Making Up A Monster

I'm currently in the throes of making a monster.  I am inventing it myself, for one of my nephews for Christmas.  Recently I have enjoyed crocheting animals with Stacey Trock's patterns, and knitting monsters with Rebecca Danger.  I decided to blend what I've learnt from both pattern designers and from my own pattern writing and try something new for me, designing a crochet monster.  Here is how far I've got:

I'm using Cascade 220 Superwash, which I've become very fond of.  It has a lovely handle and creates nice crisp stitches.  Though the yarn is worsted weight, I'm using a 4mm hook to create a dense fabric.  It's a lovely texture, with all those tight, crisp stitches, created by crocheting into the back of the stitch.

The feet and hands of the monster are in the same colour.

I'm also adding a face in the same contrast colour, using intarsia.

The face bit is all squished up due to the strands of yarn running across the back.  These will be cut and knotted together when the face is complete.

I crocheted the arms and legs first before joining the legs together and starting the body.  I then joined the arms and started decreasing, to create raglan style shaping.

I've had a few challenges while working on this monster, but I'm really enjoying it too.  I've been writing up the pattern as I go, so hopefully I will be able to duplicate it once it's finished.  I'm still not sure how it's going to look when it's done, especially the face, but I have a few days left to decide before it has to be wrapped up!

For other works in progress, click on the button.