Finally The Mistake-Proof Drainy The Depleted Battery Pattern
Free crochet pattern for Finally The Mistake-Proof Drainy The Depleted Battery Pattern. Step-by-step tutorial with detailed instructions, materials list, and tips for beginners.
Drainy the Depleted Battery: A Free Amigurumi Pattern for When You're Running on 1%
Stitch up a relatable desk buddy who captures that 'needs a recharge' feeling perfectly.
Unlike actual batteries, this project doesn't require lithium or heavy metals—just some sturdy cotton yarn and a bit of patience. Drainy is designed with a flat bottom to sit perfectly on your desk, offering silent solidarity during those long Zoom meetings. He features a distinctive 'low charge' red zone and a famously tired facial expression that says, 'Please plug me in.'
This pattern is fantastic for confident beginners looking to practice color changes and cylinder shaping. We’ll be using a tight gauge to ensure he looks industrial and sleek, rather than puffy and soft. Grab your hook, pour a fresh cup of coffee (for you, not Drainy), and let’s get stitching.
Why this pattern works
Amigurumi is often associated with cute animals, but animating inanimate objects adds a layer of whimsy and humor to your collection. The cylindrical structure of a battery is the perfect canvas for practicing 'jogless' color changes—a technique that prevents that jagged step between stripes. Because batteries are rigid, this project allows you to practice stuffing firmly to achieve a geometric shape without distorting your stitches.
Choosing the Yarn: Go Mercerized
To get that metallic, industrial sheen of a real AA battery, I strongly recommend using **Mercerized Cotton**. Regular acrylic often looks too fuzzy and softens the edges. For this sample, I used **Scheepjes Catona** (fingering weight). You will need 'Metal Grey' for the terminals, 'Jet Black' for the label, and a scrap of 'Poppy Red' for the depleted energy bar. The mercerized finish reflects light similarly to a metal casing, giving Drainy a polished, professional look.
📝 Project Info
- Difficulty: Easy-Intermediate
- Time: 3-4 hours
- Hook Size: 2.5mm (US C/2)
- Materials: DK Cotton Yarn in Dark Grey or Black, DK Cotton Yarn in Red (for low charge), DK Cotton Yarn in Light Grey (for terminals), White yarn for eye whites, Black embroidery thread for mouth and eye bags, Fiberfill stuffing, Tapestry needle
Key Abbreviations
✨ The Pattern
The Positive Terminal (The Bump)
- R1: Start with Grey Yarn.
- R2: R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
- R3: R2: inc in every st (12)
- R4: R3: Working in BLO, sc in each st around (12) -> *This creates the sharp edge of the bump.*
- R5: R4: sc in each st around (12)
- R6: R5: Working in BLO, (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18) -> *We are now expanding to the main width.*
- R7: R6: (2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)
- R8: R7: (3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)
- R9: R8: (4 sc, inc) x 6 (36) -> *The shoulder is complete.*
The Battery Body
- R1: Change color to Black (use the invisible join method for a clean line).
- R2: R9: Working in BLO (to define the casing edge), sc in each st around (36)
- R3: R10-R15: sc in each st around (36) [6 rounds]
- R4: R16-R19: Change to Red. sc in each st around (36) [4 rounds] -> *This represents the last bit of charge.*
- R5: R20-R28: Change back to Black. sc in each st around (36) [9 rounds]
- R6: Change back to Grey for the negative terminal.
- R7: R29: Working in BLO, sc in each st around (36)
- R8: R30: (4 sc, dec) x 6 (30)
- R9: Start stuffing firmly here. Focus on keeping the sides flat, not round.
- R10: R31: (3 sc, dec) x 6 (24)
- R11: R32: (2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)
- R12: R33: (1 sc, dec) x 6 (12)
- R13: R34: dec x 6 (6)
- R14: Fasten off and weave the tail through the FLO of the remaining 6 stitches to pull the bottom tight and flat.
Assembly & Finishing
- **The Face:** Using black embroidery thread or thin yarn, stitch a straight horizontal line across the Grey 'bump' area for the mouth. It should look neutral or slightly frowning.
- **The Eyes:** Place safety eyes (6mm) on the upper Black section (approx R12), or embroider two 'X' shapes to signify he is offline.
- **The Charge Meter:** Using Gold or White yarn, surface slip stitch a vertical line bordering the Red section to make it look like a battery level indicator.
- **Stable Sitting:** If the bottom bulges out (making Drainy wobble), thread a needle with grey yarn, insert it into the center of the bottom, push it all the way up through the top bump, and go back down. Pull slightly to create a concave bottom (dimple), then knot securely. This suction-cups the bottom for stability.
💡 Pro Tips from Isabella Moretti
- **Yarn Under vs. Yarn Over:** For this project, use the 'Yarn Under' (cross stitch) technique. Hook *over* the yarn to pull through. This creates tighter 'X' shaped stitches that look more like a printed metal label and reduces gaps.
- **Sharp Color Changes:** To avoid the 'barber pole' spiral effect on the stripes, finish the last step of the stitch *before* the color change with the *new* color. For an even straighter line, slip stitch the first stitch of the new color row, then continue as normal (count the sl st as an sc).
- **Cardboard Insert:** To ensure the top remains perfectly flat, cut a circle of cardboard the size of R8 and place it inside the top of the battery before stuffing. This keeps the 'shoulder' of the battery sharp.
