New Pattern WIP

So I am working on a tank top cover up pattern.  Something I can toss on when I am wearing a tank top and the A/C is a bit to much.

I started while gaming last night with an idea in mind.  I thought a butterfly motif would look cute.  I wasnt sure it would work, and I had just planned on figuring out stitch repeat and some how it just worked on the first go.  It will definaly need to be blocked when its finished so the butterfly's will stand out better.

My issue right now is I decided to use a ball of yarn I bought from a LYS and only had one of so I had to go and order more of it.  They didn't have the same dye lot so I am hopping it will match up well.  1 ball got me almost one finished panel, as this will in the end be 2 rectangular panels I sew together to make a short top that should cover up just the exposed skin on my shoulders and back and about 1/3 of a sleeve.

I am also working on making a small diagram of the stitch pattern

Also NYR update I got a few more motifs done I am up to 13, I decided the 'saddle' section of the hippo would be in Shoal, and the underside, legs, and possably head will all be in Eggplant!!

New hooks in!!

I just got my new set of double ended Tunisian hooks in!!

 I was hestint at first on buying these.  I wanted some double ended hooks for a while, but local stores only had it in size G (which I bought) and its a bit small for some of the things I wanted to try out.

This set originally 'said' it costed $59.99 which is way out of my budget.  It was on sale for  $16.95 + $3.90 shipping in the amazon market place, the reviews mostly seemed honest.

What do I mean by 'mostly seemed honest'?  Well now days you can pay company's to boost your product ratings by leaving 5 start reviews.  Typically these reviews just regurgitate the details listed in the description with colorful adjective's thrown in.  I dont want to waste my time and money on a seller who pays to inflate their ratings.

Now that being said, I saw no reports of anyone paying out the $60 for these hooks almost every review payed the $20 (16+S&H).  The only real complaint's I saw where a few people mentioning that some of their hooks snagged the yarn, but its easily fixed with sanding paper/nail file and a touch of wax.

I opened some of them and they all felt smooth but working with them will really test them.  The kit come in size C-P, I have a shot of all the hooks semi in order from largest (on left) to smallest.  Then I took a close up comparison of the P and C next to each other.  I have to say I am hesitant to use the smaller hooks that C hook is about as thick as the bamboo skewers I use for grilling but not as flexible, where the P is sturdy and I cant image it snapping with out some very deliberate attempting. 

Once I get the time, I am going to try and make a top down hat using Tunisian crochet.  I will let you in on a secret- I hat working bottom up hat's.  I have yet to find a top down tunisian hat pattern, a month ago I was chating with u/StitcherUniverse over on reddit's r/crochet we where debating how to work a top down, at the time I did not have the time/supplies to attempt to work it myself and now I do!!  They worked through a version where the top had some small puckering issues I am hopping when I work it up I can come up with an easily repeatable pattern that anyone can work up.

Wish me luck!!

Hippo Butt! (NYR photo update)

Ok so here is my current progress on the Happypotumus.

This is the first time I have gotten a nice clear picture that shows most of the colors true.  Unfortunaly the lighter shades seemed to be washed out by the flash, and with out the flash the darker shades all looked the same.   I do love how the purple and dark green work together here.  I havent been doing any ploting of colors other then the finishing rounds, the legs are finished as you can see in the eggplant where the body is finished in Shoal.  I think I will keep the front legs in eggplant but I am still deciding on if I want the bell in shoal or eggplant.         


To top it all off some time during the Kawa Kon rush to make items for examples I misplaced the only 2.00mm hook I own.  I typically leave the hook with the project it is used on, and I swear I had left it in the box with all the yarn and wip but it is no where to be found.

I am going to see if I can match the gauge using a 2.10 mm or a 1.90mm and hope my 2.00mm pops up some time soonest.

Want your own Faux Fox? [Pattern]

Faux Fox Stole my Heart.

I used a bulky yarn for this, two brands because neither brand had all the colors I wanted.
Orange-Lion Brand Thick and Quick Wool Ease (3 1/2 skeins)
Black & White (technically its silver >.>)- Loops and Threads Cozy Wool ( less then 1/4 a skein each)
Worked up with a size K hook.
I will be writing in short hand so -o- means do this in Orange, -b- black, -w- white.
My finished scarf (just the body not including the tail or head) is 6ft, you can make yours longer or shorter by adjusting the amount of rows you work for this part. I sugest for a child do 3-4ft, for a teen 4-5, adult 5-6, for crazy fox scarf 6+.
This pattern is a quick clean up of my notes I took when making the scarf so please let me know if something is off so I can fix it.
I just want to say a quick thanks to my handsome model for showing off the scarf for everyone to see, he opted for a bit of anonymity by hiding his face. 

 

Head-

R1- -b- MR sc 6
R2- -w- INC all
R3- -w- sc 2, -o- inc 2, -w- sc 3
R4- -w- inc, sc, -o- sc, inc 2, sc, -w- sc, inc 2
R5- -w- inc, sc, inc, -o- sc 6, -w- inc, sc, inc 3
R6- -w- sc 2, inc, sc 2, -o- sc 2, inc 2, sc 2, -w- sc 2, inc, sc 6
R7-  sc all, white in white, orange in orange
R8- -w- sc 4, -o- sc 12 -w- sc remaining stitchs
R9- -w- sc 3, -o- sc 14, -w- sc remaining
R10-16- -o- sc all

Ears- make 4 (two in white, two in orange)

I suggest making the 2 white first so you can easily assemble them with the orange and not have to cut the yarn then sew the pieces together later.

R1- MR sc 2
R2- SC all
R3- Inc all
R4- SC all
R5- SC all

Holding the white aginst the orange, sc around, putting 2 sc into the bottom corners and 3 into the top.

Eyes- Make 2

I made my eyes by unplying a length of the black yarn, its equivalent to a thin WW.  You can use buttons or safety eyes instead I didnt have any in a size that would work well for me so I just crocheted mine.

MR DC 12, sew onto face, I used some of the scrap white unply'd it and added in the lense flair affect you see on the eyes.

I also take this time to place the ears and sew them on to the head as well.

Legs- Make 4

 R1- --b--MR DC 4 --DO NOT JOIN IN ROUND-- this is worked flat, just tighten up the MR and weave the tail into the first row.
R2-3--b- dc all
R4- -b- dc, dec, dc
R5-10- -b-dc all
R 11-16- -o- dc all

Tail-

R1- MR DC 6  -w-
R2- INC, dc 2, around-w-
R3-Inc, dc 3 -w-
R4- Inc 2, dc 3 -w-
R5- Inc, dc 2, inc, dc 3 (repeat around)
R6- Inc 2, dc 2, inc 2, dc 3 (repeat around)
R7-8- dc all -w-
R9-19- dc all -o-  (this should leave you with about a foot and a half of tail worked, if you want a shorter or longer tail work a few more or less rows)
R20- Dc 4, dec -o-  (you may more may not wind up with 3 or 4 dc at the end and no dec that is ok)
R21- DC all -o-
R22- DC 3, dec -o-
R23- DC all
R24- Dc 2, dec -o-
 R25- SC -o-

FO with long tail for sewing into the end of the scarf.

Body - Make this as long or short as you want, I worked my body to 6ft so on me it can be wrapped around 2 or 3 times with both tail and head still sitting in front.

I also assemble as I worked, when I start the body of my scarf I start it by picking up the stitches from the head (working threw both layers), and the front legs.  You do not have to do it this way but it elimitates having to sew on both head and legs.

R1- Work 12 DC along the seam of the head peice (working through the front and back at the same time, as well as the legs on the sides-- IE first 3 stitchs are worked threw 3 layers leg/fhead/bhead; then 6st through just the f/b of the head, then the last 3st are worked threw 3 layers of leg, f/b head)
--If this is to complicated you can chain 14, turn and work 12 DC across the chain (12 ch + 2 ch for turn; turning chain DOES NOT COUNT AS A ST)
R2--till lengh you like-- Chain 2, DC all
I end with a row of SC for sewing my tail and legs into so it wont stretch out and leave big gappy holes on DC.  For extra security I like to sew the legs on first then the tail, and use the tails yarn to go over both of the leg seams as well. 

 

New, news!

Ok to start off with Happily Hooked Magazine did a 7 page spread on the RESOBOX exhibit which is exciting!  They  took quiet a few photos of everyone's work.        
                   
RESOBOX has also decided they will keep the exhibition open longer then originally planned.  So it will run until the end of March so if you didnt get a chance to go by and see it you still have time!

Also coming up in March is Kawa Kon (6-8) and I will have a panel on March 7th from 5:30-7pm.  I will be showing of some Amigurumi, talking a bit about its history, and how its done, how to read patterns and interpret charts.  I will also be doing a giveaway and some of the smaller examples I bring I may give away to people who show up, have interesting questions, or are die hard fan's of the show/theme the ami is based on.

This Layla Dirk Pattern is what I have currently been working on.       
        
I took some liberty's in the pattern and made it more to my liking.  I made the hood a true hood that could be put up or down.  I gave the doll a full head of hair that can be styled.  I also opted to make fingers for the hand instead of leaving them looking like mittens.

I also changed how the legs and feet where made, I didnt like how the toes section worked up.  As well as I crocheted the scarf instead of knitting it, I didnt see a point in mixing the two styles, so I just did a simple 1 1/2 foot chain, and sc in the BLO for 3 rows then add fringe to finish it off.

I over stuffed the arms a little to much, which I did not realize till after I had gotten them fully sewn into the body so they are not as pose-able as I would like.

This will be one of the larger pieces I plan on bringing to Kawa Kon as an example for people to see.  After Kawa Kon it will become a birthday gift for my niece.

I still need to work up some more items for examples that I can give away.

Hearts Inside Shawl [Pattern] *Updated*

This is a bottom up shawl, which makes it easy to size up or down.  This is not an original idea, I am making it from a swatch I found and deconstructed.

The one in the photo is sized for a child, at wides its 8 hearts.  Spanning 3 1/2 feet wide.

With WW yarn (just under a skein) and a size I crochet hook.

Cluster - 4 DC worked into the same space/stitch
Beg Cluster -Chain 4 ( counts as first DC and chain 1), dc 4 into first ch space, sc into middle of cluster below ----All rows after row 2 will start this way.
End Cluster- sc in middle of last cluster, (cluster, ch 1, dc) in last ch sp    ---- All rows after row 2 will end this way.

r1- Chain 6, in 5th and 6th chains from hook work DC Inc, chain 1, DC into the 6th chain.
r2- Beg Cluster, sc between the increases in previous row (not into the top of the stitch but between stitchs), End Cluster
r3- Beg Cluster, sc into middle of previous cluster (between stitchs), chain 3, End Cluster
R4-Beg Cluster, sc into middle of cluster below, chain 3, sc around the next chain space, ch 3, End Cluster
r5- Beg Cluster, sc into mid of cluster below, chain 3 sc around next ch sp, work cluster into next sc, sc in next ch sp, ch 3, End Cluster
r6-Beg Cluster,  ch 3, sc around next ch sp, cluster in next sc, sc in middle of cluster below, cluster in next sc, sc around next ch sp,  ch 3, end cluster

---- by now you should have one full heart completed--  I will write the directions for up to 3, but its an easy 4 row repeat (rows 3-6)

r7- Beg Cluster, Ch 3, sc around ch sp, ch 3, sc  in mid cluster, ch 3 sc in mid of cluster, ch 3, sc around ch sp, ch 3, end cluster

--This is your foundation row, you should have 5 chain spaces ---

R8- Beg Cluster, ch 3, sc around ch sp, cluster in next sc, sc around ch sp, ch 3, sc around next ch sp, ch 3, sc around next ch sp, cluster in next sc, sc around next ch sp, ch 3, end cluster

---This row forms the bottom of all the hearts so you should have 4 ch sp and 2 clusters----

R9- Beg Cluster, ch 3, sc around ch sp, cluster in next sc, sc in mid of cluster, cluster in next sc, ch 3, sc in next ch sp, ch 3, sc in next ch sp, cluster in next sc, sc in mid of cluster, cluster in next sc, ch 3, sc in next ch sp, ch 3, end cluster

--This should have complete the top of all the hearts (2)---

r10- Beg cluster,  ch 3, sc in ch sp, ch 3, sc in mid cluster, ch 3, sc mid cluster,  ch 3, sc in ch sp, ch 3, sc in mid cluster, ch 3, sc mid cluster, ch 3, sc in ch sp, ch 3, end cluster

--You should see the pattern forming now--

r11- Beg Cluster, ch 3, sc around ch sp, cluster in next sc, sc around ch sp, ch 3, sc around ch sp, cluster in next sc, sc around ch sp, ch 3, sc around ch sp, cluster in next sc, sc around ch sp, ch 3, end cluster.

r12- Beg cluster, ch 3, sc around ch sp, cluster in next sc, sc in mid of cluster, cluster in next sc, ch 3, sc in next ch sp, ch 3, sc in next ch sp, cluster in next sc, sc in mid of cluster, cluster in next sc, ch 3, sc in next ch sp, ch 3, sc in next ch sp, cluster in next sc, sc in mid of cluster, cluster in next sc, ch 3, sc in next ch sp, ch 3, end cluster


For bigger shawls just keep repeating the pattern in rows 9-12.

*Updated 2/12/2016*

Added a diagram, as there was some confusion in the written pattern I hope this can help clear it up.  I color coded each row all even rows are blue and odds are black.

Chinese Dragon PDF [Pattern]

It is finally finished so here for your crocheting enjoyment!!

This is a very generic Chinese Dragon pattern, you can add more details to it to make your favorit dragon, like working it in red and gold will give you a Mushu style Dragon as apposed to this blue and white Haku look.

Click here for Chinese Dragon PDF
 I would rank this as between Easy and Medium.  Mostly because of the wiring work put into it to pose and have him standing unassisted.

I do think if/when I make an other I will move the legs a bit farther back by 4 to 6 rows.

I used Red Heart Soft for the hair because I like the shine, but I recomend in the pattern to use normal RHSS I realized to late that the shine in the soft makes the hair next to impossible to style unlike a normal acrylic or wool/cotton would.

Blanket Repair

 Ok so this pink and blue blanket is 3 years old its one of the first blankets I ever made.

This is the first repair I have needed to make to it.   I was/am a bit under the weather so the day they pulled it out of the laundry and saw this the text's and phone calls poured in.  My niece is really attached to her blankets (White and pink is #1, pink and blue #2 and the others are just at random) and I just spent most of christmas fixing her white and pink blanket (you can see it below) which semi traumatized her because she thought I was going to take it away forever.  Now that #2 needed repair and I couldnt take it home to fix it so she sat next to me on the floor the whole time she wasnt on her moms lap just to make sure it wouldnt leave the house.

I started out by picking up the bottom loops of the blue row, and leaving them on a strand of the original pink yarn,  There was not quiet enough of the original yarn left to fix it as the point it broke was badly frayed.

This was a pretty easy fix, as the row that came undone was just a mix of  * sc, ch 3 (had to do this threw the bottom of the blue loops), sc * all in the same chain space, then skip a st.


 You can see in the photo, I took my hook out of the working stitch, slipped it threw the bottom loops of the next row, worked a ch/slst on the bottom of the first stitch, chained, then worked an other ch/slst, and sc'd on either side.

I did not have a matching pink so you can see the patch row stand out quiet a bit.  Due to alot of streatching and wear the stitchs are all worn out and stretched so my patch will take a while to match the gauge of the rest of the blanket.     
               
After fixing this one, I did some small work on the pink and white blanket tucking in some tails that I forgot to do at christmas.

Then the blanket I made her for christmas needed a fix.

I am not quiet sure what happened, well no I know what happened I am just not sure how it happened.

The pink and black blanket is made with this wobbly yarn that goes from super bulky to lace weight thin.  I worked it in a basic never ending granny, and some how my starting round unraveled.

The mystory here is I could not find the end of the yarn where it unraveled.  Aparntly it had been in the dresser since christmas, and when #2 broke they pulled it out and soon noticed this hole.

I know I started this blanket with a magic ring, that I weaved the tail into at least twice around.  Now there is no starting tail or any loose end, so I took a scrap of pink that I used on the other blanket, and as with the other blanket I picked up the bottom of the stitches and cinched the opening closed making sure to secure the round in 3 places before attempting to hide off my tails.

The new pink matched the pink in this pink and black yarn very well so I didnt even notice after tucking the tail's where they where hidden.

Here is the blanket monster herself.
Miss Jordan clutching onto blanket #1 for dear life, with blanket #2 tucked under and behind her.

She was so happy it was fix she give me this great big grin.

I managed to get an other grin out of her when I got the pink and black blanket finished and passed off to her as well.

She is lucky she is so cute.  I still need to fix my moms blanket.  Sorry mom!!  I promise I will get to it next!

CD-WIP update

He is not finished yet.  I spent about 4 hours brushing out his hair with a slicker brush, then trimmed it up a bit.                
                 
I will probly brush it some more and give it an other trim later but for now I will leave the hair as it is.

I still need to work out a pattern for ears, and decide if I want to add in a eye lid or any other details.

Sadly I didn't realize how heavy his front end would be so I can not put him in the pose I had planned.  Which would be a springing spiral pose as if he was getting ready to launch himself into the sky his top end is just to heavy and the wire is not enough support.  So I know now if I make an other CD I need to either double up on the wire, possibly twisting it cable style for better support or get a thicker stronger wire that might be harder to manipulate.

At some later point I am going to play with posing him and see if I can come up with something I like better then this pose.

Feeling Sheepy [Pattern]

I finally finished it!  So here you go a PDF Download of the Feeling Sheepy pattern.

To make one like mine you will need two yarns and 2 hooks. Bernat Blanket yarn, and Red Heart WW.  If you don't have bernat, and don't want to buy a ball just to make this tiny guy you can crochet holding 3 strands of any ww yarn together as a replacement but you wont get the same 'fluffy' look.

Sojourn Anthology (1&2)

Beth and Wayne are two of the amazing authors who have published stories in the Sojourn Anthology. 

 Now they both have second stories being published in Sojourn Anthology 2!

As part of the launch of the second anthology Beth did an AMA event on Facebook (back in December) with some of the other authors.

Most authors did a giveaway to random questioners, and that's were I come in.  Beth wanted something cute and small she could gift out to people who 'showed' up to the event.  I quickly whipped up two octo's for the winners.

If you are interested in the books they are for sale in physical and ebook format from amazon.  They are a great collection of new fiction writers and I enjoyed reading them although I will admit as with any collection of short story's I liked more then others.  Beth managed to build characters with depth and intrigue, Wayne's story telling just sucked me in leaving me wanted a bit more.

Here are to short snippets from both of their stories in the new book.

Metamorphosis - Beth Roper

It took patience and cunning to stay alive in the Edinburgh Vaults and Spider had developed both until she was as good as her namesake. Life in the underground sapped everything but the drive to survive until the only beauty she knew was the stars she saw on infrequent trips to the surface and the snatches of ballads she sang to herself when she thought she was alone. Anything else would leave her vulnerable to the predators waiting at every turn. The fact women were disappearing from the Vaults wasn’t a surprise, that someone was looking for them was.
Jax Sinclair could feel a story in the air. It was here in this labyrinth of tunnels, buried under the South Bridge. A bigger story than the penny dreadfuls he was used to writing. His reporter’s instincts would have led him here eventually, but Kat’s visions had pointed the way. His fiancée dreamt nightly of waltzing with a stranger “made of ice” in a grand hall. He would have written it off to her vivid imagination except that she spied a drawing of a missing girl in the paper and swore it was one of the musicians in her dream. The trail led to a brothel in the Vaults, and Spider.
Against her better judgment, Jax convinced Spider to help him uncover the trail of the missing women which took them from the squalor of the Vaults to the elegant drawing rooms of rich men grown bored with drinking and whoring. Their boredom led them to pass times infinitely more dangerous and playmates who cared for nothing but their own pleasure. Would Jax and Spider survive the games or would they become trapped in the heart of winter?

Story  - Wayne Cole

I glanced at the sky and longed for the sun that used to light it. After all these years even a simple star would have brought me joy, but they were gone too. I stood on the snow covered hilltop and looked down at a small stone town. There were torches lining the streets and the snow had been piled up against them. At the very center of town a large bonfire burned and about twenty people were gathered around it trying to get warm. I had never been to this town, but I had seen this before. Ever since the sun had been blocked out, most surviving towns looked similar.

I strained my eyes and found the elderly man I was looking for at the edge of town. The old man walked slowly to the bonfire and the crowd parted to make room. He wore old torn leather armor and a coat so shredded it was little more than rags. With each step he leaned heavily against a poorly carved wooden cane. The man carefully lowered himself to sit on a large rock right at the edge of the fire.

As he began to yell out to the crowd there was a strange energy about him. He had a smile on his face and his movements became more fluid. His voice started out raspy, but quickly smoothed out into the practiced tone of a storyteller. It seemed as if the years were melting away and I couldn’t help but smile myself. I sat on the hill and prepared myself to hear his story.

 

Feeling a bit sheepy

 I wanted a quick project to whip up while working on the dragon.  So I started up this small sheep!

He is sporting some hand painted silver green eyes.  I still need to work up some small little legs but that will need to wait for day light hours when I can see my stitches in the black tweed I will be working them out of.  I am using the same bulky yarn I used when I made a llama last week.  I some how never got a photo of it to share before it was sold.             

This is a bulky baby blanket yarn, it screamed llama at me in the store.  So I bought it, but now I have a huge ball of it still left so I need to get cracking and make a few more llama's and if the sheep goes over well some more sheep.

I am not sure what else I can use the yarn to make.  SC stitchs look like fluffy tuffs of wool which IMO makes for a perfict llama and sheep body. Do you have any sugestions?

I am jotting down notes as I work so long as I dont lose them I will try to get a pattern for this guy out.

CD- Wiring the legs and toes

 Above is the finished front set of legs, fully wired and sewn into the body.  They stand up all on their own with no instability.  I realized as I was taking the photo I had sewn the legs in farther up the body then I marked had off.  I think once he is finished and I pose him it wont be noticeable or even make much difference.


What I did was take 2 pieces of wire about 12 inches long.  I bent the first piece in half and slid it all the way threw the body where I wanted the legs to to, then slipped the other piece threw the bend and interlocked them by bending it.  Think of it like to U shapes with one dangling from the bottom of the other.   I used the piece that was going threw the body to pull the other leg wire inside the body so the join is hidden in the middle.  I had been trying to catch the spine wire at first to try and have the legs connected joined over it but I was not able to pin it down the way I was putting the wiring though.              
                      
I slid the legs onto the wire after I was sure the leg wires where locked together and wouldn't fall out.  I took this time to sew the top of the legs into the body. 

At the toes, I took the wire, bending one side to the front middle toe and the other to the back longer toe.   I bent it back onto itself snipping it just short of the leg section, I found I had about 1 1/2 inch worth of waste wire.  I then used my tail end of yarn to pick up the sides of the toe and sew over the wire with a whip stitch closing the toe up over the wire.  I made sure to sew up the two front toes in the same manor, and criss crossed over the bottom of the leg to close up the small gap.

I did not stuff any part of the leg or toes although in hindsight I could have stuffed the top of the leg with a grape sized amount of stuffing and just rolled the leg a bit to get the stuffing to evenly distribute through it.

I just need to make an other set of legs for the back, then I will get started on all the small things and adding the hair along the spine.

The results are in...

 

First off as I was un pinning the dragon to take him off the board I realized I had made a mistake.

I blocked him perfectly, there is a nice straight line.  It just goes down his belly.  I accidentally blocked him upside down, and yes there is a top and a bottom, the eyes are set 2 stitches above the 1/2 way mark so they are visibly on the top section so I couldn't just flip the whole project.

The blocking still worked well and like I said the belly has a nice straight line, but because I could not see exactly where I was pinning though on the other side the top is not as straight.   So if I do make an other dragon, or decide some of my other amigurumi could do with some blocking I know now that its possible to block 3Dforms, and easy to do.  Just need to triple check, is it right side up, and is it straight before steaming.

I did manage to run a bit 17 gauge rustproof wire through him from nose to tail.  This is wire I had on hand from when I was trying to make a chain mail dice bag for my husband (someone else made and sent him one before I finished so I just set it all aside) I know it came from our local hardware store, its electric fence wire, I went with it because its specifically says its rustproof, and soft enough I do not need anything special to manipulate it just some needle nose pliers that have a wire cutter built in.  I was able to make a small loop with the tip of the wire and tie off a slip knot onto it with some scrap yarn, I then threaded threw my darning needle.  I worked the needle threw the body (popping out every 3-4 inches and working back into the exact spot I came out of) using the needle and scrap yarn to pull and guide the wire all the way through.

I also got my base line down for adding in his spin hair.  I took about a yard and a half of the hair color (blue) and used my yarn needle to embroider a chain stitch all the way down the spine.  You can see in the photos it is not 100% straight but its dang close.  Once I get all the strands of hair connected and brushed you will not see the spine and it will appear straight.  I will be taking 4 inch strands and using a larks knot to attach them to the chain stitch going down one side of the spine and back up the other side so the mane will look nice and full, also so the hair line will look the same on both sides as apposed to if I just held 2 strands and went threw both loops of the chain the sides would look visibly different.

The cats both seemed to think he was a toy meant just for them to attack while I was working on him so there was almost no way to work with him or even get a photo with one one of the two kitties taking notice and literally jumping in on the photo opp.  Dayton in the front, Connie in the back if you can spot her, they thought it was a game of who could attack first when I was running the wire through (it was waving all over the place) not to mention I did have about 1 foot of yarn dangling off the tail end from where I had finished embroidering so that was probably my first kittie attracting mistake.

Chinese Dragon WIP (and steam blocking acrylic)

I am currently working on making a white and blue Chinese style Dragon.

I am keeping some rough notes, so I will have a bare bones pattern to share at the end of it all.

For those of you thinking it looks like a white snake and not at all like a dragon, well yes it doesnt look like a European Dragon with a stocky body and huge wings.  Chinese dragons do not have wings at all as its believed they have mystical power they use to fly, they are said to be a long serpentine body with 4 legs, and a long ridge or hair line from head all the way to the tail.

I had seriously been thinking of wiring this guy as I worked him up but that did not happen.  I might wind up trying to slide some wire in him now that the base of the body is finished.

I had to pin and steam block him, as all crocheters know when you work in the round you get a bit of twisting as you work.  Well with a small diameter tube you tend  to get a lot of twist so much so it twisted all the way around, and that would make it more work for me when I try to run a Ruff down the spine.

So my awsome husband ran down to the basement and got my blocking mat so I could 'block' my dragon.   The first1/3 of the dragon was pinned down fairly easily it had almost no twist, it was when I got to the last 1/3 that the twist was really bad.  I had to put 12 T-pins into the end tail to get my rows to line up as close to perfect as I could.

From here I went back over double checking the line of the spine was straight, which is good because I had it twisting off still so I was able to fix it fairly painlessly.  I then used my garment/upholstery steamer I got on sale (only $19!!)  and slowly steamed it.  Holding the steam head about one inch from the work for15 to 20 seconds per section with a 3 1/2 inch head over 2-3 ft of dragon before moving on.  I went over the body till the 10oz of water I had put in the machine was used up (give or take an ounce).  I know I got at the least 4 passes of the body fully with some focused steaming on the tail end where the worst of the twisting occurred.  You can get the same blocking results with a iron that has a steamer setting I would just recommend you hold it farther away as the iron's heat itself will affect the yarn (2-4 inches).


I have taken out most of the T-pins but the head and last tail pin there has been no attempt to twist back up but I will be leaving it pinned over night so that it can dry up as the steam did leave it a bit damp.

I also got some time to paint up some eyes so he will be sporting custom painted eyes, I was going for a silver sky blue, I will try to get a better photo of the head later.

On Sunday I will hopefully know if I will be hosting a 30-60 minute pannel at a local anime/geek convention KawaCon.  Its been up in the air for a  while now when I was ask I said yes right away they just have to work out details on their end, it on hinges on if they have an open room and time slot.

Also I will be out at Animeggroll Sunday (1/18/15) helping people make/finish some Octos from 12-2!!

Resolution in the making... (the colors)

Here is the start of my resolution.

I have narrowed it down to these colors for my Happypotamus that I will be making at the leaset 1 african flower motif a month.

From top down, left to right the colors shown are; Shoal, Indigo Heather, Wonderland Heather, Tranquil, Marina, and Clarity.  These are all Knit Picks Palette 100% Peruvian Highland Wool (50g/231yd), that I managed to get for a steal during the 'Big Damn Yarn Sale' back in November.  The lighting sucks, its winter here so no out door photo shoots so the colors in the picture are a bit washed out compaired to IRL.

Since I have the most of  Shoal and Indigo (2 balls each, where I only have one of everything else) I believe one of them will be my main join color.  One of the things I find irritating about a project like this is its a LARGE item being made so it will take up more than a ball of yarn but the pattern does not give any yardage amounts, just how much the shell of the hippo un-stuffed weighed.  So I may have enough, I may have way to much, or I could just run out half way threw.      
                      
                           
With out farther ado- I give you January's First Motif

 From middle out I used Wonderland, Mirina, and Indigo.  The lovely Dayton thought it was a toy for her and grabbed it before I could get a photo of it for scale with the 2.00mm hook I am using

Baby Boy Blanket

This is a gift for one of my cousins who is having a boy.  Its a circular chevron in the round in the colors baby blue, and chocolate. 

I wouldn't recommend this for anyone who has not attempted both a circular blanket, and done chevron before.  I had a few issues while working it with rippling but I manage to work most of them out, by doing a round with no increases (the brown rounds).  I also started my rounds in a bad spot, where my joins where on top of a skip/decrease section and it floated to right after and my count got messed up so on the next color change I just cut the yarn and did a standing DC start 3 stitch's from the tip of the point before my previous join.

I do not have a pattern, as I worked on this on the go at a friends, and during new years at a party and didnt write down what I did but it should be similar to any of these patterns on Ravelry.   FYI if you dont have a Rav account make one now, its free, they wont spam you with emails, and there are ton's of patterns including some of mine you can find with there customizable search tools.

What does the Fox say?

I took inspiration from 'The Flint Fox Cowl' in making this for my niece.

I didn't like TFFC pattern, it had an odd texture and the sizing was way off only the smallest size would have come out right, and her sizing for everything else is very vague, and when I started the toddler size the hood section came out big enough for me to wear it so I scraped it and started over making it up as I went.  (Her gauge said with bulky yarn ((I am using the same yarn she did)) and a L hook 2 1/2 stitchs = inch and my gauge matched that so it wasn't a gauge tension issue) Also her yardage was off by almost 2/3 a skein.

I worked from the bottom up. Here is what I did for a toddler/child size--
I used up 3 full skeins of bulky orange  (318 yd), just under a full skein of dark gray (100 yd), and a very small amount of silver for the front of the ears (less then 10 yds)            
Dark Gray, Chain 60 (+2 to turn)-hdc across (60 st do not count turning chain as a stitch)

Alternating Front Post HDC, Back Post HDC for 2 rounds (=3 finished rounds)

Then I switched to orange, and hdc 7 rounds.  (10 finished rounds) 

Then I worked a shoulder section decrease by *hdc 5, dec*  repeating around (11 finished rounds)
I did an other rounds of shoulder shaping *hdc 4, dec* around. (12  finished rounds)     
            
Here I stopped working in rounds and worked 12 rows back and forth evenly in HDC.         

I flipped the peice inside out and slst the top of the flat pannels together to form the hood, taking extra care at the end, I did a decrease twice so as not to have a sharp point stitcking out when I flipped it back right side out.            

Using the dark gray I worked a round of HDC around the opening of the face, chaining 4 (+2 TC) and worked back across (4 hdc into the chain ) the face section. I worked this back and forth for 4 rows.  To get the collar to lay right I whip stitched the edge of the start of the collar and the bottom of the chain 4 together to make a point right in the middle and pinned it in place by sewing a botton over it.

The ears are 2 peices that are SC together, you just hold them together and work threw both pieces as if it was one.

Mr- sc 2, close the ring.  ch 1 turn, sc 2, ch 1 turn increase across (4 st), Ch 1 turn sc across, ch 1 turn sc inc inc sc (6), ch 1 turn sc all, ch 1 turn inc sc4 inc (8), ch 1 turn sc all (work this for 3 rows)

Make two in dark gray and two in white/silver then SC from the bottom up putting 2 stitchs into the point do not work across the bottom of the ear as you will be sewing it shut as you stitch it onto the hood.

I stitched my ears into place 2 rows from the join of the top of the hood, right where the folded brim/collar of dark gray end's

You can stitch the brim down to hold the fold or just leave it as is so it can be flipped out on particularly windy/rainy days.


When I started this I though I might make one for me, but I bought the yarn based on her yardage and I know I wont have enough so I might make a faux fox scarf instead.



Bonus! Got to hang out with my niece and managed to get a shot of her in the hood!  Little stinker knew what we where up to so getting a good shot was not easy.

Gloves! (sorata a pattern?)

They still need buttons for closure but other wise they are finished.          
  
Its so hard to get good shots of gloves when you dont have a 3rd or 4th arm to take the photo with, add that to all the murky weather these are the best photos I was able to do.


I worked them in row's not rounds so I could get my chroma to do those vertical stripes.   

This was the frist time I attempted this style glove if I ever make an other pair there are a few ajustments I would need to add in as the area between thumb and pointer finger  is a bit tight even with the extra gusset space I worked in.  I did a simple trim of arches (on row of chain 3 sk 2 sc, fallowed by a row of 4sc in chain space slst in sc) I did the trim this way so I could use it on the side of the glove as button holes as well as being a decorative trim.   The trim runs the length of the top section of the glove around the cuff, when you get to the palm section all I did was a simple row of SC both rows to give me a solid space to sew buttons on.       


I used 1 ball of chroma in ww, with about 30 yd or less light gray DK weight with a size D hook.  I find ww chroma not to be the typical worster weight size it runs thinner which is why I paired it with a DK which seemed to be just slightly thicker.               

Next pair these are the changes I need to make--

• Additional row between thumb and fingers on both palm and top.
• While the sc in bl to fl seam looks interesting I would need to sew pieces together or only work the bl/fl sc seam till it hits the thumb then sew thumb threw fingers together for less bulk and resume bl/fl sc join at end of pinky till cuff.
• Palm section from pointer finger through thumb area  needs additional row or two.

If you want to make a pair for yourself a basic description of what I did to make these
 Top of hands- make 2
I chained the length to get from the tip of my them till 2 inches below my wrist (for me that was 40 chains)+1 to turn, I sc 3 rows, then working back up I stopped where the lenth of my thumb was left unworked (12 unworked~~) and chained the length between my thumb and tip of my pointer finger.----if I where to make these again I would adjust this area as its tight on the finished glove-- work the pointer finger 3 rows, on the return I leave the length of my pointer finger unworked and chain the length of my middle finger ect working 3 rows for each finger.

I worked a base round in grey from the edge of the cuff up and around sc in every stitch 3 across the tops of fingers and between.

Palm section - make 2
Starting on the pinky side I just revers that I did for the top side all the way till finishing the middle finger. For the pointer finger I started it as normal sc up the chaining- but on the way down I stopped at 20 st's and chained the length for my thumb (12) and worked these two fingers for 3 rows (technically 4 for the pointer).

I did a trim starting on the pinky side at the cuff working up and around, 3 st in top of every finger, looping around the tip of the thumb worked back up the chain and down again.  On the pinky side from cuff up I worked 32, then 16, then 36 (cut the yarn and worked from cuff up each time), thumb side cuff up sc 40, 16, all but last 6 stitchs; to accommodate my wide wrists.  The cuff side is the section from the cuff (last long row of the middle finger/pointer finger) up around the chain  side to the tip of the thumb sort of like your working a candy cane shape.


To join flip two sections to be the left glove, and starting from the thumb cuff up I worked in the back loops of one peice and the front loops of the other and sc'd evenly around.  I find now that the gloves are finished its too bulky in the fingers so I recomend doing the sc till the base of the thumb then using a yarn needle and sew the length of all the fingers till the end of your pinky finger the pick back up with the sc bl/fl leaving 2inches of the cuff unworked 9was 16 stitchs for me.   

Finishing cuff, starting at the join, sc down then across bottom of cuff and back up the other side finishing with a sc into the join.  Repeated this for a second pass (cuff was just a bit tight which is why I did an other row).  At join I ch 1 and turned no longer working in a round, along the 'top' work *chain 3, sk 2, sc*  all the way around till you get to the palm section just sc straight up.  Chain one and sc aback around sc on palm section, work 4 sc into chain sections with slst between into the sc from before. 
       

I know this isnt a realy flushed out pattern but my hands are small and wide so I think its more of a blue print you can adjust it easily by knowing the size hands you are working it for.             
                          
If only I had a outline of my neice's hand I would make her a pair of these to match her hat she is getting for christmas.

Resobox Gallary Event Opens tommorow Dec 12th!!!!!

I cant wait for the event to open up tomorrow!  I really wish I could visit to see the opening or even just visit the gallery during this amazing event.  Seeing everyone's work thats gotten shipped in has been so inspirational.  I love seeing how different cultures effect the style of amigurumi.

Here is a truncated version of the press realease information for anyone who lives close enough or will be in the New York area during this time!          

Some of my ami hanging out with Amigurumi-ya Ra-yu ami's at RESOBOX

                          
                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                            

World Amigurumi Exhibition

Opening Reception: Friday, December 12, 2014, 7:00 – 10:00 P.M.

Beginning December 12, 2014, Resobox Gallery will be exhibiting 3,000 amigurumi contributed by over 130 artists from 33 different countries. Resobox Gallery wants to turn the space into an “amigurumi room”, filled to the brim with cuddly and cute handmade creatures. This is a unique exhibition in that it’s not highlighting an individual artist, but a concept. The concept, amigurumi, is a culture that began in Japan, but is now cherished by crocheters and knitters all over the world. Resobox Gallery was so inspired by the amount of amigurumi artists out there that they decided to embark on a journey to create an exhibition showcasing the united, global love of this cute craft.
PLUS, all of these wonderful handmade amigurumi will be for sale! Great for Christmas, New Year’s, and Valentine’s Day gifts for all ages.

Watch Mookie the mascot's adventure.


They have artist from all over the world (including me!!!) shipping in items here is a map, and list that shows where all the Ami will be coming from.

United States

Adriana Fralick | Aeron Aanstoos | AkaiitoRisu | Alexandria Gold | Alyssa Schultz | Anna AuntieSocial with Auntie Social Designs | Anna Sparkman | Bluebird Loft | Blue Butterfly Company | Crafty Kitty Crochet | Dawn Vogel | Dr. Frank | The Elliott’s Closet | Emily Marie | Emyli Clark | Erica Kimberly | Erin Shebish | Fairyland Amigurumi | Grampa’s Workshop | Heebobo by Sandy Yeung | HiddenAlly | Isa Amigurumi | JENNYBEARTM | JNArts | Kate Wood – Small and Great Crochet | Kathryn Perdue | Kelsey Liggett | Kimberlie Goodnough/ShopKimberlie | Laura Armbrecht | Lauren Schoener | Lazymuse Productions | Leah Namour | Lilacs Lovables | Lory Gil | Marcy Bridges – Moon’s Creations | Marie Fontanilla | Maxi Granja | Melissa Hershman |  MindlessDelights | MochiQtie | Nadia’s Place | Natalia Pleshkova | Nightside INK | NORA CONNOLLY | A Peacock Picnic | Pigswife | Pocket Sushi by J Tea | Sabreena Conyers | Sarah Cole | Sherily Toledo | Sonja Nelson | Stephanie Hawkins of Nurdi Babi Crochet | Tisha Samone Arther | Vanessa Chan | Wing Lee Chiang

Japan

Amigurumi no antoco | Amigurumi no Yossando | Fil de laine* | Hama-chan | haru*maki | happysmile | Hiro-DesignWorks | Hiruneko-tei | K&K Crafts and Designs | Kerorin| Kiyoka@Taremimi | lemo | Lumiena | nagomi | Nozomi Uematsu | piggiesagogo | Popopo-hompo | Rahyu | rota | Utata

Spain

Actante Dorado | BettiCrafts by Bettina | Bigunki | Clanyskull
Cranberries Knot | ElRincondePatri | I am a Mess by Aurea
mencantoo | Retales&Agujas | SILAYAYA | Tremendu

United Kingdom

Blossom Bazaar | BOOTNECK BABIES
Dawn Finney | Ikkle Dragon Crafts
Irene Strange | Studio Ami |Zoe Mizzi

Singapore

kllylmrck | krokrolamb | Little Yarn Friends
Snacksies | Stuff Susie Made | Yunie’s

Greece

Jenny Efstathiou | Karin Godinez
KATS Handmade Items | Marilena Efstratiades (mademeathens)
The Wandering Deer

Indonesia

Anna Nurwidayanti | Bbiribiri | Desa Boneka
Keli Shop Craft | Yuni Bening

Mexico

Fayette Dream | Fire dragon
MarroCraft | Susana Bahena | TARTESAN

Italy

Brama Crochet | Crochet on a Tree
Dani and Bel | GIOVANNA CARGNELLI

France

à voir etc…
Labry Studio
Petits Pixels

Thailand

Asch Tiny Studio
Atelier De Nana
dollypoyd

Germany

Bennelle
Janagurumi

Israel

LiatiB
Shivani Toys

New Zealand

Craftezan
Tiki Crochet

Argentina

Carla Ferretti

Armenia

Anzhela Martirosyan

Australia

A.G. Creates

Austria

les frotteurs

Bolivia

Daniela M. Galbreath

Bulgaria

Crochet4yoUBG

Canada

móhu

Colombia

Mamá Dora Productos

Croatia

Amigurumi BB

Estonia

Handmade By Marika

Finland

Leonor Gonzalez

Hungary

MANUSKA

India

Designs By Mamta

Latvia

Tjan Toys

Malaysia

Viviana Handmade

The Netherlands

The Flying Dutchman Crochet Design

Taiwan

April Nana

Uruguay

Silvia García

Vietnam

imagadaisuki