Update!

We got the house!!

Crocheting is expected to resume soon, but there will be more dish cloths than anything else.

I have struck a deal of sorts with my brother regarding amigurumi designs and production, but that is another post for another time.

I finally brought Sanji back home to use as a model for my other experiments, but I never got around to whipping out the yarn and he has been laying on our bedside table ever since.

I would post pics but the camera died -_-;

Another measly update

Still waiting to get a house. We put a bid on a different house this time (a non-short sale that does not involve an indecisive bank). Our offer was accepted and now we are just working on jumping through financing hoops.

I started to crochet a potholder/dish towel thingie at work today. Who has good ideas for crochet household items?

Project Revealed! (kinda): One Piece, and Flunked Sackboys

So, I gave some clues a while back about some grand crochet project. What were they again? Pirates, avatar, and something else (yeah, you think I would re-read my own posts). I present to you this!


**Sanji** from One Piece!

I originally set out to make the entire Straw Hat Pirates in Sackboy form (from Little Big Planet), but there were so many versions of the Sackboy out there already that I abandoned that partway through and just decided to give Sanji a huge freakish head instead. I have a much smaller version of Zoro that was created out of my first attempts, but he just will not photograph well tonight, so I will have to show him another time.

Sanji's hair is crazy thick and I had quite the time trying to get the shape as accurately as I could. I may have to trim some more tomorrow. And I had a hell of a time trying to make a felt double breasted jacket (still am)!

Is anyone out there good with making doll clothes? I need tips!!

So this is what I am working on. I hope to do a "Zoro-gurumi" on this scale and in this style soon and add more crew members from there. I expect that Chopper will be the biggest challenge of the bunch.

The job starts on Monday. I am happy to be employed, but am struggling with the fear that I will somehow lose the job. It is not like I plan on showing up strung out on meth and stabbing my supervisor with a crochet hook anytime soon. I think I have just spent so long in school and plugging away at internships, and was so fortunate to be offered this job especially considering the economy that I fear losing it. Gah!

Maybe I should make **Luffy** next. He would not be afraid!


/Hotlinked for your pleasure

Graduation Zombie

Wow, I have not posted in a loooooong time!

I have been dealing with final projects and papers and other school insanity for the last two weeks. Now begins the mad rush towards graduation which means fielding relatives and arranging places to eat and hoping to God flights arrive on time and AAAAAAAAH!

Once this is all over I will lay comatose for a few days. Then I will focus on crocheting and applying for jobs.

Well, kinda. I did not think that I would have a job after graduation, but the lovely ladies at the preschool I conducted my work study at petitioned the director to hire me as an actual employee until I find a "job job." I was touched, especially considering that it made the thank-you card and cake they bought for my last day a but premature ^_^

So once this is all over I will lay comatose for a few days before returning to work at the preschool then crochet and apply to jobs in my free time.

I am also rethinking this business of selling amigurumi online. I am always super psyched when someone asks me to do a commission, because I love the thought of someone else enjoying my work, and just having it out there in the world waiting to be animated as evil minions constructed solely to do my bidding.

But mainly I get happy about people liking my work. Mainly...

I am just dubious about certain aspects of online commerce. There is the issue of venue. Depending on who you ask Etsy is THE place to sell anything and everything handmade, or it can be the devil. Then there is Artfire, which is supposed to have excellent customer service but affords no where near the levels of exposure that Etsy does (providing you are willing to spend the money to re-list things). Maybe I am just feeling this way because I am tired in general and everything has been looking hazy to me. I will have to decide on this after doing the comatose thing.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth and Geisha Dolls

I had oral surgery this past Friday to remove my three remaining wisdom teeth. I decided on local anesthetic only, which I DO NOT recommend for people who get nervous easily! I sniveled most of the way home then consoled myself by practicing my crochet increases and decreases. Here if what I eventually came up with:



I tried to remember the directions for these although looking at the number of stitches for the taller doll, I think I messed up >.< These are for the plumper doll, my favorite of the two:

Rnd 1: Chain 6 and join wth slip stitch
Rnd 2: sc in 1st loop, 2 sc in second loop. Repeat to 9 sc
Rnd 3: sc in next 2 lps, 2 sc in 3rd loop. Repeat to 12 sc
Rnd 4: 2 sc in each loop around. 24 sc total.
Rnd 5: 1 sc in first loop, 2 sc in second. Repeat to 36 sc.
Rnd 6: sc in next 5 loops, 2 sc in 6th loop. Repeat to 42 sc.
Rnd 7: With kimono color sc in each loop around (42 sc)
Rnd 8: decrease to 36 by sc in first 5 loops, 2 sctog.
Rnd 9: sc in next five loops, 2 sc in 6th loop. Repeat to 42 sc
Rnd 10 to end: sc in next six loops, 2 sc in seventh loop. Repeat to 48 sc

Finish body to desired height.

The hair was made by following the direction for Rnds 1-6 then increasing to 52 sc by placing 1 sc in the first 6 loops, 2 sc in the 7th loop and repeating. I went back and forth along the sides of the hairpiece making about 5 rows of sc, repeatedly placing it on the doll's head to get he desired face width. I think each row is about 30 sc.

The faces and hair are made with Red Heart acrylic yarn, and the kimono are made of Caron Simply Soft Eco, which is just so pretty and shiny and very soft. Once my acrylic stash runs out, I am thinking of using recyclable and sustainable materials exclusively in all future crochet projects. If we all do our share and show there is a demand for more environmentally friendly crafting projects, it is the nature of the market to respond to the demand.

A healthier environment and prettier yarn achieved in one fell swoop. Wouldn't that be divine?

The Shame of Bleach Amigurumi

I wonder, should I be ashamed that my first post features an amigurumi of a Bleach character?



Not if it is Kenpachi Zaraki!

At least, I hope so...

I made this little guy over the course of two days as a surprise for my husband who dislikes the series but still watches for certain characters, including Kenpachi.

Ken-chan is my first amigurumi made completely on my own with the assistance of no pattern (yay, I feel accomplished!). But looking back maybe I should have written down the steps taken to construct him. That way I could have made my first official pattern as well ^_^;


(I hope to learn how to take better pictures in the future!)

He isn't complete as of yet. I still need to make the white robe covering he wears, add some more hair, attach bells to his spikes, and make a little Yachiru to perch on his shoulder. I just had to show off the progress I have made so far despite (or "in spite of" might be more appropriate) work and school.

I am tempted to try other manga character amigurumi after Kenpachi, but I already have many other projects lined up including a baby blanket. Ugh! >.< Why did no one ever warn me about the tedium of attempting to crochet a baby blanket?!

Still, it's for a good cause. If you have more patience than me and are looking to exercise some craftivism, please check out www.projectlinus.org if you haven't already. We all deserve a good blanket, right?