Pilot Sam’s Friends – Crochet Pattern

Good work Pilot Sam!

Everybody needs a little help from their friends sometimes! And as we’re still a few weeks away from my nephew’s birthday, I thought I’d make some friends for Pilot Sam. It can be a lonely life as a pilot, you know?

And of course I though I had better write these patterns down, just in case you want to make some friends for your Pilot Sam too!

And of course, they all fit inside the plane too, so if Sam needs a break from flying, one of his friends will gladly take over!

Co-Pilot Kelley

Flight Attendant Allan

Ground-Crew Rob

Materials

• DK weight yarn in 7 colours. I used Red Heart Lisa yarn in:
  • White (head colour, flight attendant tie)
  • Mid-Grey Melange (trousers)
  • Fire (flight attendant shirt)
  • Yellow (ground-crew shirt and batons)
  • Baby Blue (co-pilot shirt and hat)
  • Black (co-pilot glasses, ground-crew ear muffs, and batons and accent)
  • Sisal Melange (co-pilot and flight attendant hair)
• Size 3.5mm Crochet Hook (E/4)
• Yarn Needle
• Scissors

Note: although I have used Red Heart Lisa yarn, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. I find it a bit too fluffy for nice stitch definition. If I’d had it on hand, I would have preferred to use a cotton/acrylic blend.

Pattern difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Body (all friends)

Pilot Sam’s friends are made in a continuous spiral from the bottom-up. Their bodies, heads and hats/hair/ear muffs are all made separately and joined together after stuffing.

Body:

Starting with grey yarn (or whatever colour you want for the pants)

Round 1: 6 SC in a Magic Circle (6)

Round 2: 2 SC in each ST (12)

Round 3: *2 SC in same ST, 1 SC in next ST* 6 times (18)

Round 4: *2 SC in same ST, 1 SC in next 2 STs* 6 times (24)

Round 5: *2 SC in same ST, 1 SC in next 3 STs* 6 times (30)

Round 6-8: SC in each ST (30)

Change to the shirt colour yarn (red, blue or yellow… or whatever colour you want for the shirt)

Round 9-11: SC around (30)

Round 12: *SC 2 together, 1 SC in next 3 STs* 6 times (24)

Round 13: *SC 2 together, 1 SC in next 2 STs* 6 times (18)

Stuff the body firmly

Round 14: *SC 2 together, 1 SC in next ST* 6 times (12)

Round 15: *SC 2 together* 6 times (6)

Finish off and weave through the sphere opening and tighten to close.

Flight Attendant Tie Detail

To create this look, simply chain 30, then fold in half, leaving one end slightly longer, and tie a knot in the middle (the tie knot). I have then secured the front (longer bit) of the tie to the back (shorter bit of the tie) so the longer bit sits nicely on top of the shorter bit. Stitch to the body (with the loop circling the centre top of the body).

I have also given Pilot Sam’s other friends belts and some shirt buttons using black yarn at this point.

Heads:

Using the white yarn (or whatever colour you want for the head)

Round 1: 6 SC in a Magic Circle (6)

Round 2: 2 SC in each ST (12)

Round 3: *2 SC in same ST, 1 SC in next ST* 6 times (18)

Round 4: *2 SC in same ST, 1 SC in next 2 STs* 6 times (24)

Round 5-7: SC around (24)

Round 8: *SC 2 together, 1 SC in next 2 STs* 6 times (18)

Stuff the head firmly

Round 9: *SC 2 together, 1 SC in next ST* 6 times (12)

Round 15: *SC 2 together* 6 times (6)

Finish off and weave through the sphere opening and tighten to close.

Co-pilot head details: Use the black yarn to embroider on some eyes (or use safety eyes), and the sisal melange yarn to give her some hair.

To achieve this look, first create some bangs by threading a yarn needle with a nice long piece of yarn, and stitching around the SCs above the eyes to create the width of bangs you want. Then cut the yarn into multiple strands that are twice the length of the hair you want. Insert your hook under the stitch you want your first two strands to be secured to, and pull up a loop of the first strand. Hook the ends of the strand through the loop and tighten. You’re basically creating hair plugs 😀 continue around the sides and back to the head until you have as much hair as you want.

You don’t have to cover the top of her head (I realise she looks like a monk or Brittney Spears at this point) because her hat will cover her bald spot.

Tie back the hair with a small length of blue yarn. Do a very tight knot first, then finish off with a bow.

Flight attendant head details: Use the black yarn to embroider on some eyes (or use safety eyes), and the sisal melange yarn to give him some hair. I have chosen a side-parting for my flight attendant.

To achieve this look, thread a yarn needle with a very long piece of yarn. Insert your needle where you want the side-burns to end. Now pull your needle through the head and out the top of the head (where you want the parting to be). Continue like this on one side until the full side (not the back) is done. Pass the needle through to the other side of the head and repeat on the other side. To do the back of the head, repeat the same process but pass the needle through the stitches in the centre of the parting at the back of the head.

Ground-crew head details: Use the black yarn to embroider on some eyes. I’ve kept him bald, but you can also add hair if you like.

To create the ear muffs, use the black yarn to create a magic circle with 6 SCs. SL ST last ST to first ST and finish off, leaving a long end. Pull yarn tightly to close. Make two.

Pin the ear muffs to the head and stitch on using the long end. Take the long end of the yarn of one of the ear muffs and pass over to the other side and thread through the other ear muff. Repeat on the other side. This creates the ear muff band.

Then join each head to each body.

Accessories:

Co-Pilot Hat

Using the baby blue yarn (or whatever colour you want for the co-pilot’s hat)

Round 1: 6 SC in a Magic Circle (6)

Round 2: 2 SC in each ST (12)

Round 3: *2 SC in same ST, 1 SC in next ST* 6 times (18)

Round 4: *2 SC in same ST, 1 SC in next 2 STs* 6 times (24)

Round 5: SC around in back-loops only (24)

Round 6: SC around (24)

Round 7: *SC 2 together* 12 times (12)

Now we will be working in rows to form the peak of the hat.

From wherever you have finished your round, CH 2 and turn. 2 HDC in the next ST, 2 DC in the next 2 STs, 2 HDC in the next ST, 1 HDC in the next ST.

Finish off and join the hat to the head.

At this point I have also created a hat-band by stitching black yarn around the hat (between the rim and the body of the hat). This helps to create the right “pilot hat” shape.

Yay! Now your Pilot Sam isn’t lonely any more! I would love to see your creations! Use the Instagram hashtag #pilotsamcrochet or #pilotsamsfriends and mention me @creating_time so I can see it and share.

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