November 2014

IMG_4045 - Version 2 copy — A few of the Little Muggles family members

I was recently asked by fellow amigurumist DenDennis to participate in the WorldWide Artist Blog Hop! I am asked to answer 4 questions and then to invite fellow “artists” to continue the chain on their own blogs! What fun! I wonder when and where this originated, but I’m game!

Question 1: Why do I do what I do?

Well, the obvious reason is that I love it! Creating and sharing my own little characters gives me joy and I find crocheting to be amazingly therapeutic as well as fun. It is a very calming hobby and I highly recommend it to anyone who needs a little serenity in their lives. 🙂

Question 2: What am I working on now?

I’m actually working on several right now, which makes it hard to get anything done…I started testing out a raccoon to add to my intended “Woodland Creatures collection” and then got sidetracked with trying to come up with a new character for the holidays. I started to make a polar bear but somehow it morphed into a little baby seal instead. I’m trying to come up with some cute accessories for it now.

I’m also proofreading a design for an upcoming book…I don’t usually follow others’ patterns but it’s been really fun seeing how other designers make their pieces. It’s a learning experience for me! You probably will not be able to guess what this character is from this picture. I always like to change up the colors when I’m proofreading. Despite what you might think, I can tell you that it is NOT a chihuahua! (my husband’s guess 🙂 )

Question 3: How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Hmm that’s a tough one. I guess it’s just my style. I try not to overthink things and just keep everything really simple and cute. Sometimes I get really inspired when I see someone eles’s character with intricate details and I might experiment a little but but I always seem to go back to keeping things simple.

Question 4: How does my creative process work?

When I feel like crocheting but don’t have any idea what to make, I usually take my sketch book out and doodle characters. But honestly speaking, there really isn’t much of a process. If I’m in the crocheting mood, I might just grab my hook and yarn and just start crocheting away. I’m not always very organized or methodical when inspiration strikes. I’ve been known to jot down instructions on scraps of paper, backs of envelopes, anything that happens to be close by. I try really hard not to do that anymore because I’ve lost instructions in the past and I get very annoyed when I have to try to recreate something that I’ve already done just because I didn’t write it down! (it doesn’t always turn out right the second time around!)

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed reading a little more about me! Now it’s my turn to invite fellow designers to participate in this Blog Hop!

I think I will ask a few of my favorite designers, the super talented gals behind

Little Yarn Friends

Patchwork Moose

Ohana Craft

Wow, I can’t believe the year is ending once again. The weather is getting cooler and I find myself needing to grab an extra blanket before going to bed! It’s been quite some time since my last post and I apologize for that! Ever since school has started for my little ones, it’s been one thing after another and my crochet projects have unfortunately been pushed down my priority list! But I have finally finished writing up another pattern – meet Stanley the Giraffe! Yes, he’s a bit out of his usual element here…I couldn’t find a nice patch of African savannah to use as a background, so the trees in my yard will have to do! 🙂 There are exciting things in store for Stanley! He’s about to be shipped overseas to join a few of his Little Muggles siblings in Belgium. hint, hint! Can you figure out what’s happening to him? If not, you will soon find out..just keep following me on Facebook and there will be an announcement about his adventures soon! In the meantime, you can find my Stanley pattern in my ETSY and CRAFTSY shops!

It was quite fun making Stanley. I really enjoyed the feedback I got from you guys when I put some work in progress pictures on my Facebook page! I will try to do more of that from now on. You guys can help direct the final look of my dolls… 🙂 If you remember, I was considering making this giraffe with brown ears versus yellow. Ultimately I chose yellow because I felt that the brown made his head look more like a cow. I also loved the suggestions to keep one ear brown and one yellow! I would love to see someone send me their finished doll with that look! How whimsical!

Brown or yellow ear? Thin or thick horn?

Like all of my other dolls, Stanley is a pretty simple project that even beginners can try their hand at! There are no complicated stitches or steps. Everything is fairly basic and there are minimal materials required. When made with the my go-to yarn (Lion Brand’s Vanna’s Choice) and my suggested crochet hook size, Stanley is about 10″ tall when seated. (not including his horns) Anybody can make their own little Stanley for themselves!

IMG_3114 - Version 2 copy — A look at his spots

Since I have to send Stanley off to Belgium soon, I wanted to make another giraffe to have for my own. I thought it would be fun to make it pink! I am happy with how she came out, and I liked adding the bow around her neck.

Speaking of accessories, you have no idea how difficult it was for me to make the tie around Stanley’s neck!! Unlike some gals I know, I never really learned how to tie a necktie properly, and I really wanted this one to look crisp and perfect. Of course I turned to Google and I was astounded by all the different ways to tie a tie! After much trial and error (Windsor knot! Half Windsor knot! Prince Albert knot! Simple knot!), I decided to go with the Pratt knot. I like the little dimple under the knot and it looks clean and neat. I still haven’t memorized how to tie this particular knot but I bookmarked the site I found and will be sure to try it on my husband one day!

By the way, this has been an exciting week for my Facebook page because I’ve reached the goal of getting 5000 likes!!! I had no idea that my little page would ever become as popular as it has! Of course I intend to keep up the designs so my new goal is now 10,000! 🙂 Spreading the hobby of amigurumi has been amazingly fun! Thank you everyone, for your all of your support!