Mini Ocean Amigurumi

 A couple of years ago, I found a cool book of crocheted birds that I made and made and made. They were cute! They were quick! And they were very easy to give away (so I did!) But a few weeks ago, I was browsing through Amazon, and found another pattern book (OK, actually 4, but this is the one I'm making from right now) by the same author. I was so excited, that I ordered three of them. Don't worry, at some point I will go back for any others they have created...

Here it is, and yes, I've been working through it.

Another fun book of amigurumi!!!

Aren't these fish and other creatures adorable? Oh my, this is fun! I dug into my tub of cotton thread again, and found my plastic bag of tiny safety eyes to use like I had for the birds, and got started!  The first creature turned out to be the lobster. 

Tiny, adorable red Lobstah!

He went pretty quickly, like most of the birds did, even though those claws gave me a little pause. They went together pretty well, though. Next I had to make a jellyfish. I had some cute variegated yarn that I though would be awesome. It was, and the jellyfish turned out really cute. It was fun to figure out what yarns to hang below it.

Jellyfish 2

   This is  not the first jellyfish I made, but it got claimed before I even got to take a photo of it. So, I grabbed that same yarn and made a second one.  I also found an orangey variegated in my stash that I thought would be fun, too so I made one from that, too. I worked so fast that I forgot to add the eyes before I closed it up, so I made eyes from tiny buttons, and I thought they worked well (but I didn't get a picture of them yet).

         

Jelly number 3

Raine saw the patterns, and was ready for a narwhal, so that was next on my agenda. Details like that horn can be problematic when you are working small, but it wasn't too bad. Since doing the gnomes, I have been using a needle to attach parts together, instead of just the crochet hook and it does help more than I though it would, especially when working with - and through - stuffing.

Narwhal goes swimmy, swimmy

The sea turtles came next. The first one was the green one (and yes I forgot to put the eyes in, but used beads for the eyes later) I had another variegated that I wanted to use for the turtle shell, but then the tan looked better with it than the green. That yarn actually has some green in it, but none of it showed up on the shell. Sigh. It would be fine for a land turtle, I think, but I'm not sure whether you would find a sea turtle like it.

Some sea turtles

Of course I had to make the seahorse that is peeking out from under the turtles. It's probably the most complex of the creatures so far, but again, this author does some good pattern writing, and it went well.

Hello seahorse!

Next up is the stingray, which isn't really complex, but for some reason, doesn't read really stingray for me. I'm going to have to give it another try, and see how it goes.

I would like more ray shape

This one and the starfish are made similarly, making a top piece and a bottom piece and then crocheting around the outside. I think that is where I went wrong on this stingray... But the starfish looks super cute. He looks like he needs a smile, doesn't he...

Pink starfish

So many more to make!!!

Tree Hat Gnomes, an Update

Retro artificial tree hat gnomes

It's been a minute. Again. But that doesn't mean I haven't been making stuff. Of course. I shared my first tree hat gnome here. But they are so cute, and a friend of mine told me I needed to make a tinsel tree. OF COURSE I DID!! But, here's the thing. I couldn't find yarn locally that read "tinsel" to me. I did find something that was almost as good, a white yarn that would work for one of those white artificial trees. You know (I hope) like the ones from the 60's and 70's that were a thing about the time the tinsel trees were a thing. So yes, that tree hat gnome happened, too. First even. 

White artificial tree hat gnome

So, there were some changes I made to this pattern, of course. First the "fuzzy" yarn is the kind they sell to make kitchen scrubbies with. It has a lot of fibers to it, that are not really soft. I used it, combined with the cotton yarn, to make this gnome's beard, but when it came to the tree, I did an extra row of crochet on the crochet strip that goes around and around the hat to make the tree. I also crocheted some to the brim of the hat. I really like the effect that has. I also extended the length of the strip so that the tree "branches" would be fuller. I have had issues with that on some of the gnomes, making the tree strip cover the hat to my satisfaction. I also wrapped the hat and then kind of spaced it the way I wanted before I sewed it on. Why didn't I do that before? 

I ended up finding some metallic yarn online, and ordered a variety to see which one I liked best, and would fit with the cotton yarn and the tree hat project. My plan was to make tan hands and nose, and a dark green shirt with the tinsel tree gnome... So, I better show you how he turned out...

Tinsel tree hat gnome

Did you notice that his shirt isn't green? Me too. I got started on that tan yarn, and didn't realize that it was shirt, not skin until the gnome's body was finished. Darn it! As you can tell, I did not take it out and do it again. I did add a little metallic yarn detail on the ends of the sleeves, hoping that would make it more shirt-like. Sigh. I did not add the extra row of metallic thread crochet on this tree because the metallic thread was easier to crochet with. I actually used a metallic, and a white with a teeny metallic strip in it together, which - I think - brightened the overall effect.

I really like how these guys turned out, and I will probably enter them into the fair this year. I finally feel like the tree part is as full as I like it. I ALSO figured out with these that the pattern used a smaller stitch and fewer stitches on the part that goes on the top of the tree than near the bottom of the tree. OHHHHhhhhh. I see now... lol.

Tree Hat Gnome Joins the Party!

 

I have been enjoying crocheting Gnomes. I've a good collection started of snow gnomes, and I'm not done with them yet, but I wanted to try one of the other patterns I picked up. This time, It's all about the tree hat gnome.

Snowy tree hatted gnome

This guy was relatively easy to crochet and construct. He stands up well, even. I think the less stretchy cotton yarn does the trick for these stuffies. This one took a skein plus some more because most of it, as you can tell, is done in the green yarn. I got the hat, the body (including the arms) done, but then ran out making the "tree" part that gets sewn to the hat. If there is a particular challenge to this gnome, it is getting the "tree" sewn onto the hat with the spacing to cover the hat well, and not let the hat show through.

Quick trip for yarn refill required

He's taller and bigger than the snow gnomes, so he takes a little longer to make than they do, but I thought he came together well. I do want to experiment with color schemes, though. Is it too much green? Should I try a darker green? Maybe matching tree and body is too much? I have questions! Of course, I do.

So, here is the next tree hat gnome in progress:

A little bit of an autumn vibe

The body is going to be orange, the nose and arms a little lighter brown, and the tree wrap will be the variegated green/gold with white for that early season snow. That will work, right? It isn't particularly Christmas-y, but I still want to see it put together.

I think the next gnome on my agenda is one of the nutcracker gnomes. They should be a hoot!

The Ladybug Challenge

 

Last year I started a challenge, using the crafting magazines that have been left to me. I have actually enjoyed looking through these magazines, with the thought of creating something. AND I've found them inspirational, as well. This issue has been traveling around with me for a while, with a gallon ziploc carrying some balls of crochet thread.

Annie's Crochet Newsletter Sept-Oct 1996

Inside, is a pattern for a pair of cute little crocheted ladybug earrings. Since I made those ladybug outfits for the stuffed bunnies, I was caught! No, I am not making earrings, but I thought they would be cute! cute! cute! on a hair scrunchie, or the like. Heck. They're just CUTE!

Ladybug Pattern!

  

Ladybug Pattern page 2

I've been busy making stuff, so these guys kinda have been biding their time, waiting patiently (since, like, 1996). But, last Thursday, I started one. Today, I finished the cute little guy. 

Top view

  

Side view

Small, and adorable. 

So, here's my take on these guys. The pattern was pretty simple, and easy to follow, and not super difficult with the small hook and thread. Even so, I am going to make another, and scale up the yarn and hook a little. Yes, I used beads for the spots. I have never gotten the hang of French knots. Even today, they were more like French nots! But I got to sift through my bead stash and found these guys, which I like the look of. A lot. The biggest pain in the butt was having to thread the needle to go through the ladybug to the next spot spot (hee hee) and then unthreading it, waxing the thread so it was stiff enough to go through the bead (and making it easier to rethread the needle, too) and then rethreading the needle. 

Christmas Gnome Ornaments

 

My latest crochet obsession. It all started with a search on Etsy, and some patterns I bought and downloaded (and I may have to go back for seconds because SQUEEEEE!!). It reminds me of ALL the birds I crocheted a couple of years ago, and I even pulled out my tub of cotton yarn to use on these guys. When I did the stacking ring toys, the sheep I did in the cotton yarn was much more stable with the stuffing than the acrylic ones, so I looked through for Christmassy skeins.

Snowgnomes!!!

I've added string to these to hang them, as they are intended to be ornaments. I got a few different trim things to use for hangers, but I'm not satisfied with those, so more experimentation will follow. I love the hats. I love the huge carrot noses. I love the little twiggy arms. And this is only ONE of the patterns that I got!

There are also  some gnome nutcracker ornaments, and Santa gnomes with trees for hats. But I had to start with the snowgnomes. Can you blame me?

Two versions of this tall hat

Besides the Christmas flavored snowgnomes, I am going to make some Wintery snowgnomes as well and some that are just perfectly happy to hang around to make someone smile. Like me. They definitely make me smile!

Christmas is in the Eye of the Beholder

 

Not too long ago, when I was making eye monsters, I noticed something about the eyeballs. They fit perfectly into the palm of my hand, like a Christmas ornament. A Christmas ornament??? Yeah. pretty much. I know you might think it is weird to think about a Christmas ornament eyeball, but that is exactly what I did. 

Crafting isn't just about following a pattern, or making what someone else has made. It is about exploring, and creativity, and taking something, and running with it. So I did.

Festive, right?

I can't tell you how much these amuse me. I picture them hanging in a decorated tree, and watching all the festivities (or the pets, sniffing around the tree). Are they judging? Are they gathering info for their alien masters? I dunno. Maybe. I know, though, that they aren't everyone's cup of tea. Nothing is everyone's cup of tea. Not even cups of tea.

They go pretty fast, and are really pretty easy, once you're familiar with the pattern, which is perfect for making a set of them. How many is in a set? I dunno, probably somewhere between 6 and 12. Depends on whether I get bored or tired of making them. Or how much Christmassy/festive yarn I find and want to buy.

Here's looking at YOU, kid!

Things that I have done similar to other eye creatures I have made: I used different yarns for the irises. I like how that gives a little depth to the eye. I've done a black with a little hint of color in it for the pupils, and not added a plastic safety eye in there (which I did use in the others). I will experiment some with the eye colors of these, because the results will interest me. For example, I made this one with a red eye.

Sauron is looking a little festive this year

I like it, but it could get too much, I think. I hope the outside kinda tones it down a little. What do you think?

Yeah, festive.

Talking about yarn, the yarn for the eyelid of this one was a brand I don't usually buy, but it was a color I hadn't seen, and had that strand of silver in it for that festive touch. But the hook went through the yarn easily, as it isn't wound very tight, and that made it difficult to crochet with, since I'm using kind of a small hook. Sigh.

Any way, I don't expect everyone to want these. I couldn't make that many anyway. But I would like to get a little feedback. I know, you think I'm weird. But is that a bad thing? I don't think so.

So this set of creatures are called, "Christmas is in the Eye of the Beholder." For those of you who have never been into Fantasy books, or Role Playing Games, Beholders are monsters that look like an eye. See what I did there? Of course you did!

WHAT?? A Dinosaur Unicorn? Of Course I'll Make That!

 

What if I start off with a picture of the finished piece this time! You know you want to see it!

The cuteness, right?

So I made this for someone who loves dinosaurs. As one does. I got the pattern from this book of cuteness:

The same book that I got the turquoise dragon from

I'm sensing a turquoise theme here, and it doesn't hurt, does it.

Bobby the Dinocorn

I think you probably want to look at the pictures, and see kind of how this dinosaur came together.

First up, the head

Body, belly, and legs. Love the head tilt

And the arms

The ears!

The tail, then the horn, and the flowers

I like the flowers so much that I had to make some extras to add to the hat of the Ring Toy Sheep! 

Here's the before

And, the after!

Enjoy making stuff!

More Eye Monsters

 

It is time for another eyeball monster. This time, it isn't quite a spider, but maybe an eye bug?

Ever feel like something is watching you?

This time, it's mostly about those legs. I mean. THOSE LEGS! They are what's cool and what's creepy about this monster. You can't really tell for sure from this photo, but there are six legs. More of an eye bug than an eye spider. I thought I would go for eight when I started, but there are a couple of reasons that it worked out to be six. First, I used all of the skein of that variegated that I had, and had to fill in a little with some of the orange on a couple of the legs. And really? six was plenty to have to make. Not quite as repetitive as the dragon spines, and they got easier as I practiced making them, but I was definitely ready to move on to something else. Plus, they are placed pretty close together, here, aren't they?

top view for leg counting

The pattern suggested leg options, like stuffing them or putting in a wire, or both. I opted for wire. Pipe cleaners (fuzzy craft wire these days?) are what I used, and if you pose the legs, they will keep their position pretty well. I did not use stuffing, but if you did, you should stuff as you go, I think, and really a light stuffing, but stuffing and the pipe cleaners would fight and be hard to have both. I also bought some armature wire, which is more substantial than the pipe cleaners. I think if you really wanted the legs to hold the eye up more, you would want to use that, and you might have to have the wire travel through the body and down one of the other legs. The book suggested  a front right to back left sort of pattern. For this monster, I'm satisfied with the pipe cleaners, although who knows what the future of eye bugs may hold. I do still have that armature wire, after all.

This is the second eyeball I've made, and I was pretty happy with how the eye turned out. 

Ready for a close up!

After I did the iris, with the shiny plastic safety eye in the center, I did a row of the light orange, followed by a row of the dark orange, which dropped into the lighter color every third stitch. I really like the depth of color that added, and I'll try that again. I was surprised that the eyelid was a little loose this time, but not too bad, and I was careful to sew into the eyeball to keep everything in place.

I'm going to be working through this book for a while! SO MANY MONSTERS!

So Much FUN!

The Turquoise Dragon

I finished another dragon. This one was a special request, AND my first time using a new pattern.

He's a cutie, right?

 

My cousin requested a dragon, for a friend of hers, who saw her dragon and wanted one too (I mean, not to toot my own maker horn, but right??). So when she brought out yarn for me, I couldn't say no.

I wanted to start fresh with a pattern I hadn't used before, so this is where I started.

Here's the book...

And here's the pattern

The pattern looked like it would be reasonably easy to make. SO I got started. I found the instructions to be pretty accurate, and could follow them well. Even though there were a lot of parts to assemble on the head, I got them in place pretty well. The eyelids were a little problematic, but ultimately, I feel like their slight wonkiness creates expression on the dragon's face.

fascinating (a Spock reference)

So what are my take-aways? 

One, the row of spikes on his back are BORING to create. Tiresome. They actually stopped me for a while. I got the head spikes done and sewn on, then FINALLY powered through the rest. 

Two I'm finding that sewing the parts on with a needle helps with more accurate - even if not always perfect - placement of those pieces, and I think it goes quicker as well. Tapestry needle for the win!

Three. Dragon toe beans!!!

Cute as heck!

In fact the construction of the leg as a whole. It was made it two pieces and I think the shaping allowed by that was good! Between the legs and the tail, this dragon is very stable sitting upright. I appreciate that.

Four, I'll be trying another pattern from this book SOON!

So, are those spikes worth it???

An Eye Monster Named Charles

 

Once upon a time, there was a bestie, who had a daughter (Ok, two, actually). Their family is definitely part of my family of the heart. I shared how I made the younger daughter an apple, because she is a teacher with a new teaching job. Now it is time to meet Charles.

Everyone, meet Charles

One of my Christmas presents was this book:

A very fun instruction manual

It has instructions for all kinds of monster parts, to let a crocheter build the monster of their dreams. It is not the first or only book I've gotten by Megan Lapp, and I have found their instructions reasonably easy to follow. So this would count as a recommendation.

Here's an example eye monster

This, then, is where we started. I didn't have much trouble with the eyeball itself. I did one with a crocheted iris, and then added a safety eye anyway. I used the biggest one I had, but wished I had a bigger one. Still it does give a shine. I didn't have trouble making the eyelid, but the yarn was bigger than what I had used for the eyeball, I think. Anyway it looked like this

Not the close fit I wanted.

Darn it! So I tried again with a little smaller yarn.

Better, right?

Still, I kept the green/blue eyelid, you never know what you'll need some day...

Then, came the arms and legs. I debated with myself whether I would even stuff them at all. Lapp does include instructions for putting wires in, in case that is something you want to do, but I left Charles soft and lightly stuffed.

In process with one arm

In process with feet and legs

I wasn't positive I had enough of the variegated yarn to make the whole monster, so I added a bit of grey for the eyelids, and at the elbows, heels and knees. I couldn't resist pinkie toes either. I mean!

I got him sewn together with the needle (Yep, I think that's a learning curve I navigated), and I'm pretty happy with how he sits.

So, this is not the only eye monster on my agenda. I think I have to make one for Ron, and maybe one that has spider legs. You know what else? They turn out the perfect size for a Christmas ornament! Would it freak you out to find your Christmas tree looking back at you?

What else will I find in this book of monsters???