More Mushrooms, and more spots...

The worst part about getting chickenpox as an adult is not the scratching, (calamine and liquid anti-histamine are quite an anti-scratch combo), its the resting. How do you rest as much as you need to? I watched lots of films, read a lot, and then, once the spots eased a bit, threw myself into getting stuff done. The kind of stuff I had been meaning to do for ages. And the first one up is...Mushrooms!

I've made a good few mushrooms now, most for display at EP, but I finally got it together to write out the pattern for a small one. Its in the testing phase, and will be up on the blog soon.

These babies are now off to Bournemouth, UK, to be part of a wonderful project by artist, Pauline Stanley. She is creating a textile garden in the library. "An intergenerational community knitting/crochet project were we are knitting a 3D garden to climb, creep, blossom over 3 floors of Bourenmouth Library in an exhibition in May 2011.Participants of any age or ability welcome". She's looking for all manner of flowers, vegetables, leaves, etc, so if you have the time, make something for this wonderful exhibit. More info on her blog. http://bloomingmarvellous1.blogspot.com/ You never know I might finally get round to writting up my lemon/apple/pear/carrot patterns too! They all went off to the Manna Organic Farm, in Gleann na nGealt, Co. Kerry.

It is ironic I spent my invalid time sewing spots onto mushrooms, but then I went one step off the cliff, and messed around with said spots on the computer.

I have now had enought of spots thank you very much!

Croczilla

So, guess what new thing I've made!

No, its not another Sackboy/Sackgirl, although there are still a million possibilities to be explored there. Instead I've made a mask for Sackboy. I saw Sackzilla, a picture on Flickr and just had to have a go at making it! I was in a rush and just glanced at the pic, then plonked down on the couch, and started to crochet. As usual I didn't have the right coloured wool, and didn't want to head upstairs to get some green wool for fear of waking the child. (I have become to love, no need, no DEMAND, this child-in-bed, on the couch, crochet in one hand, alcohol in the other, crap TV, evenings). ((No I'm not an alcoholic, I do try keep to my allowed, well just over, my allowed daily units)).

I think a scientific study should be done into why it is easier to crochet while watching crap TV. If I'm crocheting and not watching TV, I'm concentrating too much and make mistakes. If I watch good TV, hard enough to do with RTE, but if occasionally TG4 has something decent on, I make mistakes because I'm watching the telly, and not concentrating enough. But judging by the latest IG Nobel Prizes, it could be a sound scientific study. This years IG winners include studies on Armadillos in Archaeology, Ovulating Lap-dancers, and my personal favourite, Spontaneous Knotting of an Agitated String. So, my theory is perfectly in keeping with these. (Do these people actually get paid to do this kind of research, no wonder we're in recessionary times).

As Wendy said in Peter Pan, it was "her breathing time", when the Lost Boys were all asleep and she could relax and darn socks. Though if anyone has ever darned boys smelly socks, I'll doubt if they will agree about that being relaxing. So I started making it with red wool. It looked awful in red, so I did a search of the sitting room and found a ball of green behind the chair and started again. For some reason I thought it was a crocodile. Then a day later, halfway through making it and another quick glance at Flickr and I realised it was some sort of dinosaur. Well, Sackzilla, I should have guessed. So, its a mutant crocodile/dinosaur, which by all accounts is keeping within the spirit of the actual game. Of course I under-estimated how much wool I would need, and since I always make things in the evening, not when the wool shop is open, I had to resort to using another shade of green. This was found much easier than the first ball of green, upstairs, in daytime and daylight. So here's my mutant two-toned Croczilla Mask for Sackboy!!

Sackboy and Sackgirl

I still haven't managed to take photos of the stuff I'm going to sell on Etsy. After all my talk, getting my logos, writing out my shop policies. Its silly really, but I've been very very busy working on another project. Sackboy

I made one a few weeks ago, but then I had folk on Ravelry and even emails asking me for the patterns, we got into this whole should we/should we not share free patterns to a character owned by Media Molecule and the mighty Sony Corporation! I'm sure once the game is out, there will be all sorts of plushies and other related stuff to buy. (If you haven't heard of Sackboy yet, its a new PlayStation game, Little Big Planet)

Would it be worth being sued, losing my possessions, future income? Probably yes, as the car isn't worth that much, and chances are, especially with the way things are going, there wont be future incomes!! So, I've been painfully writing my first ever proper pattern. Yes I wrote the hat patterns, but they were easy. This was a huge effort, since I'm not that good at following patterns, its stands that I wont be good at writing them!! I did it, it could be completely wrong, but I think I did it.

Here's my first Sackboy, he has an open mouth and tongue, but I just couldn't write how I made that bit, so I started on a second pattern, a bit smaller (less writing).

I've made a generic one with a closed mouth that can be used to make Sackboy and Sackgirl. The only difference between them, apart from the colour is the eyes. I added a white and black patch to Sackgirls eyes. Now they look cute enough like this, but a little bit naked.


And this is where the fun begins. In the game, the characters get to change their clothes. So, I provisionally worked with Sackgirl, I think her costumes are easier...


I have a plan for Sackboy, I've seen a great pic on Flickr of him with a crocodile mask. I don't know if I'll be able to do it, but with enough crap on RTE you can just about make anything...

Theres a group on Ravelry for Little Big Planet (of course, theres everything on Ravelry!!), and I posted a pic there. That's where we were having the chat whether or not we can share the pattern. The Mod of the group is married to a programmer in Media Molecule, and when she saw the pic she emailed it to her husband, who showed it to others around the office. AND THEY LIKED IT!!!
Talk about a compliment. I am so chuffed....
...then in the same day, I got a responseto one of the emails I sent to Media Molecule, asking whats the story. The word is, I can't sell the pattern or the toy. That's fair enough, I wasn't expecting to be able to, but they're going to talk to Legal to see if I can give it away for free. I did offer to give it to them so they can give it away, so please don't ask me for the pattern. Start a campaign, email Media Molecule, and tell them you want the pattern!!

Sackboy

Here is my first attempt of making Sackboy, the Sony PlayStation character that's about to storm the world. Yes I know he's the wrong colour, but I thought I'd have a go at making him out of what I had, rather than going out and buying wool and a zip. I'm happy enough with this fella, but there's a few things that I'd change. His mouth should be bigger for a start. Anyone else got any suggestions of what I should do? Sometimes its hard to notice the little things, when you've made something.

I'm not really into these kind of games, but I love the look of this one, as everything in his world looks handmade. Looking at a few of the clips already released, I reckon it would be easy enough to make the sets as well. I can see mum's, wives and girlfriends all over the world have their son's, husbands and boyfriends finally appreciate their crafty talents. I've already heard of the menfolk asking their missus's to make them sackboy's....

And the Winner is.........

I put all the names on strips of paper

Then put each name into its own little hat


Then put all the little hats into a bigger hat

Then asked my son to pick out a hat

After much rangling to get the piece of paper back


I'm happy to say the winner is.......

Minimomes!!!


Congradulations!!
Thanks to everyone for entering my first every giveaway.



Minimomes, email me, and I'll get this little kitty in the post to you..
stitchlily AT gmail DOT com

International Crochet Day

This little Kitty is looking for a new home!

To celebrate International Crochet Day on the 12th of September, this little kitten is looking for a good home. Shes fully house-trained, cute, affectionate and she has been practising her Irish Crochet Lace. She'll even hold your hook for you...

To be in with a chance to woo this lovely lady, just leave a message. Any kind of message, preferably something to do with crochet but we wont restrict you too much. We Irish are fond of an old story, so anything goes, (no rudeness please!!)...


As its International Crochet Day, will post international!!


The pattern for this Crochet Kitten Hook Holder came from Crochet Kitten, check out her website, and her other lovely patterns


The competition is going to be left open until Saturday 9 pm GMT, just to make sure we catch everyone time-wise. Thanks to everyone who has entered so far, and Selena K, your patterns deserve all the plugging they can get, they are very well written and easy to follow, not to mention very very cute...

Toilet Dolly Competition

This is my entry into the Toilet Dolly Competition
run by the Natural Dye Studio.

I call her Miss Kitty Cat. I wanted to use the traditional idea of a doll and dress to cover the Toilet Roll, but put a twist on it.

All the dolls will be sold by auction on EBay to raise money for the Mirasol Project . The auction will start on November the 1st 2008. So, get the paypal accounts ready, its for a great cause.

Here is some info on the Project:

The Mirasol Project is named after a young Quechua girl who, with her brother, tends 350 alpacas. Its aim is to fight poverty and encourage community development. As well as providing accommodation, meals and health-care, the boarding-house will be a centre where the children can develop personal, occupational and communication skills and study techniques in specialised after-school workshops. The centre will foster the principles of peace, tolerance and equality with a respect for human rights and basic freedom. As well as an awareness of other cultures, the centre will also focus on the preservation of the language, culture and tradition of the children and their families. The architectural design of the boarding-house makes use of local materials and know-how. In its physical, social and educational aspects, value is placed upon local knowledge However, in addition to preserving local traditions, the centre has a creative and innovating function in preparing its children for a changing and challenging future.

Sock Puppet

Please Note: Any resemblance to any real or fictional characters is purely coincidental

Recently an English woman, had to remove several knitting patterns from her blog because a certain English TV Channel, said she was in breach of copyright. She made scarfs, and things from her favourite TV show, and put the patterns she designed on her blog for free, but the BB..oops, un-named English TV Channel, said she was infringing their copyright.

So, to make sure I don't infringe any copyrights, here is a sock puppet I made that does not resemble any fictional well-known puppet..... I had to make it for my toddlers Baby Boogie class. Of course he had no interest what so ever in it, but I got some complements from the other mum's.

Sock Puppet and Cat

Its all in the Eyes

As I'm up to my ears still, making stuff for the Electric Picnic, I will post the pattern, and any other patterns I have promised to post in September. I'm sure you can hang on till then.

Dashy the Dog wins 1st prize at the Kingdom County Fair!!

To my deep surprise, Dashy came 1st in the Soft Toy section in the Home Crafts competition at this years 59th Annual Kingdom County Fair in Tralee, Co. Kerry.

He won the grand sum of €20!! Well Done Dashy!!
Kindgom County Fair this year, Crufts next....
Here he is looking very cute

The pattern was taken from my favourite craft book at the moment: Amigurumi!: Super Happy Crochet Cute by Elisabeth Doherty (a must for any amigurumi fans). So, well done Elisabeth, for the fantastic book!!