Miro the Ant (free pattern)

This ant was the first amigurumi pattern I ever wrote, around 3 or 4 years ago. It is made of simple spheres sewn together to resemble an ant's body. Simple, but effective, if I may say so myself. Whether anyone is interested in crocheting ants is a completely different matter :-)

The yarn used was some acrylic DK knitting yarn with a 3.00mm hook in dark brown for the body. The eyes and anteanne are made from SMC Catania cotton in white and black with a 2.5mm hook.  

Head and body (make two): 

With brown yarn, start a magic ring

R1. 6sc in ring (6)

R2. 2sc in every sc (12)

R3. 2sc in every 2nd sc (18)

R4. 2sc in every 3rd sc (24)

R5. 2sc in every 4th sc (30)

R6. 2sc in every 5th sc (36)

7.-11. 36sc (36)

R12. sc2tog every 5th and 6th sc (30)

R13. sc2tog every 4th and 5th sc (24)

R14. sc2tog every 3rd and 4th sc (18)

R15. sc2tog every 2nd and 3rd sc (12)

R16. sc2tog every 1st and 2nd sc (6)

 

End with a slip stitch in the 1st sc and fasten off. Leave plenty of yarn for sewing.

Tail: 

With brown yarn, start a magic ring

R1. 6sc in ring (6)

R2. 2sc in every sc (12)

R3. 2sc in every 2nd sc (18)

R4. 2sc in every 3rd sc (24)

R5. 2sc in every 4th sc (30)

R6. 2sc in every 5th sc (36)

R7. 2sc in every 5th sc (42)

R8.-11. 42sc (42)

R12. sc2tog every 13th and 14th sc (39)

R13. sc2tog every 12th and 13th sc (36)

R14. sc2tog every 11th and 12th sc (33)

R15. sc2tog every 10th and 11th sc (30)

R16. sc2tog every 9th and 10th sc (27)

R17. sc2tog every 8th and 9th sc (24)

R18. sc2tog every 7th and 8th sc (21)

R19. sc2tog every 6th and 7th sc (18)

R20. sc2tog every 5th and 6th sc (15)

R21. sc2tog every 4th and 5th sc (12)

R22. sc2tog every 3rd and 4th sc (9)

R23. sc2tog every 2nd and 3rd sc (6)

 

End with a slip stitch in the 1st sc and fasten off. Leave plenty of yarn and loop it through the 6sc and pull tight to create a pointy end. 

 

Legs (6x):

Start with brown yarn

T1. ch 7

T2.-12. 6sc, ch 1 (6)

T13. 6sc, fasten off leaving plenty of yarn for sewing.

Cut of a piece of pipe cleaner slightly longer than your leg piece and sew the leg around the pipe cleaner. Sew one end of the leg shut to create the foot. Attach another piece of brown yarn on the other end of the leg so you can sew it onto the body later. Make sure to let a little length of pipe cleaner stick out and trim the fluff. Repeat until you have 6 legs.

Alternatively, you could also crochet your legs this way:

R1. ch 6, sl st in 1st st

R2.-13. 6sc, 1sl st

Fasten off, and sew one end of the leg shut to create the foot. Attach another piece of brown yarn on the other end of the leg so you can sew it onto the body later. Repeat until you have 6 legs. 

Eyes (2x):

With white, start a magic ring. 

R1. 6sc in ring (6)

R2. 2sc in every sc (12). 

Fasten off, leaving plenty of yarn for sewing. 

With black, start a magic ring.

R1. 6sc in ring (6)

Fasten off, leaving plenty of yarn for sewing. 

Repeat both. Sew the black pupils in the middle of the two white circles. Sew the two eyes on the front of the head. 

Antennae (2x):

Chain 10

Repeat and sew both antennae on top of the head. 

Assembly:

First, sew the head, body and tail on to each other. You can experiment with the ant's posture (standing flat, looking up etc.). Then, you can position the legs: one pair on the body and two pairs on the tail end. Stick the trimmed ends of the pipe cleaners in the body before sewing the edges on so Miro can stand securely. Finally, bend each leg in the middle for knees and 1cm. of the end to create feet.