#FASTEN. Cuddly Haunter Amigurumi Pattern

Hiya folks 👋! I am so so so excited to finally be able to share this project with you! Earlier this summer, I announced a second run of #PINSforPALS: a collection of art trades with a variety of different artists and genres. This cuddly boi is a custom make for @whysocilious and I am in love with the final product!

@whysocilious is a US-based custom terrarium maker specializing in displays with figurines! She puts together the most beautiful and cute pieces. To top it off, she also adds lights into some of her works, making them really ✨ s h i n e ✨. She shares lots of photos and videos of her custom orders and they are absolutely worth checking out! She's also got an online shop here!

Working with Cil to come up with this design for Haunter was lots of fun! She really wanted Haunter to be a bit goofy and playful like many of the other Pokemon I've made! Soooo of course we had to give Haunter a silly tongue and some happy eyes! One of my favourite things to do when I'm making a custom plush is to share exclusive updates with the recipient and check in for changes or special features (like colours or shapes of pieces). If you want a glimpse at the whole design process too, give my ig @frogandfasten a follow and come along for the ride!

Like many of my recent projects, Haunter is made up of a collection of simple shapes. The key to making it all come together is symmetrical and clean sewing. Placing all of Haunter's spikes in a the right spot can be tricky, so patience is key (and will definitely be rewarded)! Look at lots of reference photos of Haunter and photos from my pattern to get a better of idea of the placement of each piece!

Before I share the pattern with you, here are a couple of tips that I hope you'll find handy!

1. Pay attention to the natural "curve" of each finger!

When you finish crochet a finger, you'll notice that the shape has a "curl" to it. This curl happens as result of crocheting in-the-round and is especially prominent on small shapes (like fingers). Use the curl to your advantage: sew Haunter's fingers on so that each one "curls" toward the centre of his palm.

2. Start sewing, then stuff!

I like to sew on about 50% each piece before stuffing it with Polyfill. The reason I prefer to stuff after I've started the sewing process is to minimize the amount Polyfill that gets trapped along the sewing edge of your project. While this isn't a big deal, minimizing stray bits of polyfill can make your project neater! It also saves you a bit of time and energy by avoiding clean-up with tweezers!

3. Make paper stencils!

To reduce the waste of sheet felt, make stencils of any shapes you plan to sew. In Haunter's case, I made many stencils for his eyes. Making stencils out of paper is great because it's easy to make minor adjustments to your shapes with a couple snips of a pair of scissors! This will give you the option of getting your shapes exactly how you want them without needing to waste any felt. It also makes cutting out identical shapes a breeze!

Alright, we've finally gotten to the good part: the pattern!! I hope you have a blast putting Haunter together and I am eagerly awaiting to see how your cuddly friend turns out! Please please share your creations with me on Ravelry and on Instagram if you decide to give it a try!

Click here to download the pattern for free!

Pattern writing and updating the blog are both hobbies of mine that I really enjoy! As such, I want to continue doing it as a hobby and sharing my work for free! If you really enjoy my work and wish to support me, please consider supporting me on ko-fi. :) 

I have another wonderful pattern in store for you all, so stay tuned!

Cindy.