Stinky the Durian Plush
Pee-yew! What is that smell?
There is a new king of DIY fruits in town, folks. Light all the hand-poured soy candles you’ve got, but this guy is mean, green, and here to stink.
materials:
- Worsted weight yarn in 2 shades of green and one shade of yellow (recommended yarns: Cascade 220 8914 Granny Smith (SHELL), Cascade 220 7814 Chartreuse (FRUIT), and Cascade 220 7828 Neon Yellow (STEM))
- US 5 (3.75 mm) double-point needles
- Crochet needle (to pull stitches through on the shell only: this isn’t a crochet pattern, sorry crochet lovers!)
- 2 safety eyes (10mm-12mm)*
- Stuffing
pattern:
SHELL Interior
1. CO 4 stitches in SHELL yarn onto one needle.
2. (Work as an i-cord.) [kfb] 4 times. (8 sts) Redistribute onto 3 dpns. Join in round.
3. [kfb] 8 times. (16 sts)
4. Knit.
5. [kfb, k1] 8 times. (24 sts)
6. k12, m1, k12. (25 sts)
7. k12, kfb, kfb, k4, kfb, k4, kfb, kfb. (30 sts)
8. (and all even rows through 26.) Knit.
9. k13, kfb, k1, kfb, k5, kfb, k5, kfb, k1, kfb. (35 sts)
10. (and all even rows through 26.) Knit.
11. k14, kfb, k2, kfb, k6, kfb, k6, kfb, k2, kfb. (40 sts)
12. (and all even rows through 26.) Knit.
13.-27. (odd rows) Keep increasing every other (odd) row by 5 sts in set pattern until you have 80 sts on your needles.
28.-29. Knit.
30. BO in knit, leaving 5 foot tail.
SHELL Exterior
Spikes will be knitted individually in a series of five rounds. Always use your judgment in the number and placement of picked-up stitches.
MAKING A SPIKE (“Make 1 Spike”)
You will start each spike with 12 sts arranged on 3 dpns, 4 sts per dpn. They should be facing wrong-side (“purl”-side) out. It may take some practice to figure out how to start each new spike: what direction to push the crochet needle through, etc.
- Join in round and purl to end.
- [p2tog, p2] to end.
- [p1, slip right needle into 2nd stitch on the left needle from right to left and back through 1st stitch on the left needle from left to right, p 2 sts together] to end.
- p2tog to end onto a single dpn.
- p3tog as i-cord.
Pull final stitch’s loop wide and pull the entire yarn ball through.
Spikes (Lap 1)
CO 12 sts in SHELL yarn to 3 dpns. Join to work in round.
- Make 1 Spike.
- Pull your yarn down through the inside of the spike pyramid (approximately 0.4-0.5 in) so it is flush with the pyramid bottom. Using crochet needle, pull 3-4 sts through along one edge of the bottom of the previous pyramid, purl side to knit side, right to left. CO until you have 12 sts total. Distribute onto 3 dpns.
Repeat A. and B. several times.
Every 4-5 spikes, use the 5 foot tail to sew the bound-off edge of the SHELL Interior to the outer edge of your first round of spikes using mattress stitch.
Repeat A. and B., sewing to SHELL Interior every 4-5 spikes, until you’ve made a full lap of the piece. Sew 1st and last spike together using mattress stitch. (20-21 spikes)
Spikes (Lap 2)
Starting at the center of the foot of the last spike on Lap 1, use crochet needle to pull 3 sts through. CO 9 sts.
- Make 1 Spike.
- Pull your yarn down through the inside of the spike pyramid so it is flush with the pyramid bottom. Using crochet needle, pull 7-8 sts through clockwise along the edge of the previous pyramid and Lap 1. CO until you have 12 sts total.
Repeat A. and B. until you are 1 spike from finishing the round. (16 spikes)
Using crochet needle, pull 11 sts through clockwise along penultimate spike, Lap 1, and 1st spike. CO 1 st.
Make 1 Spike. (17 spikes)
Spikes (Lap 3)
Starting at the center of the foot of the last spike on Lap 2, use crochet needle to pull 3 sts through. CO 9 sts.
- Make 1 Spike.
- Pull your yarn down through the inside of the spike pyramid so it is flush with the pyramid bottom. Using crochet needle, pull 7-8 sts through clockwise along the edge of the previous pyramid and Lap 2. CO until you have 12 sts total.
Repeat A. and B. until you are 1 spike from finishing the round. (15 spikes)
Using crochet needle, pull 11 sts through clockwise along penultimate spike, Lap 2, and 1st spike. CO 1 st.
Make 1 Spike. (16 spikes)
Turn spikes right-side (knit-side) out and begin shaping the piece if you haven’t already done so. Try to keep the largest wedge of the SHELL Interior centered on the long edge of the football shape. Stuff lightly.
Spikes (Lap 4)
Starting at the center of the foot of the last spike on Lap 3, use crochet needle to pull 3 sts through. CO 9 sts.
- Make 1 Spike.
- Pull your yarn down through the inside of the spike pyramid so it is flush with the pyramid bottom. Using crochet needle, pull 7-8 sts through clockwise along the edge of the previous pyramid and Lap 3. CO until you have 12 sts total.
Repeat A. and B. until you are 1 spike from finishing the round. (11-12 spikes)
Using crochet needle, pull 11 sts through clockwise along penultimate spike, Lap 3, and 1st spike. CO 1 st.
Make 1 Spike. (12-13 spikes)
Spikes (Lap 5)
Starting at the center of the foot of the last spike on Lap 4, use crochet needle to pull 3 sts through. CO 9 sts.
- Make 1 Spike.
- Pull your yarn down through the inside of the spike pyramid so it is flush with the pyramid bottom. Using crochet needle, pull 7-8 sts through clockwise along the edge of the previous pyramid and Lap 4. CO until you have 12 sts total.
Repeat A. and B. until you are 1 spike from finishing the round. (7-8 spikes)
Using crochet needle, pull 11 sts through clockwise along penultimate spike, Lap 4, and 1st spike. CO 1 st.
Make 1 Spike. (8-9 spikes)
Stuff rest of SHELL.
Close up the remaining hole in pattern, using your judgment on the positioning of the last 4-6 spikes. Leave as many sides as CO or BO as you need to purl the remaining spikes comfortably.
When you’ve made your last spike, cut yarn, leaving a tail long enough to sew your gap. Use mattress stitch to close.
FRUIT (Make 3)
1. CO 6 sts in FRUIT yarn onto 3 dpns and join in round.
2. kfb 6 times. (12 sts)
3. Knit.
4. [kfb, k3] 3 times. (15 sts)
5. Knit.
6. [kfb, k4] 3 times. (18 sts)
7. Knit.
8. [kfb, k5] 3 times. (21 sts)
9.-11. Knit 3 rounds.
12. k3, kfb, k6, kfb, knit to end. (23 sts)
13.-15. Knit 3 rounds.
16. k4, kfb, k7, kfb, knit to end. (25 sts)
17.-19. Knit 3 rounds.
(*Eye Placement*: When knitting your third and final FRUIT, place one safety eye over the second kfb on Row 12 and snap closed.)
20. k4, k2tog, k7, ssk, knit to end. (23 sts)
21.-23. Knit 3 rounds.
24. k3, k2tog, k6, ssk, knit to end. (21 sts)
25.-27. Knit 3 rounds.
Stuff bottom of FRUIT lightly.
(*Eye Placement*: When knitting your third and final FRUIT, place one safety eye over ssk on Row 24 and snap closed.)
28. [k2tog, k5] 3 times. (18 sts)
29. Knit.
30. [k2tog, k4] 3 times. (15 sts)
31. Knit.
32. [k2tog, k3] 3 times. (12 sts)
33. Knit.
Stuff rest of piece.
34. k2tog to end. (6 sts) Cut yarn and pull through. Weave in ends.
STEM
1. CO 4 sts in STEM yarn onto 2 or 3 dpns and join in round.
2. kfb to end. (8 sts)
Work in stockinette in the round, stuffing the cylinder every 2 inches, until the STEM measures the same as one of your FRUITs lengthwise. (Approximately 32 rounds.)
35.-36. Knit 2 more rounds.
37. k1, m1, knit to end. (9 sts)
38. Knit.
39. k6, m1, knit to end. (10 sts)
40.-44. Knit 5 rounds.
45. k2tog to end. Cut yarn and pull through. Weave in ends.
Assembling
Cut a 4-foot strand of FRUIT yarn. Position FRUIT pieces with flat faces against STEM in SHELL as pictured (FRUIT with eyes facing out and on top, big end of STEM jutting out the right side).
Pin FRUITs to STEM if necessary.
Tack your 4-foot yarn strand to any FRUIT end. Sew tacked FRUIT to STEM straight down the middle of its flat face using mattress stitch. When you reach the end, push the needle through to where the edge of the next FRUIT meets the STEM, pull through, and sew FRUIT to STEM as before, in the opposite direction. Repeat with the last FRUIT. Weave in ends.