PlanetJune Craft Blog

Latest news and updates from June

fruit bat crochet pattern

As if my book release wasn’t enough news for today, I’ve got more to share!

When I was at the zoo looking for inspiration a couple of weeks ago, there was a big cage full of hanging-by-their-feet-fast-asleep flying foxes. I thought I’d take a picture, and just as I got the camera out, this guy woke up and stuck his tongue out at me – what a scamp!

Fruit Bat photo by June Gilbank

Now that kind of cheeky behaviour is just too appealing to ignore, and with Halloween approaching, it gave me a great idea for a new pattern…

Flying foxes, of course, aren’t foxes at all – it’s another name for the fruit bat. Fruit bats are very different to regular bats. Most true bats eat insects and fly using echolocation, whereas fruit bats are gentle creatures that feed on fruit or flower nectar. As you can see from the above photo, they are really cute and furry, with big eyes that help them to see in the dark, and long foxy faces.

Ironically, as fruit bats are typically much larger than other bats, they are often used to represent ‘scary’ vampire bats in horror movies. But there’s really nothing to be afraid of, unless you’re a piece of banana or mango…

crocheted fruit bat by planetjune

My fruit bat is all worked in single crochet (as usual). His wings are worked in rows instead of rounds. Pipe cleaners in his wings let you wrap the wings around his body, but you can easily omit these if making the bat as a toy for young children or pets.

crocheted fruit bat by planetjune

The Fruit Bat pattern is available for only $4.50 from the PlanetJune store.

Now, if you’re looking for some Halloween decorations, here are some ideas:

1. Make a fruit bat all in black with red eyes and dangle him from the ceiling with a string (here’s a faked version I photoshopped!)

scary amigurumi bat by planetjune
mwah-hahahaha

2. Or try the classic Halloween PocketAmi: Black Cat, Ghost and Witch – a bargain at only $5 for the set of three patterns!

amigurumi halloween ghost black cat witch crochet by planetjune

3. How about a scary pumpkin Jack-o-Lantern? (Or try the cute or realistic pumpkin varieties). The Pumpkin pattern is free (but donations are much appreciated and will give you a nice printable PDF file in return!)

realistic crocheted pumpkin by planetjune

cute crocheted pumpkin by planetjunespooky crocheted pumpkin by planetjune

Happy Halloween!

crocheted fruit bat by planetjune

9 Comments »

  1. Christy said

    Normally I don’t think of bats as cute, but I’m making an exception for yours!

  2. melissa said

    hi june!

    oh my goodness! i love your new fruit bat pattern, and i am so excited about your new book i just cannot tell you!

    so wonderful!

    melissa

  3. val said

    sooooooo cutie but spooky!

  4. Mack said

    Thank you soooo much for the pattern! Bats are my favourite animals and this one is soooo cute! I love it 🙂

  5. Kate said

    That crocheted fruit bat is amazing!

    Vashti, what a great fact about male fruit bats! That makes them even more likeable.

  6. Corvus said

    I used to have a treeful of those guys in my backyard. Loud talkers sometimes.

    The pattern is fantastic!

  7. Carina said

    I am very disapponted in this bat you have made. Sorry, June: where is that adorable tongue??!

    Oh wait, here it is: :-b

  8. vashti said

    I love everything about this and I’m off to buy your pattern 🙂
    A fun fact about fruit bats is that the males of some of them can nurse their young. It’s an interesting phenomenon for scientists (and gender studies majors!)

  9. kris said

    aww june he came out awesome – they really do look like miny foxes hugh?

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