The Linux Mascot in Crochet - A Dedication

I must confess that lately I am getting a bit too crochet-a-holic. But, before you guys start marking me with such a ‘label’ I would like to dedicate this post to a very special person. So, dear special person, if you ever get to read this post let me tell you that you are a great human being and you occupy a very important role in my life. Thanks for always supporting my craziness.

Now let’s get back to work! I have crocheted this cute penguin. I am pretty sure that many of you must be familiar with him. His name is Tux and he is the official mascot of the Linux kernel. This little creature was sort of a challenge for me. Not only because of the little time I have left for crochet but also because I wanted to surprise someone with it. And like this passage suggests: Do not wait; the time will never be "just right'. Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along (by Napoleon Hill).

Hence, let’s get started!

Get a crochet hook and knitting yarn. For the penguin you need 3 colors: black, white and yellow.
	Head/Body I would suggest you start by making the penguin’s head and body. Please bear in mind that the head and body are a single piece of crochet. Choose the black color and make 3 chains and join them into a ring. For the first round fill the ring with single crochet (the number of how many single crochet you have to do depends on the thickness of the yarn). Continue increasing the number of single crochet on each round. Once you have achieved the desired size of the head you start by decreasing the number of single crochet in each round. (This is the same basic idea I followed while doing the doll’s head - see previous post). Once you were able to get a sort of ball shape for the head. You start on doing the body. For this you start by increasing the number of single crochet in each round. When you have achieved the desired sized of the penguin (in this case would be the belly button) you decrease the number of crochet. Keep in mind it always follows the same basic idea over and over… Isn’t it boring??? Joke!
Feet The feet are crocheted in rows. For the 1strow make five chains and five single crochet stitches. For the 2nd and 3rd row you make seven stitches. For the 4th and 5th row you make nine stitches. Keep on increasing the number always by adding two single crochet stitches. Till you reach fifteen stitches. Once you have fifteen stitches in the next row you only crochet five stitches, on top of those five stitches of single crochet you do four, further on top of those four stitches you crochet three more and at last you crochet one stitch on top of the three more… This is for making the webbed feet shape… the same process will follow with the ten other left stitches. I know it sound complicated (and I might not have been so capable of explaining it) but have a look at the picture to get a better understanding of the same.
	Bill The penguin bill is also crochet with rows. You started with three chains and increase it by two stitches each time (and making two rows of it). It follows exactly the same process as with the feet.
Flipper-shaped Wings Do four chains and stitch rows with half-double crochet. Continue on stitching always for rows till the desired size of the wing is achieved. Have a look to the picture for checking out the pattern. Remark: this is the only part of the body done with half-double crochet stitch.
	Belly/Eyes For the belly you need a piece of white cloth. You cut the oval shape out of that white piece and stitch it to the belly; you perform the same process for the eyes.
Proceed by filling the penguin body, stitch wings, bill, eyes and feet together. I really hope I could give you some insights on how to do the Linux mascot. If you have any query please do not hesitate to leave a comment. Happy crocheting!