Otakute : Huge Fluffy DIY Amigurumi *Hidden Container* Totoro (Free Crochet Pattern with step by step picture references)

What mine turned out like! :D I wrote the pattern as I went. Enjoy~

I was talking to my friend the other day and he reminded me of a pattern I started, but never finished. As if in a mad trance, I attacked my pile of yarns, digging through the felt, and thread, and rubbish. The texture of crinkling plastic was within my reach. Inside, a forlorn grey circle spanning 25 single crochet increases. I lost the paper I wrote the pattern on and so I reluctantly unraveled the yarn into a ball. This is the result of hours of crocheting. (I worked on and off from May 26 to June 20- almost an entire month! -3-)
*My totoro is quite large, hence Huge in the title. This is a project for intermediate/experieced diynosaurs; I won't explain things such as the Magic Circle, the type of sewing techniques used, or abbreviations. (Mostly because I don't bother to learn them myself....) Though I have a slightly different way of writing out patterns....so.... Feel free to leave a comment if you're confuzzled, I'll be glad to help. ^u^ This also to corrections, comments, suggestions, snark remarks, questions, confessions, thoughts on life. (*see pictures for reference*)
*disclaimer: I know he's not perfect, but I still love him just the same. I'm not super awesome at crochet, (and I know for a fact that my sewing skills are extremely limited...I mean, just look at his belly marks XD) but its something I enjoy in my spare time. :3

I doubt anyone reads/will read this, but here's a free pattern for you, internet! *throws pattern at face*
I hope you enjoy the collection of ever-changing iPod picture lighting. :3

Materials:

Yarn- (4 rolls of grey, 1 white, and some black)
Yarn needles
A pair of black eye beads (Sewology, the brand I had, didn't show the size, but they look like 9mm)
Stuffing- 2-3 bags will do, I used two and its not nearly full, but will do since he's a container.
2 zippers (optional) -I used a white 22 inch zipper for the tummy and a grey 7 inch zipper for the back.

Humble beginnings.

Body (grey):

*repeat 6x*
1) Magic Circle Ch 6
2) *inc*
3) *sc, inc*
4) *2 sc, inc*
5) *3 sc, inc*
6) *4 sc, inc*
7) *5 sc, inc*
8) *6 sc, inc*
9) *7 sc, inc*
10) *8 sc, inc*
11) *9 sc, inc*
12) *10 sc, inc*
13) *11 sc, inc*
14) *12 sc, inc*

A considerable amount of time later..

15) *13 sc, inc*
16) *14 sc, inc*
17) *15 sc, inc*
18) *16 sc, inc*
19) *17 sc, inc*
20) *18 sc, inc*
21) *19 sc, inc*
22) *20 sc, inc*
23) *21 sc, inc*
24) *22 sc, inc*
25) *23 sc, inc*
26) *24 sc, inc*
27) *25 sc, inc*
28) *26 sc, inc*
29) *27 sc, inc*
30) *28 sc, inc*
31) *29 sc, inc*
32) *30 sc, inc*
33) sc around *repeat 3x*
34) sc around (optional- Do NOT connect ends; at end of round, go around the opposite way. This creates a line down the middle to place the zipper. Scroll down for pictures if you're confused.) *repeat 40x*

I'm holding together the unattached ends;
the knot just shows where my
old yarn ended...

35) Attach zipper.
36) sc around *repeat 25x*
37) *30 sc, dec*
38) *29 sc, dec*
39) *28 sc, dec*
40) *27 sc, dec*

41) *26 sc, dec*
42) *25 sc, dec*
43) *24 sc, dec*
44) *23 sc, dec*
45) *22 sc, dec*
46) *21 sc, dec*
47) *20 sc, dec*
48) *19 sc, dec*

49) *18 sc, dec*

The sc arounds will cause his body to gradually take shape.

50) *17 sc, dec*
51) *16 sc, dec*
52) *15 sc, dec*
53) *14 sc, dec*
54) *13 sc, dec*
55) *12 sc, dec*
56) *11 sc, dec*
57) *10 sc, dec*
58) *9 sc, dec*
59) *8 sc, dec*
60) Attach legs, belly, arms, ears, and face. Stuff.
61) *7 sc, dec*
62) *6 sc, dec*
63) *5 sc, dec*

If you're confused on step 34... ^

64) *4 sc, dec*
65) *3 sc, dec*
66) *2 sc, dec*
67) *sc, dec*
68) *dec*
69) Zig zag remaining yarn through the circle/tiny opening and pull closed.

Ta-da! Now he's ready for zipper surgery...

As soon as the zipper was placed (I hand sewed it on) the sc arounds were
back to normal.

Almost there.....

Dat zipper. ^

Dat zipper ^ in daylight ;)

Anddd just tuck it inside.

For the inside of the zipper, I took a rectangle
cut of an old plain white t-shirt.

Legs (grey):

*repeat 6x*

1) Magic Circle Ch 6

2) *inc*

3) *sc, inc*

4) *2 sc, inc*

5) *3 sc, inc*

6) *4 sc, inc*

7) *5 sc, inc*

8) *6 sc, inc*

9) *7 sc, inc*

10) dec 13, sc around

11) inc per dec, sc around

12) sl st 27, sc 27

13) *sc around*

Arms (grey):

*repeat 6x*

1) Magic Circle Ch 6

2) *inc*

3) *sc, inc*

4) *2 sc, inc*

5) *3 sc, inc*

6) *4 sc, inc*

7) *5 sc, inc*

8) *6 sc, inc*

9) *7 sc, inc*

10) sc around *repeat 19x*

for the following, *repeat 3x*

11) sc 27, *7 sc, dec*

12) sc 27, *6 sc, dec*

13) sc 27, *5 sc, dec*

14) sc 27, *4 sc, dec*

15) sc 27, *3 sc, dec*

16) sc 27, *2 sc, dec*

17) sc 27, *sc, dec*

18) sc 27, *dec*

Ears (grey):

*repeat 6x*

1) Magic Circle Ch 6

2) *inc*

3) sc around *repeat 2x*

4) *sc, inc*

5) sc around

6) *2 sc, inc*

7) sc around *repeat 2x*

8) *3 sc, inc*

9) sc around *repeat 6x*

10) *4 sc, inc*

11) sc around *repeat 3x*

12) *4 sc, dec*

13) *3 sc, dec*

14) sc around *repeat 2x*

Tail:

*repeat 6x*

1) Magic Circle Ch 6

2) *inc*

3) sc around

4) *sc, inc*

5) sc around

6) *2 sc, inc*

7) sc around

8) *3 sc, inc*

9) sc around

10) *4 sc, inc*

11) sc around *repeat 8x*

12) *4 sc, dec*

13) sc around

14) *3 sc, dec*

15) sc around *repeat 3x*

Belly (white):

*repeat 6x*

1) Magic Circle Ch 6

2) *inc*

3) *sc, inc*

4) *2 sc, inc*

5) *3 sc, inc*

6) *4 sc, inc*

7) *5 sc, inc*

8) *6 sc, inc*
9) *7 sc, inc*
10) *8 sc, inc*
11) *9 sc, inc*
12) *10 sc, inc*
13) *11 sc, inc*
14) *12 sc, inc*
15) *13 sc, inc*
16) *14 sc, inc*
17) *15 sc, inc*
18) *16 sc, inc*
19) *17 sc, inc*
20) *18 sc, inc*
21) *19 sc, inc*
22) *20 sc, inc*
23) *21 sc, inc*
24) *22 sc, inc*
25) *23 sc, inc*
26) *24 sc, inc*
27) *25 sc, inc*
28) *26 sc, inc*
29) *27 sc, inc*
30) *28 sc, inc*
31) *29 sc, inc*
32) *30 sc, inc*
33) Using grey yarn, sew on arrow marks. *see picture for arrow marks*

Eyes (white):

1) Magic Circle Ch 12
2) inc half way around/six times
3) Attach black eye beads.

Claws (black):
For hands, there are five: two that are 3 Ch and three in the middle that are 4 Ch.