X-Files inspired UFO amigurumi + late summer in my neighborhood

Hello friends, I hope this finds you well. I just finished an incredible UFO amigurumi that I’ve had on the back burner for almost two years. It’s an X-Files-inspired musical mobile that’s complete with the X-Files theme song, a tractor beam cow, and a curious alien peeking through a domed window. The pattern and musical movement are the brainchild of Lalylala crochet. Check it out in the video (sound up – please pardon the ambient noise):

It took some doing to assemble the materials for this one. The yarn was the easy part – I used my old favorites, Phildar and Schoeller + Stahl sport-weight cotton yarns in shades of gray, white, pink, and brown. There is also some silver thread doubled with the light gray yarn to create the middle deck of the UFO. All parts were crocheted with a tiny 2mm aluminum hook. The hook is a vintage one I found at a yard sale in the States.

The UFO body was sewn around a stiff metal ring to keep its shape. I used two pairs of 9mm safety eyes for the cow and alien. One-centimeter jeweled flat-back beads were glued on the UFO to simulate lights. For the UFO’s dome, I used half a plastic Christmas ornament keeper that was drilled with a tiny hole to accommodate the hanging string (thanks to Marie for lending me the drill). Finally, I special-ordered the X-Files musical movement from Lalylala herself (if I remember correctly, it shipped from Germany).

To keep the cow horns and alien ears perky, I used a bit of Modge Podge Stiffy applied with a Qtip and let dry. Stiffy is a real lifesaver when it comes to making those tiny bits keep their shape.

I went about the pattern a little out of order, and began by crocheting the cow. Next I crocheted the top deck, and the alien’s head on top of that. Then I crocheted the bottom deck. After that, I tackled the middle deck by crocheting metallic pieces around the ring. The most challenging part came when connecting the top and bottom decks to the middle deck, positioning the musical movement inside, and stuffing evenly all around to secure it. I’m still not sure about the hanging string – it’s cotton, and seems flimsy, so I might later decide to replace it with nylon, to extend its life as a mobile.

I don’t have a recipient for this quirky bit of joy. I think the UFO will stay with me, at least for now.

In other news, we’ve transitioned to late summer here in the ROK. Cicadas are having their annual contest for loudest song. Monsoon clouds contribute to the splendid light and shadow that makes for some lovely photos. Earlier this month, we had a few days of torrential downpour that fed the jungle and overflowed the waterways. It’s hard to believe that in about four weeks all the lushness will ebb away once more.

I grew up in southern California, where the change of seasons is more subtle than where I now reside, and the idea of seasonal dishes is practically non-existent. One of the fun experiences of living in Korea is the anticipation of favorite seasonal dishes that I would never dream of eating any other time of year – for example, a traditional shaved ice called patbingsu (팥빙수) which literally means red bean frozen water. Bingsu can have all sorts of interesting toppings, including fresh fruits, but the typical ingredients include sweetened red beans, condensed milk, fruit-flavored jellies or even canned fruit cocktail. Dessert shops abound in Korea, and each of them has its own take on the treat. If I can visit another dessert shop before summer’s end, I’ll share with you another photo of a fruit bingsu.

Another summer favorite that I think I’ve shared with you before is iced buckwheat noodles (물 냉면). It’s the simplest thing in the world and I crave it every summer. This is a kind of soup with chewy buckwheat noodles, served ice cold with actual ice chunks in the broth. Julienned, pickled daikon radish and cucumber, and gochujang (고추장), a sweet-spicy chili sauce, come on top. Typically there is also hard-boiled egg and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Some people like to add a splash of vinegar or mustard to ramp up the tanginess. Every noodle shop will include a side of kimchi, as well.

That’s it for today – I have a long afternoon of errands ahead, and I hope to end the day by working on a new shawl and pondering which amigurumi figure to dive into next. Much love.