Geeky Cute Crochet Blog

Custom Tiny Dragon Amigurumi

2012-01-27T13:31:00.000-06:00

Are you looking to get one of my Tiny Dragons, but you don't see one in the colors you would like? Well I am now offering to custom make them! Check out the listing here for all the details on the colors available and how to order one.

There are many yarn colors to choose from and five eye colors. You specify the colors you want for the eyes, wings, body, and horns.

The yarn colors are listed in the items description, and I have almost every color of the rainbow in three different shades!

Click here to order one, or check out my shop Geeky Cute Crochet for already made dragons looking to be adopted!

Tiny Dragon Amigurumi

2012-01-03T22:08:00.000-06:00

I've finally gotten around to taking pictures of these tiny dragons I've been making. They are ready to be adopted, so check out my Etsy shop if you are interested!

They are smaller than the baby dragons I was previously making, but I think they are even cuter!

I'm getting some new eye colors in the mail, so I will be making more of them! I do have more to list, so make sure to keep checking back!

I am able to do custom orders, but please message me on Etsy if you are interested. :)

FAQs

2011-11-09T20:40:00.001-06:00

I usually don't do these kinds of posts, but there have been a few inquiries that I feel should be addressed.

FAQs:
Can I have the pattern for _____ ?
I do not sell my patterns at this time. The only free pattern I offer is my Heart Applique.

Where can I buy ______ from you?
In my Etsy shop! If you don't see the item for sale in my shop it might be sold out, but you can always contact me through Etsy and ask to get one for yourself. Serious inquiries only please!

What does "Made to Order" mean? Why does this item say "Made to Order"?
Made to order means that I make the items when they are purchased and paid for. Make sure to read the description where I explain how long it will take for me to make the item. Remember shipping time frames will add to that time frame.

Why do your Made to Order items take so long to make?
These are all handmade items. It takes me 30 mins to an hour to make just one item, and usually it is closer to an hour. The more orders I have the longer it will take for each additional order.

Can I get a custom order? Can I request an item?
Yes! Please contact me through Etsy. Keep in mind not everything translates well to yarn. Please don't be offended if I turn your request down.

Do I have to buy this item from you on Etsy?
Yes! I only sell on Etsy, and this way I can keep everything safe for the buyer and for me, and keep myself organized.

How much do you sell _____ for?
My prices start at $10 for a single item and go up from there due to complexity of the item. For example, the Starter Set is $30 because each item o nits own is $10. This does not include shipping.

Do you ship everywhere?
Yes! Shipping starts at $3 for domestic and international. I ship from the US. Tracking is not available for international orders at this time.

If you have any questions I didn't cover here ask in the comments, or send me a convo on Etsy.

Cave's Combustible Lemons

2011-10-23T14:32:00.002-05:00

I'd like to thank Reddit user guahan who posted my Combustible Lemons here on Reddit! I have gotten an absurd amount of traffic(4,000 visits just today), and not only have I sold out of lemons, but I got a few other things sold as well!

These lemons don't take me too long to make, so hopefully I can get them done relatively quickly. The part that takes the longest is the Aperture Science logo. I use a stencil to ensure it comes out right and is the same for every lemon, but I have to go back and make sure all the edges are correct. I am a perfectionist so I really spend time making sure the logo looks perfect.

You can order a Combustible Lemon from my Etsy shop(Geeky Cute Crochet), but for now they are made to order, and will take up to 3 weeks for me to make.

I also have necklaces for the Portal fangirl in your life.
Everyone loves the Companion Cube.

Pokemon Starter Set

2011-09-07T11:09:00.000-05:00

I just recently released all three of the original starter Pokemon in a set in my Etsy shop.

They were selling fairly well until someone posted the picture of them on their tumblr. The last time I checked that post it had over 18,000 notes! That means people were reposting it, sharing it, and spreading it all over the internet.

Much to my surprise it ended up here on an icanhas sister site called pokememes. I don't know why the person who submitted it thinks they might be sponges, but everyone else seemed to know what amigurumi is.

This is why I haven't relisted them... TOO MANY ORDERS!!!!! I am still trying to catch up with all of the people who ordered them. I have been responding to tons of convos and crocheting non-stop to try and get these orders out! I quoted people up to 3 weeks for me to make the set for them, and though I usually can get them out faster this time I may hit the 3 week mark for some of the orders.

This is how you get an internet business going. Post your pics around the social sites and watch the wildfire spread. Let the internet take its course. This time I didn't have to do anything but rely on my fan base to spread the word.

Another great asset to me is the group pkmncollectors over at LiveJournal. I've gotten a lot of business from those people wanting custom pokemon.

I do not sell my patterns at this time. If you would like to order a Starter Set please contact me through my Etsy shop.

Tutorial Time!

2010-03-03T10:09:00.047-06:00

I've been wanting to post a tutorial for some time now. I originally had planned to do a bead sprite tutorial, but that requires talking pictures, and actually making a bead sprite! It's not that I haven't had time, but more so the desire to make one. I hardly ever sell bead sprites, and although I do have some great ideas for new ones I just have more important things to make that I know will sell.
However, I am a professional artist. I often find myself working in Photoshop even though my job title is a Flash Animator. So I thought I would post a tutorial on how to make an anime character.
I love anime, but I find it sometimes to be quite monotonous. I like the face to have more personality and I love drawing curvy women, so my drawing style is not your typical tiny nosed, pointy chin, little mouth style. Actually, I'd like to think that I don't have a particular drawing style. I can emulate styles, but I don't want to limit myself to any of those. I can draw whatever I want and make it look like whatever style I am copying.
Ok on to the tutorial!

How to Make a Digital Drawing

BEFORE WE START:
Open Photoshop, or an equivalent program that uses a layer system. Set your canvas or drawing area to a size you are comfortable with. I used 800 x 1200. Select the brush tool and set it to a hardness of 100%. Set it to whatever width you want your lines to be.
TIP: Get familiar with your tools! Make sure you use a normal brush, not the pencil. Scribble around first and find the right size.

LET US BEGIN:
I am assuming at this stage you know how to draw. If you don't then close Photoshop, get out a pencil and paper, and start taking lessons. You are not ready for this yet young grasshopper.

Start by making a rough sketch on a new layer
If you can't draw out of your head then find a model, use a mirror, or take a picture of a friend in the pose you want to draw. DO NOT trace or copy someone's drawing or a photo. I don't care if you took the photo, and it is of you. Don't do it. This will not help you become a better artist. If you are old enough to read and comprehend this then you are old enough to learn how to draw properly.

I'm not going to break down every step of properly drawing a figure, but as you can see I used a line of action, blocked in shapes, and used all those good construction principles that classically trained artists use. I didn't use a model this time. I used one drawing for leg reference, and I used my memory for the rest. Looking back the arms might be a bit too short, the pose might be a little unstable. I should have had someone else check this for me, but I was being lazy. This is the stage where you get second opinions and make changes. From here on out we are committed to this drawing.

Tighten up the line art

Time to clean up the sketch! Make a new layer for your line art(I make a new layer for each major body part's lines). Set the sketch layer's opacity to 50% or lower. On your new layer make sure your brush is set to a decent weight(amount of pixels also referred to as thickness) and begin tracing over your sketch.

I used a Wacom Cintiq which has a pressure sensitive pen, so my lines vary in weight. This is done purposefully.

Lines that are all in uniform weight tend to make the drawing look flat and dead. Anime and most animated cartoons don't vary their line weight usually(now-a-days). There are reasons for that, but for a still image having varying line weights really makes the artwork come to life. Of course you also have to know where to make the lines thinner and thicker. A general rule is that larger forms have thicker lines than smaller forms.

Hair is one mass made up of groups of pieces of hair. Treat it initially as one body part with an overall shape. Then start to divide it up into smaller shapes. Never draw each individual hair. I don't think any sane person has attempted this but you never know. The same could be said for tails. It is one shape. You can make a few pieces of fur "break off" from the form, but don't lose the underlying shape.

As you can see in the first image I have the arms and tightly fitting boots done but not the mid section...

Tighten up the line art 2: Add clothes

Time to dress your character! The reason why I drew the arms all the way to the shoulders is because when I go to draw clothing I want to make sure that the clothing fits around the shape or her body. If you get caught up in drawing wrinkles and fabric then you tend to forget about the underlying body parts and their actual shape. Unless your character is wearing spandex... ew. This image has the arms masked out for the sleeves and the clothing over them is on a separate layer.

This is very important. Make sure your clothing wraps around the form of the body. Even loose fitting clothing should follow this rule. Look at how materials work. they will bunch up and make creases at a bended joint. Gravity will act on clothes. Please consider gravity when you draw clothing.

Start coloring!

You've completed your line art and now it is time to add color. You can start with any part you'd like; I started coloring the face first on a new layer under the line art. Then I made a new layer and started coloring in the clothes.

Her outfit is normally red and yellow like this, but I suggest you look up some color theory and find a color scheme that you like. Pink and purple are perfectly good colors, but my eyes bleed every time I see them used in large amounts together. Consider using muted tones with brighter accents. I used to work for a toy company and they had it stuck in their heads that kids love fully saturated bright and neon colors. This is false.

Start coloring part 2: the hair

I made her hair like this because she is not my character and that is how her hair is. I think they are playing on the Firefox logo's fiery tail which is a gradient.

I suggest you make your characters hair a solid color and make it whatever color you'd like. For the tail I also used the same gradient but set to radial.

If you are interested in the gradient I will show you a bit of how that is done in Photoshop.

In your toolbar there should be an icon for the paint bucket. This is also a sub menu. Click and hold down to open the sub menu. Select the gradient tool (TIP: it looks like a gradient). Under the topmost menu in the left corner the gradient icon should be there next to a default black to white gradient. Double click that to open the gradients menu. Now you can make a custom gradient! When you are done on your canvas the first point you make is the left side of the gradient and the last point is the right. You click once in the spot you want to start the gradient and hold + drag over to where you would like the ending point.

To make her hair I selected the area first then I added the gradient. If you don't select an area first your gradient will fill the whole stage.

Shadows and highlights
Make a new layer for each layer of shadows and highlights. Here is the progression of my shadows and highlights. There are two layers of shadows for each color, and two layers of highlights for each color.

I am not going in to how I did each of these steps. For the shadows on the gradients I just colored black and lowered the opacity of the layer. For all other shadows and highlights I chose a color and painted it on a new layer.

I wanted it to be anime-esk with the flat cell colored look, but I did also use the smudge tool to give it some softer highlights. I turned off the base colors layers to show you what just the highlights and shadows look like.

So why not use the burn and dodge tool? Because they are crap. There are many reasons why not to use those tools. Try it for yourself and find out why. Basically they aren't meant for the type of work that we are doing, and are harder to fix if you make mistakes. Just avoid them if you are making a drawing like this.

Finishing Touches
I wanted her to be holding the globe. So I went to Foxkeh's Blog and grabbed the globe png they have for free use. To make it look more like my drawing I added a stroke around it and a glow to make it stand out more. This was done with layer effects. This image shows what the menu looks like. You can select it by double clicking on the layer you wish to apply the effects to.

The finished image

I'm finally done! In the end I also adjusted the colors since I thought the reds were too orange looking and the yellows weren't bright enough. I also added my signature to prevent thievery.

Army of Girs

2010-01-24T13:35:00.004-06:00

I've just listed a bunch of Girs!

If you don't know about Gir then you are missing out on one of the funniest cartoons ever! Invader Zim was a cartoon series that was short lived, but hilarious. Gir is one of the main characters, and the most loved from the show. This crocheted amigurumi fan art is available through my Etsy shop.

This is a limited edition monochromatic series. I have so much yarn that rarely gets used, so I decided to put it to good use and create this series based off of my new Gir pattern. Each are about 4.5" to 5" tall.

Also, soon to be listed is a breast cancer awareness Gir. For this item $25 will be donated to Susan G. Komen For The Cure. I will be making no profit from this item. I don't think I will be making another Gir like this, so for now this is a one-of-a-kind item!

As always I do have some normal Girs available, but they sell fast! If you would like one please get in touch with me here or through Etsy and I will make one just for you! I don't charge more than normal for custom made Girs, and in addition to the normal Gir I can do any colors you want!

V-Day is coming!

2010-01-12T09:28:00.000-06:00

If you haven't checked out my free Heart Applique pattern then you should head over to that post and take a look. It's a free pattern, but protected under a Creative Commons license so you may not sell the hearts.

I sort of lied in my last post. I had said that I would be putting up a bead sprite tutorial, but life got in the way and I was busy! Also, I may have just plain forgotten. Oh well I will post that soon.

I'm kind of busy working on some special Valentines day themed items, mostly crocheted stuff. I'll make a post once I have some more things made and pictures taken! Stay tuned. :D

A New Project in the Works

2009-11-17T09:23:00.009-06:00

I adore Shoji lanterns! These table lamps are usually made out of paper and wood and are modeled after the doors in traditional Japanese architecture. Usually they are in the shape of a tall cube, but there are some beautiful variations I've found on Etsy. (image on the right is from handmadethai on Esty)

So why am I talking about paper lanterns?(image below is from earthsteps on Etsy)

I have an idea for some really cool video game themed modern table lamps made in the style of shoji lanterns. I'd like to branch out into making some useful items for the home or office. I have the plans all drawn out, and I ordered more beads. I am so excited to get working on this, but I have to wait for them to ship me my beads first!

In my next post I will be talking about how to make a bead sprite. It's no secret, and anyone can do it! This tutorial will have photos too, so you won't get lost. ;D

New Items For Winter!

2009-11-03T21:55:00.010-06:00

I have been adding my new winter items to my Etsy shop!

Fuzzy Orange Fox

Check out the adorable Blue Penguin, and my cute little Green Christmas Bunny. Expect to see more in the next few days! I have been busy working on these guys, and now it is time to unveil them!

Ghosties

2009-11-02T20:46:00.005-06:00

I know Halloween is over, but I just wanted to show off these two Boo ghosts I made for a custom order. I had never made them before, and it took me a few trys to get the pattern just right. These are based off of some baddies in the Mario games. They aren't very big, but they sure turned out cute!

I got a new USB SD card reader, so I can get my penguins and foxes up on Etsy soon! I'll make a new post once I get some up!

Custom orders done!

2009-10-25T22:14:00.004-05:00

I just finished a few custom orders, and it's time to put some new winter items up!

Unfortunately, my USB memory card reader is broken! I ordered a new one from Amazon, so once that comes in I can put up my new items.

The Hello Kitty necklace was a custom order that was really fun to do! The customer wanted a very large Hello Kitty face on a chain made from Perler beads. It is over 6 inches wide!

Another custom order was for Zombunnies in orange, blue, pink, green, and purple. I also made a set of turtles and some ghosts for this person, making this the biggest custom order yet!

I love custom orders, and I can make pretty much anything you can throw at me!

Once I can get my pictures off the memory card you can expect to see penguins, Christmas bunnies, foxes, and more!

Coming soon...

2009-10-08T13:39:00.004-05:00

Lets face it. The kids love penguins!

Every Christmas you see them in all their cute cuddly splendor, waddling through the snow and drinking Coke with Polar Bears. It's too bad people don't realize that Penguins live at the South Pole, and Polar Bears live at the North Pole.

So what eats these cute little animals? Sea Lions of course! Watch The Pebble and The Penguin and enjoy the wonderful voice acting talents of Martin Short and Tim Curry. It's animated by the late Don Bluth, and worth a watch just for that reason alone. Oh, and it's all about adorable animated penguins!

By the way, if I am spouting off any wrong information let me know. I don't feel like checking Wiki. Instead I am relying on my vast knowledge of animal facts.

For this Christmas season I am introducing a new animal I developed a pattern for. Can you guess what it is? I also am looking for suggestions on other Christmas animals to make. Maybe Polar Bears? I don't know! Leave a comment with your suggestion on a animal for Chirstmas!

Well, here are the first two Penguins so far...

Actually I am selling them in a Craft Show Oct. 16th-18th in Pearl City, IL out by where I moved to a few weeks ago. I wanted to be in the show in Galena, IL... sadly registration closed last March and it costs $75 for a booth! I might go to it this weekend when my mom visits, but it may be too crappy with the cold rain that has been plaguing us recently.

I am open for custom orders! For any order of ten or more items I take %50 off. These guys are only about 3 inches tall and make great stocking stuffers, decorations, or ornaments for your tree!

I'll post again in November when I list them. Hopefully I will sellout at the show and rebuild my Penguin army in time for Christmas!

Please Vote for Me!

2009-09-23T18:31:00.004-05:00

I submitted two items for the Craft Juice Halloween Contest. There are prizes for the winners, and I'm hoping to win this year! There aren't too many submissions right now, so my chances of getting ahead are pretty good.

To vote for my items just click on the links below and click the vote box next to the title.

Pumpkitten and Powder Puff Bats

Keeping up with the Zombies

2009-09-08T20:17:00.006-05:00

I've been making more Zombunnies than I ever expected, but I've also designed a few new patterns for creepy cute Halloween characters!

A while back someone asked me if I would consider selling some of my patterns, but I have mixed feelings about that. Zombunny is a hard pattern if you don't know how to switch colors properly. Also, I just switch at random to make each of them unique. In fact, I have no written pattern for Zombunny. I just have it memorized, which is easy to do when you have to keep making them over and over!

I'm not a big fan of selling patterns, but I have posted a free pattern on this blog before, and I have one pattern for sale in my Etsy shop. Maybe in the future I will sell more patterns, but right now I'm not too motivated to do that.

If you are looking to buy a Zombunny and you don't see one in my shop...

It's because I ran out and I am making more! If you have a specific color you want, or if you want to buy more than one you can email me(davenevanxaviour@yahoo.com) and we can work something out. I do offer half off for bulk orders over 10 items, and I ship internationally.

Be sure to check out my Halloween section for spiders, bats, and other creepy cute Halloween items!

Zombunnies!

2009-08-25T14:07:00.005-05:00

I love a good zombie movie every now and again. I just watched Shaun of the Dead again with my boyfriend, and I can't wait to see Zombieland this fall. Zombies movies are so entertaining and violent. :)

So far my Zombunnies are selling faster than I can keep up with! This time I have made three and listed them all at the same time. I'd hate for people to go to my Etsy shop looking for them and find that they are sold out! I will try to keep them listed as best as I can, but since each one is unique I have to photograph them each time.

You can find more Halloween items in my Etsy shop. I have plenty of cute bats and other creepy characters!

Halloween Preview

2009-08-20T14:59:00.006-05:00

My favorite holiday is coming soon!

Halloween is only a few months away and I've started making some cute amigurumi to celebrate. I'm working on spiders, bats, and spooky farm animals.

Pictured above is Zombunny and Vampigula. There is a Frankenchicken on the way too! I am going to be selling them separately and in a set of three.

Click here to see my Halloween items!

Feathery Featured Seller

2009-08-10T19:50:00.007-05:00

http://GaiaTroveChicago.etsy.com

I like the Shop Local feature on Etsy. It brought me to this user.

Feather accessories! I've noticed them popping up in stores, and spotted a few celebrities wearing them. You can dress up your look with a sleek feathery headband or feather earrings.

I love the iridescent shine a peacock feather has! Birds can have such beautiful feathers. Even sparrows have pretty little speckled feathers.

She has all different types of headbands to choose from. I prefer the standard plastic ones wrapped in fabric, but she also makes tie back and elastic ones.

Not into headbands? She also sells beautiful barrettes and earrings!

All of her items are made in a smoke-free environment and currently she is having a sale.

I just love this look! I am going to have to order one for myself, or just drop some hints to my boyfriend. ;)

Little foxes!

2009-08-08T17:20:00.004-05:00

I love foxes.

They have always been my favorite animal, and it's about time I crochet some for my Etsy shop. So I came up with a pattern and tried it out a few weeks ago.

I am planning on making some solid colored ones too. I just really want to use up my multicolored yarn to make room for all my other skeins!

My Tiny Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

2009-08-03T10:52:00.005-05:00

I've always loved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I even have a few of the 2nd edition reprints of the original comics. Yes, before it was a movie(an awesome movie) it was a comic book series! The cartoon followed thereafter. I think I still have a VHS of two of the episodes.

Anyway, I've seen TMNT amigurumi dolls on various craft sites, but I thought I'd give it a try and make the chibi(super deformed) version of them!

So far I've sold 6 sets of them. I decided to stop making them ahead of time for now and list them as made to order. It will only add one more day to the shipping time since I can make them fairly quickly, but if I get multiple orders like I did Sunday I could get backed up a little.

Giveaway Winner!

2009-08-01T02:12:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Anna!

I picked her name from a hat...

Giveaways and Perler beads

2009-07-22T13:50:00.004-05:00

My Giveaway ends in a week and a half!

Here are some other giveaways you might also be interested in:
Blue Box Studio
Designs by Vanessa

Now for an update about what I've been up to

I've been busy making bead sprites for a large custom order. I'm making pretty much all of the characters and props from Super Mario World 3. It is quite the project, but I'm making good progress so far! It's been encouraging since I haven't sold many bead sprites on Etsy thus far.

What is a bead sprite? I'll tell you!

In old school videogames(Atari, Sega, Nintendo, etc) the characters, enemies, and anything that moves is referred to as a sprite. A sprite is made up of pixels, and is animated. To make this craft project you use Perler beads(Hama beads too, but they are like the off-brand). Perler beads are marketed as a children's craft, but it's fun for adults too! You arrange plastic beads on a peg board and use a hot iron to melt them together to make a design. 1 pixel of the sprite = 1 Perler bead. This is how a bead sprite is made.

I've Gone Bananas

2009-07-20T16:01:00.003-05:00

Well, to be fair I've always loved bananas. I have banana soap, banana lip balm, and banana body spray. So I just had to go with bananas as the theme of my treasury! One of the tastiest cookies I've ever made were frosted banana cookies from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

Here is my banana treasury:
(click here to go to the treasury)

If you want to enter my Banana Giveaway you can post a comment here, follow my blog, or scroll down to see all the ways you can enter!

Banana Giveaway

2009-07-17T01:15:00.004-05:00

I created a banana pattern (click here to buy the pdf pattern from my shop), and now my demo banana needs a home!

There are many ways to enter your name into this giveaway, some ways get you more than one entry.

Ways to win this banana:
1. Post here leaving a comment.
2. Tell me what your favorite item in my Etsy shop is.
3. Post my giveaway on your blog, facebook, twitter, or other accounts and post the link(s) here.
4. Follow my blog.
5. Any purchases made in my etsy shop also receives an entry(let me know in seller notes, convo, or here).
6. Send a friend to my shop and if they purchase something you'll get an additional entry. (You must let me know who you sent once they make a purchase, so that I know who to give credit to).

I will draw the winning name on August 1st, 2009.
And so you know it's legitimate, I will upload a youtube video of me drawing a name from a hat.

*Make sure you leave your contact information so that I can notify you if you are the winner.*

How To Make A Magic Adjustable Ring

2009-07-16T12:12:00.010-05:00

If you want to make amigurumi, or just crochet in the round without that hole at the end you started at, then you need to learn my favorite trick....

The Magic Adjustable Ring

Step 1: Wrap the yarn around your pointer and middle finger twice making sure that the end of the yarn sticks straight up, and is long enough that it is past the top of your finger(about a half an inch).

Step 2: From the right, take your crochet hook under all of the strings and draw the leftmost string out.

Step 3: The loop should still be on the hook as you go over all the strings to the leftmost string again and yarn over.

Pull it through the loop on the hook.

Pull up on the end of the string and the leftmost string to tighten it up.

At this point you can slip the ring off of your fingers and use your pattern to determine how many single crochets you need to make into the ring.

For example: if you are using a pattern that wants you to do this...
Ch 2, 6 sc in second chain from hook
Then just make 6 sc into the ring!

Step 4: Now that you have made however many sc into the ring as directed by your pattern you may tighten the ring by pulling on the free end of the string. Do NOT tighten all the way! The loop that shortens when you pull the string is what you need to pull to make the second loop tighten. (look at where my thumb is pulling at the strings in the images below)

Step 5: You may begin to crochet in the round into the sc that you made! Success!

There are other ways to make this if you are having a hard time with this method.
You can find videos on youtube by searching "crochet adjustable ring"

I've been featured!

2009-07-13T15:59:00.003-05:00

Here are some blogs that I have been featured on recently:
Etsy Studios, Miss Malarky's DIY Blog, Garden Gwyn's Blog, Life's Big Canvas

Also, I have relisted a shop favorite; Tiny Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

Amigurumi sale!

2009-07-08T17:39:00.006-05:00

I am trying to get rid of some of my inventory to make room for new things, so I am offering some items for a reduced price(40%-50% off) with $2 shipping for US residents.

Click here for the sale!

This sale will be going on through August 30th, and whatever doesn't sell is not going to be relisted.

Also, check out my facebook fan page:

Link from Legend of Zelda

2009-07-06T20:32:00.003-05:00

Link is finished!

This is the first Link I am selling on Etsy. It took more hours to make than I thought, but it was worth it. I'm not sure if I'm going to let this one be OOAK(one of a kind) or make another one in the future.

If you would like to purchase him here is the link to Link.

Coming soon... Blog giveaway!

I'm not sure what I will be giving away, but it will be something cool. More details to come later this week!

Toon Link Crochet

2009-07-01T22:23:00.007-05:00

I love video games, especially the classics.

Link from Legend of Zelda is such a cool character, and he has many different designs as the years have gone by. Toon Link is one of my favorites because he's just so darn cute!

My boyfriend also really like him and has him tattooed on his arm.

This is my second try at crocheting Link. I hope my boyfriend dosen't steal it!

WARNING: This is not finished yet! I have to affix the eyes, brows, and embroider the mouth.

I also plan on adding a shield and sword. This item might be a little pricier than what I usually make, but there is a lot of work that has gone into it!

Pondering with a Slurpee

2009-06-29T15:45:00.004-05:00

I usually go to the gym on Mondays, but this time on the way home I decided to stop by 7-Eleven for a Slurpee. It's probably not a good idea to fill your body with syrupy goodness after burning off calories and trying to get in shape. I don't care though. I'm not going to make it a habit!

So as I am sipping my Slurpee I started thinking about plarn. I love recycled and upcycled goods, but I have never made anything out of plarn. I am not interested in making bags or purses, so I am wondering what else would be made out of plarn? I want to make something useful...

If anyone has ideas I'd love to hear them!

Or if you want to make your own plarn here is how:

http://www.plasticbagcrafts.com/make-plarn/

Hearts

2009-06-26T17:25:00.004-05:00

I've been making more hearts!

I really like how they have been turning out with a thicker yarn.

I'm going to be putting some crocheted jewelery in my Etsy shop soon. I want to clear out some inventory before I go adding more stuff. Now that I think about it, crocheted jewelery might not sell as well in the summer since it's pretty hot out and yarn can be a little warm around your neck. I guess it depends on the design.

Here is a sneak peak of an item I will be listing soon. It is made with shiny silver yarn, and a shiny pink yarn that has a sort of sparkle to it.

Heart Applique Pattern

2009-06-23T23:01:00.016-05:00

Heart Applique

This pattern is free for personal use only, and is licenced by Creative Commons.

Materials:
You can really use any yarn and a small hook. I used Caron Simply Soft 4 medium worsted yarn, and a 33 1/4 mm hook (size D or 3).

Abbreviations:
ch ---- chain
st(s) -- stitch(es)
sc ---- single crochet
sl st -- slip stitch
hdc -- half double crochet
dc --- double crochet
tr --- treble

Important notes:
For R1 crochet into the ring. You will have to slide the stitches close together to be able to fit all of them in as you go along (see image below).

Directions:
ch 4, join with a slst into the first st. (this forms a ring)

R1: sc, hdc, dc, 2tr, dc, hdc, 2sc, hdc, 2tr, hdc, 2sc, hdc, dc, 2tr, dc, hdc, sc (Do NOT turn, sl st, or chain)

R2: sc in next two sts, 2 hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 14 sts, 2 hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next st, slst in last st

Finish off and draw the loose end through to the back of the heart. I like to pull it tight and draw it through just beneath the slst to bring the cleavage of the heart down more.

A little more than halfway through R1. You can see how the stitches are tight next to each other so I can finish making the last hump of the heart shape.

Heart Applique by Juliette Peterson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

My First Treasury

2009-06-20T10:42:00.005-05:00

I made my first treasury yesterday!

You can view it here http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=65943

Things have been kind of slow lately, so I am waiting for more sales before I go making and listing more items. I have about 50 items for sale right now.

In the meantime, I am thinking about entering Etsy's Handmade Moment contest. I have to come up with a good idea first. I want to do some sort of animation with live action. It sounds ambitious, but I know what I'm getting into!

Mutant hybrid animals!

2009-06-18T23:48:00.004-05:00

I am usually so busy promoting my Etsy shop that I hardly have time to browse and see what else is out there. Today I found a pretty awesome shop...

http://lucyroberts.etsy.com

When the kids move out and leave you with their old kid stuff(like beanie babies, I have a ton in my closet) rip it all apart and sew on different heads! Amazing! The possibilities are endless!

Making Mario

2009-06-17T19:56:00.005-05:00

I have a bunch of new items for sale in my Etsy shop! You can check out a few of them in the side bar -->

Lets take a look at my crocheted Mario...

This is the second Mario I've made. The first time I didn't write down the pattern. That wasn't too smart because only a few hours after posting it someone had bought it! I started on this Mario soon after and this time I wrote down the pattern.

Making your own pattern isn't that easy. I based the head and body off of another pattern, but the other body parts and hat had to be invented. I draw out what I want the finished product to look like so I can get a feel for the proportions. I believe that is the most important part in creating a toy.

If the proportions are correct you will have a cute product. Even though terms like "cute" are subjective there are several ways to make your product appealing. I choose to go the Hello Kitty route. If you look at Hello Kitty she has a huge head in comparison with her body and limbs. Also, her head may be large but her eyes and nose are tiny. In Mario's case he has a very large nose. It is one of his defining characteristics, along with his fluffy mustache. You have to pick which features to accentuate. Mario's hat also adds to the size of his head. Giant ears seem to be cute for some animals. It really all depends on the subject, and that is why I sketch out what I want it to look like first!

I also mark down what colors go where. I suppose since I did do this in photoshop that I could have colored it, but that might distract me from the overall design. And I like to print it out so I can work on it while away from the computer. Ok I lied! I usually sketch it out on real paper. ;D

New Layout!

2009-06-17T19:00:00.001-05:00

This blog just got a makeover!

It only took me all day to do it. D:

I thought I was getting into some CSS and HTML, which would have been no problem. Google's blogger has it's own language and XML. So after fighting with it I finally came to a compromise with a pretty cool design.

First post!

2009-06-16T15:17:00.002-05:00

So this is my first uneventful post. I hope you like it so far. I will try to keep the typos down to a minimum, although I am known to have random boughts of lolspeak.

This layout is awful, and I will be creating something more appealing soon to appease the masses.

Ha. What masses?