Thursday 11 June 2009

My claim to fame



I never know how to start the first post of a blog, and this is my first proper blog, so I don't have much experience. Why have I started this? Well, I like making things, and whilst I already post photos up on Flickr and show things off on Craftster (as Angry Angel), I thought it would be nice to have one place where I could keep everything together.

I have a few projects that I've been working on - I'm re-writing my free patterns and will post them here, I've recently finished a new crochet creature ready to go into my Etsy shop, and I'm busy designing cute little Star Wars amigurumis - but for my first post I thought I'd share my geeky crochet claim to fame.

Nearly two years ago I was contacted by a television production company asking if they could use a photo of Wicket the Ewok that I had crocheted. I said yes, but never heard anything else from them.


Then, last autumn an eagle-eyed crafter contacted me and said she'd seen him on a Channel 4 programme, Bring Back.... Star Wars, with Justin Lee Collins. I checked out the repeat, and there he was! The show has Justin contacting the various actors from Star Wars and trying to get them back together. He had a big board with photos with all the actors, generally publicity shots from their agents. But bizarrely, for Warwick Davies they had a copy of my picture! Anyway, I was very excited to see my Ewok on telly. Here it is on YouTube, you can see the picture after 4m 30s : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhdbFVMY6DM&feature=related

However, this was just the beginning. Not long after that I had an email from Hat Trick Productions, asking if they could use my photo of a crocheted Dalek and Doctor Who for an episode of Have I Got News For You with Tom Baker as the guest host. Of course, I said yes (they paid me too, which was even better!), and since HIGNFY is filmed only a day before it's shown, I soon got to see my creations up on screen. Having advance notice was good because I got to tell a few friends and family so they could watch too.
Here's the clip on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pYj82q2SDQ - my photo turns up 1m 20s in. I was rather pleased that none of the panellists were rude, it even got a couple of jokes!
So, that's got me started. If anyone would like to make their own Wicket the Ewok watch this space. I originally put up a simplified tutorial on Craftster, but I've written into a more conventional format and as soon as I've given it a test, I'll be posting my pattern here.

6 comments:

stromasdragon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
stromasdragon said...

Really looking forward to the full Wicket the Ewok pattern.

Anonymous said...

OMG! Congratulations!you are so talented and you deserve recognition.:)
I made your Totoro couple of years ago, thank you!

PixelatedMushroom said...

Wow! so awesome!!
I've put this vid on my things to watch when I get home tonight as internet here is not so great - what a lovely story :D
I've been making my own amigurumi set of tiny doctors but I think your Tom is cuter than mine ^.^ can I ask how big he is?
Am now following your blog - looking forward to seeing what else you create :D

marce.garal said...

Hi! magnificent work I'm so impressed, did you share the pattern for Dalek?? could you let me know? thank so much xoxoxoxo

LucyRavenscar said...

Thanks for the nice comments! I gave both the Dalek and the Doctor away for a swap, but I think they were about 6" tall. The BBC have been very strict about people posting patterns, even free ones, for things from Doctor Who, so I'm a bit wary of doing that I'm afraid.