Finished!

At last, I have finished Rebecca Danger's pattern

A Trip to Loop

Not much has been happening recently. I have a backlog of hand quilting to get through which is taking its time. In the meantime though I met up with Rachel and we went to Loop. I haven't done any knitting in a long, long time so we decided to buy some wool and start something new.

I'll admit, the shop is expensive, but it's very inspiring as everything in there is so tasteful. It really gets my imagination going in a way that the wool department in Selbys just doesn't. Here is the brilliant window display





So here is my purchase. Two skeins of Cascade 220 in pink and yellow.



I have decided to make one of these! which you can buy from Rebecca Danger's Etsy shop.



I thought it would make a fine present for Arthur as long as he doesn't mind the pink. Unfortunately I don't own any circular needles so I can't get started. I might have to get on my bike and see if I can find some as I think it's a great bank holiday monday project.

Three of Kind

Meet the gang. Persius is the leader. Snitch and Hortense spend most of their time following Persius around sniggering. Together they like to sit on the roof terrace smoking cigars and patrolling the grounds for slugs. There on-going mission is to rid the world of the slug scourge. In fact they meet in Marble Arch every tuesday to pamphlet their cause.

Tailored Monsters Unveiled

I like to think that Snitcher lives an international life of crime and high intrigue. He never reveals the identity behind his mask. He always keeps his back against the wall, makes 'The Lamb' taste his crumpet before it is ingested, and makes a point of probing the butter for listening devices which makes a dreadful mess I can tell you. Such drama over tea and cake. Snitcher likes to end all his sentences with '10-4', 'Roger that', 'You are clear' and always whispers into the cuff of his duffle coat. Sometimes I think he doesn't work in the large print section of the local library after all…


Muggins is pure brawn. He does whatever Snitcher tells him. 'Drive the pretty car fast as soon as we jump in', 'give the man the big black round thing then run away'. Muggins thinks the best of everybody, particularly if they offer him chocolate Bourbons and Barley sweets to suck on.


The Lamb doesn't say much. When he does share rare tidbits about himself and his salubrious life, his voice startles you with it's quiet gravelly depth, much resembling someone with a 50 a day Lambert and Butler Kingsize habit. He will only address himself in the third person starting every sentence with 'The Lamb…' He thinks nothing of stealing Muggins' Sherbet Dibdabs, making him whimper and cry. It is therefore not surprising that he always carries a shiner on his left eye.


Here they are in all their glory. The international crime ring. The henchmen. The Ateam of felt toys. Renegades from good, wholesome toyshops.

They were incredibly easy to make. I love my new little monsters. They are bigger, beefier and ready for a fight. I am not sure who they are going to go to. I thought they would make good Christmas presents but I have no idea who would like one.

Things I learned:
If you don't fiddle with that funny tension knob on the sowing machine then thick material will rip your thread

Tailored Monsters

I discovered that in tailoring, collars linings are made from a really think stout felt. It's beautiful. So I decided to make some monsters with it. I thought the dark grey would go nicely with the village fete neon thread I bought. In an effort to learn new things I went back home for an intensive mum-wisdom session where I was taught the beginnings of machine embroidery. Of course I did everything wrong, trying to sow circles that came out looking like a 3 year olds first attempts to draw. Then the mistress of sowing herself - she of the 5 year City and Guilds Hall of fame - took over and showed me how it's really done. It's amazing how much easier it is when you can observe a pro at work. So I have been sowing faces and making some new monsters. They are shifty.

Orange Monsters

So first you have to gather together your colours. I found the spotty material in a shop window on Berwick street. At the time I had no idea what I could possibly use it for; now I am thinking long dangly legs. I have been doddling and thinking. At least I have my colours. I found a great online place to get felt.

Valentine's Love Monster

I found two boxes in Paperchase that matched the exact colours of two monsters so they made the valentine hitlist out of all the applicants. Here they are ready to go complete with label tags and a matching card which sits just inside the boxes. What I really needed was one of those stamps that stamp put mini labels. I saw one once, picked it up, carried it around the shop then put it back before I left. D'oh!

Making a Monster

I know it's pretty obvious, but it's always nice to see some pictures if you've never done anything like this before. I found that the felt was really the most forgivving material. it just doesn't wrinkle so much. Otherwise I just used basic patchwork cotton.

1. Draw a template out of card, the size you want your monster
2. Draw round the template, then cut round it leaving a 1/8" seem
3. I folded some small bits of ribbon, creased the fold and taped the ends together. I then laid these in the seam facing inwards as I sowed. this allows them to face outwards when you turn them inside out
3. Sow on the line by hand or on machine leaving a gap to turn it inside out. Make it tight stitches if you do it by hand
4. Turn inside out and stuff. I used cheap wadding, I know proper stuffing is much less lumpy. Next time I'll be prepared.
5. Sow up the gap
6. I then appliqued on bellies and faces but I don't think you have to. it's quite trciky and I did mine very badly. Another lesson in Baltimore technique is called for from my mum. I used a variety of threads but I think button thread or perle is best.

My Monster Parade

Hello Nun Chucky, I like your neon face and spotty ribbon


Hello hungry, you're very bright aren't you?


Hello Teacake, you look like a japanese rabbit


Ello Treacle, I didn't think your thick felt was going to work, but I think you are my favourite.


Hello Miso, I can't work out if patterns are better then plains. I loved that fat quarter though, now I know what to do with that sort of material.


Hello Pickle, you chubby monkey you. Look at that yello belly. I can't work out if you're too pale.

Monsters

Because it's on my mind, I'll start with my newest love: making monsters. These are valentines monsters specially for all my friends. I decided to make a whole bunch to test out different materials and designs. Of course I love them all now and don't want to give any away, but I have to, it's what they're for, but before I do I have documented them for posterity.

I guess this kind of monster is around a lot at the moment but the place I got the idea was from a brilliant blog called Moopy + me

I think the things she makes are beautiful, really lovely. This combined with the master Burgerman is where my monsters could be. Now I've made them I feel like I should have sticked on them before i stuffed them then I could have done interesting faces. I think it's a free machining kind of thing though so I need to go home for a lesson mum. Rome wasn't built in a day I suppose.

Anyway, next post makes some introductions.