Introduction: Mass Effect Crochet: Commander Shepard

About: I like sewing and crafts,and trying new things. I'm vegetarian and always looking for new recipes. My cat's name is Mirko and likes to be in the centre of things, so you will see him in several of my instruc…

Here is my next Crocheted Mass Effect character, Commander Shepard herself. Based of the default female playable hero in Mass Effect 3.

I was thinking about giving her an omnitool but changed my mind and had her showing off her biotic powers instead. She is wearing her casual outfit with the N7 hoodie. I also included her space hamster which may or may not be, the same one that Minsc has in Baldur's gate II (if you are a Bioware groupie like me).

The pattern is similar to the Liara and Tali whom I made earlier using the same head, torso, leg and arm patterns, only differing in the yarn colours; so if you have made either Liara or Tali (or both) this should be easy.

So if you want a full squad, the patterns for Liara can be found here and Tali, here.

Step 1: What You Will Need

For Shepard

Yarn weight 4:

  • Orange
  • Skin colour
  • Grey
  • Black

using a 2.25mm crochet hook

Space Hamster

  • Brown embroidery thread

using a 1.15mm crochet hook

Other:

  • Yarn needles
  • Polyfil/fibrefil stuffing of some sort
  • Yellowish-brown thread for freckles
  • Red, green, black, pink and white felt
  • Sewing needle with black and silver thread
  • Marble
  • Small blue LED light with switch and battery (I found these LED push pins at a dollar store which have the LED, battery and switch all in one small package -they are great for adding a light to these types of projects)

Nomenclature:

Rnd round

sl st slip stitch

st(s) stitch(s)

ch(s) chain stitch(s)

sc single crochet

sc2tog decrease by crocheting 2 stitches together

Step 2: Head

With skin colour yarn

Rnd1: Magic Circle 6

Rnd2: 2sc in sc 12st(s)

Rnd3: *2sc in sc, sc, repeat from * -18st(s)

Rnd4: *2sc in sc, sc, sc, repeat from * -24st(s)

Rnd5: *2sc in sc, sc, sc, sc repeat from * -30st(s)

Rnd6: *2sc in sc, sc, sc, sc, sc repeat from * -36st(s)

Rnd7-16: sc in sc, -36st(s)

Rnd17: *sc2tog, sc, sc, sc, sc repeat -30st(s)

Rnd18: *sc2tog, sc, sc, sc, repeat -24st(s)

Rnd19: *sc2tog, sc, sc, repeat -18st(s)

Rnd20: *sc2tog, sc, repeat -12st(s) Now is a good time to stuff.

Rnd21: sc2tog in rest. Fasten off. Leave tail.

Step 3: Torso

Starting with grey yarn

Rnd1: Magic Circle 6

Rnd2: 2sc in sc -12st(s)

Rnd3: *2sc in sc, sc, repeat from * -18st(s)

Rnd4: *2sc in sc, sc, sc, repeat from * -24st(s)

Rnd5-12: sc in sc -24st(s)

Rnd13: *2sc in sc, sc, sc, sc repeat from * -30st(s)

Rnd14: sc in sc, 30st(s)

Switch to black yarn

Rnd15: *2sc in sc, sc, sc, sc, sc repeat from * -36st(s)

Rnd16-18: sc in sc, -36st(s)

Rnd19: *sc2tog, sc, sc, sc, sc repeat -30st(s)

Rnd20: *sc2tog, sc, sc, sc, repeat -24st(s)

Rnd21: *sc2tog, sc, sc, repeat -18st(s)

Rnd22: *sc2tog, sc, repeat -12st(s) Now is a good time to stuff.

Rnd23: sc2tog in rest Fasten off. Leave tail.

Step 4: Feet and Legs

Feet
With black yarn, make 2.

Rnd1: Magic Circle 6

Rnd2: 2sc in sc -12st(s)

Rnd3: *2sc in sc, sc, repeat -18st(s)

Rnd4: *2sc in sc, sc, sc, repeat -24st(s)

Rnd5-6: sc in sc, -24st(s)

Rnd7: *sc2tog, sc, sc, repeat -18st(s)

Rnd8: *sc2tog, sc, repeat -12st(s) Stuff .

Rnd9: sc2tog in rest

Fasten off. Leave tail.

Legs

With black yarn, make 2.

Rnd1: Magic Circle 4

Rnd2: 2sc in sc -8st(s)

Rnd3: 2sc in first, sc, sc, sc, 2sc in next, sc, sc, sc -10st(s)

Rnd4-7: sc in sc -10st(s)

Rnd8-10: sc in sc -10st(s)

Rnd11: sc2tog in first, sc, sc, sc, sc2tog in next, sc, sc, sc -8st(s) Stuff.

Rnd12: sc2tog in each

Fasten off, Leave tail.

Sew the feet to the legs.

Step 5: Arms

Starting with skin colour yarn, make 2.


Rnd1: Magic Circle 4

Rnd2: 2sc in sc -8st(s)

Rnd3-4: sc in sc -8st(s)

Switch to grey yarn

Rnd5-12: sc in sc, -8st(s) Stuff it. Fasten off. Leave tail.

*Note: If you want to add the biotic light, for one arm in Rnd5, ch2 and skip the first two sc, the continue sc in sc starting from the next stitch, don't stuff yet.

Step 6: Hair

With orange yarn

Hair Cap

Rnd1: Magic Circle 6

Rnd2: 2sc in sc 12st(s)

Rnd3: *2sc in sc, sc, repeat from * -18st(s)

Rnd4: *2sc in sc, sc, sc, repeat from * -24st(s)

Rnd5: *2sc in sc, sc, sc, sc repeat from * -30st(s)

Rnd6: *2sc in sc, sc, sc, sc, sc repeat from * -36st(s)

Rnd7-11: sc in sc, -36st(s)

Fasten off. Leave tail.

To add the actual hair, I cut the yarn in strands twice the length that I want the hair to be and hooked it through the holes in the hair cap. (See this for instructions. ).

Step 7: Hair Continued...

Continue to fill the hair cap with hair, it fills in pretty quickly so you don't need to put hair into every hole on the hair cap, just enough that it is evenly covered. I wanted the hair be finer so I unraveled each strand of hair, however it ended up really wavy. To get rid of the waviness in the hair just steam it. (I put mine into a vegetable steamer for ~10 min, then hung to dry). Once the hair is done stitch onto the top of the head. You can trim the hair any time.

Step 8: Face

Nose

With skin colour yarn
Rnd 1: Magic circle 4

Rnd2: sc in sc -4sts

Fasten off. Leave tail.

I created the eyes with green, black and white felt and glued them on. I made knots with yellowish yarn for the freckles. I then sewed the nose to the face.

Step 9: N7 Hoodie

I found a rough pattern for a doll hoodie and cut out black felt pieces based on the pattern. I ended up not adding a hood because it would have to be ridiculously oversized to fit over that head. I added the red and white stripe (cut from felt and glued on) to one sleeve and the N7 logo (also cut from felt and glued on) to the front of the hoodie. To the front I also stitched on the pockets and stitched a zipper with silver thread. I then stitched the front and back together (leaving gaps for the arms and neck). I then stitched the two arms into a tube and attached them to the rest of the hoodie.

Step 10: Assemble

Sew the feet to the legs. Sew the legs to the torso. The legs are arranged so that Shepard is in a seated position. Sew the arms on and then put on her hoodie. Then sew the head onto the torso. Glue the marble to the hand with the LED (the marble should directly contact the LED).

Step 11: Space Hamster

Space Hamster

With brown embroidery thread

Rnd1: Magic Circle 6

Rnd2: 2sc in first and third sc, sc in rest 8st(s)

Rnd3: sc2tog in first, sc in sc in rest (7sts)

Rnd4: sc2tog in first, sc in sc in rest (6sts)

Rnd5: sc2tog in first, sc in sc in rest (5sts)

Rnd6: sc2tog in first, sc in sc in rest (4sts)

Rnd7: sc2tog in first, sc in sc in rest (3sts)

Rnd8: sc2tog in rest Fasten off. Weave in ends.

Front legs: ch4 tie off, weave ends and pull through holes on hamster torso.

Back legs: ch6, sl st back to first hole, tie off, weave ends and pull through holes on hamster torso.

Eyes, ears and nose are made from felt and glued on.

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