Crafting Creatures

Taking a break from my monster, by starting a cow instead. Here’s the inside mouth, bottom lip, and start of muzzle. Since I’m trying to use up my pink sport weight yarn on inconsequential items, I decided to learn from my past mistake of saggy-mouth-syndrome by making a 2-ply thick inner mouth, which would be tacked onto the mouth top and bottom. It’s definitely a hefty mouth now.

The first two circles I made for the nose were too big and they kept shaping into boobs. So I went with it and made it into a heart. The next two circles were Rnd 1-5: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, then joined together. Next rounds were no increasing or decreasing, then a slow increase of 2 stitches as I worked my way up toward the eyes. The head is made from 10 stiches of single crochet, then I just worked into that base chain, making an automatic oval.

The horns are Rounds 1-8: 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 14 stitch counts. Then next HDC in next 4 stitches, sc, ss, turn work, sc, HDC in next 4 stitches, sc, ss. So what this does is make one side taller, so it curves the horns when you sew to head.

Attaching the mouth to the head is always the hard part. I tried two methods – first I sewed the oval head to the mouth wherever the curve wanted to go. The result is too sharply cornered.

I chose to crochet the two pieces together, but it forces the oval head to pucker over the straight mouth. If I pull it straight, it ends up looking like those cow skeletons in the desert.

I gave him a mole like Cindy Crawford’s. Hope it’s still fashionable, although I think the buckteeth ruin it. All that’s left is a tongue and brains (filler to keep the head puffed up).

Now I know why patterns are so hard to do. By the 10th time I’ve ripped out the body to get the belly just so, all I care about is getting it finished!

Yes, my sewn crochet case was a feat, but it took too much effort to quickly grab what I needed. I had to unravel the whole thing just to get a different needle from the needle nest. So this is my newest Crochet Case. I got this metallic case it at some trade show and put some fridge magnets on the lid. Now when I reach for my scissors, I just hook my fingers right in. I did have to pare down my needle selection and I have great fondness for my needle nest, but hey! I can pick up any needle right away!

Open wide and say “aaahhh”. I thought by using up my accidentally purchased sport weight pink yarn, I’d be doing my overflowing stash bin a favor. Unfortunately, it made the mouth too pliable, and as my 7 yr old nephew asked “Why is the inside of his mouth on the outside?” I wondered why I make things so hard on myself? My good-aunt skills falter as we decide to give Jean a cigarette, but I try to make up for it by making a cherry lollipop too.

I finished the last stitch on his t-shirt a block away from my sister-in-law’s – just in time for her Xmas gift to be wrapped and hidden to surprise her! Winnie the puppet was quite fun to make, but since I had no pattern to work from was a little challenging at times.

He’s small at 4.5″, but that actually makes it harder! Next time, I’m going way bigger! Whew! Just in time for xmas.

Can’t wait to see my niece, Ruby, play with this kitty puppet, Rosy.

I had to weave yarn over the post behind the eyes so it won’t bother her hand when she plays with it. But I just had to use them because I love the cat eyes, so it was worth the extra effort.

Tangerine Mist from Vanna White’s yarn collection mimics the random fur of an orange cat. The yarn is also very easy to work with and puffs up aftewards to fill in gaps so filler doesn’t show. Too bad Michael’s sold out before Halloween.

My nephew couldn’t wait for me to finish the frog’s mouth before playing and hopping around with the puppet. Hard to tell who had the more fun – him playing or me watching.

The side-by-side photo shows the difference between a 3 and 4 mm hook. The pattern and yarn is the same. Since I don’t need to stuff this, I think a 4 mm hook is better as it makes the puppet slightly more flexible because the stitches are not as tight.

The pattern can be found on a Japanese website:
http://www.rakuten.co.jp/gosyo/461397/713923/826132/841462/

Wish I could have used the plastic eyes on this small Totoro, but it wouldn’t be a good idea since he’s being given to soon-to-be 1 year old nephew Marcus.

It was made with cotton yarn, so yielded a stiffer weave. I think it’ll be great for puppets.

Thank you for the pattern generously supplied by Heavens Hellcat

I’m forced to shave her lovely mane and tail, because she’ll only go bald eventually. This fluffy peach yarn comes undone faster than an open bag of filler in front of a fan. Oh well, I need to use up some accidentally purchased sport weight pink yarn.

I also think the back legs have to be moved more to the back, so her head can come up rather than always looking like she’s going for a drink of water.

I loved the chihuahua dogs made for Art on the Farm and especially the dog bed pillow sold along with them. The limbs are so fun to pose, I thought it’d be fun to have them placed with a dog bone too. I used the same circle method to create the 3D Hearts, and continued into a tube, then flared out and halved it to create the opposing two nubs for the other end (it’s not as nice as the 3D Heart method). Can’t wait to pose with a chihuahua!

I hoped Spool Knitting techniques would make thin limbs for our dolls easier and quicker. It was hard not to pull extra fibers of yarn from the completed middle, making for a marred surface. The finished limb is also too fine and flexible, and unable to support even the smallest pets we make. The crocheted limb on the right is made the traditional round way to compare.

Entering the quiet hum of the dentist office, I prepared to wait happily by crocheting more mice to sell at Art on the Farm. An employee asked what I was making and 5 seconds later the respectful silence dissolved into chirrups of appreciation. All 5 were sold before I could take a picture, but I managed to snap these 2 before they scampered away.