The Bouncer is the iconic image of Bioshock, the first one anyhow… with his glowing portholes, Little Sister in tow and posture no man could envy, a cuddly version was an absolute necessity. This has been my most ambitious and maddening pattern design so far because of all of the pieces and details involved. I started a long time ago and had originally hoped to have this out before the release of Bioshock 2, but had to redesign so many parts and I couldn’t crochet fast enough to get it together in time, so here he is a few days behind schedule in all of his Amigurumi glory… Mr. Bubbles is all yarn save for 8 buttons (no wire reinforcements and yes he can stand up on his own!) Pattern is after the photos for those ambitious enough to want to make your own Big Daddy! Click photos to see the larger version.

Pattern

SC = Single Crochet
SL ST = Slip Stitch
INVDEC = Invisible Decrease
INC = Increase (2 SC in one stitch)

Yarn Colours Used

Body 3.75 mm hook – Tan

CH2 or Magic Ring or however you like to start
1. SC x 6 (6)
2. INC in each stitch (12)
3. SC then INC; repeat around (18)
4. SC x 3 then INC x 3 then SC x 6 then INC x 3 then SC x 3 (24)
5. SC x 2 then INC; repeat around (32)
6. SC x 6 then INC x 3 then SC x 14 then INC x 3 then SC x 6 (38)
7. SC x 6 then INC x 4 then SC x 15 then INC x 4 then SC x 9 (46)
8. SC around (46)
9 – 14 SC around (46)
15. SC 11 then INVDEC x 2 then SC x 19 then INVDEC x 2 then SC x 8 (42)
16. SC around (42)
17. SC around (42)
18. SC x 5 then INV DEC; repeat (36)
19. SC around (36)
20. SC around (36)
21. SC x 4 then INV DEC; repeat around (30)
22. SC around (30)
23. SC around (30)
24. SC then INV DEC; repeat around (20)
25. SC around (20)
26. SC x 3 then INV DEC; repeat around (15)
27. SC then INV DEC; repeat around (10)
28. INV DEC x 5
Finish Off and weave in tail

Head 3.75 mm hook – Tan

CH2 or Magic Ring or however you like to start
1. SC x 6 (6)
2. INC in each stitch (12)
3. SC then INC; repeat around (18)
4. SC x 2 then INC; repeat around (24)
5. SC x 3 then INC; repeat around (30)
6. SC around (30)
7 – 12. SC around for each row (30)
13. SC x 3 then INV DEC; repeat around (24)
14. SL ST around (24)
Stuff
15. (do this row in the slip stitch row you just did) SC then INC; repeat around (36)
16. SC then INC; repeat around (54)
Finish Off and leave a long tail, stuff head and apply to body, sewing it on with the tail.

Eyes 2.5 mm hook – Tan (Make 8 and stitch to the helmet.)

For the portholes you need some buttons, green for a friendly hypnotized Big Daddy, yellow for a normal one and red for a mad one. The buttons should be proportionate to the head size. This pattern makes a little crochet basket for the button to be in but if you are feeling lazy, you can just apply the buttons directly to the head. Look at a Bouncer image or go play the game before attaching as they are arranged in a specific pattern.

CH2 or Magic Ring or however you like to start
1. SC x 6 (6)
2. SC then INC; repeat around (9)
3. SC around (9)
Finish Off and leave a long tail, pull the tail through the button shank then down through the bottom of the basket and stitch it to the head.

Arms 3.5 mm hook – Dark Grey (Make 2)

I made the arms in two parts because getting the fabric to make angled bends for elbows and things isn’t intuitive to me at all. This way you can modify poses and things as well to suit your Big Daddy!

CH2 or Magic Ring or however you like to start
1. SC x 6 (6)
2. INC in each stitch (12)
3. SC around (12)
4 – 10. SC around (12)
stuff
11. SC then INV DEC; repeat around (9)
12. Finish and tie off
13. SL ST around where you want the upper arm to start, you want to offset this at an angle to make an elbow of sorts. SL ST 12 in a circle on the fabric from the forearm which is finished off.
14. (this is worked in the circle of SL ST you just made) SC around (12)
15. SC around (12)
16. SC x 2 then INC; repeat around (16)
17 – 18. SC around (16)
19. SC 7 then INC; repeat (18)
20. SC around (18)
21. SC x 6 then CH (6)
22. skip the first stitch then SC x 7 tgen CH (7)
23. skip the first stitch then SC x 3 then INV DEC then SC x 2 then SL ST
Finish Off and leave a long tail, stuff then use the tail to stitch then open end to body.
*You may need to may the upper arm shorter or longer to look proportionate depending on the pose you are making.

Legs 3.5 mm hook – Dark Grey (Make 2)

CH2 or Magic Ring or however you like to start
1. SC x 6 (6)
2. INC in each (12)
3. SC then INC; repeat around (18)
4. SC around (18)
5 – 6. SC around for rows 5 and 6 (18)
7. SC x 7 then INV DEC; repeat (16)
8. SC around (16)
9. SC x 6 then INV DEC; repeat (14)
10. SC around (14)
11. SC x 5 then INV DEC (12)
12. SC around (12)
13. SC around (12)
14. SC then INC; repeat around (18)
15. SC around (18)
16 – 17. SC around for rows 16 and 17 (18)
18. INV DEC, INV DEC, INV DEC then SC x 12 (15)
19. SC around (15)
20. SC x 3 then INV DEC; repeat around (12)
21. SC around (12)
The remainder of the leg pattern is no longer worked in the round and goes back and forth to form the upper thigh shape.
22. SC x 6 then CH and turn (6)
23. skip the first stitch then SC x 7 then CH and turn (7)
24. skip the first stitch then SC x 3 then INV DEC then SC x 2 then SL ST
Finish Off and leave a long tail, stuff then use the tail to stitch then open end (thigh) to body.

Boot 3.5 mm hook – Tan (Make 2)

CH2 or Magic Ring or however you like to start
1. SC x 6 (6)
2. INC in each (12)
3. SC x 3 then INC; repeat around (15)
4. SC around (15)
5 – 8. SC around (15)
9. SC x 3 then INV DEC; repeat around (12)
10. SC around (12)
11 – 13. SC around (12)
Stuff
14. SC x 2 then INV DEC; repeat around (9)
15. INV DEC x 3
Finish Off and weave in tail. Use a 3.0 mm hook and same color yarn to SL ST around the bottom of the boot to create a sole, and around the front to create the big toe cap.

Boot Cuffs 3.5 mm Hook – Dark Brown (Make 2)

CH 3
1. SC x 2 then CH (2)
2 – 14. repeat row 1 for rows 2 through 14 (2)
Finish Off and leave a long tail. Sew strip into a cuff which is sewn to the boot and the bottom of the leg to connect the two.

Belt 3.0 mm Hook – Dark Brown

CH 3
1. SC x 2 then CH (2)
2 – 33. repeat row 1 for rows 3 through 34 (2)
Finish Off and leave a long tail

Belt Weight 3.0 mm Hook – Light Grey (Make 4)

CH 5
1. SC x 4 CH (4)
2. SC 2 then CH (2)
3. SC 2 then CH (2)
4. SC 2 then CH (2)
Finish off and leave a long tail

Sew two L shapes together to make the square shaped weight for the belt. Sew it to the belt, one on each side of Waist, before attaching the belt.

Boot Weight 3.0 mm Hook – Light Grey (Make 2)

CH 7
1. SC x 6 then CH (6)
2. SC 2 then CH (2)
3 – 5. SC 2 then CH (2)
Finish off.
Insert hook into stitch on other end of first strip of SC (row 1)
CH
1. SC x 2 then CH (2)
2 – 4. SC x 2 then CH (2)
5. SC x 2 CH SC x 2 CH (4)
6. ship first stitch then SC x 2 then CH (2)
Finish off and leave a long tail. Use the tail to stitch to the Boot cuff.

Drill 3.0mm Hook – Medium Grey

This has to be worked very tightly and reinforced with a cardboard cone on the inside so it doesn’t look like a big sausage and had that proper drill shape.

CH2 or Magic Ring or however you like to start
1. SC x 6 (6)
2. SC x 6 (6)
3. SC x 2 then INC; repeat (8)
4. SC x 3 then INC; repeat (10)
5. SC x 4 then INC; repeat (12)
6. SC x 5 then INC; repeat (14)
7. SC x 6 then INC; repeat (16)
8. SC around (16)
9. SC x 7 then INC; repeat (18)
10. SC around (18)
11. SC x 8 then INC; repeat (20)
12. SC around (20)
13. SC x 9 then INC; repeat (22)
14. SC around (22)
15. SC then INC; repeat around (33)
16. SL ST around (33)
Reinforce with a cardboard cone (cut toilet paper roll works well) and stuff. Drill goes on the left arm. For the detail on the drill, do a SL ST through the fabric going around in a spiral where you want the sharp drill edge to be, then go back through that whole line of SL ST and do SC then INC in every other stitch. You want to make sure it’s not so tight it distorts the fabric so if it’s getting tight, pepper in a few extra INCs. Attach the drill to the end of the forearm. You may need to add a “cuff” to the end of his arm so it looks right where it attaches.

Glove 3.0 mm Hook – Dark Brown

CH2 or Magic Ring or however you like to start
1. SC x 6 (6)
2. SC then INC; repeat around (9)
3. SC around (9)
4. SC around (9)
5. SC around (9)
Finish off and keep a long tail. The glove is basically a cup, you will make fingers then sandwitch them in the cup and stitch it closed with them in there, like fingers.

Fingers (Make 5)

CH 4 then SC x 4 (4)
Finish off, tie off and cut yarn. Stick end that is tied in the glove cup and try to arrange them to look like a hand. Finished glove goes on the left arm.

Bib Hook 3.5mm – Tan

CH 14
1. SC x 13 CH (13)
2. SC x 12 then SL ST then CH (12)
3. skip first stitch then SC x 11 then CH (11)
4. skip first stitch then SC 10 CH (10)
5. SL ST then SC x 9 then CH (9)
6. skip first stitch SC x 8 (8)
Finish off then leave long tail and stitch the bib to the torso just under the head.

Decorating Big Daddy Hook 3.0mm

To add the cuffs and decoration to the arms, legs and body around the arms and legs where they are attached, do the following:

1. SL ST where you want to add the cuff or rib
2. CH then SC then INC in every other SL ST all the way around to where you started
Finish Off and weave in tail

Carapass Piping No hook

This was a tricky wicky one, how to give him the look of pipes without using wires? You can use wires if you want or course, copper could look groovy, but I wanted my Bouncer to be all yarn. The answer? Friendship bracelets!

Thread a tapestry needle with a long piece of yarn 3 times at least longer than the length of the “piping” you need to make.

Pull it through the anchor on the Big Daddy (I made “rivets” but you could just stitch it to the fabric or use buttons or whatever) use one strand to tie a knot around the other, repeat, then switch and use the other strand to tie two knots around the other strand, keep switching back and forth like that. It retains some form of stiffness and you can tie it all together to form the carapass. This was probably my least favorite part.

Tank 3.5mm Hook – Various Colors

Start in Medium Grey

CH2 or Magic Ring or however you like to start
1. SC x 6 (6)
2. INC in each ST (12)
3. INC in each ST (24)
4. (work this row in only the back loop of each stitch) SC around (24)
Switch to Light Grey
5. SC around (24)
6 – 11. SC around (24)
Switch to Dark Grey
12. SC around (24)
Switch to Light Grey
13. SC around (24)
14 – 20. SC around (24)
21. SC x 2 then INV DEC; repeat around (18)
22. SC then INV DEC; repeat around (12)
Switch to Dark Grey
23. INV DEC x 6 (2.5 mm hook)
24. SC x 6 (2.5mm hook)
Finish Off and weave in tail. Attach a red ring or button for a “handle” for the tank.

Rivets and Kneecaps 2.5mm hook

CH2 or Magic Ring or however you like to start
1. SC x 6 (6)
2. INC in each ST (12)
Finish off leaving a long tail to use to sew the piece in place.

The only thing I don’t have instructions for is the tube gun thing on his back next to the tank because I forgot to take notes. Sorry!

* fixed a few errors in the pattern. Thanks Bioamiti, Vienn and hbootsman.