Jack-O-Lantern Donut Buddy

My collection of Donut Buddy toys needed a jack-o-lantern for some autumn vibes, so I made this little guy. The doughnut base is from Rachel Zain's Donut Buddies pattern collection. She doesn't currently have a jack-o-lantern design, so I improvised the other features for the face and the stem/vine. 

I crocheted the orange doughnut base and the black triangle eyes using a 5 mm hook. I switched to a 4 mm hook for the stem and the vine. Originally, I tried to crochet a mouth, but that didn't turn out well, so then I tried to embroider a simple mouth on. I didn't like the way that looked, either. Ultimately, I cut the mouth out of a piece of black felt and stitched it on as an applique. 

Face, take 1

To crochet the oval stem, start with a magic ring. Chain 2 and work 1 DC, 1 HDC, 2 SC, 1 HDC, 2 DC, 1 HDC, 2 SC, 1 HDC, and 1 DC in the ring. Join to the first DC with a slip stitch. Chain 1 and work 1 round of SC-blo. Continue working 2 more rounds of regular SC. Finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing the stem onto the pumpkin. 

Stem & vine

For the curly vine, chain 13. Starting in the 2nd chain from the hook, work 2 SC in each chain. Finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing the vine onto the pumpkin at the base of the stem. 

 

A chibi demogorgon for Charlotte

My grandniece Charlotte's birthday is coming up!

I've actually been meaning to crochet one of these softies for her for the past four years, ever since I made one to give to her sister, Wendy. As soon as Wendy took it out of the gift bag, Charlotte said (in perfect little-sisterly fashion), "Ooooh!! I want one!!"

I'm so sorry, Charlotte; Auntie didn't intend for it to take THIS LONG for me to get this made for you! 😅 But I hope "better late than never" applies here. 😉

This is the Stranger Things Demogorgon, a free pattern by Andrea Leek. 

Charlotte's chibi demogorgon is made using the same mods to the original pattern that I used when making Wendy's version. The main difference between the two is that I used a 5mm hook for Charlotte's (compared to a 4mm hook for Wendy's). I did that mainly because the smaller/tighter gauge is really hard on my hands (so I was going easier on myself this time), but also because I figured the minor size difference would help them tell their softies apart, in case they ever ended up in the same place at the same time.

Both softies are made in a slightly less demonic "chibi" ragdoll style with a twist cuddly cuteness.

For more details of how I made these, check out the notes on my other Ravelry project page or my blog post about Wendy's demogorgon.

I wuv his widdle feetsies!!