30DC-MG: Day: 18: Alien

Aliens are another one of those things that I think of as sexless... though I feel like E.T. was probably a guy. Then again that really long limbed thing that came out last in Close Encounters I feel like was maybe a girl. Both generally sexless though...

Anyway, aliens are dumb. Especially if they have issues with water, a la Signs. Oops, guess that's a spoiler, but it's so old I figure that it doesn't matter at this point.

I prefer to think that if we got aliens though, the water hating kind might be good, otherwise we are pretty much doomed.

T-Rex!

I had meant to do this project a while back, but somehow it had gotten lost in the pile of toys for newer babies...

Anyway, better late than never, plus it is hard to deny when they send you a cute video of their kid asking for a "dinosaurus" and giggling.

I used this free pattern from All About You.com for the dino. One GIANT thing to note, that cause me a few problems, is that this pattern is written in UK terms and has a few typos as well. For those that do not want to look it up, here is what you really need to know: The pattern says "dc" and says that means double crochet... A UK double crochet is a US single crochet. Don't ask me why, it just is.

I did not like the color scheme first off, it was too baby-ish and this is for a boy. So green and red and dark green felt better. I also changed the arms so that I could use what I have learned from previous patterns and use a color change row in the back loop only to make a nice hard line to give a bit of definition to the sleeve versus the arm. I also changed the direction the arm is constructed, their is from the fingers to shoulder, mine goes the other way so that the white properly overlaps the green as a shirt would be over the skin. If you do it the other way it looks like the skin is popping out of a shirt that is too tight for it.

Arms
5 sc in magic circle, in color of sleeve (white)
2sc in each around 10sts
2 rows of 10 sts
Switch to green
One row of 10 sts in back loops only
Six more rows of 10 sts, stuff and sew end closed flat
Leave a really long Green tail and use it to Embroider three bumps on hand for claws.*


*This is another thing I changed. They suggested a color change for the "fingers" of the arm and then to use black to give it lines to show the three fingers. I wanted it to feel more like claws so I left a really long tail and just looped over and over and over to get three distinct bumps for fingers. I did the same for the toes, but used the darker color to make those feet talons a bit more distinguishable.

Fingers are bumps.

Here is the pattern for the legs. This is where I found the typo in the decreasing section, so I rewrote it for my own sanity, since I needed to make two that match.

Legs
6sc in magic circle in green of body
2 sc in each (12)
2 sc in one stitch, one sc in next, around (18)
2 sc in one, one sc in next 2 (24)
Three rows of 24
Sc in next 11, decrease, sc in next 9, decrease (22)
Sc in next 10, decrease, sc in next 8, decrease (20)
Sc in next 9, decrease, sc in next 7, decrease (18)
Sc in next 1, decrease, repeat around (12)
Five rows of 12
Leave tail to sew up opening. Stuff! Bind off.
Attach dark green to corner and leave long tail to make claws for toes.

In progress with head and arms attached.

Here is something I want to share: the way you change colors can make a difference in the way it looks and feels. Especially for clothing meeting skin.

See how the green neck looks like it is under the red of the shirt neck? That is because I changed to the green color by crocheting in the back loops only, so the nice line of red is the front loops of the crochet. If you don't, it looks like the rows in the shirt where it meets and kind of makes those ^ shapes. Since I was working from the butt to the neck for the body, I had to cheat the bottom row of the shirt. That row is a regular color change like the middle shirt rows, but I embroidered a line over it to make the shirt bottom feel right to my mind. These are the things that make it special and perfect and give it charm, that no one will notice but you. Do it anyway.

Oh almost forgot! The shirt I made is striped. Theirs is solid... and boring. I used their pattern, figured out that there were 12 rows for the shirt and simply changed colors every two rows despite what the pattern says.

The face uses black for eyebrows and nostrils. White yarn for a crooked toothy smile. (Another thing I changed, that smile, they had a dark line of black, but T-rex needs teeth.) The dark green of the toes matches the dark green of the spikes.

Project time: ~10 hours

Next Project: Dog Sweater
Next Next Project: Colorful Baby Beanie

Chibi Mr. Skeesbear

So you might remember I made Mr. Skeesbears for a few of his students.

Well I want one dammit. However, mine could not be the same as theirs, that would encroach upon the specialness of those three. So, I had seen that the creator of the pattern that I loosely based the bears on had made some fat bears. So I studied the pictures and figured out her ratio for the size of the head versus the pants and feet and loosely applied that ratio to my doll.

I guess her yarn is thicker or these are worked smaller than mine.
Her proportions are: Number of Head rows is equal to the pants and feet.
I changed that for mine to be: head equals shirt plus pants.
So then: if shirt 5 rows, pants 5 rows --> head 10 rows after increase to size.

So for the body/head:
6 sc in magic circle
Increasing every row from 12 stitches to 60 stitched in a normal flat circle.
Your last row of increasing will be: Sc in 8, 2sc in next (60sc)
Sc around 60 for 15 Rows
Switch to light blue do one row in front loops only, four chainse before the end chain two do the following: treble crochet in same, then double crochet, then half double. Then go back to sc around, in last three on the other end do a half double, double and then treble, chain three and slip stitch into last. I left three unused sc in the center between both collar points as a space for a tie. (These two rows make collar.)
Go back into the empty loops to make the shirt underneath the collar. Do 6 rows of single crochet around. It will lie underneath and then come out underneath the collar you made.

First half of pattern done with collar.

By using the front loops for the collar, you can use the back loops to continue the shirt/body.

Switch to gray for 4 rows to start making the pants. All these rows should maintain the 60 stitches.
Split at middle with 6 chain to make the seam for between the pant legs. This chain of 6 should run from the front center of the doll body to the back center.
Do 2 rows of gray for pant legs. These leg rows will have about 36-40 stitches. Whatever you have make them both the same. It's OK to fudge and add a few extra stitches along the center chain. Don't forget to go back and add the two rows of gray to the second leg!
Switch to brown for feet on bottom of both legs.
One row of 40, two rows of *1 sc, 1 decrease* repeating around.
Decrease every stitch last row, bind off foot.

Arms
Chain 16 in light blue of shirt, join to form a loop.
5 rows sc in each
Switch to brown yarn
Sc in each, back loop only
One sc, decrease around till done, bind off
Stuff, fold in half and stitch along top. Attach to sides below where the collar lies. Yes, you could put the arm in the space underneath the collar, but then it make it stick up like a neck tutu and not a collar. (Yes I did this. It was awful. Had to rip it out. Carefully.)

 
Make tie in black: chain 7, skip two next to hook, hdc in five, slip stitch to first chain, 4 double crochet in stitch, bind off, shape and stitch top shell shape down to doll.

Make snout in cream: following the oval pattern in the original monkey pattern.
Ears are the same as well, except I made mine one row smaller than hers.

Details in dark brown: nose, mouth, beard, eyebrows

I am toying with adding a Belt in black, as well as Suspenders in black.
Here is how I think I could make suspenders...

Suspenders:
Chain 5, turn with three chain for button hole and sc in each chain back up.
Slip stitch in first chain, do shell stitch (five double crochet in one)
From last double crochet, chain enough to go over shoulders, note that number, turn with three chain for button hole and sc back to shell
Slip stitch in tops of middle three double crochet of shell
In last double crochet of shell chain same number for suspender, chain three for button hole sc back again. Bind off.

Since I have two other projects now in the queue, I will leave off suspenders for the moment and move on to those other projects.

Stay Tuned

Christmas Break was nice. We had warm weather, then snow, then pouring rain, then sleet and now its warm again. That's Texas for you.

We had three sets of relatives around for the holidays as well which is always SUPER FUN.

However, I have started crocheting again to take my mind off the Squirrel infestation in my attic that is threatening to bankrupt my finances...

New post tomorrow.

Powers for Good, Mr. Skeesbear!

I might have mentioned that my husband is a teacher. He does a lot for his school, more so than most, I think. He works the after-school program until 6pm three out of five nights a week. He is the moderator for both the Norsemen and the Ultimate Frisbee club. Most days he is on campus from 7am till 6pm.

In past four years he has taught five different subjects. This has allowed him to teach the same pool of students even though they move up in grade every year. This means that for a few kids, he has become more than just a teacher. Talking with someone almost every day for three years is a pretty powerful bond, so much so that he has become as much of a friend, mentor and father figure as a teacher.

Like all high schoolers, they have to graduate. But for a few, it is more like leaving a second home, than just leaving a school. It is difficult to leave the support groups we make for ourselves. It is scary. Not only are there the normal stresses of school, graduating, social identity, friend drama, finals, college applications, and the giant scary question: "what am I going to be", but now they have to try and do it by themselves. At least until they form new groups where ever they end up. I speak from experience, and I know this is case for a lot of people.

The good thing is that even though you might physically leave the presence of your good friends, mentors and family, you certainly can still call upon them whenever you need them. And it is good to grow in your own confidence. To struggle for a bit and figure out what you want without any influences.

Anyway this is getting more emotional than about crochet, so I'll stop there.

For these few kids who are graduating this year, I decided to make them a present. A little mentor and friend to take with them. A little piece of the place they spent so much time in. A little friend to hug. To remind them to be good and that they are loved, special, smart, talented, and not alone!!!

I used the base pattern from PicaPau that I made the monkeys from. I know she has made bears from it by looking at her blog site, so I tried to do the same. I used a round disk of lighter color for the snout and embroidered a nose and mouth in a darker brown than the "skin" tone. I also added some heavy brows and a little goatee like my husband has. The ears are the same as the monkey's minus one row to make them smaller and placed higher on the head.

I also pulled the clothing look from my husband's standard wardrobe for work. I made up a new pattern for the arms (at the bottom of the post), to give it a look like it had rolled up sleeves. I also made up a pattern for a tie and for a vest (also at the bottom). Instead of switching colors for the shirt, I made it a solid in their favorite colors. I then switched to black for pants. And finally back to brown for the feet.

 The tie, embroidered belt, and vest are all in a dark gray. The buttons on the vests are all leftovers from my jar of extra buttons that come with the shirts you buy.

 And of course a tiny bear tail on the butt.

Over the course of making these I couldn't resist giving them test hugs... I did marry the guy they are modeled on after all. :)


Arm Pattern
A note: The arm pattern from the original pattern is worked from the hand to the shoulder, mine is worked the other way, from the shoulder to the hand, so that I could have two pieces to get the fold over for the shirt cuff.

Row 1: Chain 5 in desired shirt color
2: 2 single crochet in each, (10 stitches)
3-10:  sc in each around
11: Sc in each, front chain only
12: Sc in each, bind off leaving a long tail
Fold over last two rows and sew cuff down using the tail. Stuff the top half of the arm here.
13: switch to brown/skin tone yarn, one sc in each open loop of row 11 which should be exposed when you folded it over.
12-16: sc in each (10sts)
17: *sc in one, 2sc in next*, *repeat around, (15 sts)
18: sc in each
19: sc, popcorn stitch^, 13 sc  (^popcorn stitch: 4 double crochet in the same stitch, remove hook, insert in top of first dc, pick up loop and pull through, extra chain to secure)
20: sc in each (15)
21:  *sc in one, decrease next two*, *repeat (10), Stuff bottom half of arm here.
22: decrease around (5), bind off

Vest Pattern
I am sure there might be better ways to make vests, but I wanted to make one single piece vest. The arm holes are a little small, so you have to squish the hand a bit to get them into it, but once the hand is through it fits nicely around the join where you have sewn on the arms. Note, to keep in in my mind I broke it down so that 10 chains is the left side, 15 chains makes the back of the vest and the last 10 are the right side. It should overlap a little on the front of the body if you wrap your chain around the finished bear body. Also note, I used a chain 1 at the beginning of each row to make sure I had room to get into that first stitch and make sure I didn't drop any. The decreases on the end of the rows makes the V neck of the vest. Row 7 makes the arm holes, hence why it is treble crochet to get the height. Also note, this is worked from the bottom of the vest to the neck.

Finished flat vest. Having it be another piece means dolly dress-up fun!

Chain 35, turn
Row 1: Chain 1, single crochet into first chain on from hook, or 35 sc
Row 2-4: Chain 1, sc35, (3 rows)
5: Chain 1, Decrease twice, sc 27, decrease twice more
6: Chain 1, Dec 2, sc 23, dec 2
7: Chain 1, Dec 2, sc 1, ch 4, skip 2 stitches, trebele crochet next 13, chain 4, skip 2 stitches, sc, dec
8: Chain 1, slip stitch in first two chains of 4, sc in other 2 chains, sc in each treble, sc in first two chain, slip st in next two, dec,
Bind off, weave in ends to the inside of the vest piece so you don't see them.

30DC-MG: Day 17: Robot

Thought about Futrama robots, Chobits, Questionable Content and a lot of the other robots I have seen in stuff. Then I thought about the things I would want in a robot... a companion, able to get on the internet, give me the weather, my to do's, answer basic questions, call my contacts, take photos, record and transmit my voice, be a passable speaker, and then of course be companionable, portable and cute. Pretty much what my iPhone already is, even though I'm still working with the 4th gen.

But that last bit is what I would really want... CUTE. Robot-ish, ya know. Like for real. Android style.

So here is my design for a robot that I would want. Something with limited motor skills. Flash drive full usb connector in chest and storage. Ears are speakers and removable to be headphones too. Super big eyes for capturing photos. The shiny forhead "gem" is a lens for being a mini projector. Face blushes are microphones for voice calls and commands. Body poses like an artists doll to allow stable projection and act as a tripod for the camera features. Tail is mini usb for charging from computer or connecting to peripheral devices. And it is cute. I figure it might not be able to walk but would at least be balanced enough and heavy enough to ride on a shoulder, be attached to a backpack or purse or fit in a large pocket. Size wise then it would be about 8 inches tall.

Cactus Cutie

So I am working on a present for three girls for Christmas. Thought I would crochet something and had this pattern for a cactus garden by Elf Loves Dwarf Crochet that has been languishing in my pattern collection. I thought that maybe they might like one for in their dorm rooms, kind of a plant you can't kill thing. Well I got most of the way through the first one and then thought of something better, but I still thought I should finish the one I started. 

The pattern whipped up really really fast. Total project time for this guy was a little over two hours I think. I added the black safety eyes because I wanted it to be a dumb cute cactus.

A little desert warmth in the winter.

The eyes are slightly off... think it adds to the derp factor.

A close up of the flowers.

He's about 10 inches tall. I think next time I would add those weighting beads to the bottom of the pot so he stands up better. Now I just have to figure out who to give it to.