My Little Kokeshi Doll

Here is the Kokeshi Amigurumi Doll I have been crocheting the last few days. Isn’t she adorable?! I just love Japanese/Oriental stuff – one day I shall travel to that part of the world! 🙂

The pattern is very simple to follow – the doll part is just double crochet with increasing/decreasing and the flower is a sequence of dc, htr, tr, dtr and picot stitch (UK terms). The doll’s hair should be jet black but unfortunately I have ran out of my black yarn and so had to do it in charcoal but I don’t think it has really mattered.

I would like to try and get some fine crochet cotton so I can make these dolls smaller and in different colours – maybe make them into keyrings or just little kokeshi charms :).

This is a side view so you can see the little flower in her hair, although I do think it has turned out a little bigger than it needs to be really. This flower uses the adjustable ring method, then crochet 5 dc’s into the ring. In each stitch around you have to do the following stitches: dc, htr, tr, dtr, picot, dtr, tr, htr, dc. It gets quite tight and difficult to do the further you get round (you end up having to push the petal you have just done down in order to get to the next stitch to work). In total, you should end up with 5 petals. In the middle of the flower I have just done three french knots in the fuchsia colour.

I think the most difficult part of this amigurumi doll is stitching the kimono sleeves to the body – I always seem to have trouble making them look identical to each other when stitched on. Think they have turned out OK though.

If fellow bloggers would be interested – I can post the pattern when I get the chance.

On another note – one of our cats has been poorly. Lillie has swollen lymph glands and has been feeling quite sorry for herself, bless her! Lots of treats and tuna for her to keep her strength up. Just look at her here:

Definitely feeling sorry for herself here!

Anyway, I will be back soon

Miss C xx

Finished Design For Mum

 

This is the finished design for my mum’s Mother’s Day Card. Think she will really like it as it is quite simple but still has her favourite things – butterflies and flowers. I’ve attached some plain white paper to the back of the stitched design so that no stitching can be seen through the aida but also because I’m mounting it on some backing paper and do not want that to show through either. I love double sided sticky tape – much less mess than glue – although I do sometimes have trouble getting the backing off, that’s the trouble having no nails 😦

This is the backing paper I have used. Got quite a large pack of these for only 99p in a local craft shop – wish I had brought some other designs as well but we are on a tight budget (what with buying a house, getting married, honeymoon etc 🙂 ). I’ve again used double sided tape to stick the paper to the front side of the card. Looks pretty doesn’t it?!

And here’s the finished card! I was going to have a look through my ribbon stash but I have now decided that it does not need any embellishments etc. Think it would look too busy. It looks great for the upcoming spring time don’t you think? I’ve decided I might do the heart design as well – either as an actual heart hanging or maybe just a card for Mum’s Birthday in June – not sure yet.

Oh and during my crafty time, Lillie decided to sit on some of my stuff (good job it wasn’t on any stitched work!). Bless her, she likes to lie down on random pieces of paper, even if the whole table is free from stuff she will still sit on something! She can sit on our gas bill any day of the week 🙂

Having a lazy Sunday today which is perfect – will do so more crochet later – have a mini project on the go at the moment then it is on to a bigger project soon. Seriously need to use up some of my wool – PR isn’t too impressed that it’s overtaken the living room – however the cats love it. Yet again Lillie picked up some of my wool and trailed it all the way through the house – can’t help but laugh at her xxxxxx

Hope you are all having a lovely lazy Sunday too

Miss C xx

Hippy Cushion = Done

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Managed to finish my lovely new cushion off yesterday. What do you think? I’m a little annoyed that you can see the join in each round slightly – I’m even more annoyed that last night I was reading through a magazine and it shows you how you can join an invisible round! Wish I had known about this technique earlier! Oh well, you can only see it if you really look for it. Think it looks quite pretty on our bed – I know it doesn’t match the bedspread but we do usually have chocolate coloured ones. I accidentally woke Dottie up whilst taking photos of my cushion so I could not resist taking a few snaps of her too…….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got a bit more backstitching to do on my cross stitch project I posted about previously – backstitching always takes longer than you think it will doesn’t it?

So I will be back soon…..

Miss C xx

A Cat That Should Be Called Scrooge

Just look what Lillie did earlier today, bless her think it scared her a lot! She obviously does not like Christmas or want Santa to come to our house. Do you think we should rename her Scrooge? 🙂

Haven’t really managed to do much crafty stuff the last few days as have been suffering with a cold and chest infection 😦 boohoo really hope I start to feel a bit better soon!

Did manage to make a little tree decoration….. mistletoe! Don’t think I will be standing under it what with my lurgy at the moment 😉

Back tomorrow, Miss C xx

Crochet Mouse Cat Toy Pattern

Here is the pattern for this cute little crochet mouse that I have made for my two cats Dottie and Lillie to play with.

This is a UK pattern. Hook size and tension are not important. (I used hook size 5.0mm).

Stitches used:

Sl st – Slip Stitch

Ch – Chain

Dc – Double Crochet

Stitch explanation.

Decreasing a double crochet stitch (dc dec) – insert hook, yarn over, pull through (2 loops on hook), insert hook into next stitch, yarn   over and pull through (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.

DO NOT join rounds unless stated – use stitch markers to determine beginning of round.

Main Body

Chain 2

Rnd 1: 6dc in 2nd chain from hook

Rnd 2: (2dc in first dc, dc in next dc) repeat all around [9dc]

Rnd 3: (2dc in first dc, dc in next 2 dc’s) repeat all around [12dc]

Rnd 4: dc in each dc all around

Rnd 5: (2dc in first dc, dc in next 3 dc’s) repeat all around [16dc]

Rnd 6: dc in each dc all around

Rnd 7: (2dc in first dc, dc in next 4dc’s) repeat all around [18dc]

Rnd 8: (2dc in first dc, dc in next 5 dc’s) repeat all around [21dc]

Rnd 9: dc in each dc all around

Rnd 10: (2dc in first dc, dc in nect 6dc’s) repeat all around [24dc]

Rnd 11: dc in each dc all around

Rnd 12: (dc dec, dc in next 4dc’s) repeat all around [20dc]

Rnd 13: (dc dec, dc in nect 3dc’s) repeat all around [16dc]

Rnd 14: (dc dec, dc in next 2dc’s) repeat all around [12dc]

Start stuffing your mouse’s body now.

Rnd 15: (dc dec, dc in next dc) repeat all around [8dc]

Rnd 16: dc dec all around [4dc]

DO NOT fasten off

Chain 12 (for tail)

Slip stitch in 2nd chain from hook and in every chain going to body. Fasten off leaving long tail. Use long tail to close the hole if necessary and weave in the end.

Outer Ears (make 2)

Chain 2

Rnd 1: 6dc in 2nd chain from hook

Rnd 2: 2dc in each dc around [12dc]

DO NOT join this last round but do fasten off leaving a long tail.

Middle Ears (make 2)

With contrast colour, chain 2

5dc in 2nd chain from hook, join to first dc and finish off leaving a long tail.

Assembly:

• Sew both middle ears to the centre of the outer ears.
• Sew the ears onto the mouses body ( I attached them at row 5)
• Cross stitch an ‘X’ at the very tip of mouse for its nose ( I used the same pink as the middle ear colour).
• French knots for the eyes.

And that’s it! Your mouse is all finished. Hope you liked the pattern and that you enjoy this cute little toy – Lillie certainly does as you can see in the photo below 🙂

Miss C xx

Our Cats And Their Beloved Laser Pointer

Check Dottie and Lillie out in this video. Do have to say that Lillie is usually a lot more energetic than how she is in this video. Think she was a little tired, bless her 🙂 Dottie tends to just watch it rather than chase it!

 

For all you cat lovers out there, check out this you tube channel, Simon’s Cat, it is so good and so true to how cats really act. Love it! Enjoy, Miss C xx

Just In Time

Today has been a full day of cross stitching…. have major stitcher’s thumb right now!

Finished off the rest of my gift tags ready for wrapping presents. Have done no wrapping whatsoever yet so need to get cracking pretty soon.

Currently have one Christmas present yet to finish as I’m waiting on fabric coming from the US (thought I had enough fabric but clearly underestimated it and the only place I could find it was in the States 😦 ). Talk about cutting it fine eh?

So what do you think of my gift tags? Pretty cute I think. Glad they are finished though – the amount of fractionals and backstitch was starting to get to me and my thumb!

Found Dottie lying in the most peculiar place earlier – right in the middle of the kitchen diner completely sprawled out. She’s so funny:) Both Dottie and Lillie are going completely mental at the moment because other half has got the laser pointer out which they love trying to catch. Isn’t she cute……

Apologies for blurry photo ( I may be good at crafty stuff, but photography definitely not!) 😀

Miss C

xxx

 

Finally Finished…..

This morning I have managed to finally finish off these little cross stitch houses. They came free with another one of my cross stitch magazines, CrossStitcher. Have had them nearly finished for ages, just needed to slip stitch the gap closed after stuffing them. What do you think?

Trying to start making more of the free gifts I get as they are beginning to pile up now, what with all the other projects I want to do! 🙂

Not quite sure where I am going to hang them…. but I’m sure I will find a place!

My supply of new wool came this morning, which has made me very happy…. shh! don’t tell my other half but I am actually waiting on another lot! Ooops hehe 😀

Seriously need to make myself that craft bag I was telling you, I am going to have no space in my plastic bag(!)  for my new wool! Must go, have more things to make 😛 Miss C xx

Another Padded Bauble…..

Yesterday wasn’t a day full of craftiness sadly :(, but I did manage to make another
one of my padded baubles with an added edge. What do you think?

I also attempted to crochet a little mouse for our two cats, Dottie and Lillie, to play with but it looked nothing like a mouse! However, the cats enjoy batting it about so that makes me happy. 🙂

I’m awaiting new supplies of some wool as my crochet to-do list gets bigger and bigger by the hour. Also have some cross stitch decorations I want to start – but they shouldn’t take too long to do.

In the next few days I will upload another tutorial – how to make a craft bag for all your wool, threads, fabric or whatever you fancy keeping organised! I’m in desperate need of one, what with my growing stock of wool now!

Which reminds me, I have found a really good app for the iPhone which stocks loads of free crochet/knitting patterns for pretty much everything. Check the ‘Out There’ section for more details.

Brushing up on some skills….

Bit of a late post but today I have been busy crocheting. Never really done much crochet before, as used to be more of a knitter since that was what my nan taught me. Fancied doing something a bit different so came up with these………

Am thinking of making a little bag out of felt and so might use some of these to decorate, what do you think? What would you use them as? Attach a pin for a brooch? Button to the centre? Even attach a hair grip maybe???

Have to apologise now that I have still not posted any tutorials yet, however, I am hoping in the next few days I will be able to share some projects with you, I blame Christmas!!!  😛 Still haven’t put our Christmas tree up yet…. delaying the inevitable destruction that will be done by our two cats, Dottie and Lillie,however it is very fun to watch! Nighty night for now…

Miss C xx