The whole pattern is worked in UK double crochet, or US single crochet.Work this pattern continuously, do not join at the end of each round. A stitch marker may be useful.
Gauge is not important but you want it to be fairly tight so the stuffing is contained.
You will need:
* Small amount of yarn
* Hook of appropriate size to get a dense fabric
* Stitch markers (optional)
* Needle for sewing in ends
* Small amount of stuffing - you can use plastic bags or bubble wrap if you don't have toy stuffing
Cell body
Start with an adjustable loop
Row 1 6dc into the loop and pull the adjustable loop tight
Row 2 2dc into each sc (12 stitches)
Row 3 (1dc into next dc, 2dc into next dc) repeat 5 times (18 stitches)
Row 4 1dc into every dc (18 stitches)
Row 5 same as row 4
Row 6 same as row 4
Row 7 (1dc into next dc, 1invdec) repeat 5 times (12 stitches)
Row 8 1dc into each dc (12 stitches)
Row 9 pull tail through the centre so it is inside the body. Stuff body well.
Row 10 (1dc into next dc, 1 invdec) repeat until you have 4 stitches
Axon
Working in a continuous spiral, 1 dc into each dc until your axon is the length you want it.
This one is about 10cm.
Or you can just plait a few strands of yarn together like in the knitting patterns.
Synaptic terminal
Work 2dc into each dc (8 stitches)
Work 2dc into each dc (16 stitches)
Join with a slip stitch and sew end in.
Dendrites
Make as many as you like, there are 7 on this neuron.
Make a slip knot with a longish tail so you can use it for sewing in.
Make a starting chain (it doesn’t matter how long, these ones are about 9 long), turn
2dc into 2nd stitch from the hook, 2dc into every chain
Finish off
Sew these on at random over the cell body
Your neuron is now complete!
I'm so excited to try this - I hope it's ok that I added the crochet pattern to Ravelry so I can start working on it soon. I didn't add the knitted patterns because I plan to do the crochet one first! Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteOoops, sorry, took me a while to respond - yes, spread the pattern far and wide. I've already put it on Ravelry - I'm drhelen - but the more people that see it the better! Glad there's another crocheter out there!
ReplyDeleteWow, I started crocheting a neuron a couple days ago when my friend's 4 year old got interested in them. Previously he'd been mostly interested in blood cells. I searched ravelry thinking I wouldn't find one, but there ARE people as strange as me! I love it.
ReplyDeleteI'm making my own pattern as I go and will make a second one to test the pattern. The only similarity I see is that we both start with a magic ring. Mine looks exactly like the little grey ones in my physiology books and will have yellow mylin sheaths and a blue or purple nucleus. It's also huge, like a small doll of sorts. I expect it to be nearly a foot tall when laid straight.
I'll be adding my pattern to ravelry when I'm done. Give me a couple weeks or so. Everything takes longer when you're dealing with chronic pain.
User swamps42 if you want to check up on it later.
:) great job on a unique project!
he he, brilliant! Your neuron sounds amazing. A foot tall? that's quite something - I'm looking forward to seeing it. I'll find you on Ravelry to keep up to date.
ReplyDeleteI started out with myelin sheaths on my crochet pattern, but in the end we decided to keep it simple. However, I'm more than happy for myelin to make an appearance in our neurons too.
Hooray for science and craft!
I've just finished up a crochet neuron for you which is hopefully okay... I'm not too sure if the dendrites are too long.
ReplyDeleteOh - and for some reason when I tried to print out the pattern it cut half of it off. Not too sure if that can be fixed somehow - perhaps it could be published on CrochetMe as well?
Loving what you're doing here. My brother was hit by a cattle truck when he was 4, though he doesn't show any outward signs of that trauma but we are still dealing with the fallout from the brain damage he received. I'll make what I can xx
ReplyDeleteOh and is there any particular colour you prefer?