Crochet Time

It was my turn to post over on It's a Creative World this weekend:
Hi all!
You may remember my post earlier in the month about Quick Knits well I've continued to knit and have even taught myself to crochet to a pattern!

First of all here's my little Gnome I was just starting last time. He knitted up really fast and came out a treat (my Sister is after him!). He was from a free pattern HERE and the only changes I made were to add some stitches tom make a nose and ears and I knitted the beard in garter stitch.

I love tortoises and knitted this teeny Torty:

I then bought a lovely pattern online for a cute piggy who was knitted- love those hooge feet!!
If you search etsy.com there are hundreds of beautiful and varied patterns for you to knit and often less than $5

I then decided that it was about time I taught myself to crochet and follow a pattern as there were so MANY adorable amigurumi patterns free on the net!

I thought I'd look for a REALLY easy pattern and spotted this cute Happy Pill pattern on Ravelry.com
(you need to sign up to use the site but you don't get any annoying emails and it's a HUGE resource!)

I had looked at instructions on how to crachet but it hadn't clicked but luckily I found this awesome tutorial on YouTube AMIGURUMI TUTORIAL and I was off!

I learnt how to decipher a crochet pattern, to increase and decrease in single crochet *beams*

So my next project was to crochet a cookie which I made up myself (get me!), followed by a cupcake from free pattern HERE and a coffee cup from HERE

I've learnt to use Slip Stitch, crochet into the front or the back of the stitch and to use HDC- half, double crochet!

Anytime I've been stuck I've resorted to Googling for the answer or heading to YouTube for a video tutorial- so easy!

As well as crocheting I've discovered 6mm black safety eyes which really give the look of an amigurumi!

So that's what I've been up to lately, I hope you enjoyed my yarn adventures and if you'd like to have a go then why not try some of these sites which have LOTS of free patterns to try!

Free Patterns:

Free Amigurumi Patterns

50 Free Adorable Amigurumi

Amigurumi Patterns.net

Ravelry.com  (requires sign up)

Complete Amigurumi Tutorial


Happy Crafting!

GlitteryKatie xXx

Knitty Update!

The Traveling Gnome:

He's finished!!! He's really quick to knit up so I think he needs a friend or two!

I added a nose and ears and knitted his beard in garter stitch for some texture!

He's very cute and only 2.75 inches small!

Willow the Beagle took a liking to him and tried to steal him, luckily I rescued him!!

Here's Gomne's Pattern (ever read the Rupert Bear story of the Gomne's?!)

I also finished Taffy Tortoise who's a real cutie- I love tortoises, used to own one as a child!

 

He's only 2" high and 3" long, perfect pocket size!! 

Here's Taffy's Pattern.

I've really enjoyed using the black safety eyes- only ever used felt or embroidery for eyes- it gives the toys a 'proper' amigurumi look I think!

Off to have a go at a little crochet and remind myself how to knit rounds!!!

Happy Crafting!
Glittery Katie
 XxxxxX

Quick Knits

It's my turn over on It's a Creative World Blog:


Well the nights are drawing in now and for me that always seems to herald KNITTING!
I love to get out the knitting needles and some wool and find some cute, quick projects to whip up in an evening!
When I was first crafting my Mum used to collect the Soft Toy patterns from Woman's Own and I FOUND my favourite pattern in the folder:

We used to knit LOADS of these guys and the lil' stockings too for school and Church fetes! They use so little yarn and knit up in no time at all!! Now obviously this is a VINTAGE pattern now *giggles* but I did find an alternative.
Jean Greenhowe has her own website on on there she has some freebie patterns including little Stockings  HERE!!
And here are just two of the MANY stockings I've already produced!! All five of us in our family has their own stocking for the tree because Santa likes to pop choccy coins in them!

So anyway I started to search to see what other cute little knitty patterns I could find online and I was delighted with the results!
Over on a GORGEOUS knitting shop called Twins Knits I found a whole host of freebies as well as her full but reasonably priced patterns which are for sale!
Here is a lovely pencil bookmark,the pattern is HERE

....and these cute little guys: HERE

And over at Mochimochi Land these lil alligators

hee hee aren't they wonderful?! Their pattern is HERE

They have at least 13 free patterns at Mochimochi Land which are the sweetest little Amigarumi (Japanese) style characters.

Then I found my fave site with LOADS of free patterns for knitted cuties Knitted Toy Box.

I am currently knitting, well finishing knitting the Traveling Gnome as it takes SO little time to knit!
Here he is visiting Paris!! His pattern is HERE!
He's so cute and little at only about 2-3" tall!

This is what he looks like tonight:

As you can see he's VERY straightforward to knit in stocking stitch with some increase stitches!
These patterns are mostly from America so the knitting jargon is slightly different however all of the patterns explain what the abbreviations mean and anything you are unsire of can easily be Googled. There are lots of online sites that 'translate' US knitting terms to UK English!
So have a go at some Quick Knits if you have a bit of time on your hands!

Here are those sites to go and pootle around for your freebie patterns:


Jean Greenhowe Patterns
Twins Knits (free Patterns on right hand side, page down)
Mochimochi Land (free knits page down on right hand side)
Knitted Toy Box

Happy Crafting!
GlitteryKatie XxXx