My sons are always drawing. We go through so many pencils and drawing paper in our home. Inevitably I fall in love with some of the little creatures and just HAVE to make them tangible toys. The newly created toys always immediately get claimed by the little artist and added to the growing family of “bed friends”.
Super cute doodles, right?
I have this weird habit where I write down every single thing as I’m free-handing something. The good part about that is that I always have very detailed and accurate notes to type up to share with others. The not so good news is I like crocheting a lot more than typing so it often takes me ages to get a pattern typed up, formatted into a nice PDF, and run through testers. But it’s motivating in that it feels all warm and fuzzy to think a little part of my family’s creativity might spread joy in some other homes too.
Jouji decided that Gum Bug is meant to be a free pattern. But like our other free patterns, I offer a very inexpensive ad-free PDF over in my Ravelry shop.
Enough small talk, let’s move onto the actual pattern.
This pattern is written in US terms and is worked in the round.
I used #4 medium worsted weight light green acrylic yarn and a 3.0mm hook for the main body. I used pink and black 6 strand embroidery thread and a 2.0mm hook for the legs, arms, and antenna.
Gauge is not important but make sure all of your yarn is the correct weight.
The bug measures about 15cm wide.
Stitches used in American terminology:
MR – magic ring
sc – single crochet
ch – chain
inc – increase (by creating 2 sc stitches together into the same space)
dec –decrease (by joining 2 sc stitches together with a single stitch)
FO – finish off
Body – x1
(green)
*stuff as you go*
1. 6 sc in MR. (6)
2. inc x6. (12)
3. [sc, inc] x6. (18)
4. 18 sc. (18)
5. [2 sc, inc] x6. (24)
6-8. (3 rows) 24 sc. (24)
9. 9 sc, [2 sc, inc] x2, 9 sc. (26)
10. 26 sc. (26)
11. 10 sc,[2 sc, inc] x2, 10 sc. (28)
12. 11 sc, [2 sc, inc] x2, 11 sc. (30)
13. 12 sc, [2 sc, inc] x2, 12 sc. (32)
14. 13 sc, [2 sc, inc] x2, 13 sc. (34)
15. 14 sc, [2 sc, inc] x2, 14 sc. (36)
16. 15 sc, [2 sc, inc] x2, 15 sc. (38)
17. 16 sc, [2 sc, inc] x2, 16 sc. (40)
18. 17 sc, [2 sc, inc] x2, 17 sc. (42)
19. 42 sc. (42)
20. 18 sc, [2 sc, inc] x2, 18 sc. (44)
21-22. (2 rows) 44 sc. (44)
Put a stitch marker between rows 21 and 22 to mark the center line for antenna placement.
23. 18 sc, [2 sc, dec] x2, 18 sc. (42)
24. 42 sc. (42)
25. 17 sc, [2 sc, dec] x2, 17 sc. (40)
26. 16 sc, [2 sc, dec] x2, 16 sc. (38)
27. 15 sc, [2 sc, dec] x2, 15 sc. (36)
28. 14 sc, [2 sc, dec] x2, 14 sc. (34)
29. 13 sc, [2 sc, dec] x2, 13 sc. (32)
30. 12 sc, [2 sc, dec] x2, 12 sc. (30)
31. 11 sc, [2 sc, dec] x2, 11 sc. (28)
32. 10 sc, [2 sc, dec] x2, 10 sc. (26)
33. 26 sc. (26)
34. 9 sc, [2 sc, dec] x2, 9 sc. (24)
35-37. (3 rows) 24 sc. (24)
38. [2 sc, dec] x6. (18)
39. 18 sc. (18)
40. [sc, dec] x6. (12)
41. dec x6. (6)
FO and weave in tail.
Arms – x2
*black*
1. 6 sc in MR. (6)
2-13. (12 rows) 6 sc. (6)
FO and leave tail for sewing.
Legs – x10
*black*
1. 6 sc in MR. (6)
2-6. (5 rows) 6 sc. (6)
FO and leave tail for sewing.
Antenna – x2
*pink*
1. 6 sc in MR. (6)
2. Inc x6. (12)
3. [sc, inc] x6. (18)
4. [2 sc, inc] x6. (24)
5-7. (3 rows) 24 sc. (24)
8. [2 sc, dec] x6. (18)
9. [sc, dec] x6. (12)
10. dec x6. (6)
*change to black*
11-16. (6 rows) 6 sc. (6)
FO and leave tail for sewing.
Assembly
Sew antenna to top of head bump with 3 rows between them.
Count about 10 rows from each end and sew arms on the bump side edge.
Count 6 rows in from beginning end of body and place first leg, sewing across a row. Skip 2 rows and sew the next leg across the following row. Continue the pattern of skipping 2 rows to have your legs evenly distributed across the bottom of your Gum Bug.
Glue or needle felt a face onto your Gum Bug.
Congratulations! You have completed a Gum Bug!
I would love to see your finished items as a Ravelry project, on Instagram with a tag for HaterumaHandmade, or on my FaceBook page Haterumahandmade.
Hateruma Handmade and family own the rights to this pattern. Please do not reprint or redistribute this pattern (or translations) in any way. I thank you very much for your purchase and hope you enjoy giving and/or selling as many finished items as you like!
If you have any problems, please do not hesitate to contact me.
