Cosmo the Snail from Pica Pau 3

The snail. I had to make a few adjustments to this pattern. It took me a while to figure out the diamond pattern on the sweater because it is written for yarn under crocheters. I don't do yarn under. I think however you learn to crochet is how you do it. I can't do yarn under. I could have used the tapestry method but with all the color changes, I didn't. It would have cleaned up the edges a little but I managed to get through with the pattern recognizable anyway.

I understand yarn under makes a neater pattern when you do pattern work but it's extremely difficult to do for a yarn over person and it really slows you down if you didn't learn to crochet yarn under. I had to move the pattern one stitch to the right to make it look right. And I did get it to line up to my satisfaction.

The shell. The shell will not come out right for yarn over crochet people. It just won't. I tried it several ways and then just decided to make it one color all around, then chain stitch eight lines from the center out going on top of the increase stitches and they lined up perfectly. It looks just as good and it is tons easier to do than all that color change in the round work.

I love the pattern and everything came out good for me using a soft worsted yarn and a size 2mm hook. The main color is "It feels like butta" yarn in a light blue. This yarn is chain woven so there is no splitting off a ply. My snail turned out to be 11 inches tall including the eyeballs. You will get a bigger animal every time with RHSS (Red Heart Super Saver) yarn so just don't use it unless you want a bigger animal. It is a coarse yarn and my least favorite of all yarns. When I do use it, I am always sorry except that the brand has so many beautiful colors I like. I pick my yarn by the color and then adjust it to suit me either by separating the plys or using smaller hooks and needles.

Sometimes I will make a two inch sample to get the right gauge. I don't like making animals over 11 inches tall because they take too much time, too much yarn and too much stuffing. I really, really like the snail and you could do any pattern you want on his sweater and he will still look great! I'm on to the next... probably a panda or two.