

Row 1: 2 sc in each sc (12)

Row 2: sc 12

Row 3: *sc 1, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (18)

Rows 4 and 5: sc 18

Row 6: *sc 1, sc2tog* repeat 6 (12)

Row 7: sc 12

Row 8: *sc 2, sc2tog* repeat 3 (9)

Row 9 - 68 (60 rows): sc 9

Fasten off, leaving a long tail to sew on to head.

Introducing Boogle-Jinni

After the great success of Beegu, I was commissioned by Little My to make a 'blue Beegu'.  After checking with Alexis Deacon that other coloured Beegu-creatures could exist, I agreed that a blue alien could be made, as long as they thought of the right name for it. And thus Boogle-Jinni was born.  I'm not yet sure of the relationship to Beegu, but we can assume they are from the same planet, and I am assured that Boogle-Jinni is a boy alien.

What I'm most pleased with is that I got to have another go at that muzzle, which troubled me so much with Beegu.  I'm so pleased with Boogle-Jinni's head!

New pattern for head+muzzle below.

Being a perfectionist I wanted to undo Beegu's head and do it again in the new style, but the Bug is having none of that.  She loves her Beegu the way she is.

And Boogle-Jinni is just about as loved as any alien could be.

Head (including muzzle) -
magic circle 5

Row 1: 2 sc in each sc (10)

Row 2: *sc 1, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 5 (15)

Row 3: *sc 2, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 5 (20)

Row 4: *sc 3, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 5 (25)

Row 5: *sc 4, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 5 (30)

Row 6: sc 12, *sc 5, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (33)

Row 7: sc 12, *sc 6, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (36)

Row 8: sc 12, *sc 7, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (39)

Row 9: sc 12, *sc 8, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (42)

Row 10: sc 12, *sc 9, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (45)

Row 11 - 13 (3 rows): sc 45

Row 14: sc 4, *3 sc in next sc* repeat 4, sc 4, *sc 10, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (56)

Row 15: sc 2, *2 sc in next sc* repeat 2, sc 12, *2 sc in next sc* repeat 2, sc 2, * sc 11, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (63)

Row 16: *sc 7, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3, sc 39 (66)

Row 17: sc 31, 2 sc in next sc, *sc 6, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 4, sc 5, 2 sc in next sc (72)

Row 18 - 28 (10 rows): sc 72

Row 29: *sc 10, dec 1* repeat 6 (66)
Row 30-31 (2 rows): sc 66

Row 32: *sc 9, dec 1* repeat 6 (60)
Row 33: sc 60

Row 34: *sc 8, dec 1* repeat 6 (54)

Row 35: *sc 7, dec 1* repeat 6 (48)
Row 36: sc 48
Row 37: *sc 6, dec 1* repeat 6 (42)

break here to attach eyes and stuff almost to the top

Row 38: *sc 6, dec 1* repeat 6 (42)

Row 39: *sc 5, dec 1* repeat 6 (36)

Row 40: *sc 4, dec 1* repeat 6 (30)

Row 41: *sc 3, dec 1* repeat 6 (24)

finish stuffing

Row 42: *sc 2, dec 1* repeat 6 (18)

Row 43: *sc 1, dec 1* repeat 6 (12)

Row 44: dec 1, repeat 6 (6)

Fasten off.

Crochet: Roses and leaves

The Bean wanted some flowers to go on her flip-flops!  Whoop whoop crochet to the rescue, that's right another excuse to learn something new.

Flower (altered slightly from the pattern here):
chain 41
Row 1: (dc, 2 sc, 2 dc) in 4th chain from hook; *sc 1, skip 2 sc, (2 dc, 2 sc, 2 dc) in next sc* repeat to end.
Ch 1, turn
Row 2: sl st into first dc space. Ch 3, 6 dc in same dc space. *sc in next sc space, 7 dc in next dc space* repeat to end.
Fasten off
Curl up and sew together.

Leaf (pattern taken from here):
ch 10
dc into 3rd chain from hook. htr 1, tr 1, htr 1, dc 1, hdc 1, sc 2.
Picot (to turn and begin again along the other side of the foundation chain)
sc 2, hdc 2, dc 1, htr 1, dc 1, sc 1.
Fasten off and thread into the first chain to round off the leaf (it will be obvious what I mean when you are there).

This is my first experience of a picot.  Nice to turn a corner and apparently you use them to edge things.  Not sure I'd totally be in to the bobbly edge.
The leaves are ace, I could do a lot more of them should the need arise.  Not too enamoured with the roses though, they use a disproportionately large amount of yarn.

Crochet: Beegu

As I have probably mentioned before, Bug's favourite colour is yellow.  Yellow yellow yellow.  She'd happily wear top to toe yellow day and night if she could. Perhaps not surprisingly she hit upon Beegu as a favourite book character some time ago. She's read the book numerous times and even dressed as Beegu for World Book Day last year (yellow tights on the head, anyone?).  She's been asking for a soft Beegu for a while so I thought, what the hey I will give it a go.

So here it is, my first big project in crochet and my first original pattern.

I'm still not totally happy with it, the muzzle in particular I think would have been better had it been a single piece with the head, but I need to do a lot more fiddling about to learn how to make more complex 3D shapes.  What I am proud of, is the appearance of this Beegu on Alexis Deacon's blog! Even more than that, the Bug is totally in love with her (I'm assured Beegu is female, which did surprise me for some reason). Also Little My is desperate for a blue version, and now we have Alexis Deacon's permission, I need to get some blue yarn and start on 'Boogle'.

So here's the pattern.  US crochet terms as that is how I learned, and unexpectedly even when I learned the UK ones, I thought the US ones were more logical so I'm sticking with them.  I haven't read too many patterns so to explain: when I say magic circle 6 I mean a magic circle of 6 single chain stitches; when I say repeat 6 I mean repeat the bit between the *s 6 times; the numbers in the brackets are how many stitches you have at the end of that row.  Everything is worked in a spiral, so don't start a new row, just use a marker like a tiny bit of other colour yarn so you don't actually have to keep counting!

Also, I weighted the feet, ears and bottom, so that she sits nicely.  You can buy some polybeads that work well for this purpose (NB not polystyrene, but the polypropylene I assume.  If you search for weighted blanket filling you'll find the right ones).  I sewed some little cotton pockets for them and then just put them in the relevant parts.  Mostly I kept the stuffing to a minimum, just stuffing the head and muzzle full, so that Beegu is nice and cuddly and floppy. I used plain black eyes with a little circle of white round them.  These were simple magic circles of 6.

Body

magic circle 6

Row 1: 2 sc in each sc (12)

Row 2: *sc 1, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (18)

Row 3: *sc 2, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (24)

Row 4: *sc 3, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (30)

Row 5: *sc 4, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (36)

Row 6: *sc 5, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (42)

Row 7: *sc 6, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (48)

Row 8: *sc 7, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (54)

Row 9: *sc 8, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (60)

Row 10: *sc 9, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (66)

Row 11: *sc 10, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (72)

Row 12: *sc 11, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (78)

Row 13 - 37 (25 rows): sc 78

Row 38: *sc 11, dec 1* repeat 6 (72)

Row 39 - 41 (3 rows): sc 72

Row 42: *sc 10, dec 1* repeat 6 (66)

Row 43 - 45 (3 rows): sc 66

Row 46: *sc 9, dec 1* repeat 6 (60)

Row 47 - 49 (3 rows): sc 60

Row 50: *sc 8, dec 1* repeat 6 (54)

Row 51: sc 54
Row 52: *sc 7, dec 1* repeat 6 (48)
Row 53: sc 48

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing on the head.

Head - note that at some point when making the head you need to attach the eyes, and stuff it!
(ed - for an improved pattern for head+muzzle please see Boogle-Jinni)

magic circle 6

Row 1: 2 sc in each sc (12)

Row 2: *sc 1, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (18)

Row 3: *sc 2, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (24)

Row 4: *sc 3, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (30)

Row 5: *sc 4, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (36)

Row 6: *sc 5, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (42)

Row 7: *sc 6, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (48)

Row 8: *sc 7, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (54)

Row 9: *sc 8, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (60)

Row 10: *sc 9, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (66)

Row 11: *sc 10, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (72)

Row 12: *sc 11, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (78)

Row 13 - 27 (15 rows): sc 78

Row 28: *sc 11, dec 1* repeat 6 (72)

Row 29: *sc 10, dec 1* repeat 6 (66)

Row 30: *sc 9, dec 1* repeat 6 (60)

Row 31: *sc 8, dec 1* repeat 6 (54)

Row 32: *sc 7, dec 1* repeat 6 (48)

break somewhere around here to attach eyes and stuff almost to the top

Row 33: *sc 6, dec 1* repeat 6 (42)

Row 34: *sc 5, dec 1* repeat 6 (36)

Row 35: *sc 4, dec 1* repeat 6 (30)

Row 36: *sc 3, dec 1* repeat 6 (24)

finish stuffing

Row 37: *sc 2, dec 1* repeat 6 (18)

Row 38: *sc 1, dec 1* repeat 6 (12)

Row 39: dec 1, repeat 6 (6)

Fasten off.

Muzzle - this is the bit I wasn't too happy with.  I wish this had actually been a part of the head shape.

magic circle 5

Row 1: 2 sc in each sc (10)

Row 2: *sc 1, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 5 (15)

Row 3: *sc 2, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 5 (20)

Row 4: *sc 3, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 5 (25)

Row 5: *sc 4, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 5 (30)

Row 6: sc 12, *sc 5, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (33)

Row 7: sc 12, *sc 6, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (36)

Row 8: sc 12, *sc 7, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (39)

Row 9: sc 12, *sc 8, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (42)

Row 10: sc 12, *sc 9, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3 (45)

Row 11 - 13 (3 rows): sc 45

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing on to the head.

Legs (make 2!) - this is a confusing pattern to read.  If you keep in mind that you are making a sole of a foot to start with, starting with a chain then working along one side and then back again to form an oval shape, it might make more sense!

ch 6

Row 1: sc in 2nd chain from hook. sc 3, 3 sc in last sc

then turn and the following is in the same foundation chain stitches:

sc 3, 4 sc in the first sc (14 stitches in oval)

Row 2: {sc 4, *2 sc in next sc* repeat 3} repeat 2 (20)

Row 3: {sc 4, *sc 1, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3} repeat 2 (26)

Row 4: {sc 4, *sc 2, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3} repeat 2 (32)

Row 5: {sc 4, *sc 3, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 3} repeat 2 (38)

Row 6 - 9 (4 rows): sc 38

Row 10: sc 4, *sc 3, dec 1* repeat 3, sc 19 (35)

Row 11: sc 4, *sc 2, dec 1* repeat 3, sc 19 (32)

Row 12: sc 4, *sc 1, dec 1* repeat 3, sc 19 (29)

Row 13: sc 3, dec 1, sc 1, dec 1, sc 1, dec 1, sc 18 (26)

Row 14 - 34 (20 rows): sc 26

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing on to the body.

Arms (make 2!)

Magic circle 7

Row 1: 2 sc in each sc (14)

Row 2: *sc 1, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 7 (21)

Row 3 - 23 (30 rows): sc 21

Fasten off, leaving a long tail to sew on to body

Ears (make 2!)

magic circle 6

Row 1: 2 sc in each sc (12)

Row 2: sc 12

Row 3: *sc 1, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (18)

Row 4: sc 18

Row 5: *sc 2, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (24)

Row 6: sc 24

Row 7: *sc 3, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 (30)

Row 8: sc 30

Row 9: *sc 3, dec 1* repeat 6 (24)

Row 10 - 13 (4 rows): sc 24

Row 14: *sc 2, dec 1* repeat 6 (18)

Row 15 - 135 (120 rows): sc 18

Fasten off, leaving a long tail to sew on to head.

Phew! Put in the weights and stuff, then sew it all together and voila!