day 2....(cos december came about quicker than I expected ?!)

Day 1 of the advent calendar then had to be a squinkie.  Not terribly exciting but marginally better than a chocolate (though that's a matter of opinion).

I think I may be being a little over ambitious for a 'quickie' project but I want to make a mini jointed creation.

A bit of research and looks like using the plastic push fit eyes is the way to go for tiddy little joints.

Also, using a steel hook and embroidery floss seems to be the way to get tiny crochet but a) I have no idea what a steel hook is and the smallest hook I have is a 2.50mm and b) I really don't have that sort of patience (or eyesight) so....

Tiddy toy made with 2.5mm hook and some 3ply yarn

here's my sketch:

Yep, a kind of demented bunny type thing.

leg - make 2
6sc in loop
sc, inc 3 times, 2sc
3sc, inc 3 times, 3sc
5sc, inc 2 times, 5sc
14sc for 2 rows
5sc, dec 2 times, 5sc
3sc, dec 3 times, 3sc
9sc for 3 rows and stuff
leave long end

Body
foundation chain of 5
5sc, ch1, 5sc (bottom half of fsc) ch1
inc, 3sc, inc, sc, inc, 3sc, inc, sc
16sc for 5 rows
dec, 6sc, dec, 6sc
14sc for 3 rows
dec, 5sc, dec, 5sc
12sc - don't cut end yet...still got ears to do

Assembly
poke eye through top of inside leg joint from inside to outside and sew top of leg closed
hold eye washer inside body where leg to fix and push through - (bit fiddly this bit!)

Ears
2sc, then sc through next and sc opposite across the middle, 2sc...ignore remaining 6sc for now

not sure if this diagram could possibly help or not...

working on just the 5sc:...inc, 2sc, inc, sc
7sc for 4 rows
cut yarn and use a needle to pull up to finish.
Start again for other ear....join at outer edge,2sc to middle and go through the opposite sc, 2sc.
inc, 2sc, inc, sc
7sc for 4 rows
cut yarn and use a needle to pull up to finish.

ta-da!

Final thoughts...
I used 5mm pull through eyes - the ones with little wire loops rather than washers.  They aren't so bulky but are very different to fix and....I got mine in wonky.  Also - not small child friendly but then neither is a 3inch toy.

Do check that your legs are the right way round before fixing them...there isn't a lot of shape to the feet but it does sort of notice when one is on back to front...*sigh*

All in all, I'm quite excited at the possibilities of eye leg joints.  No point on toys with big floppy legs but for little things like this it works a treat.

And it fit in the advent box - yay!

Zombie invasion!!!!

I finally got zombie monkey written up!! Yay! (Took a little longer than anticipated as I've been getting a teensy bit engrossed in Guild Wars 2...)

Zombie monkey is sporting the latest in detachable brain accessory, along with the obligatory zombie acoutrement....the falling eyeball.

There's nothing particularly tricky in the pattern and I've discovered the joys of making charts in Adobe illustrator so most of the parts have a nice chart to follow and written instructions.  Huzzah!

Link to the pattern on Ravelry

"Derek, you take that brain back right now!"

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....