hedghogs, hedgehogs everywhere

How about a free hedgehog pattern?  I've written it out at http://crochetstitchwitch.com/?p=337 but even better than that...I've made videos - two of them in fact.  Huzzah.  It was very time consuming and editing is really, really dull so future videos will definately be shorter but here ya go..

and part two

Let me know how you get on with them!! xx

Foxy Foxy! (or Wolf!)

New pattern!!

I've put it on ETSY this time as an experiment as well as dear RAVELRY. I must admit to getting a bit confused with how each site calculates the bloody sales tax but that's an argument for another day/week/year....

The ears are worked seperately then it's all in one piece so you'll need to be able to increase and decrease in single crochet and make the odd chain here and there.  I've included lots of step by step pictures for any tricky bits....It also looks super cute if you teasel brush all the pointy bits....I'll try to get a photo up!

More details here

crochet sheep free pattern!!

Still in the spirit of the sheep, I couldn't resist making a little bobble version. I love bobbles. They are easy but gobble up the yarn so you'll need more than you think. I probably used about half a ball (25g ish) of the bobble colour, this was Drops Nepal in off white I think they call it. It's aran/worsted weight and I used a 3.5mm hook. (Btw, I always use American crochet terminology since I taught myself to crochet using Youtube videos)

To make a crochet bobble (bob): yo, insert hook in next sc, yo, pull through sc, yo pull through 2 on hook, *yo, insert hook in same sc, yo, pull through sc, yo, pull through 2 on hook*  repeat from * to* until 6 loops on hook then yo and pull through all 6.

The bobbles are a lot easier to execute if you just accept that they are on the wrong side, this is just fine, turn it inside out when you've done.  A slight complication arises if you switch to normal sc crochet (as with this crochet sheep) because you don't want to continue working the sc with the wrong side out (or maybe you do - go for it!) It honestly doesn't show that much if, when you join the different colour yarn, you also make your rounds go the other way and any little hiccup that does show, is easily hidden under the ear!

Pattern: Printable Version

	Body & Head
Row	Instruction	count
1	Make 6sc in adjustable loop	6
2	(sc, bob) 3 times might want to skip this row to avoid a 'pointy bottom (tho I quite like the torpedo shape!)	6
3	inc 6 times	12
4	(sc, bob) 6 times	12
5	(sc, inc) 6 times	18
6	(sc, bob) 9 times	18
7	(2sc, inc) 6 times	24
8	(sc, bob) 12 times	24
9	24sc	24
10-11	repeat row 8 & 9	24
12	Switch to face colour, 24sc (going the other way so bobbles are now on the right/out side)	24
13	24sc	24
14	(2sc, dec) 6 times. Stuff firmly. (Stick safety eyes in if using.)	18
15	(sc, dec) 6 times	12
16	dec 6 times	6
	cut yarn, pull last loop out (not through the loop) thread end through outer loop of remaining 6sc and pull up to close.
	Legs (make 4)
1	Make 6sc in adjustable loop	6
2	inc 6 times	12
3	12sc	12
4	(dec, 2sc) 3 times	9
5	9sc	9
6	(dec, sc) 3 times	6
	cut yarn about 9", pull last loop out and use end to sew to underside of body, between bobbles
	Ears
1	Make 6sc in adjustable loop	6
2	inc 6 times	12
3	(inc, sc) 6 times	18
	Pinch one edge of the circle and sew to the edge of the face, about a third of the way down.
	Embroider some eyes and a nose.

New Year, New er...cat thing monster?

Thought I'd try something different for the new year and that is...make shapes with out breaking wind yarn and after much faffing about (it's harder than it looks you know!)  I finally made a cat type thing. Or it could be a creepy monster type thing?

The size will vary greatly depending on the hook and yarn used.  The smallest one I made is just 12cm tall using 3ply yarn and 2mm hook.  The biggest is a pillow wannabe 28cm using chunky yarn and 5mm hook.

Instead of the usual top to bottom or bottom to top approach, this is worked from left side to right side and gives a different look to the ususal Amigurumi type thing.  Think I will be exploring the possibilities further :)

Introducing....Pig and Monkey (woo woo)

As I was rustling up mini monkey...I was unable to get the song from the youtube video out of my head:

So I made a pig too

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pig-and-monkey

I might have to photograph them all again since I'm not very happy with the images but the patterns turned out really nice and simple.  Pattern available at Ravelry as usual, here's a sample page:

Toast and Jam - the giraffes

So, apparently my nieces favourite animal is a giraffe and when I asked what colour they were the answer was....purple.  Happy to oblige my little sweetie....:)

It took me ages to work out the hooves, and they are a bit fiddly but look so nice.  As usual, the pattern is available at Ravelry. :)

Cheers big ears

Think I may have got a bit carried away with the ears....

I am working on something so super duper right now in preparation for easter....

December the 17th ish...

Another one just made up as I went along.  I like orange.  Actually, this is the last of my lovely orange wool.  Poo.  Face done with slip stitch.  This is an absolute pig to do unless you stitch only in the back loop.  Aha!

December 10th and 11th..

December 7th..

I thought I would get creative here - I sketched this out on paper first and everything.  To be honest, it's actually fairly close to my sketch.  Could have done with being a bit fatter though.  I've finally succumbed and ordered some plastic eyes from ebay for future efforts.  My embroidery is just too fugly.

December 5th....

Well, um, first efforts and all that....

It looked so lovely in the pattern here.  It started to go wrong when I went to stitch the eyes which I then decided that I did not like, so tried to remove them with scissors and cut through the crochet....I thought I was being rather ingenious using buttons to cover my error :)