New Crochet Project

I love to knit. And I think I'm a better knitter than I am a crocheter BUT it's almost Autumn and there is nothing I like better than cuddling up with a good cup of coffee and a nice afghan while I watch the leaves fall. So - I got the urge to crochet an afghan.

I do like making afghans and I've been known to crank them out pretty fast. I saw this pattern on YouTube and decided to make up a bunch of granny squares.

I decided to join them with just a slip stitch chain. I did one chain on the sides between the clusters and two chains in the corners so I could line them up perfectly.

It leaves a little ridge on the top of the squares as you join them back to back, but it flattens down and makes the squares look really square because everything matches up on all sides.

I'm making it on a smallish scale to be a lapghan... is that a new word? I don't want a huge blanket when I get done, just a smallish coverlet. Even the backs of the afghan are perfectly lined up. Is it me or do the back corners look a little like sand dollars?

I think one reason most afghans get shrined off and not used is because they are so big, they are hard to fold, wash and store without stretching out of shape so I'm keeping mine under 45 inches including the border. I'm joining it together in patches of nine blocks. It will have a pretty border too.

I think that's a good size and it will go quicker than a larger one.

Koala Love

Julie Williams from Little Cotton Rabbits comes out with a new pattern ever so often and it's time for a new one! I just couldn't wait to knit this one up. It's so cute. I did modify the pattern a little around the nose and I used eyelash yarn for the chin and ears. It's Bernat Boa in white (Dove). The Koala herself is knit in Premier Just Yarn in grey tweed purchased from the Dollar Tree. I love the yarn from the Dollar Tree. The clothes are mostly Caron simply soft but I do use whatever color I need and if I have to, I strip a ply or two off to make it the right weight that I need. 

The only worsted weight yarn I won't use is Red Heart Super Saver yarn. It might be OK for afghans but it is too coarse for my animals and I don't like the finish that's on the yarn. It feels like it has been sprayed with starch. I know it washes out but I don't like knitting with it. 

I make little dresses and sweaters for them all the time to have on the ready in case I want to dress them up or make a new animal so I had this color work dress all ready to go and the Koala just came along at the right time for it. I'm still making doggies too but I fell in love with the modified dresses designed by Suzanne Palmer aka suzymarie on Ravelry. Or you can get some graph paper and design your own patterns.

Her pattern modifications are free. Go get them! I decided to make this one a girl and since I really don't like to work any harder than I have to - I knitted the shoes and socks in. I really don't like doing them separate but that's just me.

She's so cute and she can sit up. The back of her dress holds her in the sitting position. I just have to make some more of these! 

Knitting the Royals

Thought I'd start at the top with this book so I've got the Queen, Prince Philip and those adorable corgis done.

Little pieces and a whole lot of sewing and embroidery work goes on these. More hand sewing than I like but the results are worth it.

Details, details, details! That's how I would describe making the Prince's uniform. So many little details.

What a handsome bunch... and so well dressed!

Taking a little break from these. They are so detailed and intense. I've discovered some beautiful patterns for my LCR doll dresses so I'm off to colorwork land for a little while and then I've got to start thinking about Christmas. I know, but it's never too early to plan and the weather is turning cooler..

Knitting the Queen

I saw this book a couple of years ago and thought it was so cute but just recently decided to take a break from knitting my other things to make the Queen and her corgis.

 

It's written by Fiona Goble and from the book, "Knit Your Own Royal Wedding". Kate and William's - not the other three. So you know it's a few years old but still you can knit the members of the royal family. You don't have to do the wedding.

 

I just wanted to knit the Queen and her corgis because I was already knitting some doggies on a larger scale.

I did a two inch yarn sample to get the size right on these. I don't always have the right weight yarn in all the colors I want so sometimes I split my yarn into different plies to match the pattern scale. It was pretty important with these patterns because the book comes with a cardboard backdrop of the balcony so you can pose your dolls after you finish them.

I separated 4 ply cotton into 2 ply and had to go down to a size 1 knitting needles to get them just right. The shoes are knitted from embroidery floss so if you don't get the scale right on these then your shoes won't fit the dolls. Nowhere in the book did I see that the finished size was about 7" tall for the Queen but that's what mine measured out to be.

It does take time to sew all the pieces together and finish them out with all the little details but it's so worth it. It took me about 3 days to make her. I did go shopping twice for supplies and do my dishes... and a few loads of laundry and mop the floors - so I didn't spend more than a few hours at a time working on her but you could probably finish her in about two days if you had nothing else to do or were really driven... or faster than me and know where all your supplies are.

I had to stop several times to gather and collect my supplies to finish her. I had to find my little pearl gems... I had to drag out my embroidery floss... didn't have an old earring for her brooch so I had to go buy a charm... find the chalk to color her cheeks... had to stop and search for gold seed beads... etc.

I love everything about her and yes, I'm a royal watcher! I think they are much more interesting than the past and present few presidents we've had to contend with in the last decade.

I love making the little hats! I dug out some old faux trim fur and fiber yarns when I made art dolls and the fibers are so gorgeous they look perfect on these hats. Mostly mohair and eyelash yarn with viscose fibers and fancy ribbon trims. Perfect for fancy hats! So I thought instead of a balcony scene wouldn't it be cute to make the Queen's hat store? She could go shopping with her corgis... yes she could. She's the Queen, she can do what she wants, right?

UPDATE: Here's the first Corgi...