Early the Squidbilly

This one has been a long time coming.

The story behind this pattern is that my dad was strangely in love with the show Squidbillies on Cartoon Network - one of those badly drawn, darkly inappropriate shows on late night. He was often up late watching this oddball program, and of course we laughed along with him without fully understanding.


I met a guy in my home brew club who also loves the Squidbillies; when he found out I am into crochet and knitting, he asked for a crocheted Early Cuyler, the main "squid" on the show.

Of course, there is no pattern out there for this. Once I found a fairly good representation on a web forum, but the person hadn't recorded the pattern.

I improvised this one, and I thought I would share for all those other squid-lovers out there.

Early Cuyler the Squidbilly

Materials needed:

• Size G hook (gauge unimportant)
• Yarn needle
• Pale green yarn, the pukier the better (I used Red Heart Super Saver Frosty Green)
• Red yarn (I used Red Heart Super Saver Cherry Red) 
• Black yarn (I used Red Heart Super Saver Black)
• White felt
• Black felt
• Hot glue gun

Instructions

Body:

1. With pale green yarn, ch 2. 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook (place marker in first sc of rnd to keep track throughout).
2. 2 sc in each st around.
3. (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next st) around.
4. (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 2 sts) around.
5. (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 3 sts) around.
6. (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 4 sts) around.
7. (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 5 sts) around.
8. Sc in each st around for 20 rnds.
9. (Sc2tog, sc in next 5 sts) around.
10. (Sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts) around.
11. (Sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts) around.
12. Stuff body. 
13. (Sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts) around.
14. (Sc2tog, sc in next st) around.
15. Sc2tog around.
16. Fasten off, leaving end for sewing piece. Finish stuffing and sew hole shut.

Tentacles:

The key here is to make seven pointy tentacles of various thicknesses and lengths. I'll write out what I did, but you should feel free to do whatever you want. It's a badly drawn hillbilly squid and the stakes are not high.

Tentacle 1 - Regular (I made 4 of these)

1. With pale green yarn, ch 2. 4 sc in 2nd ch from hook (place marker in first sc of rnd to keep track throughout).
2. Sc around.
3. Sc around.
4. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
5. Sc around.
6. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
7. Sc around.
8. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
9. Sc around.
10. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
11. Sc around.
12. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
13. Sc around. Fasten off, leaving an end long enough to close tentacle opening shut and sew it flat.

Tentacle 2 - Fat (I made 2 of these)

1. With pale green yarn, ch 2. 5 sc in 2nd ch from hook (place marker in first st of rnd to keep track throughout).
2. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
3. Sc around.
4. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
5. Sc around.
6. Sc around.
7. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
8. Sc around.
9. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
10. Sc around.
11. Sc around.

Tentacle 3 - Long (I made 1 of these)

1. With pale green yarn, ch 2. 5 sc in 2nd ch from hook (place marker in first st of rnd to keep track throughout).
2. Sc around.
3. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
4. Sc around.
5. Sc around.
6. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
7. Sc around.
8. Sc around.
9. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
10. Sc around
11. Sc 2 in next st, sc to marker.
12. Sc around.
13. Sc around.
14. Sc around.
15. Sc around.

The easiest way to fit the tentacles evenly around Early's lower body is to sew them all together in a ring, then sew the ring onto the body.

Hat:

This pattern worked with the yarn I had, which was the same gauge. If your red is slightly larger or smaller than your green, you may need to adjust your increase rounds. If it's too small, do another increase round after round 7 (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 6 sts on repeat). If it's too large, remove an increase round.

1. With red yarn, ch 2. 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook (place marker in first sc of rnd to keep track throughout).
2. 2 sc in each st around.
3. (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next st) around.
4. (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 2 sts) around.
5. (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 3 sts) around.
6. (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 4 sts) around.
7. (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 5 sts) around. 
8. Sc in each st around for 14 rnds. Remove marker, sl st in next st, and fasten off.
9. With black yarn, join with standing sc in any st; sc 18 across.
10. Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts, sc 2 tog.
11. Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in  next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog.
12. Ch 1, sc3tog, sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 7 sts, sc3tog.
13. Ch 1, sc3tog, sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts, sc3tog. Bind off.

Hat should fit over body, no glue necessary.

Felt accents:

When you have assembled your Early doll and are feeling good about the proportions, add the following accents:

Eyes:

Cut out small rectangles of white felt and trim them into vague, squinty half-moons until they fit your piece. Cut out two very small circles of black felt. Hot glue the black pieces to the corner of the eye.

Mouth:

Use the small length of black yarn to sew a frowny mouth. I waited to glue my Early's eyes to his face until I had sewn the frown; then when everything looked right, I hot glued the eyes to the face.

Hat:

Take a decent-sized chunk of white felt and lay it over the hat; you want a piece that is as wide as the head / hat from the edges of the black brim. Cut it to size, then curve the top so that it will fit to the hat when complete.

Sew words onto hat; I know Early had a lot through the years, but I chose the classic "Free Hat, Limit 1."

Cut out your felt piece in about this shape so it can curve to the head when glued

Hot glue the white piece to the hat.