Materials:
3.25mm hook (I use THESE hooks!);For the one piece swimsuit:
Patons Canadiana in Winter White (less than 10g);
Patons Canadiana in Cardinal (less than 10g);
Patons Canadiana in Oatmeal (30g);
Bernat Premium in Taupe Heather (75g)(alternative here).
For the two piece swimsuit:
Patons Canadiana in Cherished Green (15g);
Bernat Supersaver in Cafe Latte (30g);
Caron Simply Soft in Plum Wine (75g).
9mm safety eyes (optional if using crochet thread);
Black crochet thread for mouth and eyes (optional for eyes if using safety eyes);
Stuffing;
Tapestry needle.
Terms and Stitches:
MR – Magic RingCh – Chain
Slst – Slip stitch
Sc – Single Crochet
Fsc – Foundation single crochet – Insert hook into ch from previous st, yo, pull up loop, yo, pull through one loop on hook (ch st made), yo, pull through both loops on hook.
Inc – Increase. Work a regular sc increase
Dec – Decrease. Work a regular sc decrease
BLO – Back Loops Only
Hdc – Half double crochet
Dc – Double crochet
Front Panel:
The panels are worked from the bottom up. We will start by making both legs separately and then joining them in Row 9. Start in your skin colour.
Row 1: Ch 4, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch (3 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 2: Inc in first st, sc, inc in last st (5 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 3: Sc in each st across (5 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 4: Inc in first st, sc 2, dec (5 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 5: Dec, sc 3 (4 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 6: Inc, sc 3 (5 sts), ch 1, turn.
Switch to swimsuit colour. If you are working the striped one-piece, you will start with RED. Please be sure to carefully read the instructions for colour changes for each style of swimsuit and follow only the one you are making.
Row 7: Sc in each st (5 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 8: Inc in first st, sc 3, inc in last st (7 sts), ch 1, turn.
Tie off. Repeat rows 1-8 for the second leg and tie off. Position the legs next to each other so that they are both curving inward toward each other. Rejoin yarn into the far right stitch and proceed to Row 9.
If working the striped one-piece, switch to white.
Row 9: Sc 6, insert hook into last st on first leg, yo, pull up a loop, yo and pull through one loop (ch st made), yo and pull through both loops, fsc 4, work a regular sc into the ch of the last fsc, join second leg, sc 7 (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 10: Sc in each st across (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
If working the striped one-piece, switch to red.
Rows 11-12: Sc in each st across (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
If working the striped one-piece, switch to white. If working the two-piece, switch back to your skin colour and crochet in the BLO (we will come back later to finish the frill in the exposed front loops).
Row 13: Dec, sc 15, dec (17 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 14: Sc in each st across (17 sts), ch 1, turn.
If working the striped one-piece, switch to red.
Row 15: Dec, sc 13, dec (15 sts), ch 1, turn.
If working the two-piece, switch back to the swimsuit colour.
Row 16: Sc in each st across (15 sts), ch 1, turn.
If working the striped one-piece, switch to white.
Row 17: Dec, sc 11, dec (13 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 18: Sc in each st across (13 sts), ch 1, turn.
If working the striped one-piece, switch to red.
Row 19: Dec, sc 9, dec (11 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 20: Sc in each st across (11 sts), ch 1, turn.
For both swimsuit styles, switch to skin colour.
Row 21: BLO Dec, sc 7, dec (9 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 22: Dec, sc 5, dec (7 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 23: Inc in each of the first two sts, sc 3, inc in each of the last two sts (11 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 24: Inc in each of the first two sts, sc 7, inc in each of the last two sts (15 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 25: Inc, sc 13, inc (17 sts), ch 1, turn.
Rows 26 to 34 contain some colour-work for the hair. All stitches are worked in sc. Hair colour sts are denoted with “H” and skin colour sts are denoted with “S”. For example, “H2, S16, H3” means to work the first 2 sc in the hair colour, work the next 16 sc in the skin colour and the last 3 sc in the hair colour. You should cut off a small bobbin of the hair colour, one for each side, so that you do not have to carry the yarn across the back.
Row 26: Work [H1, S1] into first st, S15, work [S1, H1] into last st (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 27: Work H2 into first st, H1, S16, work H2 into last st (21 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 28: H2, S16, H3 (21 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 29: H3, S16, H2 (21 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 30: H3, S14, H4 (21 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 31: H5, S12, H4 (21 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 32: H5, S8, H8 (21 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 33: In H work a dec across first two sts, H8, S5, H4, in H work a dec across last two sts (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 34: H6, S2, H11 (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
All remaining rows are worked entirely in the hair colour.
Row 35: Dec across first two sts, sc 15, dec across last two sts (17 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 36: Sc in each st across (17 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 37: Dec across first two sts, sc 13, dec across last two sts (15 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 38: Dec across first two sts, sc 11, dec across last two sts (13 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 39: Work 2 dec across first four sts, sc 5, work 2 dec across last four sts (9 sts).
Tie off. Weave yarn tails to the back. Set aside.
Back Panel:
The back panel is worked almost exactly the same as the front panel with one small difference; the hair pattern will be slightly different.
Rows 1-24: Work rows 1 to 24 of the front panel as normal.
Row 25: In S work 2 sc in first st, in H work 13 sc, in S work 2 sc in last st (17 sts), ch 1, turn.
All remaining rows are worked in Hair colour.
Row 26: Sc 2 into first st, sc 15, sc 2 into last st (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 27: Sc 2 into first st, sc 17, sc 2 into last st (21 sts), ch 1, turn.
Rows 28-32: Sc in each st across (21 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 33: Dec across first two sts, sc 17, dec across last two sts (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 34: Sc in each st across (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
Rows 35-39: Repeat rows 35-39 of Front Panel.
Tie off. Weave yarn tails to the back. Set aside.
Bikini Frill:
Turn panel so that the head is facing down and the feet are facing up. In exposed front loops of Row 12 work the following:
Row 1: Hdc in first st, work 4hdc into each st to second last st, hdc in last st.
Tie off. Weave in ends.
Hair:
The curls are worked onto the front and back panel by inserting the hook down into a stitch and up through the next st and pulling up a loop, then work the following for each curl:
Curl: *Ch 5, starting in 2nd ch from hook, 2sc in each ch (8 sts), surface slst 2 along the panel and repeat from *.
Work the curls in a semi-circle (i.e. a rainbow shape) to keep them symmetrical. Always try to keep the curls 2 sts apart so that they don’t become overcrowded.
Arms:
Work two arms in skin colour. Arms are worked in continuous rounds.
Rnd 1: Work 6 sc into MR (6 sts)
Rnd 2: *Sc 2, 2sc in next st, repeat from * once more (8 sts)
Rnds 3-11: Sc in each st around (8 sts).
Tie off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Stuff.
Headband (optional):
Row 1: Ch 23, starting in 2nd ch from hook, slst 2, sc 3, hdc 3, dc 6, hdc 3, sc 3, slst 2 (22 sts).
Tie off. Weave in ends. Set aside for later.
Assembly:
Step 1: Face
Insert 9mm safety eyes into the front panel at row 27, with about 8 sts between them. Add eyelashes using black crochet thread.
Alternatively, stitch on happy eyes using black crochet thread. Start each one 2 sts in from each side and spanning 4 sts each. Add eyelashes. Take a look at this video tutorial to see how I stitch happy eyes onto amigurumi.
Stitch on the mouth using black crochet thread.
Stitch on cheeks by stitching some pink yarn around one st below each eye.
Step 2: Joining Panels
Here are the pieces you’ll have at this step:
Place the two panels together, matching up all sides.
Make sure the front is facing you as you stitch together/crochet around the outside.
Cut a long length of yarn in hair colour. Using your tapestry needle, start whipstitching the head together by starting on the right hand side of the head where the hair begins and working up and around the head. Be sure to avoid the curls so they don’t get caught in your stitching! Stop on the left side where the hair ends. Weave ends to the inside of the panels and tie a knot to secure. The curls should hide the seam completely.
Stuff the head.
Starting in the stitch just below the hair on the left side, begin attaching the panels together by inserting your hook through both panels and single crocheting around the outside edge of the panels starting in skin colour. Stop after a couple of stitches and insert the first arm between the panels and stitch in place. Continue crocheting both panels together, switching to red for the swimsuit where appropriate. Sc in the sts of the front panel only when you reach the arm, since this section is already sewn shut. Continue crocheting both panels together as usual once past the arm.
Switch back to skin colour when you reach the first leg. You do not need to cut your yarn each time you change colours; pull the working yarn in between the panels before you drop it and finish the stitch with the next colour. Then you can simply pick it up again from between the panels when you need it.
Stuff the leg after crocheting most of the way around it. Continue crocheting around and topping up stuffing as you go.
Insert the second arm and stitch in place the same way you did for the first. Make sure you are completely satisfied with the stuffing before you continue, as you won’t have an opportunity to stuff from here on out.
Continue crocheting up the side, switching colours where appropriate and tie off. With your tapestry needle, poke the yarn tail back inside the piece
Step 3: Accessories
If you are including a headband, tuck it in between the first and second row of curls on the head. I opted not to stitch it in place so that I can remove it, however, feel free to secure yours if you prefer.
You’re done!
