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The Underwater Tails Mystery crochet-along has come to an end, culminating with the reveal of the mystery creatures that we made, and a big giveaway where 5 lucky winners each scored a $100 Hobbii shopping voucher. At long last, we discover the secret that lay beneath the water’s surface: Gumdrop and Juju are an axolotl and a whale shark!
Here’s a quick recap, if you need it: This amigurumi is reversible, meaning it can flip inside out to reveal Gumdrop on one side and Juju on the other side. Over the last couple of months, this pattern has been released bit by bit as a crochet-along (which is where participants crochet a project together at the same time) that I designed for Hobbii , who provided limited yarn kits for the project. The design and the supplies were a mystery that got revealed as we progressed!
Today I’m excited to announce that the pattern is now available in my shop, and on Hobbii Plus! The pattern now includes a list of all the supplies that you’ll need for the project. You can can get the yarn from Hobbii or use your own.
One of the most important things you should know about this project is that gauge matters! Reversible amigurumi are an enigma and they can be fiddly. This one is especially sensitive to gauge, and if you crochet too tightly, your model might not be able to flip inside out. I would highly recommend using the same yarns as I did for the project, because I know that they work. I have included directions in the pattern for achieving the correct gauge, and I thought it might be nice to share here as well, so you can tinker with supplies:
THE PATTERN USES THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF YARN:
Hobbii Friends Cotton 8/6: 4ply, weight 2 (fine), 100% cotton, 50 g/1.75 oz, 105 m/115 yds.
Hobbii Honey Bunny Candy/Shine: super chunky, weight 6 (super bulky), 100% polyester, 100 g/3.5 oz, 120 m/131 yds.
To make a gauge swatch, use a strand of the cotton yarn combined with a strand of the chenille yarn (crochet with both yarns held together). Pair them with a 6 mm hook and crochet the following gauge swatch pattern:
GAUGE SWATCH PATTERN:
R1: 6SC in MR.
Continue WITR and use a RSM.
R2: SC-inc X 6. (12)
R3: *1SC, SC-inc* X 6. (18)
R4-8: 18SC. (18)
Finished size: 9 cm W X 7.5 cm H.
The gauge pattern produces a 3D dome. Flatten it so the opening becomes a slit, then measure it from side to side and from top to bottom. Your swatch should be 9 cm across X 7.5 cm tall. If it’s smaller, remake the swatch with a bigger hook until the size is correct, then use that hook throughout your project.
It’s better to have your tension on the looser side rather than being too tight. While you can switch to a smaller hook to meet the swatch size (if a 6 mm hook produces a bigger swatch for you), you can also just go ahead and crochet with that looser tension. If the stitch holes are too big for your liking in this case, then use a smaller hook to match the gauge swatch more closely.
You might also like to watch a demonstration showing how the model flips inside out! Flipping your model can be a little fiddly at first but it gets easier after a few times. Here’s a little video showing how I flip mine.
Being a reversible amigurumi, it’s hollow on the inside so it doesn’t have any stuffing. To account for this, we have the cutest trick ever for our little aquatic creatures! During the project you’ll make a shoal of fish cookies that you can feed to Gumdrop and Juju as stuffing!
The PDF pattern also comes with 5 detailed videos you guide you through every step of the way! The videos cover every part of the project in detail so you won’t get lost – but I also have a support group for you if you do need extra help.
I want to say a big thank you to everyone who joined the CAL, you guys are awesome and it was such a fun vibe! Massive thanks to Hobbii for inviting me to do this amazing collab! I love Hobbii, I love their people and I love their product, and I am so excited for future plans with them. Specifically, kicking off by adding my patterns to Hobbii Plus! Helium the Hippo will be arriving on Hobbii Plus very soon, and Orbit the Dragon is coming next, followed by many more.
If you haven’t made Gumdrop and Juju yet, grab your copy of the pattern now and let’s dive in again! I hope you enjoy the pattern and I can’t wait to see your projects! Share them with me @Projectarian on social media, and use the #UnderwaterTails or #UnderwaterTailsCAL hashtag!
See you under the waves!
xxx
Jessie
PS. I am on the hunt for anyone who’s interesting in promoting my patterns as an “influencer”. The deal is: I would provide you with free patterns, you’d crochet them and then post about them on your social media. If that sounds like your jam, please get in touch. You can email me at hello@projectarian.com, or DM me on social media. I’m looking for people who have friends and followers who like to crochet. If you’re a designer yourself and this sounds like something you’re interested in, you’re welcome to hit me up too! ❤️
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