If
you are from Chicago, you might remember Umbra, the Wonder Dog.
She
was adopted by Ted Erikson (the famous long distant swimmer).
Umbra
was part Labrador and part Greyhound, and loved to swim.
In
1991, Ted and Umbra began swimming together.
Umbra
managed to swim three miles in about 85 minutes.
She
holds four first records in the Guinness Book of World Records for canine
swimming.
She
is the only dog to have swam across the Bosphorus (Asia to Europe) in Turkey.
That was about a two mile venture in 31 minutes on
July 22, 1995.
She was also licensed and registered as a “Hearing
Ear Dog for the Deaf”, and helped Ted immensely.
She became so famous, that Guru Sri
Chinmoy,
(an
Indian Spiritual leader, who lifted thousands of sheep over his head in his
lifetime)
lifted
her and Ted in 2004 in downtown Chicago.
She
died in 2006, but lived 16 wonderful years.
Ted
(my father) still misses her.
I
had made a cork-top for a celebration to her life.
The
pattern is done in a crochet thread, and it is fairly easy.
I
did change the cork-top to a pencil-top for more versatility.
Materials:
1.5mm hook
Crochet
Thread #10:
Small amount
of Black and Brown
Needle to Sew
Gauge is not crucial.
US Terminology
Abbreviations:
Beg =
Beginning
Ch = Chain
Dc = Double Crochet
Dec = Decrease by crocheting 2 single crochets as one
FO =
Fasten Off
Inc = Increase with 2 single crochets into one stitch
MR = Magic Ring
Sc =
Single Crochet
Ss = Slip Stitch
St(s) = Stitch(es)
Rnd(s) = Round(s)
Head: Do not join rounds. Work in a spiral. Mark beg sts.
Rnd 1: [Nose]
MR, Ch 1, 6 Sc in the ring. (6)
Rnd 2: Inc around. (12)
Rnd 3: (Sc,
Inc) around. (18)Rnds 4 - 10: Sc around. (18)
Rnd 11: Inc,
Sc in 2, Inc in next 12, Sc in 2, Inc in last. (32)
Rnd 12: Sc in 11, Inc, (Sc in 2, Inc) 3xs,
Sc in last 11. (36)
Rnds
13 – 18: Sc around.
(36)
Rnd 19: (Sc in 4, Dec) around. (30)
Rnd 20: Sc around.
(30)
Rnd 21: (Sc
in 3, Dec) around. (24)
Rnd 22: (Sc
in 2, Dec) around. (18) Stuff.
Rnd 23:
(Sc, Dec) around. (12) Ss in next st and FO with ~ 15” to sew.
Ears:
Ch 9, 2 Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook.
Sc in next, Hdc in next, Dc in next 4, 8 Dc in last ch.
Working the other side of the foundation ch, Dc in
4, Hdc in next, Sc in next 2. Join to
first sc. FO with ~ 6” to sew.
Position the ears on top of head with ~ 8 sts
between and sew over Rnds 17 – 19.
Eyes:
With brown and the sewing needle, make a French Knot for
each eye.
Place them between Rnds 11 and 12 with ~ 6 sts between, symmetrically
even with the top of the ears.
Pencil-Tube:
Rnd 1: Ch 11,
join to the first ch to form a ring.
Ch 1, Sc in each ch
around. (11)
Do not join.
Work in a spiral. Mark
beg sts.
Rnds
2 - 16: Sc
around. (11)
Note: 11 stitches around fit my pencil: Add more (or less) to fit the size of your
pencil or pen.
Finishing:
Weave the end thread through the 12 sts of the
last round to close and anchor to secure.Bring thread end to bottom of head and sew to the pencil-tube.
