Beetle Royalty

I'm not exactly a beetle fan, but I do find them cute in their weird exoskeleton, creepy-crawly legs, and intimidating horns kind of way. Hahaha! In retrospect, it was really fun when I was the only girl not scared of these beetles. Sigh! The shrieks of fear from my primadonna girly-girl classmates were priceless and oddly satisfying. Cruel? Maybe. Naughty? Most likely. In the name of justice? Definitely! ^^

Anyway, I found this kabutomushi pattern (Rhino beetle) and thought I might have a go with it. Naturally, it's in Japanese charts so once again I had to call upon my powers of translation. Ooh! O.O

KABUTOMUSHI

(Click for Pattern)

When I saw this pattern, I remembered a beetle arcade game named "Mushiking". You know? Virtual beetle fighting and stuff... With that, I decided it was appropriate that I name my amigurumi beetle after it. Nice huh? Then I thought a king should never be without a queen. So I made a smaller one with kawaii, lashy eyes and named her "Mushiqueen".  ^^

MUSHIKING/MUSHIQUEEN

Materials:
Monaco Yarn Shade #46 - Ocean (1-2 skeins)
Monaco Yarn Shade #40 - Celeste (2-3 skeins)
Monaco Yarn Shade #247 - Cloud (1-2 skeins)
Monaco Yarn Shade #1 - Snow (2-3 skeins)
Monaco Yarn Shade #19 - Raincoat (1 skein)
Crochet Hook - 7 (4.5mm)
Crochet Hook - G6 (4mm)
Crochet Hook - F5 (3.75mm)
Crochet Hook - E4 (3.5mm)
*Use the bigger hooks for Mushiking while the smaller ones for Mushiqueen
Felt cloth:
           - White
           - Navy blue
           - Pink
Cardboard/plastic folder
Fiberfill stuffing
Pink blush

HEAD/BODY-TOP
(Celeste-7/Snow-F5)
10ch
Rnd 1: sc on 2nd ch, sc around (18)
Rnd 2: inc, 6sc, 3inc, 6sc, 2inc (24)
Rnd 3: inc, 7sc, [inc-1sc] 3x, 6sc, [inc-1sc] 2x (30)
Rnd 4: inc, 8sc, [inc-2sc] 3x, 6sc, [inc-2sc] 2x (36)
Rnd 5: inc, 9sc, [inc-3sc] 3x, 6sc, [inc-3sc] 2x (42)
Rnd 6-10: sc around (42)
FO, leave tail for sewing

HEAD/BODY-BOTTOM
(Celeste-7/Snow-F5)
10ch
Rnd 1: sc on 2nd ch, sc around (18)
Rnd 2: inc, 6sc, 3inc, 6sc, 2inc (24)
Rnd 3: inc, 7sc, [inc-1sc] 3x, 6sc, [inc-1sc] 2x (30)
Rnd 4: inc, 8sc, [inc-2sc] 3x, 6sc, [inc-2sc] 2x (36)
Rnd 5: inc, 9sc, [inc-3sc] 3x, 6sc, [inc-3sc] 2x (42)
Rnd 6: sc around (42)
FO, weave in ends
*Cut out an oval shape from a cardboard/plastic folder the size of the head/body of the beetle. Cardboard is okay but, I'd prefer the plastic folder since it's more waterproof. Especially when it's made for a child... Accidents are bound to happen. Umm-hmm! -_-

*Make sure it's placed at the bottom part of the head/body before stuffing and attaching the top part

WINGS (2x)
(Ocean-7/Cloud-F5)
12ch
Row 1: sc on 2nd ch, sc across, ch1-turn (11)
Row 2-6: sc across, ch1-turn (11)
Row 7: dec, 9sc, ch1-turn (10)
Row 8: sc across, ch1-turn (10)
Row 9: dec, 8sc, ch1-turn (9)
Row 10: 7sc, dec, ch1-turn (8)
Row 11: dec, 6sc, ch1-turn (7)
Row 12: 5sc, dec, ch1-turn (6)
Row 13: 2dec, 2sc, ch1-turn (4)
Row 14: 2dec (2)
FO, leave tail for sewing

EYES
*Cut out eyes from white and pink/navy blue felt cloth
*Use black felt to make lashes for the queen
*Glue the eyes in between the small and big/petite horn

SMALL HORN
(Celeste-G6/Snow-E4)
Rnd 1: 4sc in mr (4)
Rnd 2: 1sc-inc (6)
Rnd 3: sc around (6)
Rnd 4: inc-2sc (8)
Rnd 5: sc around (8)
FO, leave tail for sewing

KING'S CROWN
(Raincoat-7)
9ch
Row 1: sc on 2nd ch, sc across (8)
Row 2: sl-tr (8)
FO, leave tail for sewing
*Stitch to FLO of Mushiking's small horn
*Attach on top of the head/body, in between and above the eyes 

QUEEN'S TIARA
(Raincoat-F5)
10ch
Row 1: sl on 2nd ch, 2sl, 1hdc, 1tr, 1hdc, 3sl (9)
FO, leave tail for sewing
*Stitch to FLO of Mushiqueen's small horn
*Attach on top of the head/body, in between and above the eyes 

Female rhino beetles don't have big horns like males, so no need to do the Big Horn pattern for Mushiqueen. Do the Petite Horn pattern instead.

SUB HORNS (2x)
(Celeste-G6)
Rnd 1: 4sc in mr (4)
Rnd 2: 1sc-inc (6)
Rnd 3: sc around (6)
Rnd 4: inc-2sc (8)
Rnd 5: sc around (8)
FO, leave tail for sewing

*After completing the two sub horns, attach them together with 2 stitches

*Reconnect yarn and continue rounds from sub horns to the big horn

BIG HORN
(Celeste-G6)
Rnd 6: 2sc, dec, 4sc, dec, 2sc (10)
* Make sure the part where you dec is the part where the two sub horns connect

Rnd 7-11: sc around (10)
FO, leave tail for sewing

PETITE HORN
(Snow-E4)
Rnd 1: 4sc in mr (4)
Rnd 2: 1sc-inc (6)
Rnd 3: inc-2sc (8)
FO, leave tail for sewing

LEGS 6x
(Celeste-G6/Snow-E4)
Rnd 1: 4sc in mr (4)
Rnd 2-5: sc around (4)
FO, leave tail for sewing

Now that's what I call royalty! Well, in beetle standards. Hahaha! ^^

I was just planning to make Mushiking and Mushiqueen, but I thought I should add an interesting character to the bunch. Like, I don't know... A villain? Specifically, the evil and diabolical Baron Mutoshi. Mwahahaha! ^o^

EVIL BARON MUTOSHI

Materials:
Monaco Yarn Shade #52 - Pickle (2-3 skeins)
Monaco Yarn Shade #100 - Raven (1-2 skeins)
Monaco Yarn Shade #19 - Raincoat (1 skein)
Crochet Hook - 7 (4.5mm)
Crochet Hook - G6 (4mm)
Felt cloth:
           - White
           - Black
           - Yellow
White thread
Cardboard/plastic folder
Fiberfill stuffing

The pattern is practically the same with Mushiking but I thought to write it separately so that it wouldn't looked so cramp with all the slashes and parentheses.

HEAD/BODY
(Pickle- 7)
10ch
Rnd 1: sc on 2nd ch, sc around (18)
Rnd 2: inc, 6sc, 3inc, 6sc, 2inc (24)
Rnd 3: inc, 7sc, [inc-1sc] 3x, 6sc, [inc-1sc] 2x (30)
Rnd 4: inc, 8sc, [inc-2sc] 3x, 6sc, [inc-2sc] 2x (36)
Rnd 5: inc, 9sc, [inc-3sc] 3x, 6sc, [inc-3sc] 2x (42)
Rnd 6-10: sc around (42)
FO, leave tail for sewing

HEAD/BODY-BOTTOM
(Pickle- 7)
10ch
Rnd 1: sc on 2nd ch, sc around (18)
Rnd 2: inc, 6sc, 3inc, 6sc, 2inc (24)
Rnd 3: inc, 7sc, [inc-1sc] 3x, 6sc, [inc-1sc] 2x (30)
Rnd 4: inc, 8sc, [inc-2sc] 3x, 6sc, [inc-2sc] 2x (36)
Rnd 5: inc, 9sc, [inc-3sc] 3x, 6sc, [inc-3sc] 2x (42)
Rnd 6: sc around (42)
FO, weave in ends

WINGS (2x)
(Raven-7)
12ch
Row 1: sc on 2nd ch, sc across, ch1-turn (11)
Row 2-6: sc across, ch1-turn (11)
Row 7: dec, 9sc, ch1-turn (10)
Row 8: sc across, ch1-turn (10)
Row 9: dec, 8sc, ch1-turn (9)
Row 10: 7sc, dec, ch1-turn (8)
Row 11: dec, 6sc, ch1-turn (7)
Row 12: 5sc, dec, ch1-turn (6)
Row 13: 2dec, 2sc, ch1-turn (4)
Row 14: 2dec (2)
FO, leave tail for sewing

Instead of a small horn, I opted Baron Mutoshi to have a top hat, plus a dastardly dashing mustache and monocle. Well, it's stereotypical villainy at its best. Mwahaha! ^.^

TOP HAT
(Raven-7)
Rnd 1: 7sc in mr (7)
Rnd 2: BLO, sc around (7)
Rnd 3: sc around (7)
Rnd 4: FLO, inc around (14)
FO, leave tail for sewing
*Tie a white thread above the rim, between Rnd 3 and 4
*Attach on top of the head/body, in between and above the eyes

I got the mustache pattern from Red Heart's mug warmer thingy. The pattern calls for an H8 hook, but that would be a tad too big, so use G6 instead.

MUSTACHE MUG HUG

(Click for Pattern)

EYES

*Cut out eyes from white and black felt cloth
*Remember that Baron Mutoshi is the "bad" guy, so it would be quite disturbing to give him kawaii adorable eyes. An angry or loathing look would suit better.
*Cut out a quarter ring from the yellow felt cloth to glue over the eyes as the monocle. 
*Glue the eyes in between the top hat and big horn
*To make the monocle more authentic, crochet  a chain with Raincoat and attach one end to the monocle then the other by the wings

SUB HORNS (2x)
(Pickle-G6)
Rnd 1: 4sc in mr (4)
Rnd 2: 1sc-inc (6)
Rnd 3: sc around (6)
Rnd 4: inc-2sc (8)
Rnd 5: sc around (8)
FO, leave tail for sewing

BIG HORN
(Pickle-G6)
Rnd 6: 2sc, dec, 4sc, dec, 2sc (10)
* Make sure the part where you dec is the part where the two sub horns connect
Rnd 7-11: sc around (10)
FO, leave tail for sewing

LEGS 6x
(Pickle-G6)
Rnd 1: 4sc in mr (4)
Rnd 2-5: sc around (4)
FO, leave tail for sewing

I WILL HAVE YOUR CROWN MUSHIKING!!!

Well, the only thing missing now is a script, a set, and a film camera. I have all the cast I need. Lights! Camera! Action!!!

Sorry Baron Mutoshi. Evil never prevails. Why don't you try friendship for a change... 

Now,  isn't that better? Hahaha! ^^

Copyright: The Top Hat is an original pattern written by Duchess Gala. You may do whatever you want with the finished product but please do not sell or claim the pattern as your own. Also, do not post the pattern directly to your website. Just link it to this blog. ^^ 

Disclaimer: Some of the images are not mine and can be searched online