Crazy Critter Lady

Helen over at Breien in Oostende called me "our reigning queen of knitted and felted critters" in her post about Dagobert the dragon. This got me wondering how many knit and crochet toys I have made in the last 6 years (you've seen the felted ones here).

Luckily I tagged my projects on ravelry, so I could easily create the following screen shots:

This represents 56 different projects, with anything between 1 and 6 versions of the same pattern.

How many did I give away as presents? 50.

So I say thank you to:

- those who designed these awesome patterns

- those who sold me the materials

- those who inspired me to make presents for them

- those who intend to keep their inner child alive and / or decide to procreate so I can knit and crochet for them.

Cookie's Koala

My friend Cookie adores these critters, so I decided to crochet one for her birthday.

This ami is also featured on Helen's latest blog update for May:

Read the blog

As the birthday celebrations were long and intense, I didn't dare pick up my felting needles this weekend.
But tomorrow is another national holiday and that means - happy stabbins ahead!

Kissie

 

Once upon a long time ago, I wrote a pattern for a creature seen in a soda commercial:

Kissie

Materials:

Worsted weight yarns in white and red

Eyelash yarn white

Crochet thread in brown or black

Crochet hooks: 1, 5mm, 3,0mm and 3,5 mm

Beads

Stitch markers

Tapestry needle

~°~

Instructions:

Legs & body in white worsted weight yarn

Head & tail in white worsted weight yarn held together with white eyelash yarn

Lips in red worsted weight yarn

Collar in crochet thread

4 legs:

R1: Magic Loop, sc 6

R2- R4: sc 6

Finish, leave long yarn tails for sewing

Tail:

Work in rows, not rounds

R1: ch 3

R2: sc 2

Finish, leave long tail for sewing

Body:

R1: Magic Loop, sc 6

R2: *2sc in 1* to end = 12sc

R3: *1 sc, 2sc in 1* to end = 18sc

R4 – R 10:  sc all = 18 sc

R11: *1 sc, 1sc in 2* to end = 12sc

R12: 1sc in 2 = 6sc

Finish, leave long yarn tail for sewing

Head:

R1: Magic Loop, sc 6

R2: *2sc in 1* to end = 12sc

R3: *1 sc, 2sc in 1* to end = 18sc

R4: *2sc, 2sc in 1* to end = 24sc

R5: *3sc, 2sc in 1* to end = 30sc

R6: *4sc, 2sc in 1* to end = 36sc

R7 – R9: sc all = 36

R10: *4sc, 1sc in 2* to end = 30sc

R11: *3sc, 1sc in 2* to end = 24sc

R12: *2sc, 1sc in 2* to end = 18sc

R13: *1 sc, 2sc in 1* to end = 12sc

R14: *1sc in 2* to end = 6sc

Finish, leave long yarn tail for sewing

2x lips:

R1: Magic Loop, sc 6

R2: *2sc in 1* to end = 12sc

R3: *1 sc, 2sc in 1* to end = 18sc

R4: *2sc, 2sc in 1* to end = 24sc

R5: *3sc, 2sc in 1* to end = 30sc

Lower lip: Fold in half, make sure points of hexagon align and close with sc.

Upper lip: Fold in half, make sure points of hexagon align and close half way with sc. Ch1, turn,

sc to lowest point, ch1, turn, sc back to center. Fasten off, leave tail for lip shaping.

Work other side from bottom corner to center in the same way.

Collar:

Slip 10 – 15 beads on crochet thread, ch2, bring bead up, include in next ch2 until chain equals

body circumference. Fasten off.

~°~

Finishing:

Sew legs and tail to body. Make sure the legs are spread rather far apart, to provide stability.

Sew head to body. Leave enough space for head movement, as balancing the huge head on the

tiny body will depend on bending the doll a little bit.

Shape upper lip by securing the ends of red yarn, then attach lips to head.

Join collar under the body and secure the ends.

For the winter babies

Yesterday I sent off two baby presents, today I learned that they arrived.

I made the large bear using a little-known Thai pattern, published on Sayjay's blog, translated by Jaimai.

The other new baby already has a bigger sister, so I tried to make a little something for both. Did you notice the bracelets the bunnies are wearing?