crocheted baby orang utan
You probably all know the story by now: I’ve had a pet project for the past year – to crochet a life-size realistic baby orang utan as a freeform art project (no pattern!). It’s been a long time coming, but I have finally finished him!
I have a lot of detail I could share, but I think I’ll save that for another time, and let the pics speak for themselves today. Please, please leave me comments! This is the most important (to me) piece I’ve ever made and I really really want to know what you think of him…
And finally, with a wink to the fellow Pratchett fans: OOK!
For some reason I am very nervous about showing him to you – I feel like my soul is on display! I hope you can tell that I have poured my heart into him. Please let me know what you think in the comments…
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NIKKI said
OMG……he is the cutest EVER!!!!
Donna Baker said
your blog is awesome! I have been perusing all your amigirumi patterns (I have made a few) and they are AWESOME ! thanks for the tips about the brushing for fur. I will have to buy your bear pattern and try it some day!
Susan P. said
WOW! He really is amazing. I showed the picture to a friend of mine when at a yarn-in yesterday and she couldn’t believe it was crocheted. If you had and sold a pattern for it I bet you’d sell a ton. I just took up crocheting again recently and this has inspired me to get busy making and experimenting with new projects.
Thanks for sharing your work.
Cheryl said
He’s so cute…i’d love to make him for my grandson…will you be sharing the pattern sometime soon? I sure would like to be able to just ‘figure it out’ the way you have…good job!
June said
I’m sorry, Cheryl – he was a one-of-a-kind art piece and so there’s no pattern possible. I’m glad you like him though 🙂
Caroline said
He looks like he’s called ‘Ook’. 😉
Late to the party, yeah, but your artwork is so moving I had to say something. I especially love the knuckling pose – he looks so pensive, in that way that only Orangs seem to have. Beautiful.
Nancy said
I love it. I collect them and have my granddaughter collecting what I don’t have of them. Which is alot. It is so adorable. I wish I could do this. Great Work.
vicky said
do you have pattern people can buy.i crochet for charitys thanks
June said
I do have lots of cute animal patterns for sale (at www.planetjune.com/shop), but I’m afraid the orang utan is an art piece, so there’s no pattern for him – sorry.
Judy said
Have you named him??????? He is so very beautiful….. I love him!!!!!!!!!!! Your work is exquisite…. You just want to hold his hand and cuddle him…..
June said
No, it’s funny – I’ve never got around to naming him! I’d planned to ask my readers for suggestions, but it just never happened. I suppose it’s never too late though 🙂
Rose said
There isnt any way to buy one is there? I LOVE HIM!!!! Hes beautiful!
Mia said
OMG!!! If you aren’t already, you really should make a pattern of him! He’s sooo darn cute!!! I wanna have one too!
Marleen said
This is probabky THE most amazing project I have ever seen ; adorable and very life-like. Thank you for making it and ths being an inspiration to what crochet can achieve. I love it, and will forever regret there’s no pattern to reproduce one of my own.Excellent work.
Debbie Goodis said
I think the biggest compliment I can give is that I can’t stop looking at the pictures and wishing I could own a real baby arangutan. I also show the pictures to other because I think this little representation is so amazing. I would love to have one of these crocheted beauties. Thank youl
Debbie
Karen said
This is so beautiful. I love his little hands and feet.
Mitsy said
How I love to have an baby Orang Utan like yours, it is fun to see him swing on the brange. In Holland (where I come from) we don’t see them swinging around, only in the zoo. But I bet if you ever are willing to let all
us crocheters buy the pattern the world would be a fun place to be.
Is love him, and wish you well.
mitsy from holland
MiniBooger said
Gorgeous – just gorgeous!! I love the detail on his feet and hands; and his expression is perfect. Wonderful job!
Michael said
He’s perfect. I think he should have a starring role in a children’s book.
OOOK!
June said
JustBec: No, he’s not as soft as he looks… he is even softer! Seriously, I think it’s the softest yarn I have ever touched. I wish there was a way for you to touch him and see for yourself!
JustBec said
He is so adorable. You did such a wonderful job on this one! WTG!!! 😀 So, is he as soft as he looks?
Kim said
Was looking for a pic of an orang utan when I came across your fantastic crocheted orang. I just couldn’t resist finding out all about him. You should be really proud of all your hard work and what a fantastic finished ornag utan. Some of the poses are so realistic.
Miriam said
June, I’m late to the party (and I’ve read the post on how you put him together already) and I’m just amazed. He’s amazing. I know what you mean about having a big, difficult, takes-months-to-figure project like this and putting your heart into it. And what you came up with was amazing. You are so amazingly skilled at this stuff, I’m _always_ in awe of what you come up with (my next project is your violets), though the orangutang takes it to a whole new level! 🙂
K4TT said
Ohhhh My Gaaaawwwwwddddd!!
How on Earth did I miss this post??? June, he is absolutely adorable! You really did capture the essence you were going for.. as well as the realism!!
Okay… if this doesn’t convince you… I was doing a google search and I saw the thumbnail of this little guy and thought that it was a site for some sort of Animal Awareness/Cause – which immediately I clicked on .. well, because all animal causes are my interest!
Perfect job~ You can really see the love and dedication you put into each perfect stitch…
hmm… however…
unless I missed it somewhere….
he is missing .. one.. tiny.. itsy-bitsy little thing….
…
a name :o)
Tess said
Great job ! Wurth every one of the 100 hours 🙂
MaryDK said
You did an amazing job!! So realistic, what creativity! Well done!!
=Tamar said
Wow! Your attention to detail and structure is particularly impressive. You didn’t just make shapes, you curved the lines of the crocheting to add further realism and expression to the shaping. Thank you for showing the inner construction; it makes the achievement all the more fantastic, knowing it isn’t just stuffing.
Katie said
The second and third pictures made me gasp out loud….he’ just THAT cute! Fantastic, your hard work really paid off. He’s amazing!
PrettyModern said
LOVE it. The best amigurumi I’ve seen in ages!
Kari said
Wow! He’s so very realistic, and I love all of the details you’ve attended to. He really does look like he could get up and walk away on his own! Super, great, amazing job! (I secretly can’t wait to see what you do next!)
Anne Sweeney said
This link was just posted in one of my groups. HOW ADORABLE!!!
I love monkeys and this one is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO realistic and cute. WONDERFUL job!!! Might there be a pattern someday?? Would love to try to make one. Again VERY talented and wonderful job.
Rebekah said
He’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen!!! Fantasic job, you should be so proud of yourself!
Katrina said
He is beautiful!!
Blue said
I haven’t read all of the wonderful responses above so I may be echoing someone, but I just want to wrap his arms about my neck and snuggle/wear him all day.
Utterly adorable, June. I hope you’re (deservedly) proud!
HildeC said
I can definitively see that you’ve poured your heart into this project. There is just one thing to say – fantastic! 🙂
Nelore said
It’s absolutely wonderful! I only hope that I can become as great a crocheter as you, June! You’re truly an inspiration! 😀
R.Pinnegar said
My husband and I read a lot of Pratchett together (out loud – it’s the best way). When I saw the picture with the book and the banana I thought of the librarian and I didn’t even see your comment until later. He is perfect!
Shoveling Ferret said
He’s fabulous – his face is the perfect medium between realism and cute; the fur is fabulous – not too garishly orange; the fingers and toes are wonderful; and the fact that he’s posable is a stroke of genius. Congrats! I’ll be featuring him on my blog soon.
Ali said
You do such nice work. I love his little fingers and toes. You’re a very creative person. The photos make you want tp pick him up and cuddle him.
Jessica said
He is just so perfect – what a gorgous little orangutan he is! You can really tell that you put all your heart into making him – the little details and the fact that he looks so realistic just make me want to steal him from you. Thanks also for the last pic – as a fellow Pratchett fan I really appreciated it 🙂
Donna said
*applause*
Jamison's Travels said
OH MY GOSH! He is absolutly adorable! What a wonderful piece of work, great job.