By Amy Shimel
About the Magnets
This pattern has been a long time comming. I was trying to figure out how to explain all the testing I went through with all the different types of magnets. In an atempt to lower the cost of making these Katamari, I tested just about every type of 3/4″ round magnets that are available in the craft shops and discount stores. And I found that you really do get what you pay for.
I found there were two types of magnets out there. 50 in a package for $5 sounds like a great deal, but the magnets are not strong enough to pick stuff up through the yarn. I found the magnets that I used at Jo Ann’s. They are the Darice 3/4″ round magnets that come 8 to a pack. One pack is about $2.50 and you will need 3.5 packs. This sounds like quite a few magnets, but as you can see from the photos in this pattern, the Darice magnets are of the highest quality and will hold very strongly, even through the yarn. Here is what one of the packs looks like.
The Other Supplies
Besides 3.5 packs of magnets, you will also need:
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Brightly colored yarn (a main body color, a center color and a band color) Caron Simply Soft Brites works fantasticaly for this pattern
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Crochet hooks in size E and G
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A tapestry needle
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poly-fill for stuffing
Let’s Go!
This is a super easy and quick pattern. When I was making these for my shop, I could average one every 4 hours or so, depending on how many interuptions I had.
You will start with the E hook and your main body color. You will be crocheting as tight as you possibly can. We want this body to hold its shape when it is stuffed. If you crochet loosely, you will begin to see stuffing through the stitches and the weight of the magnets will pull the ball out of shape.
The ball will be worked in two halves and then sewn together and stuffed. It is much easier to get the magnets placed this way.
With your E hook, Make two halves:
Using the Magic Circle
R1 - 6 sc in the ring and pull the ring tight. Mark the last stitch ( 6 sc )
R2 - 2 sc in each stitch around ( 12 sc )
R3 - ( 1 sc, 2 sc in next stitch ) 6 times ( 18 sc )
R4 - ( 2 sc, 2 sc in next stitch ) 6 times ( 24 sc )
R5 - ( 3 sc, 2 sc in next stitch ) 6 times ( 30 sc )
R6 - ( 4 sc, 2 sc in next stitch ) 6 times ( 36 sc )
R7 - ( 5 sc, 2 sc in next stitch ) 6 times ( 42 sc )
R8 - ( 6 sc, 2 sc in next stitch ) 6 times ( 48 sc )
R9 - ( 7 sc, 2 sc in next stitch ) 6 times ( 54 sc )
R10-13 - sc in each sc around ( 54 sc)
Finish off and leave a tail about 24″ long 0n one half to use while sewing the two halves together.
Now switch to your G hook to make 14 Magnetic Nubs. You can work a little looser on the nubs, too tight and the magnets won’t fit.
With your center color:
R1 - 6 sc in the ring and pull the ring tight. Mark the last stitch ( 6 sc )
R2 - 2 sc in each stitch around ( 12 sc )
Switch to the band color
R3-4 - sc in each sc around
Switch to main body color
R5 - sc in each sc around and finish off. Leave a tail about 12″ long to use in sewing the nub to the body.
Now comes the fun part!
Assembling your Katamari
In each empty nub you will now put 2 magnets. Some Katamari I tried hard to make sure all the magnetic polls were facing the right way, others I just put them in randomly.
Sew one nub to the center of each half of your Katamari. Sew 4 nubs equaly spaced around the center nub. Please make sure that the two halves are mirror images of eachother. This is very important in the placement of the last 4 nubs.
Making very sure that the second row of magnets lines up with eachother, Sew the two halves together, leaving a space about 2″ long open. Stuff the ball VERY FIRMLY with Poly-Fil. You want to get as much stuffing inside without distorting the ball. The firmer it is, the easier it will be to play with. Finish sewing the last 2″ closed.
Along the Equitorial seam you will now place the last 4 nubs.
Open your junk drawer and roll the Katamari across!
Copyright 9-07
For personal use only. Not to be made for resale. Images are not to be used without previous consent. All Rights Reserved
September 10, 2007 at 12:14 am
So great! Thanks for posting the pattern, I can’t wait to try one!
September 10, 2007 at 6:37 am
Thank you for posting I Love this and awaiting for my alone time this evening to give it a go. Cant wait to see the expressions on my girls faces when they get one for Christmas. Again Thank You and have a great day!!
September 10, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Okay, I’m totally printing out this pattern and taking it with me when I go camping. I still can’t seem to get the hang of crochet (I think I’m way too tense when I’m trying to do it), but this is way too cute not to make. Maybe I need to start drinking before I sit down with the crochet hook.
September 11, 2007 at 10:42 am
I need to learn how to crochet!!!
September 12, 2007 at 3:47 pm
I am incredibly impressed. I love katamari, and it had never occurred to me to try to make one!
I think I’ll might make some of these up without the magnets to use as baby toys, I’ve got a triplet set of nieces and/or nephews coming soon…
September 13, 2007 at 9:34 am
Oh My Goodness!!! Thank you so much for the pattern! I love the game… therefore, I love katamari! A friend of mine also had a katamari phase and this is what I’ll give him for his birthday. Thanks!!!
September 17, 2007 at 10:57 am
I guess it’s time to learn to crochet something other than a chain!
September 21, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Thanks so much for this pattern, I saw this picture in the net a while ago and wanted to make one but I’m not that good at crochet to make up the pattern, so thanks again!
September 24, 2007 at 10:38 pm
Yeah. I just love this one. I am going to make it for my son. I am going to love the look on his face when hes sees this.
September 29, 2007 at 2:15 am
oh my gawwwwd i love this katamari pattern! thanks so so much! i’m going to make one as soon as i have the time
October 5, 2007 at 7:29 am
This is the perfect Christmas present for my Katamari-obsessed teenager! She will go nuts for this! Thank you so much. I crochet, but have never made figures of any type. This will be a first, and a fun one.
Really well done, complete direction, too. This is just fantastic!
October 17, 2007 at 6:06 pm
thanks for the pattern
i’m sure my baby bro would love one of these for his birthday ^^
October 26, 2007 at 6:24 pm
This is the most awesomest thing I’ve ever seen. You rock.
November 3, 2007 at 8:22 pm
I love this!! …surfs away to go find magnets…
November 28, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Oh wow! I wish I had seen your pattern before I embarked on making my little katamari last year for a friend. I kind of made mine up as I went along. Spacing of the nubs is hard! Here’s a pic (with a little prince!) http://www.ravelry.com/projects/animalcookie/katamari
December 12, 2007 at 12:41 am
[...] a crocheted Magnetic Katamari. my BIL loves the video game Katamari Damacy. this is a crochet version of the magnetic balls [...]
January 11, 2008 at 7:55 am
I LOVE this! Thank you so much for the free pattern, I am a real beginner at crochet and I was able to follow the pattern really easily. Here is my Katamari: http://notanartist.blogspot.com/2008/01/finished-object-jelly-star.html
January 11, 2008 at 8:03 am
Totally cool!
January 14, 2008 at 9:41 am
I just found this pattern thanks to Ravelry and I had to say Thank You! This is AWESOME! I don’t know how to crochet but now I’m going to learn because I need my very own katamari ASAP.
January 22, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Squeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
February 21, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Oh how cool!
March 6, 2008 at 7:35 am
SUPER fabulous!
March 10, 2008 at 10:38 am
[...] Research more about this from here [...]
March 12, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I made all the pieces and am about to put them together, but i’m a little confused on how the magnets and the nubs go together.do you stack the 2 magnets on top of each other or put them next to each other? and do you stuff them with polyfill after?
March 18, 2008 at 6:13 pm
[...] Pattern: Magnetic Katamari Pattern [...]
March 26, 2008 at 4:53 pm
My husband and brother are going to get these as gifts and they are going to LOVE them! I’ve been humming the Katamari song since seeing them. Fabulous idea!
March 30, 2008 at 1:01 pm
As a first time crocheter, I’m having a bit of difficulty with the patter. I am getting by it, but what are the dimensions of the finished katamari?
I’m using a slightly thinner yarn, with a 3 mm hook, so I was planning to add some more increase rounds to have enough space for all the nubs, but I don’t know how many.
April 1, 2008 at 5:21 pm
I love this! I can’t wait to try it. Fantastic idea, with the magnets. So clever! w00t!
April 5, 2008 at 6:14 am
This is by far the best thing I’ve ever run into on the web. Running to the store to buy yarn right now!
April 21, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I love this. Now I have to learn to crochet
May 1, 2008 at 1:55 pm
That is crazy! (but I love it!) I wish it was knitting…I don’t think I need to pick up another hobby right now.
May 1, 2008 at 8:09 pm
this is amazing! thanks so much for sharing.