Two Spirits and One Pattern

Getting my Star Wars patterns sorted finally allowed me to get on with all the other things I had been meaning to make. One of them was from a request I had quite some time ago to make a Water Spirit, with no particular directions on what it should look like. I decided to give it the feel of some kind of water-loving mammal, such as an otter or a seal, so it has a long, streamlined head and two tail-like flippers. I wanted to use lots of different watery colours so I chose three different mohair-type yarns, two of which were multicoloured, to give a nice mix. I was really pleased with the way it turned out, and luckily, so was the patient recipient.

I also got a request to do a pattern for another type of Spirit I have made. Using the same basic pattern but with different details I have made a Rock Spirit, a Hedgerow Spirit and a Dream Spirit. These are great little creatures to use interesting yarns on - they have bodies made with a mohair-type yarn - which you can customise to be the sort of Spirit you want with different features and any colours you like.

I wrote up the pattern, and to test it I made a Moon Spirit. This little creature gazes up at the full moon, absorbing its gentle rays, and then reflects them back in the darkest nights to guide other animals.

The pattern for the Small Spirit, with details of how to make the different variations, is now for sale in my Etsy shop - http://www.etsy.com/listing/45355995/pattern-for-small-spirit-amigurumi.

Dusk and Hedgerow Spirits

Over the last few months, whenever I've been going somewhere I might have a bit of spare time to crochet (like visiting relatives for a few days), I've taken a bag with an interesting furry yarn, a couple of contrasting yarns and my faithful 3.5mm hook. I take my scribbled notes for a creature I've made before (it's too awkward to make up an entirely new pattern and make notes when I'm on the go) and make a different version.



Here are the two creatures that I made: a Dusk Spirit and a Hedgerow Spirit. I made them then decided what they were once they were completed.



The little Hedgerow Spirit reminds me of the colour your fingers go when you pick blackberries, and the fur around his face looks a bit like Old Man's Beard, so I felt that he belonged in the hedgerows. He lives there and looks after the all the small creatures that live there too, with his horns helping him push through the undergrowth.



The Dusk Spirit matches my Dawn spirit (appropriately enough! See a picture of her here: http://lucyravenscar.blogspot.com/2009/07/earth-spirits.html). The colour of her fur seemed right for that time of day, and her face seemed very calm. Since dusk is when many animals feel safe to feed, I think of it as a quiet safe, time, and it seemed right that she would be their guardian.