tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32025282620167916642024-03-14T07:55:40.588-05:00Little Black MarkerHi, I'm Angela. This is mostly a crochet blog with tangents into anything else artsy I feel like sharing. For my graphic design work visit angela-skees.com. Thanks.Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comBlogger386125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-74419179123606327772021-03-15T09:30:00.001-05:002021-03-15T09:30:01.676-05:00Kid Gloves & Ear Warmer<p>You may have seen on the news that Texas had a rather drastic Snow-pocolypse February 12-19th. We got 5 inches of snow and were stuck home with the kids for about a week. As its Texas, I dont really have any super warm gloves or anything for the kids. So I whipped up a pair of fingerless gloves and a matching ear warmer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWRHuXTgyHOn1uhcm5VnhZiWKK6_A1AWqWhIcAX7ovTvrPN3qiy4N_z_7U5xdWLKRfCHzt7h0P52G8lpOVEkx2cJ9Yre101P7PTWS1W57TAP4-0WJsLfkHZPn2Qt1_JifFyUKVpYi0dWv/s2048/IMG_2948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWRHuXTgyHOn1uhcm5VnhZiWKK6_A1AWqWhIcAX7ovTvrPN3qiy4N_z_7U5xdWLKRfCHzt7h0P52G8lpOVEkx2cJ9Yre101P7PTWS1W57TAP4-0WJsLfkHZPn2Qt1_JifFyUKVpYi0dWv/s320/IMG_2948.jpg" /></a></div><p>Ear Warmer Pattern: <a href="https://www.youshouldcraft.com/twisted-ear-warmer-crochet-pattern/">https://www.youshouldcraft.com/twisted-ear-warmer-crochet-pattern/</a></p><p>Fingerless Gloves: <a href="http://two-little-cs.blogspot.com/2013/03/simple-fingerless-gloves-for-whole.html">http://two-little-cs.blogspot.com/2013/03/simple-fingerless-gloves-for-whole.html</a></p><p>I used some scrap yarn that is velvety black with green, blue, purple for the ply. Very cute, but also might last over more than one winter (and color favorites). I didn't have enough to finish the ear warmer so I supplemented it with black Big Twist from Joann's.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbggOJVaLt-VgDKdvpXWw98DyJ7c-BPIssvebYk5hHBwKBidrUsev_ok8L2ppIwwKLhUd0yR91ohG1CH5r1HLj2uo4seU42x1AL9gqZ0OcRbpBOf3PSLrZrLUofnjRqIAJ-v0icaogDhlK/s2048/IMG_2950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbggOJVaLt-VgDKdvpXWw98DyJ7c-BPIssvebYk5hHBwKBidrUsev_ok8L2ppIwwKLhUd0yR91ohG1CH5r1HLj2uo4seU42x1AL9gqZ0OcRbpBOf3PSLrZrLUofnjRqIAJ-v0icaogDhlK/s320/IMG_2950.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>Both patterns are super easy. I made the toddler gloves, which are actually a tiny bit big, but she should grow into them nicely. The ear warmer I did make the twist look, but that made it too small on her head... we have large heads in this family. So I added a few inches of black and added ties, so I can change the size to be larger or smaller as needed. The velvet yarn didn't really have a ton of stretch. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwthlx3B9pFIzVyV0i0GtDeeXL6pS1qN26kbhvGQ7fO-7Bk6YxdY-2gJLJAP8YlkvKSDFVC0zTzdIsbEjlRL0aj3K7TsipRWCNh5hyubR2gzMHLPE3vek5KTGEqSu66dLMkUeZblQq-GU/s2048/IMG_2955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwthlx3B9pFIzVyV0i0GtDeeXL6pS1qN26kbhvGQ7fO-7Bk6YxdY-2gJLJAP8YlkvKSDFVC0zTzdIsbEjlRL0aj3K7TsipRWCNh5hyubR2gzMHLPE3vek5KTGEqSu66dLMkUeZblQq-GU/s320/IMG_2955.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>Time to complete: 2 hours, one for the ear warmer, 30 min each for gloves<br />Difficulty: Easy</p>Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-46047187298241488992021-03-08T09:30:00.061-06:002021-05-17T07:37:26.188-05:00White Woff<p>OK. Maybe it's time to stop with Hilda projects... but after this one.</p><p>A local yarn sale had a ton of cool stuff, and one of the things I bought just for the whim of it was <a href="https://www.berroco.com/yarns/berroco-macro" target="_blank">Berroco Macro, color 6701"Snowshoe Hare"</a>, 7 Jumbo Weight Wool Acrylic blend taking a whopping 19mm hook. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Xo6fda4xmTMzTdS9-yFasQTDiJ0Kq3zzfxRuU0ArmKBfs8OUwfHAx2HIpbLAz99BNw1rewPCZNid837xXrxp1JgKyo19M3pxxWxTV-UsAIYvC0b6A6MxcUEZUrhMs7QWD08AoEtaR_YJ/s1200/IMG_2858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Xo6fda4xmTMzTdS9-yFasQTDiJ0Kq3zzfxRuU0ArmKBfs8OUwfHAx2HIpbLAz99BNw1rewPCZNid837xXrxp1JgKyo19M3pxxWxTV-UsAIYvC0b6A6MxcUEZUrhMs7QWD08AoEtaR_YJ/s320/IMG_2858.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXcHUOz0JrE83ACvTDzbLKA0Oa6Xt6MBV-npUJkIjZETosfEfnJ2RNLnFGmRv9fYM3Ox_GFxzNWxXDFKpIp2-8PTfamOY3hUhZLdsK4_BLgZCNrJaBEmuNe_XUbd62IEXIuiEDzcMGkUK/s2048/IMG_2917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXcHUOz0JrE83ACvTDzbLKA0Oa6Xt6MBV-npUJkIjZETosfEfnJ2RNLnFGmRv9fYM3Ox_GFxzNWxXDFKpIp2-8PTfamOY3hUhZLdsK4_BLgZCNrJaBEmuNe_XUbd62IEXIuiEDzcMGkUK/w480-h640/IMG_2917.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>A Woff is a simple enough shape, just a big sphere with a tapered tail. The only tricky bit was that I wanted it to be as big as possible with the limited yarn I had, once again playing yarn-chicken with my skeins. I sort of guesstimated getting more than halfway through the Woff body at the end of the first skein, ensuring I’d have enough to finish as well as make a tail and ears. The muzzle I made with a very close off white color, but in a much thinner weight - Red Heart Soft in Off White, 4mm hook. A little bit of black for the nose and eyes - Big Twist in Black, 4 mm hook. Pure white for the eyes. The tail I tried to taper off in the sort of signature wiggle shape of the tails in flight. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYW3WqlEcDxnz0YQRMlH0njlw9iwqJLpPRMNWyiCcejCfz9JAzleaueZeMJHSbybpEc-_sX_LOPPOo86yQJ7m-M1CLIZMDpjf1XqXBR1L2_cN1hsKDcpwNTTlVfsD19HKci3pFMb7dBfb/s2048/AAA9F203-E44B-4B46-B364-B48428CE915F.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYW3WqlEcDxnz0YQRMlH0njlw9iwqJLpPRMNWyiCcejCfz9JAzleaueZeMJHSbybpEc-_sX_LOPPOo86yQJ7m-M1CLIZMDpjf1XqXBR1L2_cN1hsKDcpwNTTlVfsD19HKci3pFMb7dBfb/s320/AAA9F203-E44B-4B46-B364-B48428CE915F.JPG" /></a></div><p>After making the ears, I had a little bit left so I decided to try a technique from All About Ami where you brush the finished piece with a cat slicker to get a furry look. I started to make a flat swatch to test this on before doing the big Woff, but realized I might have enough to make a small sphere which would be a more accurate test... and then when I had enough to make the tail I knew I had to make a baby Woff. After an excessive amount of brushing, the baby Woff was indeed a very nice furry fluff ball and it helped to conceal the holes between the stitches which I thought were rather large, but that’s a side effect of working with large hooks. One thing to note, I did do the brushing outside as a ton of fuzzies were generated in the process, and the fluff on the slicker will make some excellent fluff for felting. </p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">BIG Woff, 15mm hook</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOjsTBfufrqYyo7L-DJHs0No6kdAWLyRtooawbVU4VxdnXI4jDZDe_C5dKLCm7Bubp1K2tjmIRVczxHaknK-PkdzP5G7MwkQtaa6K52dq65F5KREaiI3ot175jMSYMABOc7ioAVjGbBif/s2048/IMG_2878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOjsTBfufrqYyo7L-DJHs0No6kdAWLyRtooawbVU4VxdnXI4jDZDe_C5dKLCm7Bubp1K2tjmIRVczxHaknK-PkdzP5G7MwkQtaa6K52dq65F5KREaiI3ot175jMSYMABOc7ioAVjGbBif/w400-h300/IMG_2878.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Mc 5 (working from nose to tail)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Inc around (10)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sc, inc (15)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">2sc, inc (20)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">3sc, inc (25)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">4sc, inc (30)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">5sc, inc (35)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">6sc, inc (40)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">7sc, inc (45)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">8sc, inc (50)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">8 rows sc around (60)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 8 sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 7 sc </span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 6 sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 5 sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 4 sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 3 sc </span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 2 sc
</span></li></ul><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Tail starts here:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">3 rows sc around (15)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Going to do some inc/dec to get a wavy tail shape</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 6sc, inc, 6sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 6sc, inc, 6sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">2 dec, 5sc, 2inc, 5sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">15sc around</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">2inc, 5sc, 2inc, 4sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Inc, 6sc, dec, 6sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Taper off now, stuff as you go along. </span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">8 Sc, dec, 5sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">7sc, dec, 5sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 5sc, dec, 4sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 3sc, dec, 4sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 2sc, dec, 4sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec around till it’s closed </span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwbQVV_Tb84PIayz6svsTBKMd5JkkZgtvkWPiuXYiabsw6OGDY5bljhy1trF6AA0dYLgYkceBuqog4r2G44Zb5LHcmPYp8O4b8Z9vcTH7NflnZfl1JAPuV7BbaDdSReKJ0xZweUYDn45U/s2048/IMG_2873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwbQVV_Tb84PIayz6svsTBKMd5JkkZgtvkWPiuXYiabsw6OGDY5bljhy1trF6AA0dYLgYkceBuqog4r2G44Zb5LHcmPYp8O4b8Z9vcTH7NflnZfl1JAPuV7BbaDdSReKJ0xZweUYDn45U/s320/IMG_2873.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Ears, make 2, 15mm hook</span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Mc 3</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Inc around (6)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sc, inc around (9)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sc around 2 rows</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, sc around (6)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sc around, </span>Stuff leave tail to sew to head </li></ul><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKt8UCg8inSbfdlWeSOOMluRKySO21c68nApCLSwEOP1S_BBn1aWV5KRW2YdkfbzZ2qmUrN8Y6HFeyYgNzALIWqTYFxXnSZnP88gZAOqGjalTIquAkKDBHOv6GpuJvbOUW7_7R-2gfxbaJ/s2048/IMG_2871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKt8UCg8inSbfdlWeSOOMluRKySO21c68nApCLSwEOP1S_BBn1aWV5KRW2YdkfbzZ2qmUrN8Y6HFeyYgNzALIWqTYFxXnSZnP88gZAOqGjalTIquAkKDBHOv6GpuJvbOUW7_7R-2gfxbaJ/s320/IMG_2871.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_Ua0-Lj67UjQVpR_64fs0ZkVQ7cwUUwf5S4uJAS3KgsNKJ5tqm8XvbSsWazOMaIljMK0YZvFU2t_hXY7cTTfVnzge9aNkeN2x7o-mqexS2dgHzKJ2TMnPXtlO2RZLRJspRAGoEgjhjQt/s2048/IMG_2870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_Ua0-Lj67UjQVpR_64fs0ZkVQ7cwUUwf5S4uJAS3KgsNKJ5tqm8XvbSsWazOMaIljMK0YZvFU2t_hXY7cTTfVnzge9aNkeN2x7o-mqexS2dgHzKJ2TMnPXtlO2RZLRJspRAGoEgjhjQt/s320/IMG_2870.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Snout, 4.25mm hook, used some colored pins to mark out where it should be sewn in place to prevent it being crooked.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Mc 6</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Inc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sc, inc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">2sc inc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">3sc inc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">4sc inc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">5sc inc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">6sc inc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">7sc inc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">8sc inc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sc around </span></li></ul><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PdghxDlzz5WOwTXJuh2qMVKDGJDnYe87lyDmaBehSEOT_r0ktgpQOtn9xF23etTZDYIN-OJqkBY675WJhC0JH92ABUnxzfMD6pMM-FOXmPJJgFjEGtCxshPelcgWwGQl-_t7Q0tfM-x6/s2048/IMG_2914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PdghxDlzz5WOwTXJuh2qMVKDGJDnYe87lyDmaBehSEOT_r0ktgpQOtn9xF23etTZDYIN-OJqkBY675WJhC0JH92ABUnxzfMD6pMM-FOXmPJJgFjEGtCxshPelcgWwGQl-_t7Q0tfM-x6/s320/IMG_2914.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
</span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Eyes: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Mc6</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Inc 12</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sc, inc 18 </span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">2sc, inc 24</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">3sc, inc 30</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">4sc, inc 36</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">4sc, hdc, dc inc, 3dc, 3 trb inc, 3dc, dc inc, Hdc, 5sc, hdc, dc inc, 3dc,
3trbinc, 3dc, dc inc, hdc, sc</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">7sc, hdc, hdc inc, 2dc, dc inc, 3dc, dc inc, 2dc, hdc inc, hdc, 10sc, hdc, hdc inc, 2dc,
dc inc, 3dc, dc inc, 2dc, hdc inc, hdc, 2sc, sl st
</span></li></ul><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Nose:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Mc6</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Inc (12)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">3 Sc, inc, 4sc, inc, 3sc (14)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">14 Sc around </span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Pupil chain 5, </span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sc in first, 2sc, 3sc in last turning to other side, 3sc (9)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">3hdc in one, 4sc, 3hdc, 4sc, slst
</span></li></ul><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNbWU-TRQTDswtQiAh16ql8-9KUAEpJw-gMCF7renc48mqLsN30P2ljwKasTxv5AUBcnwUD2gy8X1TWNNCzvCiZxRJGie3Y23vNp5uER6YpwCJfbH2KjRxNeFYRwwkLwGs1TRLmfSyOJX/s2048/IMG_2900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNbWU-TRQTDswtQiAh16ql8-9KUAEpJw-gMCF7renc48mqLsN30P2ljwKasTxv5AUBcnwUD2gy8X1TWNNCzvCiZxRJGie3Y23vNp5uER6YpwCJfbH2KjRxNeFYRwwkLwGs1TRLmfSyOJX/s320/IMG_2900.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Tiny test:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Mc6</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Inc around (12)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sc, inc (18)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">18 Sc around for three rows</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, sc (12)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec (6)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sc around for two rows</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Dec, 4sc</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">2sc, dec , sc, dec</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Tiny mouth:
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Mc6
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">12
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">18
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">24
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Three rows 24 around</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Tiny eyes:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Mc6</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">12</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sc, inc, 5sc inc 4sc</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Pupils and Smile embroidered on.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGumxIkfihyzxPEoFa7gMjhUUF0ZurhHduMvTBmxE2cBPF-gBCtsXHu76unME_3E-Aqq1aJCEBY-Z13BSZbrjmTop_W6YNJ6Vr03GBSpVxVmZm6szY4NRpKmhBnlwjexf9HAKVBxjc0xD/s2048/IMG_2880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGumxIkfihyzxPEoFa7gMjhUUF0ZurhHduMvTBmxE2cBPF-gBCtsXHu76unME_3E-Aqq1aJCEBY-Z13BSZbrjmTop_W6YNJ6Vr03GBSpVxVmZm6szY4NRpKmhBnlwjexf9HAKVBxjc0xD/s320/IMG_2880.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">These work up fast. Maybe about 1 hour for the little all told. Maybe 4 for Big Woff. </span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Little one measures about 6 inches wide, 10 inches from nose to tail.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Big one measures about 12 inches wide by 25 inches long nose to tail.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">To be honest the little one gets played with a lot more since its like the
perfect size for making fly through the air. (read throw it)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Difficulty: Easy</span></p><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-74097827215240776162021-03-01T09:30:00.006-06:002021-05-17T07:37:28.325-05:00Mini Jorgen<p>Tired of Hilda yet? Don't be. </p><p>I knew I liked the concept when I picked up two of the graphic novels in a bookstore in Santa Fe back in 2017, and was smitten with the show from episode two and the appearance of Jorgen, the Midnight Giant. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFn2ouaOi4qae4p11flLWV7Odyz65W_O1sX8VK74Uv9TcInKh4DyRklwh6j7Z3RGoiUev7BrqWsKiYOK7-zByNAuxiJRKq0g7FFPZ8fL1a_gF4AsM7I0H6TWvJOxcxzmSXS-47yZZ98Z9G/s2048/P2140469.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFn2ouaOi4qae4p11flLWV7Odyz65W_O1sX8VK74Uv9TcInKh4DyRklwh6j7Z3RGoiUev7BrqWsKiYOK7-zByNAuxiJRKq0g7FFPZ8fL1a_gF4AsM7I0H6TWvJOxcxzmSXS-47yZZ98Z9G/w226-h400/P2140469.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><p></p><p>I really want to make a giant, toddler sized Jorgen, but that much yarn is expensive and I really want to get something nice if it's going to be that large. So at a local shop's winter sale I picked up a few skeins of <a href="http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-ReVerb.htm" target="_blank">Cascade Yarns, ReVerb (recycled) 3.75mm, Color 04</a> "Jet." The sort of loose twist was nice as well as that it has some very slight variegation to it, not enough to be "heathered" but enough to be interesting. </p><p>With the thin weight I should be able to write up and test a pattern, that should scale nicely up to a worsted or bulky weight yarn should I find something suitable. In the meantime, I wanted this mini Jorgen to be awesome... that of course means making my own life difficult. I wanted him to be posable. Like with Alfur, I decided to try a wire armature and <a href="https://youtu.be/f8i2brIqJ_Q" target="_blank">watched a short video on a very basic skeleton</a>. I used some thin beading wire I had lying around, and since this one doesn't have to be seen anywhere, I figure my somewhat amateur attempt won't matter. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyo-SOifIRbyN7IyGcWlY_xmxJilKlHElQD0eUSeUC4vSdbo32hTgGG3l7RhjPYz90hMFAb7kSxxtr2y6FX3T3MEwgujB96lGq31g-pbU6OHvgpY3Yv7J1OwSLQyVYolQAHzixb_GfzrkU/s2048/IMG_2791.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyo-SOifIRbyN7IyGcWlY_xmxJilKlHElQD0eUSeUC4vSdbo32hTgGG3l7RhjPYz90hMFAb7kSxxtr2y6FX3T3MEwgujB96lGq31g-pbU6OHvgpY3Yv7J1OwSLQyVYolQAHzixb_GfzrkU/s320/IMG_2791.jpg" /></a></div><p>I did need to sketch him out first to get a scale to try to make him to, and to be sure that the armature would fit. His super long neck and head is what really prompted this as I did not want to have a big floppy head... That meant designing the pattern so it could fit around the skeleton.</p><p>I started with the legs, doing a very basic shape and taper, making 2. I left a loop at the end of the legs and had plenty of yarn from the MC start that I knew I could anchor the skeleton to the body. So I joined the legs and worked up into the body. I stopped about half way and turned him inside out to tie the feet to the skeleton and then slowly stuff up into the body. I normally like to stuff as I go along but inserting the skeleton after the stuffing would be problematic to say the least. </p><p>After anchoring the skeleton the feet, it was a bit of pain to keep crocheting in the round around it, but manageable. I tapered off the body into the neck and head, stuffing along till closing it. I let the arm wires stick out and then made the marks, slipped it on over them with stuffing and then sewed them in place. Easier to type than do. Since the finished doll is only about 8 inches tall, the tiny ears and eyes and nose were a bit of a puzzle. I did try to crochet the features out of a contrasting tan sock yarn but it was too small and unformed for my liking. So it turned back to my newly acquired skill of needle felting to make some tiny features. I rolled small balls of white and tan and then felted them into place on the head. I actually am very pleased with how it turned out, I was a little unsure I would have enough room on the face. </p><p>Time to complete: about 4 hours<br />Difficulty: Intermediate <br />Size: About 8 inches tall</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgZd4b7h-oPvi91pbvXUaQ1CW1i0oUMLTUjYYuCnKM2B6CPZDLjtAFm2nr4G3eQ4ELxDcYX8lTPPncN1bUnSmDpQhyiime0Id4_nP3Jj6lRPElW6-M0bmr5OGu6_VuyDA_nFQqjgIYZNX/s2048/IMG_2841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgZd4b7h-oPvi91pbvXUaQ1CW1i0oUMLTUjYYuCnKM2B6CPZDLjtAFm2nr4G3eQ4ELxDcYX8lTPPncN1bUnSmDpQhyiime0Id4_nP3Jj6lRPElW6-M0bmr5OGu6_VuyDA_nFQqjgIYZNX/s320/IMG_2841.jpg" /></a></div>Mini Jorgen<br />inc - increase - 2 sc in one stitch<br />dec- decrease<p></p><p>Legs - make 2</p><p>R1. MC6<br />R2. inc around (12)<br />R3-4. 12 sc around<br />R5. 2 dec, 8 sc (10)<br />R6-20. 10 sc around <br />Leg joins - with toes pointed same way, work 4 sc through both legs to join, work in a circle around the outsides, 6sc, 2 increase, 6sc, slip stitch to front of 4 chain, then keep working in the round. (18)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwGc0kfdkg8b08THoHqMAj9vnQRWd93tFL5SBoy0I0EH5rjjYlRnvWNX3OT5afMOw0ikgm88S4ddkW9skSorUA0CfoHbJ02qMupu4Ap_fIz1MuXr5nKdedlIw1ZmuNvaqjj9WX3MGIDDJ/s2048/IMG_2796.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwGc0kfdkg8b08THoHqMAj9vnQRWd93tFL5SBoy0I0EH5rjjYlRnvWNX3OT5afMOw0ikgm88S4ddkW9skSorUA0CfoHbJ02qMupu4Ap_fIz1MuXr5nKdedlIw1ZmuNvaqjj9WX3MGIDDJ/s320/IMG_2796.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaw_PXI10WTXyYupbROXIPnTXCMT68BJ45j2goAU5FPv9C4Wr4XbKAK0o9dzHpF46Ss4kzMjwr6G7uwmjwqt4s46ySVOIoDooJVyRPzKBHvSV38iqG9xg5wrj1En2WdTzABhf3DdDIL2s/s2048/IMG_2798.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaw_PXI10WTXyYupbROXIPnTXCMT68BJ45j2goAU5FPv9C4Wr4XbKAK0o9dzHpF46Ss4kzMjwr6G7uwmjwqt4s46ySVOIoDooJVyRPzKBHvSV38iqG9xg5wrj1En2WdTzABhf3DdDIL2s/s320/IMG_2798.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dvVwEpBHGp4458eF0lVvRsUjmeyMmvLDv3XVyrmuuPBaWuKcP7mi2tpywtTHyXCskV-sL-bdJXaix6C2ktG_t7lsceEi3_nvvz7q0uIVHkduBRd6Z0MFuzUGbCYKFxavTb33EUETcBv4/s2048/IMG_2809.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dvVwEpBHGp4458eF0lVvRsUjmeyMmvLDv3XVyrmuuPBaWuKcP7mi2tpywtTHyXCskV-sL-bdJXaix6C2ktG_t7lsceEi3_nvvz7q0uIVHkduBRd6Z0MFuzUGbCYKFxavTb33EUETcBv4/s320/IMG_2809.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>Body - from Butt to top of head</p><p>R21. inc x2, 14 sc, inc x2 (22) increases for belly should be in the direction of the toes<br />R22. 22 sc around<br />R23. 4sc, dec, 4sec, dec (should be middle of back), 6sc, dec, 3 sec (20)<br />R24. 20 sc around<br />R25. 4sc, dec, 8sc, dec, 4sc (18)<br />R26. 3sc, dec, 7sc, dec, 3sc (15) <br />R27. 3sc, dec, 6sc, dec, 2sc (12)<br />R28. 12 sc around<br />R29. 12 sc around - stuffing down into body and legs here. <br />R30. 12 sc around - work over wire arms - if doing wire skeleton </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6_DY23iH2DmSmbjVvtAQDu-ca4FqDZxlwNMqBqb8buW4OKt5JVCypoc3wYV_D4jpx9BWLHizZOHu3tSsVzhNNQ8QyrMHuU3t1378NJWun1MABNxTVPy5foaBCLztwStC2OuAt06Qssyz/s2048/IMG_2840.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6_DY23iH2DmSmbjVvtAQDu-ca4FqDZxlwNMqBqb8buW4OKt5JVCypoc3wYV_D4jpx9BWLHizZOHu3tSsVzhNNQ8QyrMHuU3t1378NJWun1MABNxTVPy5foaBCLztwStC2OuAt06Qssyz/s320/IMG_2840.jpg" /></a></div><br />R31. 12 sc around<br />R32. 3sc, dec, 4sc, dec, 2sc (11)<br />R33. 11 sc around<br />R34. 8sc, dec, sc (10)<br />R35-48. 10 sc around - stuff neck as you go along, working around wire<br />R49. dec, sc around <br />R50. dec around, and bind off, use tail to sew into top of wire skeleton - tough I know<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkOVcFUtaWa05SQ6e4AZNAnb7geQtRU-hx2Myqj_33CXicPjgSOlSp_qq9O9vPfQTRBfLSgLpKbJ8LAKk4IzmRPfF-bt0v07ikRRzNUo5kEKnn-f6Z0YTK6bUmaYNwTdYRRltF9AJfgk1M/s2048/IMG_2839.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkOVcFUtaWa05SQ6e4AZNAnb7geQtRU-hx2Myqj_33CXicPjgSOlSp_qq9O9vPfQTRBfLSgLpKbJ8LAKk4IzmRPfF-bt0v07ikRRzNUo5kEKnn-f6Z0YTK6bUmaYNwTdYRRltF9AJfgk1M/s320/IMG_2839.jpg" /></a></div>Arms - make 2<p></p><p>R1. MC4<br />R2. inc, sc, inc, sc (6)<br />R3. inc, 2sc, inc, 2sc (8)<br />R4. 8 sc around<br />R5. bobble stitch (5hdc in one, slst to first, ch 1), sc around 7 (8) (bobble makes thumb)<br />R6-19. 8 sc around, bind off, use tail to sew to body over arm wires. I did half then stuffed, then sewed close to body.</p><p></p><p>Eyes, Ears, Nose - needle felted to head</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcJOZZgpbitWKWKqkfueCRF_iohkHEb3MHJdRtK0CvNDgufiB5UU128WtvShBi_eD4b6MGAbI6Oje4kKnuZgt2c-BU1NW05qPk6ceCrIG-pfppSEJC1SI0tve_45Lbo5TMaMhNnoEmEKg/s2048/IMG_2842.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcJOZZgpbitWKWKqkfueCRF_iohkHEb3MHJdRtK0CvNDgufiB5UU128WtvShBi_eD4b6MGAbI6Oje4kKnuZgt2c-BU1NW05qPk6ceCrIG-pfppSEJC1SI0tve_45Lbo5TMaMhNnoEmEKg/s320/IMG_2842.jpg" /></a></div>Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-66587797133339880582021-01-25T09:30:00.011-06:002021-02-12T16:04:04.220-06:00Tontu from Hilda<p>Boy I have been making quite a few Hilda inspired things lately. Today's post is on Tontu, a nisse or house spirit from both the first and second season. As a character I was not sure I liked him at the start but he's grown on me, and his design is too perfect for crochet to not have made one. The tricky part was finding the right yarn.</p><p>I used <a href="https://www.yarnspirations.com/bernat-pipsqueak-yarn--100g-3.5-oz-/162059.html" target="_blank">Bernat Pipsqueak in Chocolate</a> with a J 10mm hook for the head and tail. This yarn is kind of hard to work with but the fact that it's a big circle made it easier since you basically have to feel the stitches and not actually see them. The softness and fluffiness was too perfect though, and the color was close enough.</p><p>The body and nose are done in <a href="https://www.joann.com/red-heart-soft-yarn/prd39400.html?dwvar_prd39400_variationAttribute=8228983&quantity=1" target="_blank">Red Heart Soft in Off White</a>, 4mm hook. The slight sheen and tight wind gives it a nice contrast to the head fluff. For the sweater I chose Big Twist Soft in Gold, 4mm hook. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwDnGdPRuWKkT_o_vk17naaKJJ9alzdhxFZswsp_taqA_jYeRIco9cyyPxUa7aRkB24Zw3R0Dtmwh8wvzHGTBWEEjqlV7FgpIpbciZcsvAPt3LR8MCdQdC0Hr0LUyFUrZSn7I9368WhCA/s2048/IMG_2610.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwDnGdPRuWKkT_o_vk17naaKJJ9alzdhxFZswsp_taqA_jYeRIco9cyyPxUa7aRkB24Zw3R0Dtmwh8wvzHGTBWEEjqlV7FgpIpbciZcsvAPt3LR8MCdQdC0Hr0LUyFUrZSn7I9368WhCA/s320/IMG_2610.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most of my patterns start out with a very basic shape sketch, that way I can plan how I want to build the parts. I started with the legs since that would be a good way I though to get the size right. I've done these kind of feet and arms so often I didn't even write the pattern out. It starts with a short chain and working an oval around it, two rows of 18 around that oval or so. Then three rows with a decrease toward the long end so that the leg is 12 sc around... I worked two legs then joined them together in the middle and working around the outside of both so that they would be seamless into the body. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCDXiKOrKuoXMe0_IXxJBzwV6Y6m6U5Q2JykWAYFPc8fMuHNdVjfeY4gTdSVAax9Ok-YX-jyMQVgMgAC631ArlU-KodzObt33094zdK8MNUx1ESK6ozknPEOa2jEEKE6S9NQ6ef08HNmD/s2048/IMG_2599.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCDXiKOrKuoXMe0_IXxJBzwV6Y6m6U5Q2JykWAYFPc8fMuHNdVjfeY4gTdSVAax9Ok-YX-jyMQVgMgAC631ArlU-KodzObt33094zdK8MNUx1ESK6ozknPEOa2jEEKE6S9NQ6ef08HNmD/s320/IMG_2599.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHEW-VRKWHxhMRV0gzhSOeTz63NfVnczDzJ9E-ajCxz7SF1WcDKGdbF20GYAlJwnfSha9yGRvXM3f1AQnD0t5Ee79TLP9afFUhAUrGAZVeLBXYezWoO8knPHjjOQ39Q39zLqXF1lS4LF9/s2048/IMG_2598.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHEW-VRKWHxhMRV0gzhSOeTz63NfVnczDzJ9E-ajCxz7SF1WcDKGdbF20GYAlJwnfSha9yGRvXM3f1AQnD0t5Ee79TLP9afFUhAUrGAZVeLBXYezWoO8knPHjjOQ39Q39zLqXF1lS4LF9/s320/IMG_2598.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The arms are simple tubes, a magic circle with 6 sc, then 12, two rows of 12, then one row with a bobble stitch as the thumb and sc around with a decrease. Arms are 10sc around up to a shoulder then stitched shut and sewn onto the body. From the legs through the torso is a simple working around, then up where I wanted the shoulders to be I did a few decreases on the outsides to try to get a slope to shoulders into the neck, which I left pretty big so his head might not be too floppy. (It is anyway.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The tail is again a long tube shape, think it was 8sc around. I made the tail bulb end separately. That is also a small circle and in the middle I did four bobble stitches to try to get that sculpted poof look. Not sure that was too successful, but it's better than a basic ball for sure. I used the fur yarn to sew the head onto the body and same with tail bulb to tail, helped make that seam hidden and fluffy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqMCYo0tWYJ2v7jOHmQSUbA-c-WZtmXw_bM_JQo04Re28ekHvAfQRsf7_0kcMyJ7WpDg1XkXpLnsTfo3dMmO7OT2LFRk2pJS2kYBOn8uIEqJuN8cv83sSb7WzrAKiqC3LNE9FDSpt8nvQ6/s2048/IMG_2601.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqMCYo0tWYJ2v7jOHmQSUbA-c-WZtmXw_bM_JQo04Re28ekHvAfQRsf7_0kcMyJ7WpDg1XkXpLnsTfo3dMmO7OT2LFRk2pJS2kYBOn8uIEqJuN8cv83sSb7WzrAKiqC3LNE9FDSpt8nvQ6/s320/IMG_2601.jpg" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The sweater was a total fluke. I have not made any clothing that fit anyone as of yet. Shawls totally don't count cause they don't have to be fitted. I picked <a href="https://www.joann.com/big-twist-soft-yarn/zprd_16801086a.html?dwvar_zprd__16801086a_variationAttribute=16801227&quantity=1" target="_blank">Big Twist Soft yarn in Gold</a>, also using a 4 mm hook. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had one real goal with the sweater: get that knit look. I cannot knit, so I used the "waistcoat stitch" to get it close. You work into the vertical legs of the sc stitch to get that V shape. I made three tubes, one for the body, and two for the arms. Then I joined all three pieces together like I did with the legs, but at each join area I did a decrease on the front and back to get that sort of raglan taper. I worked two rows of back loop double crochet on the ends of the sleeves and sweater and did four rows around the neck. The back loop gives it that horizontal lined look, which I thought contrasted nicely and made it look really finished. </div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRNTB8l-TeAFpgnuH9zvpccgLpx-r8sdQNijzxxcwQB1MDYoxeBG2NAXgNFaC-wSkbS-cSJ5kVtaoxSirKXAXPWJBruZuhVwQcItAmt0CDu9ten-7UNbN0PUSkak3bI2bAWPHCBaWM1cz/s2048/IMG_2602.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRNTB8l-TeAFpgnuH9zvpccgLpx-r8sdQNijzxxcwQB1MDYoxeBG2NAXgNFaC-wSkbS-cSJ5kVtaoxSirKXAXPWJBruZuhVwQcItAmt0CDu9ten-7UNbN0PUSkak3bI2bAWPHCBaWM1cz/s320/IMG_2602.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Obviously this didn't fit over his head, but the neck was wide enough to get the tail, legs, and finally arms into it. Sure he has to get dressed weird, but it looks great.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAde8FL71ny9_AW4NYgqS-YiX54cge3O8ikpSsEccNwYYfWntPPZIlKDkYBt_2pJwKR0LWTWt9vqsH23L0jCxILqY7jJwnRH8JQtKwJSlWyVPzRbzDaiFeq6vzBhH9zGHJa4e3OPSKFVLZ/s2048/IMG_2604.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAde8FL71ny9_AW4NYgqS-YiX54cge3O8ikpSsEccNwYYfWntPPZIlKDkYBt_2pJwKR0LWTWt9vqsH23L0jCxILqY7jJwnRH8JQtKwJSlWyVPzRbzDaiFeq6vzBhH9zGHJa4e3OPSKFVLZ/s320/IMG_2604.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I really love the scale he came out to be... as I feel its pretty close to "life" size.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4J7uw6kvXkDfTVAyZVwQ5fPDC8OXX6tbyyfcuvcoPjX5IxsoMa6jJFWPYXXOUDrV6hlE7vDWvZH0OBicjuwBek042fUeOU-fySVioM9Top_cxOLH2QP1AwJigzfrLNZAi1TWM2tnPwgfD/s2048/IMG_2607.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4J7uw6kvXkDfTVAyZVwQ5fPDC8OXX6tbyyfcuvcoPjX5IxsoMa6jJFWPYXXOUDrV6hlE7vDWvZH0OBicjuwBek042fUeOU-fySVioM9Top_cxOLH2QP1AwJigzfrLNZAi1TWM2tnPwgfD/w640-h480/IMG_2607.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Difficulty: Intermediate (to hard if you have trouble with fur yarn)<div>Time to complete: 12 hours</div><div><br /></div><div>PS. Super cool that I can share stuff like this with the creators... </div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/khyarete/status/1343269341295505413?s=20">https://twitter.com/khyarete/status/1343269341295505413?s=20</a></span></div>Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-61948471745123914182021-01-11T09:30:00.005-06:002021-02-12T16:01:09.605-06:00Look Alive Hat<p> As soon as I saw the album cover for Look Alive, I knew that I needed to make up a silly hat to match. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f1/Guster-Look-alive_cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="316" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f1/Guster-Look-alive_cover.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikEJUCQ14Ci_lEUUiPDqFU-l6EgXOTGvjIqKGMROkpi5gw8TTNUAkSn1t3s0HOlytKMR5eOygi14mI4qIrNcqNGH-j48wViaSONXzwVPqjftx6BjTAusbYGBiZt8CsIU9gyk7r_O_Q6IS/s1050/Guster-Look-Alive-Hat-sm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1050" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikEJUCQ14Ci_lEUUiPDqFU-l6EgXOTGvjIqKGMROkpi5gw8TTNUAkSn1t3s0HOlytKMR5eOygi14mI4qIrNcqNGH-j48wViaSONXzwVPqjftx6BjTAusbYGBiZt8CsIU9gyk7r_O_Q6IS/s320/Guster-Look-Alive-Hat-sm.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I spent a little too much time making this... next time darker yarn, at least twice as many spines.</div><br /><p>Doing a search on Ravelry, I found this <a href="https://www.neacreates.com/pattern/ribbed-winter-hat/" target="_blank">Ribbed Winter Hat pattern by Nea Creates</a>. With the very distinct front and post double crochet ribs it looked perfect. I made one small change and added three rows of single crochet around the base, as I like a little edging on my hats. I used a 4mm hook and<a href="https://www.joann.com/red-heart-soft-yarn/prd39400.html?dwvar_prd39400_variationAttribute=8228884&quantity=1" target="_blank"> Redheart Soft in Guacamole.</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4ZAQLFOAksxvfGkHO3E8VNQm8LL9RWW0BFTlsz_YBHafzc-gSH5USsxwsxs9i5o5iJiDx6R5PGVR4u-D3fJUpZjPSIHvqGOy1tfHLzRglrovaRjaEqirsgLjX_HAvEgpfeKsBqGotUk-/s2048/IMG_2503.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4ZAQLFOAksxvfGkHO3E8VNQm8LL9RWW0BFTlsz_YBHafzc-gSH5USsxwsxs9i5o5iJiDx6R5PGVR4u-D3fJUpZjPSIHvqGOy1tfHLzRglrovaRjaEqirsgLjX_HAvEgpfeKsBqGotUk-/s320/IMG_2503.jpg" /></a></div><p>After that it was a mindless sort of task to add the spines. I tried at first with two colors of embroidery thread, but not only did it quickly fall off, but I ran out super fast. Then I found a brand new skein of <a href="https://www.joann.com/aunt-lydia-s-crochet-cotton-classic-size-10/zprd_12377065a.html?dwvar_zprd__12377065a_variationAttribute=7346026&quantity=1" target="_blank">yellow crochet thread</a>. I cut about 4 inch lengths and held two together to make a simple tassel with a knot at the base to keep it secure. I did every other vertical rib and every other stitch so as to not be too knotted.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZZaR7I5gYq6YQXRlX1mJueLcgrNpahffbbomaw-tFq0hH1gMDmIoWWUOJov82xNQQuzf8MrMQ_aVHzzwxhiRA-PgVJaIwQ-qXEcKJQjr1hjAN0RrcXj0W8CZ2QrIWwteArn3LpEKMvAn/s2048/IMG_2556.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZZaR7I5gYq6YQXRlX1mJueLcgrNpahffbbomaw-tFq0hH1gMDmIoWWUOJov82xNQQuzf8MrMQ_aVHzzwxhiRA-PgVJaIwQ-qXEcKJQjr1hjAN0RrcXj0W8CZ2QrIWwteArn3LpEKMvAn/s320/IMG_2556.jpg" /></a></div><p>I trimmed them all down once done to let them stick out a little better more like spines. I also added a bit extra around the brim as the album art does seem to be dense around the edge. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8ixJkOH5tmaTtvVkHL1IX-0xBwMUTfI8Y1wWqAbNCtPnipFoUaCxZTNSeZPHwCaIATojAxe8QIrMaSgwKM7gMsUIi7lMkeo-kPfitDWTEaUbA5YtQcVPUsukXT4sxcKhHyPaWztBHaw9/s2048/IMG_2557.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8ixJkOH5tmaTtvVkHL1IX-0xBwMUTfI8Y1wWqAbNCtPnipFoUaCxZTNSeZPHwCaIATojAxe8QIrMaSgwKM7gMsUIi7lMkeo-kPfitDWTEaUbA5YtQcVPUsukXT4sxcKhHyPaWztBHaw9/s320/IMG_2557.jpg" /></a></div><p>Time to Complete: 6 hours<br />Difficulty: Easy</p>Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-45651097839958604752020-12-21T09:30:00.001-06:002021-02-12T16:03:45.344-06:00Alfur from Hilda<p>Do you watch Hilda on Netflix? If you don't, get on that. </p><p>We've probably watched the first season four times through now, heading into a fifth as we countdown the days till Season 2 premiers. Our three year old girl loves it. I wanted to crochet a tiny Alfur, but the more I thought about it, the less I thought that would work very well. I considered Sculpy clay too... but of course decided to go and learn a new skill: Needle Felting. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WvbgM8hgLlb9hxAkrulitpmNYeotYoYLMJ8W8ZmVWGy7vXfpmKmhxGfbSPwPdCg1RhBB2N2WEdaswhrbLV4Tv27NriHUy6zj9R7kf2R7561hl7JppqCLxvYAbh_Fb-DZhG2Mdzbfeljr/s1000/25352183_506231149764120_4064133710325013743_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WvbgM8hgLlb9hxAkrulitpmNYeotYoYLMJ8W8ZmVWGy7vXfpmKmhxGfbSPwPdCg1RhBB2N2WEdaswhrbLV4Tv27NriHUy6zj9R7kf2R7561hl7JppqCLxvYAbh_Fb-DZhG2Mdzbfeljr/s320/25352183_506231149764120_4064133710325013743_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>I ordered the <a href="https://www.joann.com/clover-pen-style-felting-needle-tool/9675133.html" target="_blank">Clover needle felting pen tool</a> and a multipack of <a href="https://www.joann.com/search?q=felting+wool&lang=default" target="_blank">unspun wool</a> that had the red and white colors I liked. I also ordered a set of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Felting-Leather-Protector-Knitting-Thimble/dp/B07JKZH1BC/ref=sr_1_15_mod_primary_new?crid=EQUMIBQ2PCFF&dchild=1&keywords=needle+felt+finger+guards&qid=1607006244&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=needle+felt+finger%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-15" target="_blank">leather finger covers</a> and a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Woolbuddy-Needle-Felting-100-Woolen/dp/B06XPTT827/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=needle+felt+mat&qid=1607006199&sr=8-3" target="_blank">needle felting mat </a>from Amazon after I stabbed myself many <i>many</i> times the first few attempts. I basically just read a bunch of blog posts by others and watched a few you tube videos.</p><p>I made a yellow ball. I know... wow right. But then added another and worked up a few tiny eyes and a beak and voila! A fat chick spirit from Spirited Away! Then I tried out a sort of fuzzy ghost, which was cool to leave part of it unspun and unfelted to give it that wispy ghost look. More recently I'm trying to make a character from a webcomic I like, but am not sure how it't turning out...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQo7AWTSCAl6vJTY2AhHVscDq9GJ5QCo3aUitKxHe1icl6mDMvkvOaIvSHibvI5MdOtaTsp06P0uOasHicat_AHyzs91ljfjb0MvDeDa-lBEI4TYsaJSmLsUK58A8Ym20PUoPH0nydoSN/s2048/IMG_2423.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQo7AWTSCAl6vJTY2AhHVscDq9GJ5QCo3aUitKxHe1icl6mDMvkvOaIvSHibvI5MdOtaTsp06P0uOasHicat_AHyzs91ljfjb0MvDeDa-lBEI4TYsaJSmLsUK58A8Ym20PUoPH0nydoSN/w240-h305/IMG_2423.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>These experiments helped get me a bit of confidence, but of course I couldn't just stop with needle felting... of course not. I decided I wanted him to be able to be posable. That meant needle felting the body around a skeleton. I attempted to make my own armature with beading wire, and while it looked ok, it was not the right color, nor very sturdy.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9fd3gAJdMDWVqSik2a8aSv5WVgEfhqXVrKYqKOfmXDN15fNxDH_aH0rWm7JL9TKecocj7_K5LDXLRJc-44K6fIeKzk0zxptri1DiOdhWYj4y4ffu004j0KG3xG_1yMCuvWjRne63N9ej/s2048/IMG_1894.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9fd3gAJdMDWVqSik2a8aSv5WVgEfhqXVrKYqKOfmXDN15fNxDH_aH0rWm7JL9TKecocj7_K5LDXLRJc-44K6fIeKzk0zxptri1DiOdhWYj4y4ffu004j0KG3xG_1yMCuvWjRne63N9ej/s320/IMG_1894.HEIC" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">this black wire was way too thick</div><div><br /></div><div>So I decided to outsource the skeleton to a <a href="https://www.fleurishpaperflowers.com/" target="_blank">friend who does paper flowers</a>. I figured she would have a better knowledge of wires and could wrap it in black so that it would look correct to the character. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-yzRInmLInikW_p2N8dqF8nJjhKpxsReAAb7RmPCpf1DlRe-4Tvop3DraEf-UK3o4oAv6vFe1oXWIwMqXUaQWZv1t1DMVm2k8gFxdko6TM0ZRcSQbFt8J_B6i2laT-GOYE5p3EaHTvxv/s2048/IMG_1896.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-yzRInmLInikW_p2N8dqF8nJjhKpxsReAAb7RmPCpf1DlRe-4Tvop3DraEf-UK3o4oAv6vFe1oXWIwMqXUaQWZv1t1DMVm2k8gFxdko6TM0ZRcSQbFt8J_B6i2laT-GOYE5p3EaHTvxv/s320/IMG_1896.HEIC" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcmp4JGjgelmQhQ0q7jdjQu8wQlC2LXzjh8IeWUAcb1tNhGmCZuPQaBWZc_nm-UQ6-ARrhE7aa7nqTr6-VC_EUHAiJysZabZ9cOt18vYxWb6ebpyQD3_NrPAGQAhS7Fzpp0qOaVgiRjgxE/s2048/IMG_1895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcmp4JGjgelmQhQ0q7jdjQu8wQlC2LXzjh8IeWUAcb1tNhGmCZuPQaBWZc_nm-UQ6-ARrhE7aa7nqTr6-VC_EUHAiJysZabZ9cOt18vYxWb6ebpyQD3_NrPAGQAhS7Fzpp0qOaVgiRjgxE/w240-h320/IMG_1895.jpg" title="my bad skeleton" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">my attempt</div><div><br /></div><div>I sent her my rough drawing, a picture of what I had come up with, and an idea on scale and she sent back like the perfect thing. Shoulders can move a little and the wire is tough enough that a bend will stay in place. She also coated it in clear modge podge which should keep it safe should when I pose him in the leaves and stuff. Of course I forgot to take a picture of the new armature sans felt...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuD2kF7hywJJF2zZ33lVE9h1ZCZkfcehIjeoC76F39MAWRXu_FwrIAGnhKp7iHWlu240_ufeJLOC8KfbOtqTNzFAS_YrEt-L9YIXqyG2EZ9JnO5C0TQgU-9Pz1MTH7NbmbuFHYObArHBR/s2048/118798125_351797922871092_1436667782628321140_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuD2kF7hywJJF2zZ33lVE9h1ZCZkfcehIjeoC76F39MAWRXu_FwrIAGnhKp7iHWlu240_ufeJLOC8KfbOtqTNzFAS_YrEt-L9YIXqyG2EZ9JnO5C0TQgU-9Pz1MTH7NbmbuFHYObArHBR/s320/118798125_351797922871092_1436667782628321140_n.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">wrapped skeleton</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr50qwyLNZhpxsJ0KJPbXMwcnXFO-04oTJ7rrDEQw-KWvdsUrRoFXWeAEe9dpARbrPrzrpL07ZBuOMsLLuRNlh3G7XvuXlHP4cVaDN_abqmWBlvzvHkxz8XrrZ6l7aUanhrTlcdaFdHPSM/s2048/IMG_2030.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr50qwyLNZhpxsJ0KJPbXMwcnXFO-04oTJ7rrDEQw-KWvdsUrRoFXWeAEe9dpARbrPrzrpL07ZBuOMsLLuRNlh3G7XvuXlHP4cVaDN_abqmWBlvzvHkxz8XrrZ6l7aUanhrTlcdaFdHPSM/s320/IMG_2030.HEIC" /></a></div><br /><div>With a round head, cone shaped body, cone hat, two small ovals for hair poufs and two long ovals for ears... I had me a little Alfur! The eyes, eyebrows and smile were tricky... But the pen tool has three needles, which can easily slide out, so I was able to use one needle for these small parts. Just takes patience and a lot of poking. </div><div><br /></div><div>Got to say... all that poking is nice and cathartic if you manage to not stab yourself...</div><div><br /></div><div>Difficulty: Easy</div><div>Time to complete: about 4 hours</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmShbiIlzwBu7gv7khlUYMa5DFOB8wN7hA1Zcjo5NixVTvL4JVVcnjAUsTQMWzUc3LJXt49qUM7qGH8aoMA0wvdstOfc6jz_EMUyAlL2m9zZXdMPX1L7h3w-oLGH8m9Mreolu0EfC1HWZZ/s2048/PC030456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmShbiIlzwBu7gv7khlUYMa5DFOB8wN7hA1Zcjo5NixVTvL4JVVcnjAUsTQMWzUc3LJXt49qUM7qGH8aoMA0wvdstOfc6jz_EMUyAlL2m9zZXdMPX1L7h3w-oLGH8m9Mreolu0EfC1HWZZ/w640-h480/PC030456.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><p><br /></p></div>Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-55438733923081974522020-12-14T11:30:00.025-06:002021-02-12T16:03:00.566-06:00Brick Boy<p>I work in Acme Brick's corporate headquarters as a graphic designer. As such I get to do a lot of fun things - billboards, signs, trade show booths, print and online ads, logo design, t-shirt design, powerpoint templates, webpages, all kinds of stuff. Shortly after I started working there I was introduced to "Brick Boy" our life-size mascot costume that occasionally makes appearances at events. </p><p>I made a few car decal stickers, put him on a mask design or two, and have now made him into a crochet stuffy. Compared to the recent super time consuming octopi, this guy was a breeze. </p><p>I used yarn I had on hand lying around: </p><p><span> - </span>I love this yarn in Terra Cotta, acrylic, 4 weight or the like<br /><span> - Rowan Summerlite 4 ply in Pure White, sock yarn<br /></span><span> - maroon or dark red sock yarn<br /><span> - black sock yarn</span><br /></span></p><p>I made a <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2013/04/mr-ramen_25.html" target="_blank">Mr. Ramen</a> a million years ago, so another square toy wasn't too hard. I went with the crunchy stitch for the front and back and simple single crochet panels for the sides. The body parts - front back and sides are all made with a 5mm hook. For the eyes, mouth, arms and legs in sock yarn, use a D 3.25mm hook.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jVWeO6hRuHE6IU9liUVZj4OB-u3pBnyGd48HY9tFKJebfLYEJDlu0A7zjheO5mzxtPzSl1G-b4TJXff6N5aHdJ7oG1fSo6IYpbjRHY2ftIU4OGNEA11dC56ddJH61dNPcwVld9H0w2rY/s2048/IMG_2396.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jVWeO6hRuHE6IU9liUVZj4OB-u3pBnyGd48HY9tFKJebfLYEJDlu0A7zjheO5mzxtPzSl1G-b4TJXff6N5aHdJ7oG1fSo6IYpbjRHY2ftIU4OGNEA11dC56ddJH61dNPcwVld9H0w2rY/s320/IMG_2396.HEIC" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Part 1: Make All The Bits</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Front and Back</li><li>Eye whites, eye pupils</li><li>nose</li><li>cheeks</li><li>mouth with lip, teeth and tongue</li><li>arms with hands</li><li>legs</li><li>6 brick "holes" for the sides</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Body Front and Back</b>, make 2, in body red or terracotta, in the crunchy stitch<br />Chain 26<br />R1: sl st in 2nd chain from hook, *(1hdc in next ch, sl st on next), repeat * across, turn (25)<br />R2: chain 2 (counts as first hdc), *(slst in next hdc, hdc in next sl st), repeat * across, turn (25)<br />R3:*(sl st in hdc, hdc in sl st), repeat * across, sl st in top of turning chain (25)<br />R4-16: repeat rows 2 and 3 to create texture. Bind off</p><p><b>Long Sides</b>, make 2, in body red or terracotta<br />Chain 6, 1 sc in 1st ch from hook, 4sc across (5), chain 1 and turn<br />R1-23: 5sc across, chain 1 and turn. Bind off</p><p><b>Long Side Openings</b>, make 6, in dark red or maroon<br />R1: Chain 8, skip 2 ch (counts as first hdc), 6hdc across, ch 1 and turn (7)<br />R2-3: 7hdc across, ch 1 and turn (7)<br />Chain 1 and turn your work. Do 4 slip stitches along the opening unfinished looking side to end up next to where you started your first chain. Bind off and leave tail for sewing. You will sew three of these to each of the two long sides.</p><p><b>Short Sides</b>, make 2, in body red or terracotta<br />Chain 6, 1 sc in 1st ch from hook, 4sc across (5), chain 1 and turn<br />R1-15: 5sc across, chain 1 and turn. Bind off</p><p><b>Nose</b>, in body red or terracotta<br />R1: Magic Circle, ch 1, 4 sc into circle (4)<br />R2: 4 sc increase around (8)<br />R3-4: 8 sc around (8), Bind off leaving tail to sew to body with</p><p><b>Cheeks</b>, make 2, in body red or terracotta<br />Magic circle, chain 2 (counts as first dc), 9 more dc into circle, sl st to top of first chain (10)<br />Bind off with tail to sew</p><p><b>Eyes</b>, make 2 in white<br />R1: Magic circle, ch 1, 5sc (5)<br />R2: sc increase around (10)<br />R3: *(sc, inc), repeat 5 times (15)<br />R4: 4sc, hdc, (dc increase) in next 4 sts, hdc, 6sc (18) (makes a sort of tall oval)<br />R5: 4sc, (sc inc, sc) in next 4 sts, 6sc (22)<br />Bind off with tail for sewing</p><p><b>Pupils</b>, make 2 in black<br />R1: Magic circle, ch 1, 4sc (4)<br />R2: sc increase around (8)<br />Bind off with tail for sewing</p><p><b>Eyebrows</b>, make 2 in dark red or maroon<br />Chain 5, 2sc, sc increase, 2sc.<br />Bind off with tail for sewing. Should be a sort of bean shape.</p><div><b>Mouth</b>, make 1, making a half circle shape</div><div>R1: Magic Circle, ch 1, 3sc, ch 1 and turn (3)</div><div>R2: sc increase across, ch 1 and turn (6)<br />R3: *(sc, inc), repeat 3 times, ch 1 and turn (9)<br />R4: 2sc, sc inc, hdc, hdc inc, hdc, sc inc, 2sc (12)<br />R5: switch to body red, sl st in each to make bottom lip (12)<br />Bind off with tail for sewing</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Teeth</b>, make 1 in white</div><div>Chain 9, sl st in 1st from hook and across (8 sl st), bind off with tail for sewing</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tongue</b>, make 1 in dark red or maroon</div><div>Chain 5, 2dc in second from hook, sl st in next, chain 2, 2dc in next. Makes a sort of heart shape. Bind off with a little tail for sewing</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLa4CMVoLFmdXeOdufQk8-ReuCx6hrfzBZa5SjFKhovOCh5Sv3IVaIrm1hXKZItkHRJS9vq_r_yrsy5r03XBPZhfAC1lWjTmbDDEw5zNjHu71KWZyfbs7Z8Fg_GnuupPLhKIhtZsbGp1c/s2048/IMG_2401.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLa4CMVoLFmdXeOdufQk8-ReuCx6hrfzBZa5SjFKhovOCh5Sv3IVaIrm1hXKZItkHRJS9vq_r_yrsy5r03XBPZhfAC1lWjTmbDDEw5zNjHu71KWZyfbs7Z8Fg_GnuupPLhKIhtZsbGp1c/s320/IMG_2401.HEIC" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Hands and Arms</b>, make 2, uses both dark red and white sock yarns</div><div>R1: Magic circle, ch 1, 6 sc (6)</div><div>R2: sc increase around (12)</div><div>R3-6: 12 sc around</div><div>R7: sc, 5dc in one stitch - remove hook and insert into top of 1st dc, then through last dc, draw up a loop and chain to secure - makes one big bobble stitch for the thumb, 10 sc (12)</div><div>R8: sc, dec, 3sc, dec, 4sc (10) (tapers the hand down a bit)</div><div>R9: 10 hdc (makes a sort of glove wrist part)</div><div>switch to dark red or maroon, you might also stuff the hand at this point and continue stuffing the arm as you go along</div><div>R10: 10sc in back loops only</div><div>R11-26: 10 sc around</div><div><div>Bind off with tail for sewing</div><div><br /></div></div><div><b>Legs and Feet</b>, make 2 in dark red or maroon, may help to stuff as you go along</div><div><div>R1: Magic circle, ch 1, 6 sc (6)</div><div>R2: sc increase around (12)</div></div><div>R3: *(sc inc, sc), repeat around (18)</div><div>R4: *(sc inc, 2sc), repeat around (24)</div><div>R5-8: 24 sc </div><div>R9: 8sc, 4dec, 8sc (20)</div><div>R10: 6sc, 4dec, 6sc (16)</div><div>R11: 4sc, 4dec, 4sc (12)</div><div>R12: 4sc, 2dec, 4sc (10)</div><div>R13-28: 10sc</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Part 2: Assemble Those Bits</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Sew the teeth part along the top of the mouth half circle. Sew the tongue into place.</div><div>Sew the pupils onto the white eye oval.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJ6jhTF3JCdgPn1yV4JS6_08b2U57lIlWkKxtpFQ31xrCJ2Qrp8-6W6K4qy4iNVKz9h229u3msr8SlQaB_X1Cf2oPcNTpD7ELkt1DgvDKipGM78R9SouFLLNplfa5ov4iOZJiGHlZ9Ylt/s1920/IMG_2365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJ6jhTF3JCdgPn1yV4JS6_08b2U57lIlWkKxtpFQ31xrCJ2Qrp8-6W6K4qy4iNVKz9h229u3msr8SlQaB_X1Cf2oPcNTpD7ELkt1DgvDKipGM78R9SouFLLNplfa5ov4iOZJiGHlZ9Ylt/s320/IMG_2365.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Place the eyes, nose, mouth and cheeks onto whichever body piece you want to be the front. You want to get a good idea of how it will all sit and overlap when sewn down. I sewed the eyes first (using a tiny bit of the white to also go through the pupil as an eye highlight at the end), then the nose between, the mouth below and cheeks last to over lap the bottom of the eyes just a little. Add the eyebrows over the eyes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next sew three brick openings evenly spaced along each of the long sides, if you haven't already.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-O86tL5DivUGopmEmcORG52iCHrwbw4WAjjf886HcFHotCGcql3zvfObBeiInK69nMWLLcJK6DI6ntf1AjZLMC1Z88U0LueFKP2iox3Pw8lOVasi02i4FKMYNUmkUG8nwhGJAIO5XnRT/s2048/IMG_2403.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-O86tL5DivUGopmEmcORG52iCHrwbw4WAjjf886HcFHotCGcql3zvfObBeiInK69nMWLLcJK6DI6ntf1AjZLMC1Z88U0LueFKP2iox3Pw8lOVasi02i4FKMYNUmkUG8nwhGJAIO5XnRT/s320/IMG_2403.HEIC" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The arm gets sewn into the middle of the bottom of the three brick openings. However in my case I decided to add a double pipe-cleaner to the inside of the arms to make it a little posable. This is totally optional, but if you want to, I recommend putting the pipe cleaner in while you are stuffing one arm. Then you insert the end of the pipe cleaner in through the brick opening and the long side leaving it open inside the body. That way once you get all the sides on you can poke the other end back out the other side, slip the arm over it, stuff it and sew it into place. That makes it so you have one long pipe cleaner between the two hands going through the body. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE-Vbs8fXRJokOKhQMpL6mVj3bcqb7XOeavFmj3_NG-fhiRTPrXiur8A4bda2gyj5Ks2EkJ-JpXDgeNb7NXrYRUa7uSH2CfE1qkw4YqmPXLr8ioffD9ks2edKz_JEZgT97f0_U4FWy0kS/s2048/IMG_2404.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE-Vbs8fXRJokOKhQMpL6mVj3bcqb7XOeavFmj3_NG-fhiRTPrXiur8A4bda2gyj5Ks2EkJ-JpXDgeNb7NXrYRUa7uSH2CfE1qkw4YqmPXLr8ioffD9ks2edKz_JEZgT97f0_U4FWy0kS/s320/IMG_2404.HEIC" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Sew the two legs to whichever of the short sides will be the bottom. Try to keep them to the center and nicely placed with a little space between.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sew the long sides to the front with a simple stitch. I just went in and out of the holes between the crochet stitches, as I wanted there to be a very crisp edge. A whip stitch should work fine too. I worked around the face, doing a long side, then the top of the head, down the other long side and along the bottom. I did work out and back along the short corners so I could sew with one long piece of yarn and not need to cut it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Once you have a front and sides on, you can sew the back into place. I left the bottom open along the feet to stuff it up when three sides were sewn. That also helped with sewing the other arm into place over the pipe-cleaner I had threaded through the body cavity. Once he is stuffed, simply sew up the back.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxzz_8bQTtFGV7Xy-2sCzQ6zJrEPiGocdLXsCbG-vvaoZS7hGg2_1uiETa6VofoTFeq4m-jLDp7jGqxZ7IVt8zrcE2zCxZLMrCRzWqDyVY4iOSFdMfpAGZynYP0cmmBFpKjgouQTvpCOT/s2048/IMG_2406.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxzz_8bQTtFGV7Xy-2sCzQ6zJrEPiGocdLXsCbG-vvaoZS7hGg2_1uiETa6VofoTFeq4m-jLDp7jGqxZ7IVt8zrcE2zCxZLMrCRzWqDyVY4iOSFdMfpAGZynYP0cmmBFpKjgouQTvpCOT/s320/IMG_2406.HEIC" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Done! Just need to figure out how to get an Acme Brick logo on him...</div><div><br /></div><div>Difficulty: Easy +</div><div>Time to complete: 4 hours</div>Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-63079587540256475102020-12-07T09:30:00.007-06:002021-02-12T16:02:48.592-06:00Apollo the Octopus & an OppopusWell it certainly has been a while since I've posted. Having kids will do that to you. But as the kids are now one and three, I am able to get back into crochet at least a little bit. Gotta say I missed it.<div>I had bought these three colors at a going out of business sale for the purpose of making fish hats in the colors like Rainbow Fish, but a pattern came along my crochet feeds and I had to switch gears.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.projectarian.com/2019/06/05/project-050-apollo-the-octopus/" target="_blank">Apollo the Octopus, by Projectarian, </a>was making the rounds on social media and I knew I wanted to make one and these yarns practically screamed out ocean to me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipoTiX698ulZryr4eJ95392uY2AiKZSbBdbWiPcq9as0SGuu1dqQ201Eg6t2ASNswt2dxRkIeBEeGtAiBx-6Ys5NkB4Cr-AQCv-ydTtbwl0SjGYU7yJyE4LJQB1vQGS_RmGS-EBcmOSanQ/s1600/IMG_6049.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipoTiX698ulZryr4eJ95392uY2AiKZSbBdbWiPcq9as0SGuu1dqQ201Eg6t2ASNswt2dxRkIeBEeGtAiBx-6Ys5NkB4Cr-AQCv-ydTtbwl0SjGYU7yJyE4LJQB1vQGS_RmGS-EBcmOSanQ/s320/IMG_6049.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yarn used: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cascade Yarns, Luna Paints, cotton hand painted (discontinued)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span> - Dark blues - Blue Hydrangea, color 9990 - used as main body color</span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span> - Green blues - Waterlily, color 9792 - used as color for suckers</span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Belly yarn was two kinds held together, as both were a bit too thin on their own.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span> - Rozetti Lumen - white cotton with rayon shiny areas</span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span> - Rowan Summerlite 4ply cotton in Pure White</span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span>For some reason I though that the three skeins of Hydrangea, two skeins of Waterlily would be enough yardage, but I was lucky enough to get a few more skeins from kind souls who had these colors in their stash on Ravelry. THANK YOU!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaKlVs-7Gyn2alwHcoQ8liADguJck9W0lPb25As6yd9_KOhuMMJUPiAEV384mD0BivpX9Q9StiKpmbMtGQhVVFGaNWQlhlkAHTdkbHHgbXnGm5o6sy6qovruM0H0p4LgNhvBznDpJkgce/s2048/IMG_1691.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaKlVs-7Gyn2alwHcoQ8liADguJck9W0lPb25As6yd9_KOhuMMJUPiAEV384mD0BivpX9Q9StiKpmbMtGQhVVFGaNWQlhlkAHTdkbHHgbXnGm5o6sy6qovruM0H0p4LgNhvBznDpJkgce/s320/IMG_1691.HEIC" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div>Not going to lie, the suckers are tedious... but they really are the best part once done. It's amazing to run your hands along them. I probably took about 4 months on this guy working on and off. It was tough to keep the kids from running around with the completed tentacles as I worked to finish all 8. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span>---------------------</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span>While waiting to see if I could get enough yarn to finish it, once I had run out, I started on a second one for my daughter who desperately wanted her own "oppopus." I used a smaller hook, and a thinner silk and bamboo blend from Patons in Sapphire for the body. The belly yarn was Naturally Caron Spa, a silky bamboo blend in Misty Taupe, which is kind of a very soft tan, like sand... Of course I got two tentacles done and realized I had not enough to do the rest... So her Oppopus turned into a bit of a stash buster as I went through the single skeins of Naturally Caron Country in Ocean Spray blue, and Naturally Caron Spa in White. I had plenty of the Misty Taupe for the belly so the bottom is all one color. I did not do the suckers on hers.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKH-5vcwqW0iJK5LfNeYnW5FYqJrpV40FU0ARjc6D4ktI4s4_n8cP9thFh_iVQOoGoZkcQV8hiGRNYfgw_A6irKZbK94enE8yNClKKelazCrLi4TkicpDWM5JVQcJkuKLwkbjmpfQP7Vr/s2048/IMG_1903.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKH-5vcwqW0iJK5LfNeYnW5FYqJrpV40FU0ARjc6D4ktI4s4_n8cP9thFh_iVQOoGoZkcQV8hiGRNYfgw_A6irKZbK94enE8yNClKKelazCrLi4TkicpDWM5JVQcJkuKLwkbjmpfQP7Vr/s320/IMG_1903.HEIC" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div>There ended up being two white, four Ocean Spray, and two Sapphire tentacles. So I arranged them as if it were in the middle of color changing from white to dark blue. Once into the body, I started carrying the two blues along with the misty taupe and had the idea to make the head sort of change color as well to match. So I used taupe along the white legs and the corresponding blue on the other legs, so that the color flowed up into the body. They ended up being sort of diamond shapes on the back. I softened the transition with the very last scraps of yarn by embroidering a few different colored pips.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCNKBt53QWm_mVGtYUOGuYpayLsdiuECsx99kEXQLVYh7I8vqq_CIiWp_JU5lc4Goo-vknvs-tmhREA6voJrn7xPC2gKQvzzW2hM-2mTz-s2tr1L6L1qaFA7YK1SDp15IigzYa0pRrCtK/s2048/IMG_1901.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCNKBt53QWm_mVGtYUOGuYpayLsdiuECsx99kEXQLVYh7I8vqq_CIiWp_JU5lc4Goo-vknvs-tmhREA6voJrn7xPC2gKQvzzW2hM-2mTz-s2tr1L6L1qaFA7YK1SDp15IigzYa0pRrCtK/s320/IMG_1901.HEIC" /></a></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span>Holding the yarns together took away any stretch that the shape had, so the head ended up being a bit tall instead of rounded. But I made the best of it with some overly anime-ish eyes and a happy face, as my daughter said it needed one. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi237gAzCHE7hGbTEeG3c-5shxi6lbWdHHLVT2JYeE1C8i8K1jqO8ESLyQw6RwreUkEffO-mZ0V5V-MoOfxVOWqAcWu7U-fDHp-c0RSEuZ2uhOvB8ozKqdD7z4ADfSpUUSyaQSOjxppAvw5/s2048/IMG_1899.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi237gAzCHE7hGbTEeG3c-5shxi6lbWdHHLVT2JYeE1C8i8K1jqO8ESLyQw6RwreUkEffO-mZ0V5V-MoOfxVOWqAcWu7U-fDHp-c0RSEuZ2uhOvB8ozKqdD7z4ADfSpUUSyaQSOjxppAvw5/s320/IMG_1899.HEIC" /></a></div></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span>With hers done I could get back to mine now that the yarn had arrived to finish it.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span>---------------------</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span>Putting the legs together is a bit tough since they are so big. I had them spread out on the table so they could spin around flat while I would crochet along the tops. Id also used stitch markers to hold them to each other. After the initial few rows I tied them together long ways with some scrap yarn in one big chunk to make working into the head a bit easier. Compared to the tentacles, the rest of Apollo was a breeze. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTF9k6TVU9UbBuXroAs7mGtcbiCXJdfG39D9vZRRJAb5CA2j89SttUfesIU-LnhuBmLNLWYJk2W2q87UBKlYn8AfOUgi8Brf61CXcTYF3iaPMKbG3G5sJVtiJZ4Xar6_cgLIc089Sd2sDF/s2048/IMG_2330.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTF9k6TVU9UbBuXroAs7mGtcbiCXJdfG39D9vZRRJAb5CA2j89SttUfesIU-LnhuBmLNLWYJk2W2q87UBKlYn8AfOUgi8Brf61CXcTYF3iaPMKbG3G5sJVtiJZ4Xar6_cgLIc089Sd2sDF/s320/IMG_2330.heic" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span>I really love the eyes, both because the pupil shape is so unique and perfect, but also because I was able to use up the super tiny bit of my absolute favorite color of Madeline Tosh I could not bring myself to toss. It's that multicolor right around the black pupil and I love the way it looks with the other variegated yarns. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The solid blue of the rest of the eye is Naturally Caron Country in Peacock blue. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig78egfDR_ADkHjPLengSDYb_utRpCP1MbnL_x7FoVWBsHm8ezs1d7_UugSRWmxI9NthqArHER9WZCfxRiFufxpNNKIBet09hS8zx9cAGKtkMkPH-gxIGmx4vyxluaihvF0ZkyXcDOFGvg/s2048/IMG_2328.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig78egfDR_ADkHjPLengSDYb_utRpCP1MbnL_x7FoVWBsHm8ezs1d7_UugSRWmxI9NthqArHER9WZCfxRiFufxpNNKIBet09hS8zx9cAGKtkMkPH-gxIGmx4vyxluaihvF0ZkyXcDOFGvg/s320/IMG_2328.heic" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Did I mention yet that he is huge? Such a nice weight too with the cotton yarn. He makes an excellent floor pillow as his head is a lovely shape and the arms add support or comfort. I was seriously laying in the sun on him watching my son play in the leaves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2zgidvTCD-nH9GyFwxB8YTwZGByCDrW5R3Y3ZUudX5nopBj7korMV5QG1Oba7ooOgnakDx6ZeYLlDoxG0sRfLmTRc_o-kPj7U4hyphenhyphen7jKqq7t2x3NyQOVttNwk-_J7nZgn_C0i57T9wo-a/s2048/IMG_2338.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2zgidvTCD-nH9GyFwxB8YTwZGByCDrW5R3Y3ZUudX5nopBj7korMV5QG1Oba7ooOgnakDx6ZeYLlDoxG0sRfLmTRc_o-kPj7U4hyphenhyphen7jKqq7t2x3NyQOVttNwk-_J7nZgn_C0i57T9wo-a/s320/IMG_2338.HEIC" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbZXizzQaxC4AtW9R1cbo3o7IogtDmwxyr-Eu3zmilsBGIwtw-rGfHUdJFzH8YyUBgqBByC3J9qwost4Gy_Y2S9k6ubyAvE5qRqtHzcFTLT5JgBgOtb0Kb6CNIbqFMfwxdZtJcHKcoMNS/s2048/IMG_2343.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbZXizzQaxC4AtW9R1cbo3o7IogtDmwxyr-Eu3zmilsBGIwtw-rGfHUdJFzH8YyUBgqBByC3J9qwost4Gy_Y2S9k6ubyAvE5qRqtHzcFTLT5JgBgOtb0Kb6CNIbqFMfwxdZtJcHKcoMNS/s320/IMG_2343.HEIC" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivt6lmGlqs7o-8_QQyNHLXp10Nc6V5qt6G-Ik9Bunfu_SK5VyEyV0ZxoLKMXW2OxsWzRCmt8R93WVlr5MNaL0oOYHwy3Dpj_ZCovZ_dhPFtnwKo_9QQyWbuvMpnZEqINZTFtZLC4r7Q3B/s1113/IMG_2416.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="1113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivt6lmGlqs7o-8_QQyNHLXp10Nc6V5qt6G-Ik9Bunfu_SK5VyEyV0ZxoLKMXW2OxsWzRCmt8R93WVlr5MNaL0oOYHwy3Dpj_ZCovZ_dhPFtnwKo_9QQyWbuvMpnZEqINZTFtZLC4r7Q3B/s320/IMG_2416.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">How much better can it get? The real question is how long till I have to make another one for my son...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Difficulty: Advanced-ish, but the pattern has a million pictures which is so helpful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Time to complete: about 40 hours for Apollo, maybe 15 hours for Oppopus</div>
</div>Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-1288350677965461142020-11-30T10:25:00.001-06:002021-02-12T16:02:21.895-06:00Flogging Molly DressMost husbands seem to amass clothing. I feel this is a universal. Even if they haven't worn something in oh say 15 years it's still in the bottom of the closet or shoved in a drawer. This is the case with mine anyway.<br />
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He's got several well worn shirts, but has been saying since day one of Sophie being around that I needed to make his well loved and worn Flogging Molly shirt into a onesie. I do love the idea, but at the rate she was growing and the rate at which I know how to sew and pattern, well I ended up going with a swing dress. I had just purchased a few cute ones from a friend selling Lularoe, <i>yes I'm one of those housewives</i>, and it looked perfect to pattern from.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7Aka6qI9sCqSAjfmoKRMhUunaBViY2qExyT8Hu-rMBZ8KjE-RGM4jrPFW2cNu2KshJ6iSQKeS2u_h0mkxLanPihtzxPVM4oQp7WL_DatBq5OK-G8SQxTbrXmTHzIYp1LYdE3wgPNSE32/s1034/IMG_2418.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7Aka6qI9sCqSAjfmoKRMhUunaBViY2qExyT8Hu-rMBZ8KjE-RGM4jrPFW2cNu2KshJ6iSQKeS2u_h0mkxLanPihtzxPVM4oQp7WL_DatBq5OK-G8SQxTbrXmTHzIYp1LYdE3wgPNSE32/s320/IMG_2418.PNG" /></a></div><div><br />
Step one was finding a few pieces of tissue paper, which I always keep after getting gifts. I tried to find the fewest seams and made four pattern pieces, one for half the front, one for half the back and one for each left and right sleeve. Since my tissue paper wasn't that big the front and back patterns had to be only half and I would just flip it over to get the full shape on the fabric.<br />
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Step two was a bit harder. I needed to plan out how to lay out these pieces onto his old shirt with the minimum of cutting. I wanted the front and back to be one full piece each so that I could keep the Flogging Molly logo intact, but I also didn't want to feature the many, many holes that were in the shirt. I very carefully cut out the front and back shape, the front being the most important and I managed to get the logo to be kind of tilted towards the bottom which I kind of liked. The only real other way it might have fit was to have the logo upside down, which seemed odd. The two sleeve pieces I cut from the original sleeves themselves. That way I would not have to hem the sleeves.<br />
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Thank goodness my mother in law has a very nice sewing machine and I spent two evenings over at her house working on this little dress. I think I managed to do a nice job of it. Except that one sleeve is actually inside out, but as it is sort of a punk dress and I really didn't want to rip out that many seams on an already fragile fabric I just left it.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4yFCqnx0hA-RQdC_cpumcl8FkMAwB2R8jIYb76hr9vhqszbxRxrphD90U2HZ_WatLqi4U7gfXKmM5dtOcQN1SUr6biE7XJlm_fpKOWScmlfBQnItsvdp0lSoZJ2c9ziCubMkAwOZUSB4r/s1034/IMG_2417.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4yFCqnx0hA-RQdC_cpumcl8FkMAwB2R8jIYb76hr9vhqszbxRxrphD90U2HZ_WatLqi4U7gfXKmM5dtOcQN1SUr6biE7XJlm_fpKOWScmlfBQnItsvdp0lSoZJ2c9ziCubMkAwOZUSB4r/s320/IMG_2417.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div>After hemming the bottom of the dress up, I tackled those holes that did end up being in the fabric used. From the scraps of the t shirt I cut out 10 different sized heart shapes which I used as "patches" over the holes. Several of the larger hearts covered two or more smaller holes. For these I used a large zig zag stitch to give it sort of an intentional messy look. Most of the holes and hearts float around the bottom of the back of the dress and there is one up on the back shoulder. The front of the shirt had nearly no holes, so I simply added one more heart over her heart just for decoration and to tie it into the back.<br />
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For now it is a bit big on her, but she still loved running around in it anyway. And of course my husband loves to see her in it. He thinks it was such a success that I will have to make more so it is a good thing I kept the pattern. In any case it was certainly a great way to get an old t-shirt out of the drawers and back into use for a little bit anyway.<br /><br />
Difficulty: Easy for advanced sewer, for me, intermediately hard<br />
Time to Complete: 7 hours</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTenW3IAPZBbfDrSViDft8fJxr8btFGAP4tRkYY4FPrYxffG69sF_VPlW32QrwRGLKVMeva1a64-hdCwiKx2DqnOPKcyIPMOBgN0aoSIricpg-EK22vbec7m7fmse52reSCM4tnuYdjsCP/s828/IMG_2414.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="828" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTenW3IAPZBbfDrSViDft8fJxr8btFGAP4tRkYY4FPrYxffG69sF_VPlW32QrwRGLKVMeva1a64-hdCwiKx2DqnOPKcyIPMOBgN0aoSIricpg-EK22vbec7m7fmse52reSCM4tnuYdjsCP/s320/IMG_2414.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-72411330063325728612018-04-23T09:30:00.000-05:002021-02-12T16:02:01.761-06:00Oleg the OctopusIn addition to <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2018/02/mushroom-folk.html" target="_blank">the mushroom folk</a> and <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2018/03/dragon-doll.html" target="_blank">the dragon </a>from Lalylala, I bought a third pattern for <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/106935084/oleg-the-octopus-lalylala-crochet?ref=shop_home_active_25" target="_blank">Oleg the Octopus.</a> In my stash I had two different blue fingering yarns I considered for this project, but in the end went with a set of 4 ombre skeins from <a href="https://www.woolywonkafiber.com/" target="_blank">Wooly Wonka</a> in St. Tropez, bought at a <a href="http://www.dfwfiberfest.org/" target="_blank">Fiber Fest</a>. Used a 3.25mm hook and 9mm eyes for this project.<br />
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Of course this made it harder on myself, since I wanted the doll to fade from the dark at the bottom to light at the head. I started with the tentacles in the darkest yarn, and after making one, worried I would not have enough yarn total to do the whole project. Instead of going back to my safe single color skein however, I decided to keep making tentacles but instead of breaking the yarn, left a long tail between each piece so that I could unravel the whole thing if I decided to scrap it. In the end I managed to get 7 and a half legs out of the darkest skein. I tried switching to the next one, but it ended up looking like I had dipped that leg in something and was way too obvious for my tastes.<br />
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So I frogged three legs. This left 4 of the darkest and I made 4 more of the next color. Side by side they were much harder to tell apart in color so I alternated them in the circle of legs. This meant I had some of the darkest yarn left to close up the bottom of the body between the legs, and have enough to join them on top as well as well as fade it into the body.<br />
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Once I got close to the end of the darkest I started switching between the darkest and next skein every other row till I ran out of the darkest. Then the body was solid through the next color, but near the neck I started to alternate with the second lightest color again as I ran out of the third. That left the two lightest yarns left, which was perfect.<br />
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The head I started with the fins in the lightest color and the hood is made from the tip to the brim which worked in my favor as well. Even though I had plenty of yarn in the two lighest colors I still alternated a few rows at the brim of the hat to match the neck of the body. For the arms, I used the lightest color right next to the hands and faded into the second color up the arm. The pattern had called for cuffs of a contrasting color but I wanted to stick with my ombre.<br />
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Of course I had to add a little of the blush to the face.<br />
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Finally I worked the collar piece. It is mostly made from the lightest yarn but I used the tiny bit of darkest yarn left over to edge the piece. The hanging ties are meant to be plied, but as I couldn't figure that out, I instead used a simple knotting method like you used to make friendship bracelets out of as a kid. Switching between the light and dark every 5 knots gave it a cool look with a spiral detail. I found a few beads I had in an old jewelry box, no idea what they might have been for but they were perfect I thought.<br />
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From this image you can better tell the difference between the lightest and darkest. But looking at it overall its very subtle I think.<br />
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It kind of has the coolest profile.</div>
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The head and hands is made from a bright white sock yarn from Lion Brand. I do feel like the head might be a little small, but over all it came out great. I've marked out this last image so you can see what colors ended up where. This is why it was a bit of a pain, not only did I have to break it down right but make sure I had enough of each color to make it work. Super happy with how it turned out and I think he is way more interesting this way than in a solid blue, even if it was very pretty.<br />
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Time to complete: 70 hours, after working and frogging over and over.<br />
Difficulty: Easy<br />
Size: About 12.5 inches tall, diameter from tip of one leg to opposite side is 10 inchesAngela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-6824261470993699932018-03-26T09:30:00.000-05:002018-03-26T09:30:36.430-05:00At-At WalkerI am so excited to make this pattern. It is the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/463377288/crochet-pattern-at-walker-by-krawka?ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank">AT Walker pattern by Krawka on Etsy</a>. I bought the pattern with a bit of gift card money because it is so damn cute. I had no idea who I would make it for, but I knew I would make one. With the new movies coming out, it was super fun and timely to make for a good friend's new baby. If only I could have figured out how to make it go "pew-pew." Maybe I'll add a voice box next time.<br />
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For the At-At I bought one skein of charcoal and one of dusty gray, both Red Heart Super Saver. I thought I would have enough make two at the same time, but it turned out I actually had to order more of the dusty gray direct from Red Heart! So I ordered two extra skeins so I can make Sophie <i>cough*myself*cough</i> one.<br />
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All the parts are pretty straightforward to make, there is just a lot of them. 50 to be exact. The only real thing I thought I might have changed was the way to start each straight piece. Instead of working sc into a chain, I bet it might have been a bit easier to sew later on if I had started with a foundation row of single crochet. Just a slightly different technique really...<br />
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Really this pattern was easy to make up. I kind of lost my excitement wading through the many different crochet squares, but once I started assembling, all that joy upon seeing the pattern the first time came back. I actually started giggling as I sewed the legs on, and you know it's a good pattern when that happens.<br />
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One other note, she had used sport weight and a 3mm hook, I used worsted weight and a 4mm hook, so I think mine came out a slightly bit bigger. This AT-AT stands 12 inches high from base of feet to top of back and 15 inches long from front of cannons to the butt.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sophie for scale.</td></tr>
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I might have to make the next one in time to take it to see <i>Solo</i> with me...<br />
<br />Difficulty: Easy<br />
Time to complete: 50 hoursAngela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-44767064555436470942018-03-19T09:30:00.000-05:002018-03-19T09:30:10.243-05:00TCU Horned Frog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A good friend recently had a baby. As big fans of TCU, they used to attend nearly every game and really love their "frogs". I find it kind of serendipitous that this project followed so closely after <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2018/03/reveille-second.html" target="_blank">Reveille the second</a> as they are both school mascot projects.<br />
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I tried to find a yarn that was really close to the TCU purple and settled on <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/yarn/heartland-yarn.html" target="_blank">Lion Brand Heartland</a> in Hot Springs. I really liked the heathered look of the purple with a touch of black and felt it would be perfect for my toy. As this is for a baby I also needed something soft, but easy to clean. I also picked up some 9mm safety eyes and a couple of 38mm jingle bells. I wanted the toy to jingle gently when shook to be like a little rattle, but also something you could use to make noise while watching the game.<br />
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I used the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/220565182/texas-horny-toad-crochet-pattern-texas?ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank">Texas Horny Toad pattern by My Fingers Fly</a> on Etsy. Over all the pattern was pretty fun to make up. I really loved the look of the spikes along the back and that when you seamed the back and belly together, you used that join to add more spikes to the toad. It was perfect.<br />
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I do think that the head was a bit too small as written and a little flat too, so I made my own up. I didn't write it down of course, but worked in a spiral from the nose point out to the back of the head, and used her back half of the head pattern to finish it. The look of the back post double crochet to make the face ridges is awesome. And I tried to add spikes around the face like the TCU mascot has with the two large horns over the eyes and on the top of the head.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Head from the pattern itself. Kind of flat and small...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my new and improved head</td></tr>
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When stuffing the body I put one bell inside it, and the second into the head so it make a gentle ding ding noise when shook, perfect for a baby fan.<br />
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For a gross frog that shoots blood out of its eyeballs, I think it came out pretty cute and it would make a totally fun thing to help get the kids into the college football fandom.<br />
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Completed Size: 12" nose to tail, 8" wide in the belly<br />
Time to complete: 15 hours since I reworked the head<br />
Difficulty; Easy +Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-14716888130336960112018-03-12T09:30:00.001-05:002018-03-12T09:30:17.608-05:00Reveille the secondBack in 2012, I made a<a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2012/09/reveille-of-texas-a.html" target="_blank"> Collie dog like the mascots of Texas A&M</a>. Its owner, having loved her own, asked if I would make a second for a baby shower she was attending. I was happy to oblige and happened to have all the colors and stuff I would need on hand. As before I used the same pattern, <a href="http://nattypatcrochet.com/shop/pups/abbey-the-collie" target="_blank">Abbey the Collie by Nattypat</a> and changed up the colors and made the neck fluff a bit larger like a collie dog.<br />
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This time I got a bit ambitious with the coat and added three browns in addition to the white and really tried to place the colors along the face and neck like a real dog. I did think about brushing out the yarn but thought it might be a bit <i>too</i> fluffy. Once again I sort of winged the cape and added the Texas A&M logo.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">before trimming the fluff</td></tr>
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I am pretty happy with how this second one turned out and it's kind of nice to see the differences and change in skill from 2012 to today. Video below to see the full turn around.<br />
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Difficulty: Easy<br />
Time to complete: 10 hours<br />
<br />Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-67470022682303330242018-03-05T09:30:00.001-06:002018-03-05T09:30:27.126-06:00Dragon DollFollowing along with the <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2018/02/mushroom-folk.html" target="_blank">Mushroom Folk</a>, this pattern is another by <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/94317872/dirk-the-dragon-dinosaur-lalylala?ref=shop_home_active_8" target="_blank">Lalylala on Etsy, specifically Dirk the Dragon</a>.<br />
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This guy was also made with a 3.75mm hook and used some of the leftover white, red and brown sock yarn from the mushrooms, with the addition of the stunning green, which I kind of splurged on. Since it was going to be so much of the toy, I really wanted a nice yarn and settled on <a href="http://www.madelinetosh.com/" target="_blank">Madeline Tosh</a> Twist Light weight in Jade.<br />
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The the body parts were a breeze to make up, especially after the mushrooms. The only part I struggled with was the back spikes since a surface slip stitch is hard for me to do. Still not sure I got it as straight as I would have liked but in the end it turned out great. The spikes on the back, mirror so nicely those ear which might be the cutest I have ever made.<br />
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Since this one was going to live in the same house as the white portobello mushroom guy, I decided to make the scarf out of the same brown so they would coordinate a bit more. The scarf is simply three rows of double crochet worked along a long chain, about 23 inches long. With a little fringe at the ends. With the cheek blush he's really something special.<br />
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The finished doll stands about 14 inches tall.<br />
Time to complete: 20 hours<br />
<br />Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-84499237327226573222018-02-26T09:30:00.001-06:002018-02-26T09:30:27.372-06:00Mushroom FolkWell I am back with a few small projects. No idea how long this new bout of crochet will hold up especially as Sophie rapidly becomes more mobile...Gosh I started these back in fall of 2017, yikes. I was making two at the same time, one for my sister in law and one for a baby of a friend, but of course these got put aside with all the prep for Sophie's impeding arrival.<br />
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The pattern is <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/163382929/paul-the-toadstool-lalylala-crochet?ref=shop_home_active_13" target="_blank">Paul the Toadstool by Lalylala on Etsy</a>. I picked out five colors: brown, green, off white, red, and gray, all of sock weight yarn from Joann's, think some was Vanna's Choice but it was a mix. Although the pattern calls for smaller, I used a 3.75mm hook. And since I couldn't find 6mm, I went with 9mm safety eyes.<br />
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If I remember right the legs and body worked up pretty easily. Love the long lean body look. The little neck ruff was a bit tricky to make but I love the detail as it is very mushroomy and I like that it hides the seam at the top of the arms. I made one with a white body and one with a gray body. The pattern shows a kind of light variegated yarn like a shirt, but I really couldn't find anything quite that pretty and settled for the gray. I made the white body one to see how it would come out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vWBC4_wZWHszj5Abwt6bdHb7fFnBxRylQYdofmsYFBThT47UbaoDxI45kCmrYtesAOnMQzA76LkkYJqoTL6J2R-m6BCqzU6CgCjl0QNfcoaeJy99Zmq7mYGHGztAU8iyEVIS3iU1QnGT/s1600/IMG_6786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vWBC4_wZWHszj5Abwt6bdHb7fFnBxRylQYdofmsYFBThT47UbaoDxI45kCmrYtesAOnMQzA76LkkYJqoTL6J2R-m6BCqzU6CgCjl0QNfcoaeJy99Zmq7mYGHGztAU8iyEVIS3iU1QnGT/s320/IMG_6786.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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In addition to the grass embroidery on the body, I also decided to make it harder on myself and add some mushrooms as well. I have very, very limited embroidery skills, but I still really like how it turned out. I did add a bit of pink blush to both faces as well. Since I was making two, I also decided to tweak the hats. I made one "portobello" hat to go with the white body, and added a few white embroidered pips to it. The second followed the pattern with red and white agaric spots.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitU0c-zV7xXQdyLAZQK6ZKonH9jq_SiFLO7DY91Yjsnr5xeAbdpBwB0rHdq12WYfVbdWlx_nEOIodU6dHFaLAqGFt6-lL6cBPuqnjetHsSCh2AbR68HX03dnl7Ia6e132681bV2m77Fozl/s1600/IMG_6788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitU0c-zV7xXQdyLAZQK6ZKonH9jq_SiFLO7DY91Yjsnr5xeAbdpBwB0rHdq12WYfVbdWlx_nEOIodU6dHFaLAqGFt6-lL6cBPuqnjetHsSCh2AbR68HX03dnl7Ia6e132681bV2m77Fozl/s320/IMG_6788.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I love the super small stitches that the small hook made, as it almost looks like fabric not crochet. I also bought her dragon and octopus patterns and really hope to make them as her dolls are just so lovely looking.<br />
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Difficulty: Intermediate<br />
Time to complete: 40 hours each considering assembly and embroidery.Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-34892441078422494402017-08-08T14:14:00.002-05:002017-08-08T14:14:09.267-05:00I made thisWell you might have noticed the site isn't updating anymore. <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2017/01/news-for-2017.html" target="_blank">Pregnancy</a> and having a newborn will do that to you. I do hope to start crocheting again once I have two free hands and some free time, but that probably won't be anytime soon. At least I know I'm putting my hobby on the back burner this time for possibly the best reason of all... taking care of Sophie.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BV2Pu22D9pO/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">We made a thing. Her name is Sophie. She's pretty great. Photo and dad credit to @johnnysideways</a></div>
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A post shared by Angela Skees (@khyarete) on <time datetime="2017-06-27T15:11:59+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jun 27, 2017 at 8:11am PDT</time></div>
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Anyway, thanks for sticking around.<br />
- AngelaAngela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-54278511877051877972017-03-06T09:30:00.000-06:002017-03-06T09:30:14.508-06:00Library LogoI was asked by our school's librarian to help out with some bookmarks and as I haven't had a lot of creative work outside of my normal day to day, and the yearbook, it was fun to put my brain into another gear.<br />
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The school mascot is the Viking and all the direction I was given was "a viking reading", and so my first idea was to simply look around some cool stock photo sites and see what they had, which was not a lot... But a few of the vector ideas were cool and got my wheels spinning. I thought it might be nice to show you my thought and work process here.<br />
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<a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/vector/literary-horse-pegasus-and-open-book-gm578822332-99523651?st=_p_pegasus%20book" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRgdxxebRvPacBTRBC3TFBabR5ImtFf5gwR1oQCseZEEO1BjLUdDgVVRYzIYqyOlnjg1iwtrRciVcvZSKpGb2HDK5AoSgdG_n48hLy8ZYD0q8HiQsmAZl6ThG4zlbBmnFa2QbIxpLmo2m/s320/578822332.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So here is the original inspiration logo I had seen on iStock. A pegasus in a book... not sure how it got onto my viking search, but something about the pegasus shape reminded me of a boat and the scrolls reminded me of waves...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaZjFDDjtcN-IILjPZSidZGzG_OBs0sewzSkG1h3eZP1ypzo6h3-D9cFHiJdGR5k073N9onDrilivZnKBLQyHTZkPIpdK7B6HZGLSZ10aen-YD3iQiljTzGEHCylSMHWN8m68x84AxpmU/s1600/Library+logo+idea.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaZjFDDjtcN-IILjPZSidZGzG_OBs0sewzSkG1h3eZP1ypzo6h3-D9cFHiJdGR5k073N9onDrilivZnKBLQyHTZkPIpdK7B6HZGLSZ10aen-YD3iQiljTzGEHCylSMHWN8m68x84AxpmU/s320/Library+logo+idea.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Before I knew it I had sketched out an idea for a logo for the library. This is not what they asked for, but I figured I could use it on the bookmarks in any case, if I liked it. You can see I was messing with the sail shape in pencil, but the inked over strongly the final shapes I did like. Then I simply snapped a picture with my phone and emailed it to myself.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSfjM1zcJxiXtTcTbHh2kncFKgukGblkzjXdrdR5g29Gy-UZvwBFYPhQQ71ieAR517k8jvNs4Oq2oWiNgyCP4SnDnxl399AG_VirFFkoq2EgX-iRPctF23GO6gkf84Pv56VKc7lpn2dyy/s1600/Library+logo+idea+-blues.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSfjM1zcJxiXtTcTbHh2kncFKgukGblkzjXdrdR5g29Gy-UZvwBFYPhQQ71ieAR517k8jvNs4Oq2oWiNgyCP4SnDnxl399AG_VirFFkoq2EgX-iRPctF23GO6gkf84Pv56VKc7lpn2dyy/s320/Library+logo+idea+-blues.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photoshop one color selection</td></tr>
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Took my sketch into Photoshop and used color select on the blue to make a new, rough, one color image that I could take into Illustrator.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7dYb_FKJ2JGtN_jdBgjPxghggX7xvz3atjvkglpRO6XFZNMIUpEwsHvE76Wv50WT5zJKoxdXzuc6i01eZhjhW9tqyFcPnJUrHOIisryndZxNVfevOUTmL1-Clbi0mkenfkyMvYgErXQg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-02-09+at+10.13.16+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7dYb_FKJ2JGtN_jdBgjPxghggX7xvz3atjvkglpRO6XFZNMIUpEwsHvE76Wv50WT5zJKoxdXzuc6i01eZhjhW9tqyFcPnJUrHOIisryndZxNVfevOUTmL1-Clbi0mkenfkyMvYgErXQg/s320/Screen+Shot+2017-02-09+at+10.13.16+AM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustrator expanded trace</td></tr>
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In Illustrator used the Image Trace function, set to Black and White logo, to get a vector drawing I could start messing with. Of course it came out really messy, so the first step was to use the Path tool to Simplify the shape and remove a bunch of extra points that I didn't need. Then I went back and took out even more points by hand so I could start getting clean simple curves and shapes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfWm8B3_sH7VmUFcx8KtGIUNJNhrSrN6qP0nBArLLr9eYYOBl2cvt1oSo5su9vUGqMf6Wsv90b265uQ4mnKxQqvUqlvFiyQM145FaewosbcljSjasbD0CxTZqXWI0i-OVaeHSqTN2EKWy/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-02-09+at+10.15.35+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfWm8B3_sH7VmUFcx8KtGIUNJNhrSrN6qP0nBArLLr9eYYOBl2cvt1oSo5su9vUGqMf6Wsv90b265uQ4mnKxQqvUqlvFiyQM145FaewosbcljSjasbD0CxTZqXWI0i-OVaeHSqTN2EKWy/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-02-09+at+10.15.35+AM.png" /></a></div>
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I worked on it in three sections, the book/waves, the boat itself and finally the sail. The shapes around the shields on the side of the boat and the sail both ended up changing from my sketch. And I spent a good amount of time getting the left side of the water/book area right and then simply copied and flipped it to make the book be a perfect symmetrical image.<br />
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After tweaking the boat to where I liked it, I took the circle shape from our school logo and changed the bottom text to Library. Then I added my new library stuff to the center.<br />
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Finishing touch was to add the school shield to the sail of the boat and tweak the blue color to be more of the correct color for the school (even though we do not have a set Pantone blue which would be a big help...).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MRWVsvORvMEIx61x3lxu60Mn9aAi7szEoY8QwGqDZkppVwc2163kkf1CZwZr0q5U08e1xjjR5IbxTu-sVs4F79xwAixYFAdJ7byLGzEA9sAqNtr-oCbMPeLkzcqSN8dcDVnqFnwrLkUu/s1600/Library+logo+idea.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MRWVsvORvMEIx61x3lxu60Mn9aAi7szEoY8QwGqDZkppVwc2163kkf1CZwZr0q5U08e1xjjR5IbxTu-sVs4F79xwAixYFAdJ7byLGzEA9sAqNtr-oCbMPeLkzcqSN8dcDVnqFnwrLkUu/s320/Library+logo+idea.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Well the librarian loved the logo and we are still working on a few ideas for the bookmarks themselves, but this was a pretty fun little tangent for my brain to take.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIAT7FCj89FC24iE6t5nrvnVOHftsKGg69bgGB2bO7ZDQWF22aJRrg5Cx1lyrw1bAXUbhyphenhyphenCp74EKw5gc2OZOf0dpy5XZn43WIHZkttQGN-I49XzDBe8XpZp3qEiUdIpYrMHAw2yeLnbwQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-02-09+at+10.38.48+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIAT7FCj89FC24iE6t5nrvnVOHftsKGg69bgGB2bO7ZDQWF22aJRrg5Cx1lyrw1bAXUbhyphenhyphenCp74EKw5gc2OZOf0dpy5XZn43WIHZkttQGN-I49XzDBe8XpZp3qEiUdIpYrMHAw2yeLnbwQ/s320/Screen+Shot+2017-02-09+at+10.38.48+AM.png" width="134" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlXOJtbRmp3yDeDVtrXRAn1doCT_2MaArXRB2CZDDdXoOO_X_TYud0IM9rLy6FpTYhjJQ-M5RvnUEDOJL-5WEPnbzKAhM13Rd7zqlNRqItDCMVqZ3C9XijewiCzkNoQ2mZEpeorhnHhSk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-02-09+at+10.38.21+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlXOJtbRmp3yDeDVtrXRAn1doCT_2MaArXRB2CZDDdXoOO_X_TYud0IM9rLy6FpTYhjJQ-M5RvnUEDOJL-5WEPnbzKAhM13Rd7zqlNRqItDCMVqZ3C9XijewiCzkNoQ2mZEpeorhnHhSk/s320/Screen+Shot+2017-02-09+at+10.38.21+AM.png" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5I3CNhqc43ej5aSeJ2QyIHhYlA7s_eMq23gCfgjMSLp_NJsVPCD8SOfFn4-GbokQ6cjVdgMNlO1JlOPMlX6GRi1FSMUDX9zOa8VXX_Tqq57oJi39eem1RVQ-PtKpi6UCQvBUoUdtjFugs/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-02-09+at+10.38.38+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5I3CNhqc43ej5aSeJ2QyIHhYlA7s_eMq23gCfgjMSLp_NJsVPCD8SOfFn4-GbokQ6cjVdgMNlO1JlOPMlX6GRi1FSMUDX9zOa8VXX_Tqq57oJi39eem1RVQ-PtKpi6UCQvBUoUdtjFugs/s320/Screen+Shot+2017-02-09+at+10.38.38+AM.png" width="133" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note: The <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/oil-painting-on-canvas-rook-vikings-137544080" target="_blank">first</a> and <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/big-set-viking-emoticons-showing-different-566395741" target="_blank">third</a> are using stock images from <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/" target="_blank">Shutterstock</a> along with my new logo. The middle has a quote from my favorite book on it, <a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Good-Omens-Audiobook/B0036KV7Y4?ref_=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl&qid=1486658922&sr=1-1" target="_blank">get it on Audible</a> if you love yourself.</span></i><br />
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Difficulty: Intermediate<br />
Time to complete: 4-6 hoursAngela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-14092767782693059752017-02-06T09:30:00.000-06:002017-02-06T09:30:13.490-06:00Mr. FoxBeen a while since I've made presents for a new baby. Some friends from college recently announced their first son! We always knew we would call it a Ringlet as a play on their last name. So I was very excited to think about making them something.<br />
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Anna, the mom to be, sometimes makes some super cool art and puts it up on her instagram.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BGTALVeqT0e/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">today's art project: Mr. Fox. #nofilter #craypas #mixedmedia #fox #justanotherdayinthelife #theartofslowliving #sundayfunday</a></div>
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A photo posted by Anna Ring (@onering09) on <time datetime="2016-06-06T02:51:44+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jun 5, 2016 at 7:51pm PDT</time></div>
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So when I saw this Mr. Fox guy, I thought he would make an excellent toy and drew up a sketch. Not too different from the <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2012/12/powers-for-good-mr-skeesbear.html" target="_blank">Mr. Skees Bears I made back in 2012</a>.<br />
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I think the hardest part was figuring out his football head shape. Fun fact: the technical, geometric term is prolate spheroid, but you can't search that term on Ravelry and get any results. I don't think I got it quite the right shape, but the top does have a nice taper and the overall head was pretty good I thought.<br />
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I made this toy with the same Jacques pattern (that I made the Skeesbears and <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2012/11/a-second-jumping-monkey.html" target="_blank">Monkeys</a> from) by <a href="http://picapauyan.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Pica Pau</a>, but again with my own head and a few alterations. The head has the same number of stitches in each row, I just moved all the increases out to the sides to get a much more oval shape.<br />
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The ears are shortened versions of the ones on <a href="http://picapauyan.blogspot.com/2015/10/un-hola-un-gracias-y-un-cerdito.html" target="_blank">Pica Pau's free pig pattern on her blog</a>. The nose is a shorter variation of the one I made for the <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2015/09/dapper-gray-wolves.html" target="_blank">wolves</a>. I did a little different with the nose this time and just embroidered over the top of my nose which added another dimension to the face which I really like.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ears and nose cone</td></tr>
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I thought the head was a bit large compared to how I remember these turing out, but it is hard to tell since I do not have any of the monkeys, wolves or bears I have made at hand here. So I added one row to the shirt and the seat to make it a little longer. I also decided to make his feet in red, instead of black to give it a little more definition between them. I debated trying to make felt eyes like in the painting, but as this is going to a kid I wanted it to be baby friendly and parts that can come off are a no go. So he got 18mm safety eyes.<br />
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The arms are the same as the wolves and skeesbears with long sleeves and hands. I made a shorter, narrower version of the wolf tail for the fox. Then made up the tie and vest from the skeesbears. And finally I wanted to add those face whiskers that are in the original inspiration artwork. Those were just three shells on a short foundation row.<br />
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Once all the parts were made, it was only about another half an hour of assembly and sewing. I kind of really love the face whiskers and think they really make this guy cute.<br />
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Time to complete: 10 hours<br />
Finished size: 11 inches tall<br />
Difficulty: EasyAngela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-53559748243429251022017-01-09T12:05:00.000-06:002017-01-09T13:48:42.309-06:00News for 2017It's now 2017 and I fell off the Earth again.<br />
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But this time I had a good reason. Well, as good a reason as any I guess. In October we found out that against all odds, my husband and I are going to have a baby.<br />
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I don't want to turn this post into a long diatribe on the failings of private school sex "education". But I also want to share a little bit about why in particular I feel this might just be a miracle. <br />
<i>Don't want the blah blah blah? Skip to the end past the ----</i><br />
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<i>----</i><br />
I have PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. If you have heard these letters in this order, you know already what I am going to say, but as a topic no one really talks about I'm betting you have no idea, so I want to educate you. This hormone imbalance is something that if you know you have, you can take steps to manage, but that's about it. In women, it causes extra hair growth on your face, skin tags, a tendency to be overweight, and to have irregular cycles, to the point where skipping three months is common. But as a teen and in college I did not know that this was even a possibility, so rather than freak out all the time, I started taking the pill. I was on it for seven years.<br />
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Two years into our marriage, I stopped taking it after we decided we wanted to try to have kids. I've never been good with kids or babies, never baby sat, or wanted to coo around newborns... And I cried after the first time we were intimate knowing from years of schooling that unprotected sex = pregnant = life over. Looking back I guess scaring kids into not having sex seems the best route to prevent teen moms, but as an adult, that conditioned fear did not go away.<br />
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After a year of trying they said I had unexplained fertility issues and we started blood tests every month and rounds and rounds of medications, which often did nothing more than make me sick. It was at this time that they finally said, oh, must be PCOS, and the blood tests confirmed it. Four years later, we were still trying and I was getting frustrated and hopeless. The pill had been regulating my cycle so without it I went back to skipping months at a time, and each time we hoped it meant I was pregnant only to get our hopes dashed. To say it was hard is an understatement, but I started talking to other women in my life, only to hear the same story of how hard it can be for many couples. Thank goodness for good friends.<br />
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I guess I just wanted to share so that you can maybe understand both why I am both more terrified and excited than most. Please have compassion when you are talking to married couples without kids. I had so many people ask and assume, and society makes it seem so natural and easy. But for some of us it is genuinely a miracle to look down and a see a little red plus sign.<br />
----<br />
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So, where does that leave this blog? Well I do have a few finished crochet projects to show off and I will schedule those posts to go in the future. And now that I'm safely out of the constant nausea period, hopefully I can finish those other projects I've got started. I want to continue making things, but forgive me if I am a bit more focused, at least for the near future, on making something a bit harder than crochet...a person.<br />
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Thanks for the support. Let's all work to make this new year less awful than the last through compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and perhaps most importantly, patience.<br />
- AngelaAngela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-84477880918363275112016-10-31T09:30:00.001-05:002016-10-31T11:49:15.630-05:00Pumpkin AnthosOk I thought I was done making clothes for Anthos for a while, but turns out I had one more item to make; a halloween costume. Yeah I know, sewing a costume like this might have been a lot easier, just not for me.<br />
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First I had to come up with an idea. A ghost would have been easy but maybe I'll leave that for the future. Instead I thought it would be really cute to use his leaf as part of the costume and I decided to make him a pumpkin. But it's the wrong kind of leaf, I hear you say. Look I know, but it will be cute.<br />
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Besides, I wanted to try out onion peel yarn dying, which supposedly gives you a lovely pumpkin shade. Collecting peels makes you feel and look like a crazy person at the store. I usually just went to the brown and yellow onions and lifted them all out and stuffed a produce bag full of the papery skins that were there. After two trips I had plenty. I felt like I was stealing, so I did always put the bag of peels on the conveyor belt with my other items. Each time I would tell the cashier, no, I want that bag of garbage, please don't toss it, it's to dye yarn.<br />
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Getting the color out is easy, just simmer the skins in some water on the stove for about 30 minutes. Then remove the peels and add in your presoaked yarn. This time I wound my yarn into a large loop and tied it in two places. This loose wind and the presoak helped with even coloring immensely. I let the yarn simmer in the water for maybe 15 minutes and then took it out and let it dry.<br />
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Not quite the shockingly orange that most pumpkins are, but nonetheless still a very pleasant shade and what I would call pumpkin. Also it looked lovely with Anthos' skin and leaf tones.<br />
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Next I set about making the pumpkin suit. I figured I would be easiest to make an inside and an outside and then add stuffing between and use a little embroidery to get the segmented outside. So I just made two rectangles, one a little longer and taller than the other. Both had arm holes because I wanted Anthos' arms to stick out as I figured it would be funny.<br />
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I wasn't sure I had enough orange dyed yarn to make both the inside and outside however, so I made the both pieces from undyed yarn. Which was good since I used this first little skein to add the pumpkin embroidery at the end. Thinking back it might just be easier in all cases to make the outfit and then dye it, rather than guess at an amount of yarn and hope I have enough.<br />
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Once I had the two pieces made, I needed to dye them again. So I got a few more peels but I think I left it in too long, hard to tell wet... I let them dry, which helped the curling they had been doing, and then sewed around the armholes together so it would be lined up right. Then I sewed along the top and bottom.<br />
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Next I added some stuffing, less than I thought since I didn't want it to be too small to actually fit on him. I seamed the back and had a donut sort of shape that could slip over Anthos' head and into place. Finally, I used my first little skein of orange yarn to wind around the donut and segment it into more of pumpkin shape.<br />
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His arms sticking out really made it cute. So fat.<br />
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Something seemed missing though. So while wandering around a craft store I found a hank of green embroidery thread in the clearance bin for .58 cents and took it home and made him a pumpkin plant shaped leaf with a few curly tendrils to wear on his head. The leaf is from <a href="http://www.amyscrochetpatterns.com/2014/12/crochet-fall-leaf.html?m=1" target="_blank">Amy's Crochet Patterns</a> and I just tweaked the stem row to add a few long shoots of sc and slip stitches to get the long curly tendrils.<br />
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Of course we had to go take a picture with other mini pumpkins...<br />
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Happy Halloween!<br />
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Time to complete: body: 8 hours for crochet, dye, sewing and details<br />
leaf: 30 min<br />
Difficulty: EasyAngela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-27008492185683176932016-10-24T09:30:00.000-05:002016-10-24T09:30:22.885-05:00Anthos' Striped SweaterOf the <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2016/10/kool-aid-dyeing.html" target="_blank">three colors I dyed with Kool-aid</a>, I still had the two reds made from Black Cherry and the mix with the leftover Blue Lemonade water. I really kind of liked the way they looked together on their skeins, so I thought a striped sweater might look really cool. <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2016/10/anthos-sweater.html" target="_blank">Anthos' first sweater</a> is a very simple and classic look, and I wanted to make a longer one anyway.<br />
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To get inspiration I googled striped sweater and saw the one above in black and white which would work nicely I thought for my two reds. Unlike the first sweater which was worked as a long rectangle and seamed, this one I would need to work in the round to get the horizontal striping right.<br />
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First I used the dark solid black cherry red to make a long strip (3dcs) for the bottom of the sweater, then seamed it up one side and started working along the long side in the round joining my rows at the end so that the stripes would also line up right.<br />
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I worked two alternating rows of each color in hdcs around for several stripes, each time putting it on him to where I liked the length of the bottom of the sweater to fall. Then I had the challenge of making arm holes while still working in the round and keeping the stripes in line. I decided to do this with a 10 chain space and skipping 3 stitches, then working the next rows onto the chain while slip stitching along the top to make sure the rows still lined up around the arm holes. I could have stopped and turned and worked the back and then gone back in and worked the center, but I knew that would mess with the color gradient that was happening on each of these skeins too.<br />
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After the arm holes were done, I was able to back to making complete round rows which worked out great. I did one more stripe and then did the rest of the top in the light red only, just like the inspiration sweater. Finally I went back to the arm holes and made super sort sleeves in the dark red to match the bottom trim.<br />
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You can sort of tell the rows apart but I guess the colors, though they looked really different wound, were actually almost too close to tell apart when worked. In any case I still can see the difference from the bottom to the top, so I still like the way it turned out.<br />
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I also super love the length on Anthos compared to the first one. And of course I still have plenty of both colors, so I might try to make a red-riding-hood-esque cape next time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not quite fall here yet... those leaves are dead from drought.</td></tr>
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Time to complete: 8 hours<br />
Difficulty: Easy+Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-21577466058525902802016-10-17T09:30:00.001-05:002016-10-17T09:30:00.204-05:00Anthos' Shawl and HoodNow<a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2016/10/kool-aid-dyeing.html" target="_blank"> that I have tiny colored skeins of yarn</a>, I figured it would be fun to make a few more items for Anthos to wear. First up was that lovely blue.<br />
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As we noticed, it had sort of a nice gradient when I wound it on the bottle so I knew I wanted to make something that worked from top down so that the finished piece would also look nice. Lately I've been sort of obsessed with <a href="http://earsanddears.bigcartel.com/category/clothes" target="_blank">the knit and crochet clothing items made for Ears and Dears' dolls</a>, especially the shell shawl, so I figured I would try my hand at making one.<br />
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Looking around Ravelry, I decided to go with the fantastically named <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knock-knock-knock-penny" target="_blank">Knock Knock Knock Penny shawl by Anke Spilker</a>. Of course it would need a few modifications, but I really loved the look of it, so I set to work. Since this was going to be such a small shawl, I firstly halved the starting chain from 100 to 50. I know after my first sweater, that 50 is a good number for Anthos' circumference measurement. Im using the same 1.3mm hook as before and jumped straight in following rows 1-3 as written.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YVOMpRdhRJ9WvkX8xlzLbtAmaZj6EymJc4Haq86hPoAnhmn6dwNGXi7Vo3IqwKIfeDSN517ZbxoLaw9hT38SE-BBQDzhIx3XYR0Vx05TxGh7ON-AxppNPPXCleDPsz6SCtV9TedOL8zZ/s1600/IMG_4287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YVOMpRdhRJ9WvkX8xlzLbtAmaZj6EymJc4Haq86hPoAnhmn6dwNGXi7Vo3IqwKIfeDSN517ZbxoLaw9hT38SE-BBQDzhIx3XYR0Vx05TxGh7ON-AxppNPPXCleDPsz6SCtV9TedOL8zZ/s320/IMG_4287.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm going to go blind as well as get arthritis</td></tr>
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After that I decided to make it more of a cape though by turning at the end of each row. Halving the pattern and adding the turn meant that my ends didnt always finish up right so I sort of made it up and tried to add a sc at the start and end of each row to give it a straight opening. I also made up a sort of cheat sheet chart for rows 5-10 so that I could get my mind around how it was written.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a rough chart</td></tr>
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I worked the pattern though row 10 and stopped there as it was already plenty long enough for such a tiny body. I simply bound off and hid the ends and voila! A beautiful tiny shawl with the gradient intact.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qaG_F8cLuD_vjVyuG8OhQkiNeLqDpeGbarDAtjy_al3rX3WXVxiCq8vzjB7LeoVR0AxgPh-7_iyOjv7Wq5N-CWPPvf-j3HOnniKlYk9VnCpi-pvSx1twQFRghs7PhBHUE9VhyphenhyphensyX3jMg/s1600/IMG_4337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qaG_F8cLuD_vjVyuG8OhQkiNeLqDpeGbarDAtjy_al3rX3WXVxiCq8vzjB7LeoVR0AxgPh-7_iyOjv7Wq5N-CWPPvf-j3HOnniKlYk9VnCpi-pvSx1twQFRghs7PhBHUE9VhyphenhyphensyX3jMg/s320/IMG_4337.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ready for tea and garden parties</td></tr>
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Time to complete: 6 hours<br />
Difficulty: Easy<br />
<br />
As I still had at least half of the blue dyed yarn left I wanted to make something else. For some reason I kept thinking a silly pixie hat with point would look really cute on Anthos, so I went back to Ravelry and picked <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pixie-bonnet-4" target="_blank">the Pixie Bonnet by Shara Lambeth</a>. This hat is so simple and easy to make, that I kind of want to make myself one now.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCEzvTOPq9Yx73DDiOpS7qniFgxuzbKzd9az27TQap3_5cBMnclQOo-WAl_aQKqp1LDKSSXxalcVWHRDTg7bceURT4uB2iQqQ1UhG6FRBploRSYjeuIWEjcOJV1fID-mzx2yE625nXwXsy/s1600/IMG_4326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCEzvTOPq9Yx73DDiOpS7qniFgxuzbKzd9az27TQap3_5cBMnclQOo-WAl_aQKqp1LDKSSXxalcVWHRDTg7bceURT4uB2iQqQ1UhG6FRBploRSYjeuIWEjcOJV1fID-mzx2yE625nXwXsy/s320/IMG_4326.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the flat piece gets seamed up the back, then you make the ties</td></tr>
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Anyway, I followed the pattern exactly as written, just with my tiny hook and thread. I do think it came out a bit big, and I really want to make another that is much longer so it is more like a long hooded cape (maybe in the red) but for now it came out super cute. I did shorten the round ties but kept them long enough to be tied under the chin.<br />
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Time to complete: 3 hours<br />
Difficulty: Easy<br />
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This area of the dye job doesn't really have the nice gradient as the first half and so somehow these two pieces don't really match each other in my opinion, but it is adorable to see all these little pieces become a wardrobe for Anthos.<br />
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It's a good thing I don't own other dolls or I would be making clothes left and right.<br />
Next week's post is on what I did with the two other colors from my dye lots.Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-60185169687419636252016-10-10T09:30:00.000-05:002016-10-10T09:30:00.176-05:00Kool-aid DyeingLast week you got to see Anthos' first tiny sweater, and I mentioned that I had a ton of yarn left and was thinking about dying it. Let's see how that turned out shall we?<br />
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There is a ton of good resources on the internet on methods on how to dye your yarn using Kool-aid packets, but I was not using the standard yarn, in weight, type or amount, which made most of them more of suggestions.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6Iu5uttSvuwAGzqT68p2maA5PaNu7hF9jHN2U8sXwqV1VFLwRVfbH9c72aDrV1KIqZAbPF8fRdjWyEi7KV2GN3bQsuRB0f2g6Z4pueFTgEy3pXHxSlmQFGZdvmarloKr_CSpmTiNFbWS/s1600/IMG_4237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6Iu5uttSvuwAGzqT68p2maA5PaNu7hF9jHN2U8sXwqV1VFLwRVfbH9c72aDrV1KIqZAbPF8fRdjWyEi7KV2GN3bQsuRB0f2g6Z4pueFTgEy3pXHxSlmQFGZdvmarloKr_CSpmTiNFbWS/s320/IMG_4237.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting yarn.</td></tr>
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Let's review: I am using an extra fine, merino wool, lace weight yarn, and about 50 yards, <i>maybe</i>.<br />
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Most instructions call for using several packets, but I figured one packet would be more than enough dye for my small amount of yarn. So I got two flavors: Blue Raspberry Lemonade and Black Cherry, figuring they would be good strong colors. There are <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=kool+aid+dye+yarn+color+chart&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjI3PL905vPAhVj7YMKHQJrBQAQ_AUICCgB&biw=1147&bih=642#imgrc=_" target="_blank">a ton of charts online</a> for what colors you can get with what packets, but I didn't have a ton of options in my grocery store. I decided to try each color straight and then a third with a combo of the leftover water.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUywmSUT1zuBBCgpGHLKtSW5VOQorqsMOCXXAZfP-m0NyIHlBeCq1kJVdWPKKc2WVOKwQkMedybOHAOTfOQHAjbxJWXOEMcwK5deD6Max_4fUnqooAl2TMf2pw1N8K45pLTHXXfPBigWAF/s1600/IMG_4252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUywmSUT1zuBBCgpGHLKtSW5VOQorqsMOCXXAZfP-m0NyIHlBeCq1kJVdWPKKc2WVOKwQkMedybOHAOTfOQHAjbxJWXOEMcwK5deD6Max_4fUnqooAl2TMf2pw1N8K45pLTHXXfPBigWAF/s320/IMG_4252.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Steps:<br />
1. Wind yarn into loose ball. For me, this meant wrapping around two fingers to make a sort of donut of yarn. This greatly affected how the dye turned out, but there isn't really a good way to start a ball with such fine yarn. I should have been more careful about how I did it, perhaps next time I'll look up how to make one of those skein/hank shapes...<br />
2. Wet yarn in water. Be careful not to manipulate it too much or it will felt into a giant knot.<br />
3. Add to small pot with just enough water for it to float around in. For me this was about 2 inches.<br />
4. Add packet of kool-aid and stir to mix into water.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHLOmOAhuAOCrEtT5LBzXZspPOQcPJVxzIfUhXwcwqNk_OXm4SGm32zbmyoAaE8n9H3DqxcjBLBQ3miojRiYo8A8-6jEfPwYKj9ASfw8M0fOxgbwhBX5kgM4I2Af7S5irxaluUBi0zKwM/s1600/IMG_4253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHLOmOAhuAOCrEtT5LBzXZspPOQcPJVxzIfUhXwcwqNk_OXm4SGm32zbmyoAaE8n9H3DqxcjBLBQ3miojRiYo8A8-6jEfPwYKj9ASfw8M0fOxgbwhBX5kgM4I2Af7S5irxaluUBi0zKwM/s320/IMG_4253.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">happily simmering. </td></tr>
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5. Leave over a low heat (4) on stove. Occasionally flip over in water. I left the blue ball in the water for maybe 15 minutes. Black cherry maybe 10 minutes since it was so dark of a color. And the hybrid color for 8 minutes. I wanted to see if the length was really affecting the color.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFB6g-BhOPO9ehX19PUWVp8ix87y1pWY9ubL3IDGqiE0-x4T1p5e5DVzQES_yUzLixDuCot-1-DzI0MLFCq1IB2vONPtqDLcKBDAmZqHS8bqUeC2nWYbnJUV9NmVfQnuC_pQAfl6mLkyku/s1600/IMG_4246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFB6g-BhOPO9ehX19PUWVp8ix87y1pWY9ubL3IDGqiE0-x4T1p5e5DVzQES_yUzLixDuCot-1-DzI0MLFCq1IB2vONPtqDLcKBDAmZqHS8bqUeC2nWYbnJUV9NmVfQnuC_pQAfl6mLkyku/s320/IMG_4246.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">looks really dark when wet, had no idea insides were still light</td></tr>
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6. Remove yarn to cups to cool and set. I made little tin foil cups and set them in a bowl so they wouldn't run or dye anything I cared about accidentally. Forgot about them so they had about 3 hours of cooling time... probably more than needed.<br />
7. I gave each ball a quick rinse and squeeze under cool water to make sure it wouldn't leak dye.<br />
8. Wind yarn again onto something to dry fully. I thought about using cardboard strips but I figured it would just warp and crumble since the yarn was wet, so I used three glass bottles.<br />
Done!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qBauoRAT2C5hJbDNM9pZFbkTx0LvugjnPqoykiPcHlXwOp5oiL4WFz6NrgkiK-vBUwNjhSKCSeyPzAf6Sk44WxtLQT9Vja2aPQcD4lB6C0ffW2sg2W4uT4tV8_jFyXvj0ws-tGdEoesI/s1600/IMG_4248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qBauoRAT2C5hJbDNM9pZFbkTx0LvugjnPqoykiPcHlXwOp5oiL4WFz6NrgkiK-vBUwNjhSKCSeyPzAf6Sk44WxtLQT9Vja2aPQcD4lB6C0ffW2sg2W4uT4tV8_jFyXvj0ws-tGdEoesI/s320/IMG_4248.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">unravelling the ball revealed weak spots in color</td></tr>
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I wound the black cherry and the hybrid color first. What I immediately saw is that the edges and outside took the color much better than the inside. So if I had wanted a real gradient, from the cream it was to the color, I should have been more careful to wind it like a true ball, but if I wanted a total solid, I should have made a larger more open and thin loop. I am doubtful that longer in the water would have helped with this as it just didn't seem to penetrate all the way to the core of the blue which I left in there the longest. Instead I got a sort of variegated gradient, which you can see best on the blue as I wound it carefully.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUoUIp3685eqIsX46Q1KNwktG1YD6iu6F6tr7mlX-fJyoVR5jrvciNQmFLd3BlpCPSZhSaf9uX9nO7V3s-V2STT4NJISVNsqqrr34oHhOg-ZpJVctkf477xulLY40JjnS4JMtiwXHWS6x/s1600/IMG_4255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUoUIp3685eqIsX46Q1KNwktG1YD6iu6F6tr7mlX-fJyoVR5jrvciNQmFLd3BlpCPSZhSaf9uX9nO7V3s-V2STT4NJISVNsqqrr34oHhOg-ZpJVctkf477xulLY40JjnS4JMtiwXHWS6x/s320/IMG_4255.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">drying on the bottles, blue wrapped best from outside at the top to inside at the bottom</td></tr>
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I really like the straight colors, as they are pretty vibrant. The mixed color is a bit dusty and I think the ratio of water was off, with much more cherry than blue. I still kind of like it though and am thinking about using it in combo with the straight cherry for stripes.<br />
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In any case I now have three new tiny balls of yarn to make new sweaters out of for Anthos, with still more of the neutral cream left over. For a few hours of work and $1 in kool-aid, this is the skein that just keeps on giving.Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-76075223706126731892016-10-03T09:30:00.000-05:002016-10-03T15:33:23.754-05:00Anthos' SweaterI know the subsection of people that make the up the audience for this post might be zero, but sometimes you just need to make something silly to get back into the swing of things.<br />
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You might remember that a while back I purchased a small mandrake root doll from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheBeastPeddler?ref=l2-shopheader-name" target="_blank">The Beast Peddler on Etsy</a>, named it <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2016/06/sh3-anthos-root.html" target="_blank">Anthos</a>, and gave them <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anthos_root/" target="_blank">an Instagram</a>. Following the Beast Peddler's <a href="http://thebeastpeddler.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">tumblr</a> has made me realize how many people have roots of their own and make cute clothes for them. I have no skill for sewing, even after sewing 50 <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2016/03/patch-jacket.html" target="_blank">patches on to my jacket</a>, and just thinking about cutting and making tiny sleeves for arms that are a quarter of an inch long is giving me a headache. But I can crochet!<br />
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Jennings Street Yarns here in Fort Worth had a flash sale so of course I stopped by and bought a single skein of lace weight yarn. It is <a href="http://sublimeyarns.com/" target="_blank">Sublime</a> Lace and is extra fine merino wool in Tan. I can't seem to find it on their website or on <a href="http://www.yarn.com/" target="_blank">WEBS</a> (an online yarn store), but it is light and super soft and I love the natural color. I was thinking then that it might be fun to try to make a tiny sweater for Anthos, complete with collar and trim.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BJognlvAHPI/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">You have to wait till it's an item before you wear it. Duh.</a></div>
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A photo posted by Anthos (@anthos_root) on <time datetime="2016-08-28T00:53:26+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Aug 27, 2016 at 5:53pm PDT</time></div>
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The yarn itself recommends a 3.25 mm hook but when I started working with it I felt that hook was way too large. I switched to a tiny steel 1.3mm hook. Keeping the yarn tension with such a thin yarn and small hook was the biggest challenge.<br />
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I first started out with a full cabled sweater idea but after getting a few rows in I couldn't tell if the cables were actually visible and standing out or not, and it was taking for ever. So I frogged it.<br />
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The second attempt went a bit better. The first one I had been working in the round after making a chain and connecting it, that meant that I kept having to put it on and off him after each row since Anthos' arms are not really to the side of their body like normal doll sweaters would be. This second time I worked the body as a long rectangle with the seam being at the back. This way I could add the arm holes in one row and then keep working. I seamed the long rectangle with slip stitches and then turned and worked two rows of single crochet along the top side to make the collar. After that I added a bottom ribbing trim with a row of single crochet for definition, followed by a row of double crochet. This was a good foundation to make the ribbing which was done with two rows of back and front post double crochet, alternating every two stitches.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWKCwOM3o2muldPdiaou3yNSXIvqt8BiAB6ReEwKb0yafDkqFTJopeCpw7Erx0EqDA7bBsBSPq5z2ypQrlzuRzBoqQcJ3PV4v126sfLJx6fwbal9QEm40agvxfC_SBdUGcXtto4Dcj1U_/s1600/IMG_4105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWKCwOM3o2muldPdiaou3yNSXIvqt8BiAB6ReEwKb0yafDkqFTJopeCpw7Erx0EqDA7bBsBSPq5z2ypQrlzuRzBoqQcJ3PV4v126sfLJx6fwbal9QEm40agvxfC_SBdUGcXtto4Dcj1U_/s320/IMG_4105.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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For a first finished sweater it is a bit plain, but I still like it a lot. This whole sweater took a minuscule amount of yarn so I can for sure make more, and get a bit more ambitious. Perhaps I will make another full cabled or one with more pronounced ribbing and a bigger collar. In any case this was a lot of fun and since the yarn is such a neutral color, I can even do small dye batches to get more colors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rvax60ksE0qO3BEczq_qd2oiks-EMxtbLT_PQ4QPlCvH4NhGwPqTXqSfDKCSB9C55KV6U65VciKvEoFnxycLn7vcGvIU8MMVAJqIzPFLygfRI9MTVmJKD79D49oqHngmvgH-ctex9rDb/s1600/IMG_4104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rvax60ksE0qO3BEczq_qd2oiks-EMxtbLT_PQ4QPlCvH4NhGwPqTXqSfDKCSB9C55KV6U65VciKvEoFnxycLn7vcGvIU8MMVAJqIzPFLygfRI9MTVmJKD79D49oqHngmvgH-ctex9rDb/s320/IMG_4104.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anthos is pleased as punch.</td></tr>
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For now, Anthos is ready for Fall... if it will ever come to Texas, that is.<br />
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Difficulty: Intermediate<br />
Time to Complete: 5 hoursAngela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3202528262016791664.post-66108920677792105422016-09-26T09:30:00.000-05:002016-09-26T09:30:00.171-05:00Kubo's MonkeyIf I had my life to do over again, I would have wanted someone to tell me that you could grow up and make things for a living at a movie studio called <a href="http://www.laika.com/films" target="_blank">Laika</a>.<br />
<br />
I've been a fan from the start. Coraline brought me on board as I was already a fan of Neil Gaiman's writing, and I even made a <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2014/10/halloween-2014.html" target="_blank">yellow coat for the crochet little me so we could be her for Halloween</a>. Then Paranorman came out and won us over with its sheer quantity of details, <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2012/09/paranorman-on-brain.html" target="_blank">B movie horror, and humor</a>. I even made a <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2012/10/the-skees.html" target="_blank">comic</a> and several posts for their #WeirdWins contests, leading to me <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2012/09/paranorman-on-my-doorstep.html" target="_blank">winning four stunning posters</a>, which I still have framed in my home. Then Boxtrolls, which I will admit I did not love as much as the other two, but still had such warm and loving characters that I had to make my own <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2015/05/fish-boxtroll.html" target="_blank">Fish, complete with box</a>.<br />
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When Kubo and the Two Strings was announced, several people said to me "<i>Ang, it's like they made a movie just for you.</i>" I was so excited to see it when it finally came out this month. I knew I loved it from the first few moments as the mom crawled across the beach to her son, and I started crying right then. Some people say that Pixar is making fairy tales that grown ups can enjoy, but I feel like Laika has always taken it just one step further, like they are making fairy tales for grown ups instead, that kids can also enjoy. This other way around is somehow more powerful to me, and so much more moving.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWbqaC50QsJtdD1Tmy5LUIkRiYnX3FpJRmqfw2oUCOB4CE2PhpHOL8hlWWMdnHdQojnxzxcDssf2248b883QihYYKQ_ytZsMtwU2NMoJ5uwj0c47HhjZWIObiJW8opkTBeC-Wn9eHD1Dy/s1600/IMG_4109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWbqaC50QsJtdD1Tmy5LUIkRiYnX3FpJRmqfw2oUCOB4CE2PhpHOL8hlWWMdnHdQojnxzxcDssf2248b883QihYYKQ_ytZsMtwU2NMoJ5uwj0c47HhjZWIObiJW8opkTBeC-Wn9eHD1Dy/s320/IMG_4109.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kubo and Monkey</td></tr>
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It was only a matter of time, then, that I would make something from Kubo, and Monkey seemed the perfect choice. I don't want to spoil it if you haven't seen it, but I loved the combo of protective, sassy, and wise that she pulled off. The dynamic between Beetle and Monkey was a joy to watch both for Kubo and the audience.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWumMJFbJMeplh6yRZiK3sQDqTH43TzSMyfa2hDyCa-LhkFuxL2EFQ3rLhQ4YcarveLtaf4-uT_exzEBL5E0nWpYQC60MyUNGaYHNZctNrUCqPwekwzj729XvMUUTX-KWBRmFLQ9RZb79Z/s1600/IMG_4123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWumMJFbJMeplh6yRZiK3sQDqTH43TzSMyfa2hDyCa-LhkFuxL2EFQ3rLhQ4YcarveLtaf4-uT_exzEBL5E0nWpYQC60MyUNGaYHNZctNrUCqPwekwzj729XvMUUTX-KWBRmFLQ9RZb79Z/s320/IMG_4123.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">naked monkey face</td></tr>
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I made her head, body and legs from some basic Red Heart which yarn I had on hand. The face and ears were from a leftover dusty rose color acrylic I also had in my stash. The taupe brown of her hands is the same is Vanna's Choice from the beak of my <a href="http://www.littleblackmarker.com/2016/08/graboid.html" target="_blank">Graboid</a>. Finally I went out and bought one skein of <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/yarn/wool-ease-yarn.html" target="_blank">Lion Brand's Wool-Ease in White-Multi</a>, which has a little bit of shiny blue and pink something running through it. I felt it was perfect for her fur, which seemed to shine in many of the scenes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQUmbQJdOI8rmq13BrllGn6FZoQ4BEU-jTlzJ_z8suHIwbv9BbImUrTlUpK40GXdzBaQIrNCk_0qOIShmxk0Hf75tuTO1MUHE0kMr0rUPfioqYvzm00kiI8wbQbJNhEo1Hf-8eSFJTKnD/s1600/IMG_4178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQUmbQJdOI8rmq13BrllGn6FZoQ4BEU-jTlzJ_z8suHIwbv9BbImUrTlUpK40GXdzBaQIrNCk_0qOIShmxk0Hf75tuTO1MUHE0kMr0rUPfioqYvzm00kiI8wbQbJNhEo1Hf-8eSFJTKnD/s320/IMG_4178.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">really wanted to get her chest right</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9o8_25mzbmTFhst7s0_Ys3WONY-4KGHdIJS2gFidxA1AgoJ8DrW8B_1wn7qJLNxguHVNYrXKuoTozzAahVGjIYg9D657K2HGLWsgq71jmOF81uWd8MGMs_CzOZ9Hj4ogjXRw1kfDQB2J/s1600/IMG_4189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9o8_25mzbmTFhst7s0_Ys3WONY-4KGHdIJS2gFidxA1AgoJ8DrW8B_1wn7qJLNxguHVNYrXKuoTozzAahVGjIYg9D657K2HGLWsgq71jmOF81uWd8MGMs_CzOZ9Hj4ogjXRw1kfDQB2J/s320/IMG_4189.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">third version monkey paws</td></tr>
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After spending a few weeks making body parts and ripping them out again, I finally got some shapes I liked. Then I remembered that Monkey has a left and right hand, and left and right foot, and that I would need to tweak the patterns to get it right. Then came stuffing and assembly, which always takes a few tries to get it all positioned right on the body. After that I added a bit of embroidery to the feet and added a little pink paint to the paws and face.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-NrWSBhTt7ug8RqlDXuQdrqd8dqglo4dEDsgf186w3fni1SaydbLR-svuKduMAdiCdJFIuEeokeuVy3sPgQpwsWHcz-OasiMZZ_3xT9F8d7VvIFGR1ysL4yDGfRffSUref1gnH-6yay2/s1600/IMG_4219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-NrWSBhTt7ug8RqlDXuQdrqd8dqglo4dEDsgf186w3fni1SaydbLR-svuKduMAdiCdJFIuEeokeuVy3sPgQpwsWHcz-OasiMZZ_3xT9F8d7VvIFGR1ysL4yDGfRffSUref1gnH-6yay2/s320/IMG_4219.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a hairless monkey!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Finally it was time to add the fur. This part took forever when I did Lion and he only had fur on part of his head and body, not everywhere! I only got about half of her body done when I ran out and needed to go buy a second skein. I spent about 15 hours just pulling the "fur" through. Then it was time to give her a hair cut. This was crucial, and I did use shorter tufts than Lion so I would have less to trim, but she still needed shaping around the face along the arms, neck and back.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsqVbYQfhcz7IwLnMY-upC0BDOkRF8NTBa9za0NPftE4jfOcC6TVTPMCN4fvPMkD5OBsNIR6IYsucQ9EmazTM62p8G1s_vkCmgxsIh7bb9HumwZCqvLvJIgOhxaLoXmV0F1Ss1PTN4cdIL/s1600/IMG_4266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsqVbYQfhcz7IwLnMY-upC0BDOkRF8NTBa9za0NPftE4jfOcC6TVTPMCN4fvPMkD5OBsNIR6IYsucQ9EmazTM62p8G1s_vkCmgxsIh7bb9HumwZCqvLvJIgOhxaLoXmV0F1Ss1PTN4cdIL/s320/IMG_4266.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">looks a bit like when she was <a href="https://content.internetvideoarchive.com/content/photos/10101/849905_084.jpg" target="_blank">poofed by birds</a></td></tr>
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She is finally done after about a month of work. Working on this just makes me appreciate how the Laika makers took the time on every puppet, every detail, just for us to take in without notice. It's amazing. Now she just needs a sword unbreakable...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO70f9UYGQhuAg3_Vn-xZ1OYU2qXhPcgo7SQW4aXclMaUAG89Y3Ak0a8H_zAKnuF7sCffkpmOou2Rf3yV2uUuBiF_7Sg-sjdY2yL_jRjmR5knvl9GWarVtegx6inzrpGcD4JFJgz8i5DvQ/s1600/P9200218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO70f9UYGQhuAg3_Vn-xZ1OYU2qXhPcgo7SQW4aXclMaUAG89Y3Ak0a8H_zAKnuF7sCffkpmOou2Rf3yV2uUuBiF_7Sg-sjdY2yL_jRjmR5knvl9GWarVtegx6inzrpGcD4JFJgz8i5DvQ/s320/P9200218.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbhaOnKBcVKYVVG6Xj0RyYA3I19WGrmK7w7FINS9MmwhIl1uoR-9yspzC279gYPv5weNPGYeGiZHUgf6K8PrU06J5QPwiiyCfcEaIRLVl2Ksj0RoK_F19JWaHjesnwQNaxw3JuLRN94Lw/s1600/P9200224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbhaOnKBcVKYVVG6Xj0RyYA3I19WGrmK7w7FINS9MmwhIl1uoR-9yspzC279gYPv5weNPGYeGiZHUgf6K8PrU06J5QPwiiyCfcEaIRLVl2Ksj0RoK_F19JWaHjesnwQNaxw3JuLRN94Lw/s400/P9200224.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Difficulty: Intermediate/Hard<br />
Time to complete: 15 hours body, 10 hours fur<br />
Finished Size: 13 inches from head to butt when sitting<br />
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Yes, I did write up the pattern, but not sure how I feel about sharing it yet, plus I still need to transcribe it. If there is interest, I will probably share.Angela Skeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255965227821912872noreply@blogger.com