Abra amigurumi pattern

I was looking around the net for a decent Abra pattern the other day, Abra being among my absolute favourite Pokémon designs. Turns out, I couldn't find a single decent one. So, I decided that maybe it was time to start making my own patterns. It turned out pretty sweet, so I decided to share it to whoever wants to have it. If anyone happens to stumble upon this, I do hope you enjoy it.

This pattern is not for beginners, or at least not for people who can't follow my thought pattern, due to the multitude of parts and rather complex feet pattern. Medium to advanced skill level is recommended.

This pattern uses continuous rounds, so no closing your rounds! ;P

Personally, I'm using Miniacryl acrylic yarn and a 2 mm hook (That a B for Americans and a number 14 hook in the UK) for the little one, but as long as your yarn type and thickness is consistent, any yarn fibre or thickness should be fine, as long as you use the corresponding hook size. The hook should have approximately the same thickness as your yarn. Cotton yarn tends to be the easiest to handle, but yields a more stale, less plushy-like result.

I use plastic pellets as filling where additional weight is desired, here in the hands, feet and lower body, and regular polyester fibre fill for the rest. Stuff firmly unless otherwise instructed. The pattern itself will give most of the shape, so no need to be too meticulous in your filling methods. Just fill it firmly and evenly.

The yarn colours required for this pattern are:

Yellow

Beige/lighter yellow

Brown

The beige yarn is optional. In my prototype (that's the little one), I used the normal yellow on the entire head, and that turned out pretty well too.

For my own, alternative colour-palette, blue, really large Abra that I use for the tutorial pictures (because of the size. It makes the details clearer), I used a 6.00 mm hook and very thick acrylic yarn of colours Petrol-blue and Black. The cues for this alternate palette will be in parentheses.

Why did I use blue and black? Well... there was this new yarn I found that looked just awesome and I just got an urge to make an amigurumi of it because large 'gurumis are awesome, but the colour options were very limited, so... I just picked the best-looking ones. How much yarn did it take? Fifteen entire balls. My wallet weeps...

The regular one only took one and a half ball. ;)

Stitches used in this pattern:

Single crochet

Slip stitch

Increase

Decrease

Half double crochet

and a few custom-stitches I will have brief tutorials for as they appear.

Head (make 1, start with beige(black) yarn)

1: 8 sc in magic ring (8)

2: [sc,inc] x4 (12)

3: sc around (12) (The nose can get a little pointy. If you want it to be less so, skip this round)

4: [2 sc, inc] x4, (16)

switch to yellow(blue)

5: 7sc, inc3*, 3sc, inc, 3sc, inc3 (21)
Gonna use this inc3 a lot here. This does not mean three increases, but rather three sc in one hoop, instead of the normal two.

6: 8sc, inc3, 5sc, inc, 4sc, inc3, sc (26)

7: 9sc, inc3, 6sc, inc, 6sc, inc3, 2sc (31)

8: 10sc, inc3, 8sc, inc, 7sc, inc3, 3sc (36)

9: 11sc, inc3, 9sc, inc, 9sc, inc3, 4sc (41)

10: 12sc, inc3, 22sc, inc3, 5sc (45)

11-13: sc around (45)

14: 13sc, dec, 23sc, dec,5sc (43)

15: 25sc, dec, 16sc (42)

16: 13sc, dec, 21sc, dec, 4sc (40)

17: 13sc, dec, 9sc, dec, 9sc, dec, 3sc (37)

18: 12sc, dec, 8sc, dec, 8sc, dec, 3sc (34)

19: 4sc, dec, 5sc, dec, [8sc, dec]x2, sc (30)

20: 4sc, dec, 5sc, dec, [6sc, dec]x2, sc (26)

21: [4sc, dec]x2, [5sc, dec]x2 (22)

22: 2sc, dec, sc, dec, [2sc, dec] x2, sc, dec, 2sc, dec (16)

23: dec around (8)

24: 3dec
Fasten off. Tighten.

Ear (make 2 in yellow(black) yarn)

1: 4 sc in Magic Ring (4)
2: inc around (8)
3: [sc, inc] x4 (12)
4: [2 sc, inc] x4 (16)
5: [3 sc, inc] x4 (20)
6: [4 sc, inc] x4 (24)

7: [5 sc, inc] x4 (28)

8: [6 sc, inc] x4 (32)

9: sc around (32)

Fasten off

Body (make 1, start with yellow(blue) yarn)

1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)

2: inc around (12)

3: [sc, inc] x6 (18)

4: [2 sc, inc] x6 (24)

5: [3 sc, inc] x6 (30)

6: [4 sc, inc] x6 (36)

7-14: sc around (36)

15: [10 sc, dec] x3 (33)

16: sc, ch, turn, 20 sc

switch to brown(black), ch, turn.

17: 20sc, hdc, 11sc, hdc(33) *

18-19: sc around (33)

20: [dec, 9sc] x3 (30)

21: [dec, 8sc] x3 (27)

22: [dec, 7sc] x3 (24)

23: 15sc, turn

24: 15sc, turn

25: 3ss, 9sc, 3ss

26: hdc, 7sc, hdc, 15sc (24)

fasten off

As you may have noticed, this pattern goes back and forth a bit during rounds 16 and 17, making a bit of a stair-like section. This will not be the only time this technique is used in this pattern, just the first. It should look something like this 

And the gap is smoothed out afterwards with a half-double crochet like this 

Which should then look something like this 

Arm (make 2 in yellow yarn(start with black))

1: 6 sc in Magic ring (6)

2: inc around (12)

3: [sc, inc] x6 (18)

4: [2 sc, inc] x6 (24)

5: [7 sc, inc, 3 sc, inc] x2 (28)

6-7: sc around (28)

8: 10 sc, dec, 12 sc, dec, 2 sc (26)

9: sc around (26)

10: 9 sc, dec, 11 sc, dec, 2 sc (24)

11: sc around (24)

12: 9 sc, dec, 10 sc, dec, 1sc (22)

13: sc around (22)

14: [9 sc, dec] x2 (20)

15: sc around (20)

16: [inc, 9 sc] x2 (22)

17: sc around (22)

18: [inc, 10 sc]x2 (24)

19: sc around (24)

20: [2 sc, dec] x6 in back loops only (18)

Start stuffing. If you're using plastic pellets, fill it up to about round 13-15, then fill the rest of the hand with fibre fill. The hand should be stuffed firmly. The upper arm less so, especially around the elbow, to allow for easier movement.

(change to blue)

21: [sc, dec] x6 (12)

22: sc around in front loops only (12)

23-31: sc around (12)

fasten off

Finger (make 6 in yellow(black) yarn)

1: 4sc in magic ring (4)

2: inc, 3sc (5)

3: inc, 4sc (6)

4: inc, 5sc (7)

5: inc, 6sc (8)

6: inc, 7sc (9)

7: sc around (9)

NOTE: I made the side fingers shorter on the little one, stopping after round 6, thus making 4 short and 2 long. Making them all of the same length looks fine too. It's a matter of preference.

Shoulder pad (make 2 in brown(black) yarn)

1: 20 ch, turn, 19 sc, ch, turn (19)

2: 19 sc, ch, turn (19)

3: [5sc, dec]x2, 5sc (17)

4: 5 sc, dec, 3 sc, dec, 5 sc (15)

5: 4 sc, dec, 3 sc, dec, 4 sc (13)

6: [sc, dec]x4, sc (9)

7: 2 dec, sc, 2 dec (5)

fasten off, tighten the last row together by sewing the end tail back and forth between the stitches.

Tail (make one, start with yellow(blue) yarn)

1: 4sc in magic ring (4)

2: inc, 3sc (5)

3: sc, inc, 3sc (6)

4: 2sc, inc, 3sc (7)

5: 3sc, inc, 3sc (8)

6: 3sc, inc, 4sc (9)

7: 4sc, inc, 4sc (10)

8: 5sc, inc, 4sc (11)

9: 6sc, inc, 4sc (12)

10: 7sc, inc, 4sc (13)

11: 7sc, inc, 5sc (14)

switch to brown(black)

12: 8sc, inc, 5sc (15)

13: 9sc, inc, 5sc (16)

switch to yellow(blue)

14-15: sc, dec, 7sc, inc, 5sc (16)

16: 9sc, inc, 6sc (17)

17-18: sc, dec, 7sc, inc, 6sc (17)

19: 10sc, inc, 6sc (18)

20-21: sc, dec, 8sc, inc, 6sc (18)

22: 10sc, inc, 7sc (19)

23-24: sc, dec, 8sc, inc, 7sc (19)

25: 11sc, inc, 7sc (20)

26-27: sc, dec, 9sc, inc, 7sc (20)

28: 11sc, inc, 8sc (21)

29-30: sc, dec, 9sc, inc, 8sc (21)

31: 12sc, inc, 8sc (22)

32-33: sc, dec, 10sc, inc, 8sc (22)

34: 12sc, inc, 9sc (23)

35-36: sc, dec, 10sc, inc, 9sc (23)

37: 13sc, inc, 9sc (24)

38-39: sc, dec, 11sc, inc, 9sc (24)
Here starts another stairs-y bit. This is so that the angle of the tail won't look all messed up when it's sewn onto the body.

40: 11sc, turn

41: 18sc, turn

42: 15sc, turn

43: 12sc, turn

44: 9sc, turn

45: 6sc 
Fasten off

Yes, the tail should be twisting gently. That is intentional. It looks more alive that way. :)

Foot (make 2 in yellow(black) yarn) (Lots of visuals here. Hopefully, it'll help, rather than confuse...)

1: 5sc in magic ring (5)

2: inc, 4sc (6)

3: sc, inc, 4sc (7)

4: 2sc, inc, 4sc (8)

5: 3sc, inc, 4sc (9)

6: 4sc, inc, 4sc (10)

7: 4sc, inc, 5sc (11)

8-9: 4sc, 3ss, 4sc (11)

10a: 4sc, fasten off

repeat rounds 1 through 9.

10b: 8sc, ch3, resume where you fastened off at round 10a, 11sc, 3hdc, sc3 (28)

This bit is a bit tricky if you haven't done something similar before, so I shall provide some visuals. The toes should be joined together like this about mid-round:

and by the end of the round you should have a proper bridge, like this: 

Then you can continue on as normal. ;) (I know, the lighting in my room is a bit weird...)

WARNING: It is VERY easy to miss a stitch or two during this maneuver, so be sure to double-check your stitch count!

11-13: sc around (28)

14: 2sc, dec, 12sc, dec,10sc (26)

15: sc around (26)

16: 2sc, dec, 11sc, dec, 9sc (24)

17: sc around (24)

18: 2sc, dec, 10sc, dec, 8sc (22)

19: sc, dec, 9sc, dec, 8sc (20)

20: sc, dec, 8sc, dec, 7sc (18)

21: sc, dec, 7sc, dec, 6sc (16)

Here, we begin another stairs-y bit.

22: 3sc, ch, turn

23: 10sc, ch, turn

24: 8sc, ch, turn

25: 6sc, ch, turn

Which should look something like this:

Which is smoothed out in the following row:

26: 2sc, dec, 2sc, hdc, sc, hdc, sc, dec, sc, hdc (14)

Which should look something like this

It's a heel! ;)

Now, continue on as normal

27: 2sc, dec, 5sc, dec, 3sc (12)

28: sc, dec, 4sc, dec, 3sc (10)

29: sc, dec, 3sc, dec, 2sc (8)

30: sc, dec, 2sc, dec, sc (6)

31: sc around. 
Fasten off. Tighten.

Leg(make 2 in yellow(start with black) yarn)

(starting at the ankle. a loop-y-loop)

1: 15ch, 15sc, starting at the first ch. (15)

2: inc, 14sc (16)

3: sc, inc, 14sc (17)

4: 2sc, inc, 14sc (18)

5: 3sc, inc, 14sc (19)

6: 3sc, inc, 15sc (20)

7: 4sc, inc, 15sc (21)

8: 5sc, inc, 15sc (22)

9: 3sc, inc, 3sc, inc, 14sc (24)

10: 6sc, inc, 17sc (25)

11: 7sc, inc, 17sc (26)

12-15: sc around (26)

16: 8sc, inc3*, 16sc (28)

Inc3 again here. remember, not three incs, but rather three sc in one hoop.

Important! Round 16 ends one stitch early. Move the marker to this new spot

17: [dec, 2sc]x2, sharpcluster*, [2sc, dc]x2, 2sc, dec3*, 2sc, all in back loops only (18) (switch to blue)

First, the dec3-stitch is like the inc3 in reverse. Just pick up three hoops rather than the normal two. 

Now the so-called sharpcluster is a custom maneuver of mine. Hopefully, I can explain it properly with, again, some visuals.

Start with picking up two hoops, as if you were to make a decrease

Now, loop the yarn once around the hook, as if you were about to make a double-crochet

And keep going with the double-crochet until you're at this point here:

Now, start making another decrease. it should look like this:

Lotsa hoops. Now, bring the thread through ALL of those hoops at once.

Poof. Done. Make sure to tighten the yarn firmly. After a few single stitches, it should come together into something like this

I hope that got across well enough ;)

Now, to continue with this leg

18: [sc, dec]x6 (12)
(switch to blue)

19: sc around, front loops only (12)

20-25: sc around (12)

26: [inc, 5sc]x2 (14)

27: sc, inc, 6sc, inc, 5sc (16)

28-30: sc around (16)

31: 2sc, dec, 6sc, dec, 4sc (14)

32: 2sc, dec, 5sc, dec, 3sc (12)

33: 6dec 
fasten off.

Now, to assemble this little critter.

Here we have all of the pieces, laid down before us. Start with assembling the arms and legs. First sew the feet to the legs, like this 

 Make sure that the ankle connects right at the bend, like this, otherwise the foot will look awkward

Next, sew the fingers onto the hands, like this. Use pins to temporarily position them first, to really get the positioning right.

The way I do it, Abra gets abit of a palm, so from the side, it looks like this

Next, sew the tail to the body. It should be at about this angle, so that Abra will be leaning back a bit.

Now, I like to have all the large bits assembled first, to better get a picture of the whole, sooner. So, next you should sew the ears to the head. Using pins is STRONGLY recommended. Embroidering the eyes now is also recommended. Less bits getting in the way, that way. 

Now that all of the big bits are assembled, start from the bottom and work your way up. Less things getting in the way, that way. So, start with the legs, like this.

Now, you may notice a slight issue with the body here on the side 

 Let's zoom in

There. Big gap. Not pretty, is it? This is VERY hard to avoid. I recommend sewing this shut when sewing on either the arms or the shoulderpads.  

Either way, next comes the arms.

Like that. Again, use pins for better positioning. 

Now, I did forget to take any pics of applying the shoulder pads. Sorry about that. They should go right where arm meets body. Sew them onto the body, not the arm. Make sure they don't get too high up; leave a small gap between them and the head, else Abra will end up looking hunched and tense.

Finally, just apply the head, and your abra is done! 

So! That was my first ever crochet pattern. Hopefully, that was coherent enough to understand. If this confuses you at all, please do not hesitate to ask. I will do my best to explain it better. ;)

Next up: Manaphy

It's a simpler one, promise.