Cheap Blades for Fiskars 12″ Trimmer
I love my Fiskars Trimmer (the new version is so distracting!) and was tingling with anticipation while getting home to see if this discontinued brand Maped blades would fit. It’s being discontinued at the DeSerres store on Main for just .99 cents (reg $13.49) – did I mention it’s 2 blades per pack? Needless to say I’m a happy camper cause it fit and did the job. They have this edge (shown on bottom of left photo of packaging) and an even edged wave as well – the next on my shopping list now that I know it fits.
DeSerres: 1629 Main Street, Vancouver, Tel. : (604) 681-7351
dog jacket
Here is my first attempt at making dog jackets. It’s made of some tough water resistant nylon lined with polar fleece.
Hopefully this will help Bruce Lee stay a little drier on those wet rainy days!
The stores sell them for about $30 and up. I made this for roughly $10. At that price I can still afford to make more jackets when he outgrows this one!
Commissioned Amigurumi Pug
My friend’s little sister commissioned me to make a pug for her. I hope she likes her.
You can check out more of my stuff at: gigglestuff.wordpress.com
Thanks for visiting 
Quilled Cupcakes
I still have to add the greetings on them, but right now I’m just enjoying “baking” them all. As for HOW did I make them??? Believe me, I’m kicking myself for not taking notes. I’m selling them at this weekend’s mini craft fair to make more room for new flavors.
Condolence Card for Nana
I really enjoyed making this card for my friend who lost his beloved Nana, peacefully at age 98. They shared many talks over tea and cookies.
Quilled Flower Pots
Made this 2nd card using Cec’s instructions / guide .
Worked out pretty well. Great instructions Cec!
Quilled Card “Thinking of You”
The circles are cut from a metallic pearlescent paper
and rounds off that tactile “handmade with love” feel.
Purple Bunny Amigurumi
Here is the new Love Bunny using purple yarn for my photoshoot. Once this pattern gets drafted into PDF form, I’ll post on etsy to sell. Check back here for info
Quilled Jam Jar
Homegrown raspberries were plucked and jellied (yay! i don’t like seeds) and given to me, so this was just a small note of thanks.
Granny Squares
I love granny squares. I dunno why. I found this person’s VERY cool way to join granny squares as you make them. I just had to try it out and I love how easy this is. I may complete that granny square quilt I’ve always wanted! Thanks Sarah London Textiles!
Here is my version (but I love Sarah’s colours!!!)
Purple Lion Amigurumi
Started out as a rattle, turned into a lion. Inspired by Ange but I was too lazy to do a full-on mane. This one just goes around the face. I’m happy with it
magnolia birdcage veil
A friend of mine is getting married and really wanted a birdcage veil.
It didn’t go with her dress but I made one for her stagette.
I used organza and tulle to make this magnolia like flower. I’ve also added some feather accents for extra drama.
I kept the veil short to keep it cute and casual.
You can give this a whirl by referencing Hip Hostess’ guidelines.
Below are photos of it before the feathers. Didn’t have time to take another photo of the final product
Congratulations Card
I finished the congratulation’s card using Cec’s template . Used it yesterday at a friend’s baby one-month. Perfect timing.
Quilled Bouquet Wannabe
Saw a photo of a round bouquet of flowers and thought I’d love to quill that, but do it without flowers. I still have to add the part where you hold it, but I wonder if I should just stop as is. I’ve also hidden a little something in there.
quilled wedding cake card
Inspired by Cecelia, I quilled this three tiered wedding cake card for a friend’s upcoming wedding.
It was super fun to make. Just took a lot of time…
Peachy Keen
I wanted to design a smaller, faster doll, so I could write up a pattern and sell it on etsy. Well, it has taken me this long to make the doll. It might be a while before I get it on etsy… sigh… where does the time go? Anyways, I’m in the process of writing it up, then I’ll need to photograph step-by-step directions. I’m so glad I’m a designer by profession bcs it’ll be fun to put together instructions :0) Stay tuned for more…
Peachy-Keen Bunny is my take on Care Bears. Dang, I really wished I had one of those when I was growing up in the eighties… Now I just have to make my own <3
custom dog crate slip cover
This is a slip cover I custom made for my dog’s new crate. I picked the wire crate b/c I thought it would be less stuffy in the summer but the breeder warned me that its will allow hair to escape making it a little messier so I made a custom slip cover to address that problem.
The fabric was 6.99 a meter from Ikea. I used about 3.5 meters. It’s complete with two flap doors. Right now we need this door but when he’s bigger, we can turn the crate around and use the other door.
Now it’sa fashionable and functionable crate!
whimsical quilled damask
Cec has inspired me to come out of quilling retirement.
I had recently broken the glass on this frame but didn’t want to throw it away. I wanted to make use of it and decided to quill something. I thought a glass-free frame would showcase the textures and dimensions of quilling well.
This is my whimsical attempt at creating a damask pattern.
Lexi’s DIY Corrugated Cat Bed
My cat Lexi didn’t like the bed I bought her, but prefers boxes or cloth shopping bags. So I made one from 1 sided corrugated cardboard, and now it’s fit for the Queen. I trailed some string through the middle hole to entice her and once her claws started being massaged, she forgot all about her prey.
Cardboard Cat Bed
I think I’ve found my next quilling project, inspired by this cat bed by Design Sponge.
Quilled Happy Birthday Cards
OK, finally I have signed up with WordPress.com with support and push from my sister-in-law. This is my first project of quilling Birthday card for my friends which use the instructions from Cecelia’s new Etsy listing. Thanks Cec !!
Tamako
Martha DIY Wedding
Martha Stewart is accepting submissions for DIY handmade wedding day details until Sept 1, 2009.
I’ve kept our wedding party favours and still enjoy looking at it and remembering our day. Folding 365 paper stars as a gift for your loved one shows you think of them every day of the year. After printing an image of stars on vellum, we rolled them around empty toilet paper tubes, glued the edges, then crimped the tube ends in opposite directions. Filled with chocolate and stars, we thanked our guests for sharing our day.
I’m on Etsy now!
It may be blasé in a high-tech computer age to be listing on Etsy, but for me it was a huge step.
When I quill, I’ve made items without thinking about length of strip or where the elements will be – they take shape as I go and if it doesn’t feel right I reach for another strip. When I try to re-create something I enjoy and write down a pattern, the two sides of my brain conflict. To create instructions to make my flowers or lay them on a card has been quite a process – not to mention how to photograph my hands when both are glueing pieces together!
Anyway, I have been buoyed by friends and comments here on this blog to put instructions together. Thank you always for your encouragement!
Cecelia
Quilled Happy Birthday Card
Pink is the birthday girl’s fave color. I’m very excited to give it to her because it’s based on my new designs I’m launching on Etsy
Amigurumi Two! by Ana Paula Rimoli
Now at the Burnaby Public Library
- ISBN-10: 156477922X
- ISBN-13: 978-1564779229
No More Papers
After many years of hard work after full-time work, we are thrilled to congratulate a new grad with a Bachelor of Arts.
The “poncho”
After knitting those animal hats for my kids, I wanted to knit something for myself. I started this project back in January and it took me close to 3 months to do. Don’t get me wrong, the pattern was not 
difficult. I just took my time. I made a few rookie mistakes, but overall, I’m happy with this as it keeps me cozy on chilly mornings.
Oh, and thank you to many trusty fold up chair for modeling the poncho 
Pattern: Yarn Girls’ Guide to Beyond the Basics
Penguin
The long awaited penguin that I had promised (back in the Fall) my friend’s child…finally completed in early Spring.
This penguin is definitely better looking than “Hippy Hippo” (pattern from the same book).
Pattern: Tiny Yarn Animals by Tamie Snow
Inspiration: Umi no Ue no Oshiro
I am in awe of the meticulous patience needed to achieve a piece like this. Found it on Tokyobling’s blog about an exhibition called Umi no Ue no Oshiro (A Castle On the Ocean ), 海の上のお城.
Paper Tops by Martha Stewart
Now why didn’t I think of this? Shhh! No one tell the kids this project is really for MY benefit!!! (Click photo for link to Martha’s site).
Lickety-split, my nephews are all over this project. Here’s what they made:
To “top” it all off, here’s Martha Stewart using quilled bells on a wedding cake.
Quilled Happy Father’s Day Card
My dad loves to garden and eagerly anticipates snow peas every year. I hope one day I’ll be able to garden as well as he does.
Japanese Knit-Crochet Books
This person on Flickr is obviously not just a fan, but a fanatic of Japanese craft books, and now I’m her fan. I found her set of photos when looking to show my latest library addition from Kinokunia bookstore in Uwajimaya, Seattle.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39137730@N00/sets/72157602779468651/
Dressed up bear
Originally didn’t really like how this bear turned out (fuzzy yarn made it look kinda worn, also looked kinda naked), but thanks to Dee’s idea of a dress, I’m much happier with it now . 
Old bear
Hey, my version of Cec’s puppet. Thanks Cec for help understanding the pattern. My mom saw the puppet and seems to have confiscated it. At least she’s enjoying it.
Quilled Thank You Cards
Wow, I didn’t think I could make 3 cards in the span of less than a week! I hope the teachers enjoy these cards I made for a friend’s kids’ teachers, and know they are appreciated. The last is for a music teacher obviously.
Bees
Tried to think of new cat toys for my friends’ cats. We’ll see how well these little things get flung around. I was hoping stripes would intrigue cats. Since I have no cats of my own, I’ll have to test these out with my friends’ cats :0)
Amigurumi Bunnies — Kawaii
I am a new bunny also. I love my minty green dress <3
Quilled Goldfish
Welcoming a new small fry into the world, whose parents enjoy goldfish. The baby bib is a vintage japanese print sewn onto thick fabric to soak up drool. Scored it at a local Etsy craft sale in Vancouver.
Quilled Cat
My 9-yr old nephew, Christopher, quilled a birthday card for his friend. I’m simply amazed at his ratio of elements. I could not have done it better.
Pallet Garden
I realize gardening has never been a “craft” subject here, but this was made with hands, love, and ingenuity. We salvaged these pallets from a local warehouse and cut them into thirds. 2 full pallets were used here. 4′x4′ posts screwed to the corners and voila, a beautifully gridded garden bed full of black gold, just waiting for planting. Grid was stapled old venetian blinds. It was inspired by the Square Foot Garden method. Now if we could just ask the previous owners to move along…
Quilled Ginkgo Biloba with Crimper
This was the perfect use of my nephew’s crimper. I crimped an entire length of paper first, then straightened out the other parts of the leaf, and left the crimped part on top undisturbed. There are 3 shades of green, going for a variegated effect. I think it adds more depth than just using the same color. Here’s a photo of a real leaf I used as reference.
I choose you, Manaphy!
My nephew requested a Manaphy pokemon a long while ago, and it was only recently that I was feeling up to winging my own pattern. Ta-da, here is the result. Yes, I know I am still missing a yellow jewel and if I feel like it, I shall add it just before I give to him when he’s in town this summer for a visit.
Amigurumi Rebecca Rabbit
My friend’s custom order. This one was fast! Will be done in another 3 hrs worth of work. New bunny ear design. Shorter and faster and I still like them.
Pink Haired Amigurumi Girl
Just finished my friend’s super girlie amigurumi. She requested a lot of pink and purple. I quite like how her hair turned out. It is fun to put it in different hair styles.
Rowan Neck Warmer
I am almost finished this crocheted neck warmer. Just have to buy some big wooden buttons! I’m pretty happy with it. I used a 9mm crochet hook so the varying thickness yarn could remain poofy. I was surprised how little yarn there is on a ball, but think this will make a nice neck warmer when the weather is cold again. I especially love these bright colours with my dark winter clothing :0)
Freedah Cat Puppet
My first experiment melding the puppet head with movable arms. The mouth still wasn’t stiff even though I added a second panel on the inside. Still, can’t beat being able to pick things up and wash your face. It was modeled after my friend’s cat, Freedah.
I know I shouldn’t enjoy seeing her smoke, but I can’t help laughing when I see this.
Amigurumi for Knitters
So I don’t know how to knit, but so what? It’s amazing to admire how detailed and thinly elegant knitting can be for amigurumi. Unfortunately instructions are for intermediate knitters, not complete beginners.
Hansi Singh (Seattle, WA) began designing knit amigurumi creatures as playmates for her infant son. Hansigurumi, a shop she opened on Etsy for selling her amigurumi patterns, caught the attention (and needles!) of knitters in the US and abroad, and became an overnight success. Hailed “an amazing up and coming crafter” by CRAFT magazine.
- Paperback: 128 pages
- Publisher: Creative Publishing international (April 1, 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1589234359
- ISBN-13: 978-1589234352
Crobots by Nelly Pailloux
Very excited to pick up my latest request of Burnbay Public Library.
Nelly Pailloux is a keen amigurumi maker and craftswoman, finding inspiration for her creations in cookbooks, children’s illustrations, and the media. She runs the online store La Fee Crochette, and lives in the English countryside.
- Paperback: 96 pages
- Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (April 21, 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0740778277
- ISBN-13: 978-0740778278
Yarn Addiction
I knew it would be a bad idea for me to head into one of my favourite yarn shops to buy some yarn… I just wanted something to go with my vibrant lilac/pink alpaca sport weight… Bad idea… I ended up buying $50 worth of yarn… Sigh…. Ok, this is the last time I buy fancy yarn. I’m done.
This is the (slightly) variegated orange yarn I bought to go with the vibrant lilac/pink alpaca sport weight. This orange yarn is thinner than my sport weight, but I might try crocheting with two strands. And there is 400 yrds of the stuff, I’ll never need to buy orange again! Malabrigo superwash merino wool sock yarn $23.95/skein.
You know I cannot resist variegated yarn like this. It looks like candy! This was on sale 60% off. Reg $20/skein, on sale $$7.95/skein. How could I say ‘no’? I bought three skeins. Will try to make a chunky scarf… Like I don’t have enough yarn or scarves already… Hee hee!
Ribbit
Thanks to Cec for helping me with the hand puppet. It was a lot of fun to make. I’m going to have to make the piggy and bear for friend’s kids now .
Alice in Wonderland Cat
Want more? Visit me here: gigglestuff.wordpress.com
Button Crazy!
Oh, there’s nothing cheaper and more thrilling to me than buttons. I want to use them for new amigurumi eyes. I found these lovely ones at Fabricland. Three pairs for $1.09. I hope they make good cat eyes.
Wanna see me all done? Visit me at: gigglestuff.blogspot.com
Christopher’s Crimper
I’m so proud of my 9yr-old nephew Christopher. We bought him the “Lego Crazy Action Contraption” book from Klutz, but I admit to looking forward to the day when I could “borrow” it to make the gears crimp my quilling paper. I showed him how it could crimp and the next day he insisted they come over to give me my very own crimper!!!
Fabric Dogs
Fabric weiner dog for myself. I recall having a blue fabric weiner dog in our home when I was little. Since I still have so much fabric from my friend Shani, I thought I’d try to recreate it with printed fabric. I hand sewed this whole thing. The gentle curves were easy to flip inside out without too much pukering.
My latest that I whipped out in like 1.5 hrs (hand sewing, remember) is the polka dot one.
Crafting with Glass Bottles
I realize this is outside our usual topic of our usual hobbies, but I just couldn’t help admiring it. If I ever get the chance to visit Thailand again, I’d seriously considering visiting here. Click on the photo to read the full article.
Hello Kitty
This is my very first time following a Japanese chart and surprisingly I enjoyed it very much. It is very similar to reading a cross-stitch pattern.
My niece LOVED her HK very much, Hello Kitty will never be short on hugs and kisses.
Cow Puppet (In Progress 90%)
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).
Quilled 1st Birthday Card
Our adorable little niece is turning 1 and we’re celebrating all her firsts – smiles, crawls, steps…
Monster – In Progress (65%)
I was quite excited to start my new idea of a monster puppet with a mouth that would never close.
I tried many times to use eyelash yarn to make a hairy monster, but gave up after fighting with it so much. Instead I gave it multicolors by changing the body color. Since then, my love for my budding monster has gone astray and I somehow don’t love it quite so much anymore, even though it’s neat to have it stick out its tongue.
Puppet Master
When my friend told me she was into puppets, I didn’t know how much she meant that! Her grandmother handcrafted these amazing dolls from scraps of cloth, and helped made her grandchildrens’ imagination come to life. It’s already been previously written about!
More fishies
I can’t stop making these variations of fishies from roman sock’s inspiration. They are so adorable. All my friends are getting one as a gift
Petunia
Petunia, 20″ tall and hates high heels, is very excited to meet her new owner and new monkey friend named Koko, a movie critic.
Earphone Whales
Roman Sock is brilliant. She combines cute with functionality! All praise roman sock!!!
I had to make her latest invention: the earphone whale. It brilliantly hides your precious earphones inside the whale in a nicely fitting mouth. The design of the mouth is especially smart. The opening where your earphones tuck into is on the inside back of the whale’s mouth. And my hubby especially likes how the eyes keep the mouth closed. When he saw mine, he immediately asked, “can you make me one too?!!” Too funny…
Here is Roman Sock’s blog: littlegreen.typepad.com/romansock/
Here is where you can buy her pattern: http://littlegreen.typepad.com/romansock/shop.html
Quilted Tea Cozy
This should have been easier to make. I had no pattern, I just winged it. I sewed the ties on wrong, ripped that out, then I had the batting on the wrong side (it would have been showing on the inside of this teacozy. So I had to rip that all apart and put it in the right place). Whew! Now it’s done. And I do love it. It’s bright and cheery, and allows me to pour my tea without having to take the cozy off. I just tested it and it kept my tea warm for over 2.5 hrs!!
Pink Quilt
Finished this girlie quilt today. It is only 33 inches square. The following pictures show some process shots. Neat to see what the quilt looks like before the quilting process.
Blue Quilt — My First
My first quilt (strip-style quilt) made from fabrics given to me from a friend, Shani. This quilt is only 36-inches square. I sewed squiggly stitch lines for the quilted part. Back side is white. Looks great with our sofa!! Thank you Shani (tot-to-go.com)
Pattern Help
Japanese Translations: http://mylittlemochi.typepad.com/my_little_mochi/2006/03/japanese_patter.html
Stitch Legend: http://www.hassdesign.com/StitchLegend/
Basic Stitches: http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/stitches/e-index.html
Clover How To (crochet is bottom 4 PDF files): http://www.clover.co.jp/howto/index.shtml
Rudy Rooster Puppet
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!
Yarn Bombing
Beware the friend who suddenly takes up crochet. She (or he) may be a yarn bomber (the surreptitious or unauthorized placement of knitted objects on statues, posts, and other public structures).
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090130.wlyarn30/BNStory/lifeMain/home
http://www.yarnbombing.com/
http://knittups.se/
http://knittaplease.com/KNITTA_PLEASE.html
Crochet Hook Carry Case
Thank you to Shani for giving me her extra fabric from her business: Tot-to-Go (baby slings). I have been doing some sewing. Here is my new crochet hook carry case. It is double-thickness and has a compartment for each of my Clover hooks (you see I’m hoping to buy a 5mm Clover hook, which I’ve left room for — heheheheeh).
Yes, and notice when the inside flap is down, how the pattern lines up — yup, I’m a genius!
Crochet heart
Yes, thank you Pepika for sharing the crochet heart. I modified it a bit, so the heart was a bit longer. Just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Yarn is Vanna’s Choice “cranberry”. I used a 4mm hook.merino wool neck warmer…in the works
so Mar introduced me to the world of crochet and now she’s introduced me to the universe of fine quality yarns!
I fell in love with this italian merino wool…in two colours. And under pressure, I caved and bought two bundles of 90m at $12.99 a ball!
I had no idea what I was going to make but just knew I really really liked them.
Here’s a close up of the bundle. And here is a sneak peek of the ribbed neck warmer I’m making. I love the stormy colours!
oh-so-warm mittens
My latest mittens.
I loved how cool but cozy these colours worked together. The pink is Bernat Alpaca and the grey is Bernat Softee Chunky.
Koigu scarf
This is my new favourite yarn. It’s a Canadian company, I just chatted with a fellow on their 1-888 number from their website. The company’s called Koigu and the particular line is Kersti Crepe, 100% Merino wool (100 m/ 114 yds). Anyways, it’s really soft and very puffy yarn. It is sportweight, but I used a 6mm hook to crochet this thin scarf. I probably should have bought two skeins of the yarn, but I’ll use this scarf more like a neck wrap (I put a single wooden button on it). Thanks to Angela for showing me how to crochet this particular pattern, which really shows off the loft of the yarn.
You can buy Koigu Kersti Crepe at Urban Yarns (urbanyarns.ca) at 4421 W. 10th Ave, in Vancouver (near UBC), or Edgemont Village in North Van.
Note: When I was chatting with the Koigu fellow, I asked if their product was made in Canada, well it’s not. It is hand-painted in Canada. But the yarn is made in N. Zealand. They have 3 suppliers: one in UK, one in Spain and one in N. Zealand.
Crochet Case
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!
Jean (French Pronounciation)
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.
aubergine mittens
I was so inspired by Mar’s mittens that I’ve taken a crack at winging a pair of my own!
I was going to make stripped mittens however got lazy about making an exact match. I tried a different technique though. If you take a close look, the middle band of purple is a different type of stitching. You can create a different type of texture by just yarning into the top loop and not both loops.
Octopus Amigurumi
Dreamy octopus is imagining a bright, colourful world under the sea.
Twilleys of Stamford Yarn
I couldn’t resist! I saw some gorgeous yarn at 3 Bags Full, but didn’t want to spend $42 on a skein, but found this at Birkeland Brothers which is different, but had that twirly variagated colour that I wanted to try.
It’s called “Freedom Spirit” and is 100% wool by Twilleys of Stamford (made in England). It’s kinda fuzzy and rough (doubt I’d be able to stand any clothing made of it — it makes me sneeze too), but it’s gorgeous and only cost me $6. It’s got 120m (50g). I’m going to make a little amigurumi octopus out of it. I should be able to make quite a few.
Amigurumi Girl
Working on a girl amigurumi (which I’ve never done before). My first attempt at hair was with my Spock amigurumi and that was hell! This one turned out much better, smoother and softer, not as bulky. Doubt I’ll be making many more of these girls though.
I must admit the hair is fun to make into a braid or leave as ponytail.
Koigu Mittens
I whipped up some mittens (I’ve always loved mittens). I finally thought of the perfect item for me to make using this lovely Koigu yarn I bought half price at 3 Bags Full on Main St. These are the softest wool items I own! Wow. I see why it’s important to buy expensive, higher end wool. These are not scratchy wool at all and seem quite durable. I did the very tips of the fingers (including tips of thumb) in Single Crochet, then increased to Half Double Crochet for speediness. I am definitely a Koigu Kerstye Crepe Merino fan now!!! And it’s made in Canada (I think).
Japanese Translations
Some of the best amigurumi patterns are in Japanese – here are some basic body parts:
1) 頭 Head
2) 胴 Body
3) 手 Hand
4) 足 Foot
5) しっぽ Tail
6) 耳 Ear
7) くち Mouth
Little Totoro
Here is my crochet version of little Totoro. As you can see, I struggled with its eyes (its got two black eyes).
I crochet this because Deanne and Cecelia were also making one. Both were surprised that I didn’t know the story of Totoro. So, I set out to find the video and watch it…and I did. I watched it with my kids during the Christmas holiday. They loved it!
Pattern source: http://heavens-hellcat.livejournal.com/730.html
The Poke hat
This was my first foray into knitting. Deanne kept telling me that it was easy. I figured it couldn’t be much harder than crocheting the Pokeball (how naive), so I gave it a try. Well, it was certainly an adventurous learning experience. What made this hat challenging, was that I had to knit a hat size that was smaller than what the pattern called for. Lots of time was spent on figuring out number of stitches, when to change colour, etc. This hat ended up being a little too small for Nicholas (just covering the top of his ears).
When I was half way through the hat, Deanne tells me how impressed she is that I knitting at an intermediate level! Oh Deanne…thank you for your faith in me and for encouraging me along.
Deanne found this Poke hat pattern on the Ravelry website (Sasha Knits)
Animal hats
Hats, hats and (no) more hats!
When I was browsing through this book, Nicholas spotted the Hippo hat right away and requested it (something about hippos lately). Sabrina saw me working on Nicholas’ hat and browsed through the book and picked out the spotted eye doggy hat for herself.
After working on the Poke hat, these animal hats are much easier (patterns are suited for child size heads). The finishing reminds me of the finishing work we do on the amigurumi dolls that we crochet.
Thanks to Deanne for showing me this book, Knitted Critters by Jean Adel
My scarf
I’ve been in need of a scarf for some time. On a few shopping occasions, I was tempted to purchase one. As the weather started to get colder, I finally started on my scarf. I thought the colour was too light, but it was one of the softest yarns that I had among my yarn stash (and soft was important).
The pattern called for tassels, but I’m not a fan of tassels, so looking a little plain, I decided on a shell edging (with inputs from Dea and Cec). The flower was an after thought that added colour and a personal touch. This is my very first handmade “wearable” piece…and it was completed right before the snowy weather hit us (perfect timing).
Pattern idea: Hooked on Crochet by Candi Jensen
Crochet bracelets
I wanted to crochet something for Sabrina’s birthday goodie bag. But with time running out, I finally decided to do something simple for her little friends. The Poke bracelet idea was inspired from the Pokeball (I just couldn’t mass produce them in time for the party).
A recent perusal through my stuff and I came across the pattern that gave me the idea for these bracelets. They came from a book by Kristin Spurkland, Crochet from the Heart.
Sock-Monkey Inspired Amigurumi
Introducing Carl the sock-monkey. Loose lips sink ships, says Carl — that’s why he can’t be trusted with secret information–like where we keep the bananas…
Little Chick-a-dee
After having mastered the Japanese Magic Ring (and crocheting two more Hearts), it was time to move on. Since I made something for Sabrina (the sunglass caddy), it was only fair to crochet something for Nicholas (my 4 year old). I had initially attached the hat on his head, but Nicholas liked him more without the Santa hat (something about the Santa suit that frightens him).
Pattern source: Holiday Chick from Pepika’s website
“Bunno” the Bunny
Affectionately named by Sabrina, Bunno is shown here with another of Sabrina’s bunny friends.
Initially I thought this variegated yarn would look great on the bunny. While I was crocheting this project, I flipped back and forth on my yarn choice. After completing it, I think a solid colour would have looked much cuter. I found that my bunny’s ears are a little too stiff and will use a looser tension the next time around.
Pattern source: Lion Brand Yarn website
Winnie the Pooh
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.
Sunglass caddy
While I was stalled by the Magic ring, I was still eager to try out my crocheting skills. So, when I saw this book “Kids Can Do it Crocheting” from a book store (hey, remember, I’m a slow learn…so starting at kid’s level seemed appropriate for me) I bought it right away. The sunglass caddy seemed straight-forward enough for a (adult) beginner like me. Sabrina, my 7 year old, loved it.
Thank you Cec for your help with Photoshop.
The “Heart”
This is my very first crochet project from my sessions with Cecelia (our crochet “mentor/advisor/teacher”). What began as a casual visit turned into a crocheting session. During the course of that evening, Cec taught us how to make the Japanese Magic Ring and started Deanne and I on the Heart. I finished the heart at home and later attempted to crochet another. I got very *frustrated* and lost many hours of precious sleep over the Magic ring. Cec finally came to my rescue and emailed me a link that I found very useful (I was pulling on the wrong yarn to close the loop). Yes, I’m a slow learner.
Sabrina asked me to crochet two more for her friends.
Pattern source: http://www.pepika.com/free-patterns/heart.htm
