My Crocheted Take on Kiwi. July 31, 2007

Introducing….KIWI!!!!   I got my inspiration from Bittersweet’s blog, http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2007/07/09/crazy-kiwis/.  Her little knitted bird reminded me of a postcard i had years ago.  Bought it in Germany, it was such a strange looking bird, i wish i still had the picture.  Anywho, here is my crocheted version of a kiwi bird!!!

click here for pdf: My Crochet Kiwi

She is a rather large bird, compared to the other stuff i usually crochet!!  And she is a bit lumpy in the tummy–i could’nt find the rest of my fiberfill earlier.  Or i was just to lazy to get up and get the other fiberfill bag.

And another picture!!

Here is the pattern i wrote out for the crocheted bird. Here goes:

Materials:

WW yarn in brown and yellow (as always, i used Caron Simply Soft)

size F and E hook

eyes

fiberfill

Body:(use size F hook)

(the body is worked from the bottom up)

6 sc in a ring

rd 1: 2 sc in each sc (12 sc)

rd 2: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next sc around (18 sc)

rd 3: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 2 sc around (24 sc)

rd 4: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 3 sc around (30 sc)

rd 5: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 4 sc around (36 sc)

rd 6: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 5 sc around (42 sc)

rd 7: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 6 sc around (48 sc)

rd 8: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 7 sc around (54 sc)

rd 9-24: sc in each sc around (54 sc)

rd 25: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next 7 sc around (48 sc)

rd 26: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next 6 sc around (42 sc)

rd 27: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next 5 sc around ( 36 sc)

rd 28: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next 4 sc around (30 sc)

rd 29: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next 3 sc around (24 sc)

rd 30: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next 2 sc around (18 sc)

rd 31: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next sc around (12 sc)

rd 32: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next 9 sc (10 sc)

rd 33: sc in each sc around (10 sc)

rd 34: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 8 sc, 2 sc in next sc (12 sc)

rd 35: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 10 sc, 2 sc in next sc (14 sc)

rd 36: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 12 sc, 2 sc in next sc (16 sc)

rd 37: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 14 sc , 2 sc in next sc (18 sc)

rd 38: sc in each sc around (18 sc)

rd 39: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 2 sc around (24 sc)

rd 40-43: sc in each sc around (24 sc)

rd 44: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next 2 sc around (18 sc)

rd 45: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next sc around (12 sc)

rd 46: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc around (6 sc).

rd 47: dec sc around (if you can’t then just close up and finish off in rd 46.)

Beak: (switch to E hook)

6 sc in ring

rd 1: sc in each sc around (6 sc)

rd 2-20: sc in each sc around (6 sc)

rd 21: 2 sc in each sc around (12 sc)

rd 22: sc in each sc around (12 sc)

rd 23: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next sc around (18 sc)

rd 24: sc in each sc around (18 sc)

finish off.

Feet: (make 2)

(still using size E hook)

ch 31

rw 1: skip first chain, sl st in next 8 chains.

 

Then chain 9:

Next, skip 1st chain and sl st in next 8 chains, then sc across to end of beg chain:

At the end of the beginning chain, chain 9:

and once again, skip 1st ch, sl st in next 8.  Then you will sl st in the same space as your very first chain (over where the knot is) and fasten off. Leave a LONG tail for sewing. This is what you should have before you fasten off.

Then you’re gonna fold the foot in half so it will look like this:

Using a yarn needle, sew the two halves together, leaving the sl st dangly things free, and then sew that whole contraption onto the bottom the the bird.  Then start all over and make another foot!!!

More Finishing Stuff:

Obviously, you gotta stuff the bird.  What i did was stuff it in one of the first decrease rounds, and then again right before finishing off the body/head.  I also used a size K hook to stuff the fiberfill through the neck area.

Sew the beak onto the head, glue on the eyeballs. (or if you’re using embroidery floss or beads/buttons, sew those on around rd 40-43.)

weave in all ends. Enjoy your bird!!!

Nathalie

PS: I used the brown yarn and needle and did a couple stitches in the bottom of head and top of body (right before the neck decreases) to give him the ‘not looking up in the sky’ look.

Poor Jolly

So, guess what happens when you leave toys laying around on the floor?

Pumpkin attacks!!!  He ‘ate’ one of her eyeballs, and chewed up the other one!!  This is actually the third ‘sad face’ picture we took.  We were laughing so it was hard to make a sad face!

We saw Pumpkin playing with the doll, and Tasha tried to rescue her doll, but ended up dragging Pumpkin across the living room.  The whole time she’s saying “take a picture, mom!”  So i did:

Gotta love cats!!!  Oh yeah, the baby kittens eyes are starting to open!  Adrian brought me one of the kitties and i got a picture of his little face:

yesterday-001.jpg

Sunny Star Haskill pattern July 30, 2007

Here is the pattern for this sweetie pie!

 Materials:

Size I hook

Bulky yarn (I used Bernat chunky? size 5 at any rate)

google eyes, fiberfill, pipe cleaner, felt, plastic forks

Body: (all one piece)

6 sc in ring

rd 1: 2 sc in each sc around (12)

rd 2: 2 sc in 1st sc, sc in next sc around (18)

rd 3: 2 sc in 1st sc, sc in next 2 sc around (24)

rd 4-10: sc in each sc around (24)

rd 11: sc dec , sc in next 2 sc around (18)

rd 12: sc dec, sc in next sc around (12)

rd 13: sc dec, sc in next sc around (6 sc)

rd 14-18: sc in each sc around (6 sc)

rd 19: 2 sc in each sc around (12 sc)

rd 20: 2 sc in 1st sc, sc in next 2 sc around (16 sc)

rd 21 & 22: sc in each sc around (16 sc)

rd 23: sc dec, sc in next sc around (10 or 11 sc)

rd 24: sc dec around (5 sc)

fasten off.

Finishing:

Her body is made from the bottom up, stuff body near round 12, when you get to round 18 or 19, stuff neck and then stuff head before finishing off.  Because the neck is pretty thin, i had to take tiny amounts of stuffing and kinda wrap it around the end of a smaller size crochet hook and squeeze it in there. 

Glue on eyeballs, cut out any type of mouth/teeth and glue it on (i cut out a ‘half moon’ shape in white, and then cut out pumpkin looking teeth in orange), take one pipe cleaner and weave it through a couple sc’s in the back of the head, curl up the ends for her hair.  I broke off the handles on two plastic forks, put a bunch of glue in the ‘spoon’ area (in front of the tines) and squished them on the bottom of the body.  I ended up having to hold the forks in place for a couple minutes so the glue could set a little bit, and since my finger were sticky the forks shifted a bit when i put her down, so she is a little wobbly!

Have fun!!

ps. I did not write the pattern while i was making her, so it’s a super close approximation of her.  Enjoy!

Daddy

Steph, Gareth and the kids came down to visit!!  The primary purpose of the visit was to see the new kitties and play with the sewing machine.  Steph went right to work on her turtle, and at the very last minute Annika wanted to make a bunny.  She picked out the colors, the face, the eyes, the mouth and the bunny shape.  I don’t think i have ever sewn anything so fast!!!

Steph cut out a heart and we all gave it a kiss and put it inside the bunny, just like they do at build-a-bear!!  She named her bunny and Steph’s turtle “Daddy”!!! 

 The whole time we were sewing she let us know that ‘the turtle needs a rock’, so Steph made a rock for the turtle!  Here is Annika with the turtle and the bunny

Totally the most creative visit this year!!!  Gavin drew me an alien picture, so i get to make him one per his specifications!  And last but not least, here is Annika and Callan posing for the camera:

Can’t wait till they come over again!!!

BunniBunny! July 29, 2007

It’s raining.  And i’m kinda bored.  Sooooooo……it’s softee time!!!!  Just finished making my very first ever softee!!!  Her name is BunniBunny.  I think the kids scare her.

 Forget the cottontail-this one has a buttontail!!

I made her with one of tasha’s shirts.  So we all know that means it’s her’s now!!!

kitties, sunny, and a softee

First and foremost, BABY KITTIES WERE BORN!!!!!  Snowflake is the proud mommy of four orange stripy kittens!!!!!

this is my favorite one of mama and baby sleeping!!!

 

Adrian loves taking care of the kittens, he is our household ‘kitten protector’!!!

We also have a new creature in the family, her name is Sunny Haskill.  She is very energetic, has a hard time staying still for pictures, and she loves eating jellybeans!!  Just not the black ones!!

 

Tasha has been just itching to use the sewing machine, so she made her very first softee this morning!!!

Best Birthday Present Ever Award July 19, 2007

So Madaleine turned 10 years old on Monday.  She told me it was her most favorite birthday ever!!  She had tons of fun playing with her nieces and nephews- she loved drawing with Annika, and loved both her birthday cakes!  She did have her heart set on fireworks, but all the stores were sold out.  And that’s alright cause Jennifer brought silly string!  She got a cool pink mp3 player from Stephanie, she says she loves it, it’s just we haven’t put music on it yet. So what gift was her favorite?  Well, I’ll tell you:

THE OFFICIAL AWARD FOR BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER GOES TO…………

JENNIFER!!!!  aka SUPERJEN!!!!!

And this is why:

This is Madaleine with her new pet, Meha.  She made up the name!!!

 

Madaleine drew a food and water station for her new puppy:

 

Now Meha’s looking for someone to play with:

Meha says “I will wait for you to pway with me”:

Madaleine drew and cut out a bone for Meha, and that’s what she wants to play with!:

We had a lot of fun trying out different poses for Meha and her toy!

Here Meha says “BITE, BITE…yuuuuummmyy!  I wuv my new bwone!”:

Here she says “thx for pwaying with me”:

SHHH!  All that playing wore her out!  Meha is taking a nap:

This picture is called “aaaaawwww, how cute!”  Madaleine wanted to take pics of her and her puppy taking a nap. I had her put her hand on Meha’s back cause i wanted to get both of their faces in the shot!!  It was fun watching her try to keep a straight face!!!

The funniest thing is that we haven’t registered her into the Webkins site yet!!!

Someone made my fishy! July 18, 2007

I am very pleased with the response from my patterns, and in honor of this today’s short but sweet post belongs to……(drumroll!)  Jeni!!!!  She made her own beautiful version of Fancy Feast and named it Nathalie!!! After me!!!  Cause i wrote the pattern!!!!  Here is her wonderful version of the fishy:

Yeah Jeni!!!!

Medusa July 15, 2007

Oh My God I Am So Freaking Tired!!!!!  the kids were up till 4 am and then of course luis and his turning up the tv and talking really loud.  So after lack of sleep and a super caffeine withdrawl headache (guess what i forgot at Kroger!!!), i made another fishy!! this one is for a pet toy exchange i’m in which explaines the super long tendrils.  And here is the pattern:

 pdf version: medusa

Materials:

size g and h hook

ww yarn ( i used dark pink red heart and black simply soft)

2 buttons for the eyes

needle and embroidery floss

fiberfill, jingle bells (optional)

Body:

6 sc in ring

rd1: 2 sc in each sc around (12 sc)

rd2: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next around (18 sc)

rd3: sc in each sc around (18 sc)

rd4: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 2 sc around (24 sc)

rd5: 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 3 sc around (30 sc)

rd6-rd10: sc in each sc around (30 sc)

rd11:  dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next 3 sc around (24 sc)

rd12: sc in each sc around (24 sc)

rd13: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next 2 sc around (18 sc)

rd14: dec 1 sc in first 2 sc, sc in next sc around (12 sc)

rd 15: dec 1 sc around (6 sc)

chain 1, 3 sc across. turn

row 1: chain 5,  3 tr in same space, 4 tr in each sc across (11 tr) – the ch 5 counts as the first tr

row 2: change color, chain 1, sc in each tr across. (12 sc)

row 3: chain 1, sc in first sc, chain 21, 2 sc in each chain down, sc in next sc, repeat the process across.  finish off, weave in ends.

Note:  I sewed on the buttons and used the black yarn to stitch a smile on her after the 30 sc rounds, and i stuffed her with fiberfil and a couple jingle bells in one of the decrease rounds.  Have fun!!!!!

playtime

Me and Adrian decided to play with the camera.  Actually, i used the camera as a diversion so he would leave the other two alone.  Pumpkin was on the couch armrest and Adrian wanted to take a picture of him.  Then we moved on to Snowflake/Snowball  and it was hilarious because every single time she would close her eyes.  There’s like 7 shots of her, we even turned the lights off and tried a sneak attack but still her eyes stayed shut!!  My favorite are the ‘silly’ pictures, which are really the best ones to take, before they’re too old and too self concious to have fun.  here are my favorite ones :