WIP Wednesday 7 - Best Pals Pattern (WIP 6 skipped)

This is WIP Wednesday 7 and not 6 because I wanted to keep up Tami's Amis blog since she is hosting the WIP Wednesday blog-share. I skipped number 6 because I didn't get any crocheting done! You gotta take a break from things every once in a while!

Over the weekend, I did get to work on my Best Pals Pattern that I talked about in the last WIP Wednesday post. I have all the text written for the pattern, but I really like to include photos so I am recreating each animal and taking photos that I can go through to add to the pattern. The sunlight is different these days since the seasons are changing so that makes it tough to take photos! There is either too much sun which gives my amis a weird neon glow or it's too gray outside. I don't know what I'm going to when Fall really hits!


I'm designing each of the animals in the pattern to have a different facial expression. I want to showcase different ways of making the face besides just different shapes for their body parts (ears and tails mostly). Can you guess which animal I have planned for each of the four featured in the photo above? They could be anything, but I made them each with a certain animal in mind.

Finally, I wanted to show off this awesome decal I got from etsy shop Macetera for my MacBook Pro. I love it and everyone is jealous even if they don't know who Totoro is! Only one co-worker at the school I work at recognized that it was from a Hayao Miyazaki film because her husband and daughters watch his films. I promoted his movies every time someone asked about my decal so I hope they remember if they ever come across Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli films when movie-hunting!

WIP Wednesday 5 - Best Pals Pattern

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Thanks for keeping me going, Tami! Work-in-Progress Wednesdays always come sooner than I expect! School started officially yesterday...I barely had a chance to sit down! Of course I wore heels too and after a summer of wearing flip-flops and flats my feet were just a tad tired. In fact, my entire body was tired! Anyway, I realized today that I can only get so much done in a day and I shouldn't stay for too much longer after school gets out to work on things. There is always tomorrow and people will just have to wait! Everything is going very well though all in all and I do feel the excitement now of my job. Helping teachers incorporate technology and showing people new tricks is fun and I feel good about what I do.

Moving on to the crochet part of things...I started to make a pattern for what I like to call Best Pals! It will include how to make bears, bunnies, puppies, kitties, piggies, and who knows what else. It's meant to be like a starter package for amigurumi beginners!




I have all my notes written out because I've made the lil guys several times, I just never photographed the steps and pieces and I like to include progress photos in my patterns. I know I appreciate them when I purchase patterns because sometimes the text just isn't enough!


Here's all i have so far from the weekend. It's really windy outside and getting a little dark so my photos didn't turn out so well. I just placed an antique effect to give it a little something. I know, I did say I was going to focus on my Meden Patapon...I just can't seem to get the motivation! I don't know what's gotten into me! Maybe because she's turning out to be harder than I thought. She'll make an appearance soon. I promise.

WIP Wednesday 4 - Tear Fairy Complete

Voila! Finally finished and ready to share with Tami's Amis for her WIP Wednesdays. I know, took me long enough, right? I've been a busy girl with the start of the school year! The kids officially start next week so I'll still have some details to take care of to get everyone and everything situated and then once we're all in a routine, I'll be able to relax a bit more. Anyway, I crocheted the little Tear Fairy to be sitting since I have no idea how to make this guy stand on his own with such tiny legs. Plus, I figured his legs could be used as support if he falls over since his nose is heavy. He sits very nicely though! Sometimes you have to press on him and flatten out his bum a little but is just wonderful to me!






Now that I have my companion, I just need the game! Gahh!

Edit--I just did a google search and according to dshyper, this guy is named Shizuku (which translates to "droplet" in Japanese). Cool, huh!?

WIP Wednesday 2 - Lantern Complete!

This lantern is new! Not the same one as last week's photograph.

This lantern was quite troublesome for me! I wasn't sure what the best way was to crochet a cube, rectangular prism, square pyramid...I don't even know what the heck to call it. My first thoughts were to crochet each side as a rectangle,, a square for the base, then the top and sew each together. I probably could have succeeded in this. Oh, then I also would have had to work in the colored edges. It was a lot of little pieces.

I decided that crocheting amigurumi typically means to crochet in rounds. So, I attempted to crochet a a squarish type of figure. I had never done this before and it took quite a few experiments! I think what I ended up with was pretty good. Perhaps the edges could be a little more defined? Not sure. Anyway, I crocheted the golden cube, switched to the reddish/orangey color to chain strands each time I got to a corner. Then I sewed each edge down to the corners. I crocheted the top separate and sewed it on top. I stuffed it a little extra at the top so it would have a pointier top.

It works for me! I don't want to make complicated patterns, but I also don't want them to be too simple, where they don't like what they're supposed to be. I'm keeping it so far, and if I get an epiphany later I'll make another!

Here are some WIP pics I took. I thought it would be easier to create a little movie rather than uploading each photo. Enjoy! (Lol!)

For other totally awesome WIPs, check out Tami's Amis WIP Wednesdays #2!!!

WIP Wednesday 1 - Ninokuni

Tami's Amis and Other Crochet had a great idea to do a "Work-In-Progress Wednesdays" where fellow crafters can link to their WIPs! So here are my details I've been meaning to discuss about my latest WIP.

I've been really good at starting an amigurumi and not finishing it lately... I already posted about my "Tear Fairy" (I'm not really sure what his actual name is) from a new Studio Ghibli/Level 5 video game called Ninokuni. Isn't he cute? Check out the trailer if you have not seen it yet!





If you're a fan of Studio Ghibli movies, then I'm sure you'll be interested in this game! I was so excited when my boyfriend told me about this and showed me the video on IGN announcing that it will be on the PS3!!!!! Yay! From what I know it's only out in Japan on Nintendo DS. I either need to get my hands on the game and not understand what anyone is saying in the game, or wait for the PS3 version. I'm most likely going to wait for the latter, hehe.

So anyways, as usual, my boyfriend suggested I crochet him while I wait for the game :)
This is what I have so far and it's tough to tell! Crocheting his nose separate was the easiest thing I thought. I am also not really familiar with crocheting a curved shape--kind of like a cornucopia shape.

I was working on creating the lantern that he has, but I was unsatisfied with my yarn choices so I stopped and have not gotten back to it yet! I did buy some new yarn, but have been so busy with an online class I'm taking. This is the last week and I have a lot of work to submit still but starting next week, I'll be refreshed and ready to continue working on him! Once I figure out how to crochet the lantern appropriately I'll be able to attach the lantern, nose and body together then work on the limbs.




On another note, if you're reading this and have not entered my contest to win Gorge the Monster, please enter! It's on my Facebook page!

Guess what I'm making!

My Newest Project

Ollie the Owl is in the works! Owls are such amazing birds and I love how they are portrayed in crafts. I think there is something about their eyes that draws artists in.

I have a couple ideas of different types of owl amigurumi. I'm starting with a simple little owl and then I have plans to make variations with details in different areas.

This photo shows white oval wings but I just got done completing gray wings with some shape because my boyfriend offered his thoughts of what he thinks would look good. I value what he says and I am glad I followed his advice because I think what I have now is better.

I need to take more pictures to add to my pattern, but now that I've changed some things I'm not exactly sure what photos will stay and what will go. I've already attached the eyes, head and body together so I won't be able to take an "all the pieces" photo like the one above. Oh, well!
The weather has been gloomy so it's been hard to get good lighting...we'll see what happens tomorrow! It would be wonderful to get Ollie together in one piece!

I have finished making Pan Pakapon from the PSP game Patapon! It was a request from a gamer girl like myself :) The hat was a challenge and I never wrote down notes because I kept changing my work. I think he turned out pretty nice!

I'm working on an another Patapon only with an angry face. Next, I'd like to go from basic black and white Patapons to the colored Rarepons. Some will be difficult to do, in fact some will be downright impossible since many of the Rarepons have tiny spikes and I just don't think crocheting tiny narrow spikes is possible!

Pics to come of Pan Pakapon...I need good lighting and going outside in the cold and the snow just doesn't sound too appealing right now.