Cat Toy for Charity

I hate having to take my older cat Dayton to the vet.  She is not feeling well and I knew a trip was nessary, and the vet has a lot of kittens in the office that still need re-homing/fostering.  I figured to try and ease my stress over the visit I would make some toys to donate to the kitties. 

Our younger cat Connie loves the toys so I am sure the kittens will get a kick out of them.

These three toys are simple to make if you  know how to crochet in the round, DC, work around a chain, work around a post.

Ball w/Tail
MR-6 [6]
Inc all [12]
Inc, sc [18]
SC all -3 rounds-   [18]
Dec, sc [12]
dec all [6]
Stuff with some catnip, and either poly fill or if you want a heavy toy poly pellets or rice
Pinching the 6 remaining stitches together slip stitch the first and last st's together and across.
Chain up from the last slst by 20 (more or less for longer shorter tail) +2chain, then put 3 DC stitches into each chain stitch all the way back up and slip into the start of the last round where you slst it closed and finish off  weaving the tail in.

Spirals
Chain 20 (more for a longer spiral) +2 for turning chain, and put 3 DC into each stitch of the chain back across.   Just like the tail in the Ball w/tail pattern.

Flower Teaser

Chain 4, DC into the first chain st (this is the stitch you will be working into for this round), chain 1 dc back into the same space as before, Repeat the Ch DC till you have 7 (counting your starting chain) post then chain and slst into the  starting chian in the 3 st. 

This should leave you with 'wheel' with 7 spokes.  This is the base frame work for the flower you will be working around the chain spaces for the peddles next.

Start by chaing up 1, then working in the chain space (working around the chain and not into the chain stitch) SC DC DC SC  repeat in each chain space. Slip Stitch into the first peddle.

If you want you can do the second round in a new color [if so FO with starting color and  in new color make a slip stitch around a post from back to front and chain 5] if not continue on--

Chain  3  slip stitch from the back of the flower around the post and make a slip  stitch. chain up 5,  DC around the next post from back to front chain 2 and repeat around ending in a chain 2 slst into the  3rd chain from the starting chain 5  This is a base frame for the 2nd round.

Peddle round - Ch 1 SC DC3 SC into first chain space and around.

You can keep working rounds for a more poofy flower, just increase the chains by 1 each frame round, and add Dc or even Triple croches into the peddle rounds.

I left a long chain tail on mine with a small loop so the flower could be hung in the cage from one of those elastic teaser toy hooks, or even used with one of the cat rods.



All of these patterns can be made with scrap yarn.   As always if something isn't clear let me know, I would love to see how yours turn out!

Catigurumi Pattern

I promised this pattern a while back, sorry it took so long I misplaced my notes.

You will need an F hook, two colors of yarn a yarn needle and some stuffing and safty eyes.

As always I am using American terms, the only stitches you need to know are single crochet, increase, decrease, magic ring, and how to color change.As always if you need to know how to do the magic ring you can see my video here it shows how I started for my penguin but the concept is exactly the same.

Starting with the head/body

Mr - sc 6 (working in the main color you want the body to be)  end each round with a slip stitch into the first sc of the round and chain one
2- Increase in all stitches 12
3-Increase, sc repeat around 18
4- Increase, sc 2 repeat around 24
5- Increase, sc 3 repeat around 30
6- Increase, sc 4 repeat around 36

Row 7-8-sc all 36

9- Decrease, sc 4 around 30
10- Decrease, sc 3 around 24  Switch to belly color here when you do your slip stitch and work remaining rows in belly color. Add your eyes on now and start stuffing.
11-decrease, sc 2 around 18
12- decrease, sc1 around 12
13- Decrease all 6    leave a long tail to sew body shut and to use to attach the legs, I like to wave my tail threw the front loops of the last round and cinch it closed then weave and knot in at least 3 places.


Legs 4X
Mr sc 6
2- sc all 6
3-sc all 6
Stitch to belly I tried to keep them half ont the belly half on the body color.
Ears 2X
Worked in the round then pinched flat stitched about a row and a half from the first row.
MR 6
2- increas, sc all 9
3- increase once then sc remainding 10
4- increase, sc 4, increase sc 4 12


I did the tail in a new manner for me, its a bit tricky to explaing.  I think June from PlanetJune.com has a video that explains it better then I can.  Basicaly the tail is an I-cord done in crochet with a color change at the end if you want the tip of the tail to be 'painted'.  I made my tail about 3inches long

I hope she doesnt mind me linking her video here she just explains it so much better than I could.




When I make an other Catigurumi I will make sure to take alot of pictures to add to this post.

Ifsomething is confusing or unclean let me know and I will do my best to make it easy to understand.

Poyo inspired catgurumi

Here is a project I have been wanting to make for some time.  Its inspired by a Anime shorts called Poyopoyo Kansatsu Nikki which is the cutest cat that is basically a sphere and consistently mistaken for other round objects like sweet bun's, melons, or pillows.  I figured I would make it just like I did my Unicorns and I really like how it came out!  Not sure if I want to keep him or sell him so I can buy more eyes and make more of him.

I did the tail differently then I have done tails in the past, and I think I really like this new way but its a bit more complex, it involves making several loops on the hook and pulling your hook out of them and crocheting from the end with out loosing the other loops.  It makes it more like a rope that has flexibility then a stiff cylinder worked in the round.

I didn't really write down a pattern when I made him but if anyone has an intrest in making one I can write it down the next time I make an other.

CON-tamination and Japanese Festival

Left to Right
Snow owl, Dark green Chibi Cthulhu, Penguin, Skel-o-Bunbun, Red CC, strawberry, onigiri, Pink 'LOVE' CC, Girl inYukata, Green CC,

 

 

I am gearing up for CON-tamination  a horror and pop culture convention that is this weekend at the  Holiday Inn South County Center.  The nice people over at Animeggroll have a booth at the convention and said they would sell some of my critters for me!  So I will not be there but do look out for Animeggrolls booth they will be bringing a lot of interesting things with them.

Now on to other news!  I might get to consign some items at the Japanese Festival that Missouri Botanical Garden is holding Labor day weekend (Aug 31-Sept 2).   I am going in to speak with them about it on Thursday and taking in the motley crew you see above for examples of my work.   Most of these guys will be going off to the con Friday, and I did not have  any other work on hand to take in so I hope they are not put off by the creepy horror theme of Cthulhu's and Skel-o-Bunbun's.

Crochet felt doggy beds

Well as the title states, I am working on making two felt dog beds.  But since they are for the dogs I didn't want to have knotted fringe in case one of them *Chloe* decides to eat yet an other dog bed.  So I went and picked out some felt just so happens to match the same felt my sister made a throw cover out of as a Christmas gift a few years back.  Top side is a menagerie of dog breeds  while the bottom is black with white paw prints, I cut the 'fringe' shorter then you would for knot's and just folded over each fringe and put a small slit threw it to use as the loops for crocheting.  I just crochet a top to a bottom then working counter clockwise crochet back into a top then bottom and repeated till there was only one friend left, I cut that one in two and slid one half into the first loop hole and the other into the last and knotted it off.  It was hard making it becauce the only space big enough is the living room floor and the dogs think if your on the floor you want to play with them.  I hope they enjoy these beds.  Oh also it's just stuffed with two cheap $2.50 pillows, I made a small slit on the bottom going short ways to tuck them in sort of like an old school pillow case.

I used 1 yard of the doggie print and 1 yard of the paw print and 4 pillows to make two dog beds.... while technically only one is finished but the other will be done soon.  And if you want to do the crochet edges but dont have a hook just make the hole's a big wider and use your fingers to pull each fringe threw the others.

I like how these came out so much that I think I might try to make couch pillows out of felt with this crochet edging!!

Abandoned Amigurumi Commisions

So I have had a few of these guys just sitting around.  Its one of those situations where someone asked me to make them an item and we talked about it and then I made it and shot them pictures and they said they loved it.  I got back with each commissioner with in the week, and a 2 week check up as well but now I have had some of these items since May >.<

 Only one person ever got back to me about 2 months later to get one of the Chibi Cthulhu's but these guys all seem to have been abandoned.  Which upsets me, I love making them, and I love the reactions when the people actually get them even more. 


I am giving notice and at the end of the day (6 or7 central time) they will be up for sale to whom ever wants to give one of these critters a new home.

Pictured here left to right:  White Llama, Chibi Pink Luvulhu (a love cthulhu), Blue octo, Chibi Green Cthulhu, and a Turkish Van Kittie Kat with a white bow/collar.    All but the llama are sporting plastic safty eyes that are child safe, the llama has black felt eyes, felted on which are also child safe.

I am asking $10+$5S&H (Inside the continent of US) or if you are over seas or in Hawaii or Alaska the S&H will very as it cost more in postage I would have to get it calculated for anyone who requests a S&H quote outside of the 48 land locked states (S&H covers the cost of the postage and the packaging)    If your local (STL) and willing to meet to pick the item up S&H is waived!


Oh I am also making bento box straps for AnimEggRoll you can see my first trail one in the picture  above for now they are just a simple yellow ribbon strap with a velcro clasp.   My trail one has worked well so far so I am going to make a few more to take over to the store with all the abandoned critters.  Do not worry if someone wants one of these tiny lovable creatures I can always pick it up from the store for you if it hasn't sold.  If your a St Louis Missouri local you can always swing by the shop and check out these guys in person!

A little about the safety eyes I use.  They are plastic and have a 'shanked stem' on the 'eye' so when the 'washer' or the backing is attached to it from the inside of the toy it secures the eye in place.  Once the washer is attached to the shank it can not be removed with out a lot of force or a tool being used.  Short of cutting the shank with wire cutters or cutting up the toy itself the eyes should never fall out.  I always double and triple check before stuffing that the eyes are properly secured.




*UPDATE*  Both Cthulhu's have found new forever homes!!

Mizzou themed Girl hat

Finally finished working on this one.  I wasn't sure how I was going to do the girls hat and still keep it girly and not looking like a bumble bee in the gold and black.  I thought I might do kitties ears and strips but as i was getting into the 3rd round of strip's I realized it looked to much like a bee theme and unraveled it all.

So its a  pretty basic hat with a black stripe at the bottom with a twisted edge stitch.  I made three different sized little daisy chain flowers with a pearl embellishment.

I am not sure if the edging I did has a real name I just came up with it when I set my work down and come back and realized about 3 stitches in one of them  looked wrong.  Apparently my hook got twisted around and I had not noticed it but it made for a cute edging.

How to make amigurumi Octopus Tutorial

So my niece Jordan who gets a lot of my creations absolutely loves my Octo-Jelly's  as they call them.  She is 6 or 7~ish months old (BAD auntie for not knowing) and her mom had to ask me to make her some more because when they take it away to wash it she apparently gets very upset.

I made a Tutorial on deviant art when I first started making them, but I have improved on it or at least made it easier on me to make them in one whole piece.

This little octo amigurumi is probably the easiest to start off with if you have never crochet in the round before.  It simply is a ball, with spirals attached if you fallow the tutorial I made earlier.  The adjustment I made to make it easier is incorporating the spirals into the ball.  On the first decrease row after each decrease (you work the decrease and pull the loop threw three loops) I would chain a length about 22 ch and put 2 DC in each stitch up or more depending on how tight you want to make the spiral part of the whole body then sc into the next st fallowing the pattern for dec and sc's.  Then on the next round the decrease should fall right at the spirals so you just pick up a stitch on either side of it and decrease.  Working it this way will leave you with 6 legs, but you can always adjust the pattern to fit in 2 more I just prefer it this way as the spacing with the decreases works out looking cleaner.

Feel free to use my pattern and give credit to me but DO NOT claim it as your own or sell it if you want to give it to someone link back to here or my DA please.  I ask if you want to sell anything made with my pattern please donate part of your profits to a local No-Kill Shelter or Animal Rescue group even just $.30 will feed a hungry animal for a day. Not necessary but its a kindness I pay forward by not charging for the pattern.

Below are some of my Octo-Jelly's I have made.

Open Commisions!

I have open time for Commissions.  Keep in mind these items are HAND MADE in a ANIMAL friendly environment.  With all my animals its imposable to make sure they dont some how come into contact with my yarn stash, I do however try my best to keep all commission projects in their own bags but if I am not careful I will come back to a cat in a bag on what ever project I just put away weather i put it on top of the 7 foot tall book shelf or try to hang it from the edge of my desk.

I write all my own patterns and am willing to try making anything.  Stuffed toys, dogs, cat,s doll, monsters, scarfs, hats, you name it I will do my best to make it!  I wont ask for a penny till its finished and you have seen pictures of it and are happy with it. I try to keep my pricing reasonable but keep in mind shipping cost are out of my hands, i can give you a reasonable estimate if you provide a zip code (in the US) or country so you will know before hand.  I do payments through PayPal.

My pricing depends on what you want me to make!  But I am fairly reasonable you WILL NOT see me selling a 4in doll for $50 like alot of the dolls on etsy.  See something you like on etsy but dont like the price feel free to ask me and I will tell you if I think I can make it or not and what my price would be!

My small dogs, cats, dolls, chibi Cthulhus are all $10 +S&H  (about 3 to 5in tall)
  

Scarfs ranging 4-6ft long $10+S&H (length depends on the stitches used some will have more stretch as they are worn so they will be made a bit smaller unless requested.  Also can make them longer than 6ft but will have to charge an additional $.50 a foot ((AFTER 6ft)) up till 9ft. Add and additional $5 for a full scarf of complex stitches, or $2 for scarfs with fancy stitching 10in at the ends)


Hats $10 +S&H (depending on complexity if you want a peddle stitch hat like the stitch on my bag  it will cost a bit more because this stitch is more complex and will take me longer to work.)
    




All Images shown here are items I have hand made myself. Just a small sampling of what I can do for you.  You can view more of my work on my DeviantArt account @ embertouchtehfire.deviantart.com/

Hellow internets! *waves*

So I have been on a crafting kick for a while now.  I figured I might as well start a blog for all my creations. 

A little about me-  My name is Sara and I am a stay at home wife (aka laid off in '08 still unemployed) with two dogs Buddy a beagle and Chloe a lab boxer mix and two cats Dayton and Connie and a wonderful husband.   I love sewing, knitting and my biggest kick right now is crocheting.  I am in love with making Amigurumi, which is Japaneses, ami, meaning crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed doll.  

I think it would be awesome to be able to sell the items and patterns I make.  I have sold a few things but all where to friends or family so I have no idea if the 'big bad world' out there would even care for my creations over the tons of amazing stuff I have seen out there already for sale.

Totoro & Sprite

My first ever crochet creation was a Totoro and sprite,  I didnt have a pattern at the time so Totoro is litteraly a baby hat that I just keep making longer and bigger with ear's from a pokemon pattern with some alterations  and the sprite is just a smaller version. I was inspired to make these two after visiting a realy awesome anime shop in my area called Anime Egg Roll.  They had a large display of crochet items that just inspired me to take up hooking.   Their crochet lady eventual moved away and took all her items out of the store.

Blue Octo

 I have tentatively offered up my crochet services currently I have a few items there up for sale.

A Light Blue Octopus pictured to the right, a Dalmatian with hand felted spots, and a white Poodle.

Emmy & Howard

I also made two custom kittie cats for one of the owners of the store as a gift for her mother of the two rescue cats she owns Emmy and Howard.  I made each patter special to get them to look as close to the images provided of the actual kitties as possible. 

As well as doing a custom dog for a friend she dubbed him Mini Watson and made me the most awesome gift of a Pikachu glass charm bead in return.

I think my most popular items I have worked on that seem to sell out quickly to friends or family where my Chibi Chthulhu and my dice bags that are shaped to look like a blue public police box (or a Tardis for you whovians) 

It makes me so happy when someone actually asks me to make them something and they love it when they get it. 

I think if I could find a job where all I had to do all day was crochet my little creatures and creations I would be set for life.  I think it would be a job I would happily get up to do with minimal complaining!