SPIDERRRRRR!

OK, I lost my password and couldn't be bothered faffing about to get it back so I haven't been on here for ages. Prepare for several posts in quick succession...

Here is my spider, from Hansi Singh's Amigurumi Knits. I have been avoiding this book for months as the techniques scared me- but actually the instructions are pretty clear and easy to follow. The only problem was, as the spider came together it started to really creep me out and I had to keep putting it down and taking some deep breaths!

bob marley

I have had a cold for a week and didn't even feel like knitting, so this took a while!a

Hugging dolls- free (untested) pattern!

Hugging dolls

I made these for two of my lovely friends who had their civil partnership ceremony at the weekend.






Finished size approx 5 inches from bum to head
You will need:
Small amounts of DK yarn (less than 50g each colour) of flesh colour, trouser and sweater colour, smaller amounts for shoes, hair anf facial features
3mm DPNs
crochet hook for attaching hair
Darning needle
2 press studs, needle and thread to attach them.
Body
Cast on 6 sts in trouser colour and divide across 3 DPNs. Join, taking care not to twist, and place a stitch marker at the beginning of the round.
Row 1: inc 1 in every st (12 sts)
Row 2: K
Row 3: Inc 1 in every st (24 sts)
Row 4: K
Row 5: (inc 1, K1) to end (36 sts)
K 3 rounds
Row 9: (inc 1. K2) to end (48 sts)
K 3 rounds
Switch to sweater colour and (K1, P1) to end.
Cont in rib for 3 rows
Start cable pattern:
Row 1 (K4, P4) to end
Repeat 3 times
Row 4 (C2F, P4) to end
Row 5&6 (k4,P4) to end.
Repeat these 6 rows twice
(K4, P2tog, P2) to end (40 sts)
(K4, P3)to end
(K4, P2tog, P1) to end (32 sts)
(K4, P2) to end
now is probably a good time to get some stuffing in…

(K2tog, K2tog, P2tog) to end (16sts)
K
(k2tog) to end (8sts)
Draw up tightly and fasten off

Head
Cast on 6 sts in flesh colour and divide across 3 DPNs. Join, taking care not to twist, and place a stitch marker at the beginning of the round.
Row 1: inc 1 in every st (12 sts)
Row 2: K
Row 3: Inc 1 in every st (24 sts)
Row 4: K
Row 5: (inc 1, K1) to end (36 sts)
K 7 rounds for a very round head, 9 for a longer one
(K2tog, K1) to end (24 sts)
K
K2 tog to end (12 sts)
K
K2tog to end (6 sts)
Draw up tightly and fasten off.

Arms
Pick up 9 sts on 3 DPNs at shoulder- just above the last twist of cable for my version.
K 35 rounds, stuffing lightly as you go if you want more rigid arms- I left mine unstuffed.
Next 4 rows K1 P1 rib.
Switch to flesh colour and K 6 rounds, then draw up and fasten off.

Legs
Pick up 9 sts as for arms, at the bottom of the sweater.
K 30 (ish) rounds, or until legs are as long as you want them. Stuff as you go for more rigid legs.

Shoes

Using two needles, cast on 11 sts
Inc 1 in every st (22)
K 3rows for sole of shoe
Starting with a P row, ss 5 rows
K5, (K3tog) 4 times (14 sts)
P4, P3tog twice, P4 (10sts)
Cast off.
Fold in half and stitch together along cast-on edge then continue stitching up row ends, leaving top open.
Stuff firmly and attach to bottom of legs.

Attach head to top of body, embroider eyes and mouth. Hair was attached in individual strands using a crochet hook.

Sew press studs to hands so dolls can hug, hold hands, or swing from the light fittings!

Zombie pattern notes

OK, had a few requests so I have very hastily put this together. I accept no responsibility for the quality of the finished product!

Zombie pattern notes
Not the most complete instructions you’ll ever see, but who’s ever seen identical zombies?


Materials
Small amounts of DK in suitable colours for flesh, blood, bone, and whatever clothes and hair you want. Tiny amount of grey or pink for brains.
Size 2.75mm needles
Pipe cleaner?chenille straw/wire for stiffening bone ends
Darning needle
Dark colouring pencil for shading in under eyes and making dirt smudges
Crochet hook for hair

Gash
Insert these at random.
Use blood colour for 1 st of the row you want the gash to start.
Next row, when you get to the gash, inc 1 (2 red sts)
Repeat x2 (8 sts)
Continue for about 4 rows with no increases.
Next row, when you get to the gash, K2 4 times
Repeat until 1 red st left
Next row, continue in main colour

Whole leg
Cast on 6 sts in flesh tone
Purl 1 row
Inc into every st (12 sts)
P 1 row
(inc 1, K1) to end (18 sts)
cont in SS for 45 rows, ending with a P row. Part way up the leg (depending on how long you want the trouser leg) introduce the trouser colour, alternating with leg colour to make a ragged shape. Add a gash if you feel like it. Keep these sts on needle.

Leg with bone sticking out
Cast on 6 sts in white
Starting with a K row, ss 4 rows.
Switch to Blood and inc 1 in every st (12 sts)
P 1 row
(Inc 1, K1) to end (18 sts)
Switch to flesh and cont in SS for a total of 33 rows, changing to trouser colour as for whole leg, adding a gash if you feel like it, and finishing on a P row. If I’ve worked this out right, both legs should be on the same needle ready to join….

Body
K across all 36 sts to join legs.
P 1 row
(K2, inc 1) to end (48 sts) (or just K for a skinnier zombie)
Cont in SS for about 35 rows, joining in shirt colour as for trouser colour on legs, adding a gash or two. For the gash across the ribs I just knitted a random shape bordered by flesh colour and with alternating stripes of Blood and Bone colours (ooh I enjoyed typing that). I could make a chart if anyone is really interested.
To decrease for shoulders, K9, K3tog 3 times, K20, K3tog 3 times, K9 (36 sts)
P 1 row
K6, K3tog twice, K12, K3tog twice, K6 (26 sts)
P1 row
K2tog to end (13 sts)
P 1 row
K1, K2tog to end (7 sts)
Draw up tightly and secure

Head
Cast on 6 sts
Inc 1 in every st (12)
P1 row
Inc 1 in every st (24)
SS 3 rows
(K1, inc 1) to end (36)
SS 9 rows
(K1, K2tog) to end (24)
SS 3 rows
K2tog to end (12)
P1 row
K2tog to end (6)
Draw up tightly and secure.

Whole arm
Cast on 4 sts in flesh tone
Purl 1 row
Inc into every st (8 sts)
P 1 row
(inc 1) to end (16 sts)
SS 5 rows
For wrist, K1, (K2tog, K1) to end
P 1 row
K1, (inc 1, K1) to end (16)
cont in SS for 27 or so rows, ending with a P row. Part way up the arm (depending on how long you want the sleeve) introduce the trouser colour, alternating with flesh colour to make a ragged shape. Add a gash if you feel like it.
K2tog to end (8)
P2 tog to end (4)
Draw up tightly and secure

Arm with bone sticking out
Cast on 4 sts in white
Starting with a K row, ss 6 rows.
Switch to Blood and inc 1 in every st (8 sts)
P 1 row
(Inc 1, K1) to end (16 sts)
Switch to flesh and cont in SS for a total of about 19 rows, finishing as for whole arm.

Shoe
Cast on 18 sts
Inc 1 in every st (36 sts)
P1 row
K 3 rows to form a ridge
Starting with a purl row, SS 3 rows
K10, K3tog 4 times, K10 (24 sts)
K1, P1 rib for next 4-5 rows for sock
Cast off


Making up
Body
Starting at foot end , mattress stitch edges of legs together up to join, stuffing as you go and inserting a length of pipe cleaner in the bone. Insert less stuffing where gashes are and push gashes in with your finger to gauge how much stuffing is needed.
Continue to mattress stitch up body, again stuffing as you go.

Arms
Stuff as for legs and attach to shoulders

Head
Starting at whichever end you feel like, mattress stitch edges of head together and stuff firmly. Attach to top of body

Boot
Fold in half and stitch together round edge, leaving cast-off edge open. Stuff shoe and pull onto whole leg end. Stitch in place.

Using Bone colour, make a long stitch in each gash to look like a bone, and to hold gash in place. On head, stitch on facial features before choosing where to put a patch of brain. Embroider a rough circle in grey, and edge with white then red. Liberally embroider blood spatters everywhere then add hair around the brain section (send me a message if you want any tips on doll hair).

BRRRRAAAAAAIIIINNNNNSSSS

Yes, I made a zombie.

some recent projects

Ok, once again I've been very very busy, on a deadline to finish about 3 different projects!! So here are a few photos. OK the top one isn't knitted, it's a quilt.

phoenixknits

I am so lazy about keeping this blog up.... too busy knitting...

Here are a couple of fab creations from Phoenixknits (phoeny on Ravelry). Need to sell a few things so I can afford to buy some more patterns!

this is a Mandrake:


and this one is a gargoyle. The background was made by a very talented work colleague (we're a crafty bunch in not-very-creative jobs!)


Off to work again now, handing over my latest creation, Amy Pond from the newest series of Dr Who (photos will follow!)

Karl Pilkington

Karl Pilkington (born on 23 September 1972) is a Sony Award-winning English radio producer, poet, podcaster, raconteur and author, best known for producing and co-presenting The Ricky Gervais Show on London radio station Xfm from 2001 to 2005 and later in the form of podcasts and a television show on HBO.

So we were watching the Ricky Gervais show last Friday evening and I was challenged to knit the cartoon version of Karl. Here he is:




His head is almost exactly spherical, with separately knitted nose, bottom lip and ears. Arms are poseable (pipe cleaners) and legs are unstuffed with weighted feet (some little glass pebbles I had lying around). He also has dried peas in his bum so he sits comfortably on a shelf. I am very pleased.

lily the beagle

A work colleague asked me to make a knitted version of her beagle puppy, and I think it turned out OK. Took me absolutely ages as I kept going off and doing other projects in between sessions of pattern notes!

Peter Rabbit

I couldn't afford the ebay prices for Alan Dart's out of print Beatrix Potter pattern, so had to fudge it- using the Simply Knitting pattern for an easter bunny with an improvised little blue coat.



the limbs are jointed so he can be posed, I just hope the limbs hang on in there when the baby who got him as a present becomes a destructive toddler!

Dolly doll

Hey I just made Dolly Parton! It didn't really take me two months, I've just been lazy about blogging thanks to a really crap broadband connection that keeps cutting out...

GRUFFALOOOOOOO!!!!

Ravelympics

Anyone reading this who is on Ravelry will know about the 'lympics already. For those who don't, it's a challenge to start and finish a project within the timeframe of the Winter Olympics. Last time I looked there were over 5000 participants worldwide!

So, last week I was challenged to knit a Gruffalo and I though it would be a suitable Ravelympics entry. I may live to regret that.

This is what a Gruffalo looks like, and what I have made so far:



Wish me luck!

hearts and bunnies

I'm beginning to realise I have no natural ability to make cute things. Without a massive effort, or an exceptionally good pattern, my knitted objects end up being a bit, well, odd... sinister even.

Check out my bunny, even surrounded by love hearts he looks like the bunny from Donnie Darko.



or my vampire spaniel



or my evil Cheshire Cat



Maybe I should just give in to it and knit Dark Stuff.

cats

It's been a mildly eventful week. First Nuno (the kitty in the picture on the right) fell into some water- we're not sure where as we live next to a canal and there are several ponds nearby. Whichever it was, it was covered in ice at the time. We don't think it was the canal, as he didn't smell all that bad, but poor kitty hasn't been quite the same since. Then I caught something a bit like flu - it only lasted 3 days then turned into a normal cold though, so it may just have been man-flu crossing the gender divide.

Not much knitting got done as even wielding two pointy sticks and some string was exhausting. Still, I managed to finish this cat for a work colleague whose baby is due in about 3 weeks




I've knitted a few cats over the last year or so, and thought it was time to post the most challenging one- I was asked to knit a version of a friend's pet for Christmas. This is Binford:



The cat itself only took a couple of weeks, but the markings were a bit of a chore... I learned how to do Swiss darning, but it really did my head in. Still it turned out OK



And on the subject of cats, I'm typing this left-handed as my non-pond-soaked kitty is sitting on my arm with her little fuzzy butt in my face. I'm not cat-obsessed, in fact I've only been a cat owner just over a year- but six months in I just had to go and get a second one.

Now I'm off to mess about on Ravelry some more.

I am much better at knitting now

I've been reviewing all my knitted objects to submit one to Harry Hill's TV Burp- they have asked for photos of knitted objects to feature on the show so it would be rude not to send SOMETHING. It made me realise how much better I am at knitting than when i started just over a year ago...

Here are a few of the ones I love even though they're a bit ropey.



This kitty was meant to look like my real kitty (sigh). Still, it's kind of cute, and ended up living with a friend I met on Ravelry.




The scary monkey from Family Guy



Stewie from Family Guy




and my sister's boxer, Eddie

Princess Tiana is here!

So I got some yarn which is close enough to the right colour- sadly the only yarn in the right colour was cashmere, fortunately half price at John Lewis. This does mean I now have a hankering for lovely soft yarn instead of the usual acrylic. (sigh). I think she turned out OK, although her booty is a bit bigger than I really expected- she has a little Beyonce or Tyra Banks about her...



Her tiara is a white pipe-cleaner, which I couldn't quite get to look neat. Still, I'm sure the little girl who's getting her for Valentine's day will like her. She took about 6 hours all in, and the only fiddly bit was fitting her with a pipe-cleaner skeleton so she wouldn't be all floppy.

panda!

Here's my latest project- a lovely panda from Sarah Keen's Knitted Wild Animals.

For my next trick I'm supposed to be knitting Princess Tiana from the new Disney film The Princess and the Frog- so a trip to the yarn shop to find something like the right skin colour.

little gift dolls

A very belated Happy New Year! I have finally got time to update some of my latest projects. Christmas and New Year were a bit hectic thanks to working two jobs- I'm now back to just one but looking for another part time job to pay the bills. Then there was the Weather... a foot of snow all round our house, frozen pipes and everything

In the meantime, here are two dolls based on patterns from Jean Greenhowe's Little Gift Dolls- I was asked for a fireman and a girl doll, couldn't find a fireman pattern so I adapted the basic doll pattern. They turned out cute, although the hair's a bit weird- they look like Homepride men.

Got two new books off Amazon at New Year: Sarah Keen's Knitted Wild Animals and Susan Anderson's Itty Bitty Toys. Got straight to it and knitted the hippo from Knitted Wild Animals, which is the cutest, chunkiest little toy I've made so far, his little stubby bworby tail is the best bit...



Then from Itty Bitty Toys the cutest bunny, I used some donated fluffy cotton yarn which kept breaking so I had to adapt the pattern from knitting in the round to knitted flat. One day project thanks to being trapped at home on a very snowy Tuesday.



I am now trying to knit a panda in between attacks from my mental kitty, who has been cooped up inside for far too long because of the ridiculous snow. Both cats are a bit fat now from no exercise, and they are not alone... Back soon with the panda!