Roman Soldier Amigurumi Pattern

There's a brand new pattern in my Etsy shop, a cute little Roman Soldier, with a choice of three different styles of armour. I've been working on this new pattern for a while now - I made the original way back in 2011 as a Christmas present for my nephew, who was really into the Romans. I was also a bit inspired at the time by Doctor Who, which featured the character Rory becoming an immortal Roman. I started to work on turning it into a pattern earlier this year but I got a bit side-tracked by various other projects. However, now I've finished all the work on it, and it's ready to buy.

The pattern lets you make a Roman Soldier, about 6.5" tall with a choice of three different styles of armour. There are also details to make a helmet, a sword and scabbard, and a cloak.

Living in Britain, I've always been interested in the Romans, who left an indelible mark on our country. We live quite close to two Roman villas, and I've really enjoyed taking my boys there, especially when they have re-enactment groups showing off their outfits and moves (and their legs!).

I think my little Roman would be prefect for anyone who's fascinated by Roman history, young or old, or for any Doctor Who fans who loved Rory in his Last Centurion persona.

Leesub Sirln

Last year I was contacted by a lady asking if I would make a custom Star Wars amigurumi for a friend. Well, I don't normally make the toys, only the patterns, but when she said her friend had actually appeared in the original Star Wars, I couldn't refuse. Her friend is Pam Rose, and she played an alien in the background of the Cantina scene, called Leesub Sirln. I must have seen the character lots of time creating part of the atmosphere of the Cantina, but I wasn't quite sure what she looked liked so I went to her website to check - a beautiful leggy alien with a large head.

I made the amigurumi to the same scale as my other Star Wars characters - getting the head just the right shape and working out the unusual hairstyle was an interesting challenge, and it wasn't easy to get the detail into her minimal costume, but I think I did it.

Mini Leesub was given to Pam for Christmas, and apparently she was very pleased with it. She very kindly sent me a signed photo, and I'm very happy to have made a figure for the person who actually portrayed the character!

Happy 50th Doctor Who!

My crocheted Daleks are getting in on the Doctor's 50th anniversary celebrations today - they've got their party hats on and they're having a great time! I've been enjoying all the celebrations so far - I loved the wonderful 'Adventures in Space and Time' about the beginnings of the series, and I'm looking forward to 'The Day of the Doctor' that's on tonight.

If you want to make yourself a Dalek, you can find the pattern in my shops on Etsy or Ravelry

If your Daleks want to get in on the celebrations, here's the pattern to make them tiny party hats:

Party Hat

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
st = stitch or stitches
sc = single crochet (US), double crochet (UK)
FO = fasten off

General instructions:
Work in rounds and use a stitch marker to mark the start of a round - a small piece of different coloured yarn placed under the stitch at the start of the round will do. To start a round, you can use the magic ring method, but I prefer (ch 2, work 6 sc into 1st ch). If you work the 6 sc over the tail of yarn as well you can use that to pull the hole tight. Work through both loops of stitches.
You will need: 
Small amounts of two bright colours of yarn.
3.5mm (E) hook.
Tapestry needle.

Leave a short length of yarn when you start each colour.

Start using colour 1.
Round 1: Ch 2, work 6 sc into 1st ch - 6 st.
Round 2: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st] 2 times - 8 st.
Change to colour 2.
Round 3: Sc in each st around - 8 st.
Round 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st] 2 times - 10 st.
Change to colour 1.
Round 5: Sc in each st around - 10 st.
Round 6: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st] 2 times - 12 st.
Change to colour 2.
Round 7: Sc in each st around - 12 st.
Round 8: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 st] 2 times - 14 st.
Change to colour 1.
Round 9: Sc in each st around - 14 st.
Round 10: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 st] 2 times - 16 st.
FO. Pull the start of the yarn for both colours and the end for colour 2 through the top of the hat to make little streamers. Cut to length.
Weave in the end of colour 1 or use it to sew the hat on (I just pinned mine on).

Dalek at the Doctor Who Prom

This summer there was a concert of Doctor Who music as part of the Proms season at the Royal Albert Hall. Sadly, I didn't get to go, but a crocheted Dalek made from my pattern did! Luckily, the person who made it for her friend's little boy let me know that it might have been filmed, so when the prom came on television I was watching with eagle eyes. I was so chuffed to have spotted it, and I took a photo of the Dalek menacing a Judoon (or was it the other way round?). It's not great quality, but hopefully you can see it.

 

Here's my original Dalek so you can see it a bit more easily:

 



Luke Skywalker times three

Luke Skywalker must take after his mother with the number of costume changes he has in his three films! While his pal Han rocks the classic trousers, shirt and waistcoat through most of the films, Luke is always wearing something different. I've always thought it would be nice to improve my Luke amigurumi pattern by adding a variety of outfits and now I've done it. As well as giving a bit more detail to his Tatooine 'farm boy' look from the original Star Wars film I've come up with versions of Luke in his X-Wing pilot uniform, including the helmet, and in his black Jedi clothes from Return of the Jedi, along with a tiny lightsaber.

This new version of the pattern is now available in my Etsy shop, and I'm happy to send it for free to anyone who bought the original Luke Skywalker pattern in the past. Just contact me on Etsy with all the details of that order (order number, full name and date of order).

***Latest news July 2014***

The Jedi Luke pattern is no longer available for sale, as it is going to be included in a new Star Wars crochet book, due to be published Spring 2015.

Admiral Ackbar amigurumi

Well, here's the latest of my mini Star Wars amigurumis, Admiral Ackbar. He's a Mon Calamari who leads the Rebel Alliance fleet in Return of the Jedi, and is famous for shouting, 'It's a trap!' when he realises they've been lured in by the Emperor. The Mon Calamari come from a watery planet and I just love their design, with their big, bulbous heads, fish-like eyes and finny hands.

As my Ackbar is pretty small, only 4" tall, I simplified him quite a bit to match with all the other mini Star Wars amis I've made. Even so, I'm pleased with some of the detail I managed to get into his clothes, and I think I might try working on some of my earlier designs to see if I can add a bit more detail to them. Luke, in particular, would benefit from some alternatives outfits, I think.

The pattern to make Admiral Ackbar is now available from my Etsy shop, and you can also buy  all 14 Star Wars patterns I've made to date, or pick and choose selections of two, three or six patterns.

Dalek Amigurumi Pattern

I'm a long time fan of Doctor Who - I started watching Jon Pertwee in the 1970s when I was very little, and I've loved it ever since, old series and new. The Daleks are a brilliant creation, scary and iconic, and I just had to crochet them. I made three a few years back, two for swaps and one for a present, but I never made any for myself. With the new season of Doctor Who just starting (and with the first episode featuring a selection of different types of Daleks) I knew I had to make them again.

I tweaked my original pattern a bit and came up with a design I'm really happy with. It's quite fiddly to make, but it has most of the essential details. I've made a classic grey and black Dalek from the 1970s and a bronze and gold one from the new series. However fearsome the real Daleks are, when they're reduced to 7 inches tall and made of yarn, they're suddenly much more cute and cuddly, and fun to play with. One of mine found a wig I'd made for something else and decided he'd look good in it. I can't decide if he looks like Boris Johnson or if it's one of Captain Kirk's!

You can download the PDF of the pattern from Etsy or Ravelry

Geek Crafts

I must say, I'm a total geek, and making geeky things is generally my main reason for crafting. When you love a tv show, or film, or even a book, it's natural to want to make something to express your love. Here's my attempt at the geeky craft classic, Jayne's hat from Firefly. I made it for a friend years ago, and crocheted it because I can't knit.

So I love this site: http://geekcrafts.com/do-or-do-not-there-is-no-try/

Geek Crafts had the good taste to post about my Star Wars amigurumi patterns, but they've got posts about so many adorable geeky crafts I could spend ages on there!

Finn and Jake patterns ready!

My Finn and Jake amigurumi patterns are now available to buy in my Etsy shop.

You can buy both patterns together or buy them separately.

Now I just need to get on with my Jawa pattern!

Happy Star Wars Day!

I hope all you Star Wars fans out there are enjoying Star Wars Day - if you don't know it's called that because of the terrible pun: May the 4th be with you (May the Force be with you). Anyway, my amigurumis are enjoying themselves (maybe I need to crochet a Cantina for them to party in!)

You may spot a new amigurumi, a Jawa. I've been working on the pattern for him, and it'll be in my Etsy shop very soon. Just keep checking here to see when it's ready.

Have fun!

Flappy Owls, and lots of other stuff I've been making

I don't seem to have posted here for a while, but I've definitely been busy.

I have just finished testing my Flappy Owl pattern, that appeared in Inside Crochet magazine last year. I can now sell it myself, so I made two more owls to test it, and because I wanted to see what Hedwig would look like in a pullover! It's a fun pattern to make, and I would love to try out all sorts of different colour combinations. You can buy the pattern in my Etsy shop.

 

Over the winter I've been working on all sorts of amigurumi, for friends, presents, and even for myself. I'm a fan of the old tv show, Blake's 7, and so I made a friend a little Blake and Avon. They were finished late just before conventions so I didn't get good photos, but here's one he took:

I also made myself one of the creatures that appears in one of the episode, a hairy, horned critter called Og, to take to the convention.

I then decided to make a present for one of my nephews. As he likes Romans I thought I'd make him an amigurumi one, and because I'm a Doctor Who fan I based it on Rory. I had a lot of fun making the helmet.

Then, as a present to myself, I used the same basic pattern I'd been using for Rory, Blake and Avon and made a little Frodo, with a removable cloak. I'll probably develop this pattern so it could be used to make all sorts of other characters.

I've also been busy making various fun little toys for our school's Christmas bazaar, so I'll start writing up the patterns for those and posting them here. And I've been working on my Totoro patterns, improving them and coming up with a version of the grey totoro as well as smaller versions of the blue and white ones. I'll be posting the completed patterns for those very soon.

Obi-Wan Kenobi - Mini Amigurumi

I've just finished my latest Star Wars amigurumi figure - Obi-Wan Kenobi. So far I've only done characters from the Original Trilogy, so I made a little mini version of old Ben Kenobi, complete with a brown hooded robe.

I'd forgotten, until I rewatched Episode IV, quite how much I liked the character, but Sir Alec Guinness did a great job, bringing a lot of class and gravity to the whole film, and he gets some great lines. When Ewan McGregor was cast in the prequels I was pleased, as he's a decent actor (who's very easy on the eye!), and he did a good impression of Guinness which helped connect the new films to the old. With that in mind, I thought I'd make his version of the character too. The pattern is written with just a few variations - old Obi-Wan wears a long robe whereas young Obi-Wan has a shorter one so you can see his trousers and boots, and obviously the hair colour is different.

I was very pleased with how the hooded robe turned out. Nearly all the crochet I do these days is amigurumi in the round, so it was a bit different making something in rows. I was worried that something so small would end up far too stiff, but it worked just fine. I might even try making a version of Yoda from the prequels with a little hooded robe.

The pattern, including both versions of Obi-Wan, is now available in my Etsy shop.