darling ragdoll

One of the ladies of one of my favorite crochet Facebook groups, Scout, posted a gorgeous picture of her latest project and I immediately fell in love with her bunny ragdoll.  I immediately purchased the pattern, from a la Sascha, for $3.99 and started my own pink and green bunny… Not that I am a fan of that color combination but because I know a little girl who is …

As you know I am not the cleverest crocheteuse and I often encounter challenges.  This pattern triggered some frustrations but the pattern-owner Sascha was super responsive and helpful. So with a few emails back and forth from The Netherlands and the kind and dedicated help – via Messenger – from Scout from Scotland for the first row of the body, I realized my first ragdoll.  I cannot thank those two ladies enough.  Scout even got her husband to hold the camera while she was showing me the how-to on a short video … as clearly I got it soooo wrong too many times that she had no other choice!

Here is a wonderful video from Sascha.  This video won’t help but it’s very nicely filmed… Bravo to Sascha!

Sascha did hers with DK weight yarn Stone Washed from Scheepjes in grey (230m) and white (130m) | hook 3mm |  safety eyes 15mm and a nose of 15mm.

Scout used the Scheepjes DK Stone Washed (the XL would make a huge rabbit of 66 cm from tip to toe) with a 4 mm hook  | 21 mm eyes and a 18 mm nose.

I worked with what I had: DK Special by Stylecraft in Candy Floss #1130 and Spring Green #1316 with a 4.5 mm hook.  I found 18-mm eyes [2 per bag] and noses [6 per bag] at Joann Fabrics [they didn’t have any at Michaels].

I made her a little necklace in single crochet to hide my no-so-nice head stitches and a tricolor flower.

Interested in a ragdoll cat?  A bear?

Scout’s ragdoll

pinou, my first arigurumi

Here is my Pinou, baptized by my mama.   I found this super easy to follow pattern via my favorite Facebook group and even found the video with all the necessary details.  My only struggle was to attach the body parts at the same level.

Green … since I started it on an evening when I was already in bed,  this was the only yarn skein I had handy.  I should probably have used a smaller size hook since we see the filling … But mama is happy.  And even more since she has received Pinou … I will probably never understand why she wanted him …

we love them

For some good reasons, our pets are attracted to our crochet projects … they think it’s a game, they seek revenge when left alone, they appreciate the softness, warmth and coziness … or perhaps they are jealous since your attention is obviously focused somewhere else …

Here are a few of sweet pictures of pets and yarn… for your amusement .  A lot of pictures have been extracted from my favorite Facebook page [thank you Ladies!].  Dogs, cats of course but also hamster, pig, hen …

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animal world

While I thought I would never do an arigurumi simply because they are usually small and complicated … Well bored with the project I was working on, I did my first on an impulse.  From my bed, I reached out to the only skein that was on my night stand and started this cute rabbit.  In green.  I quickly notice that you better not be distracted!  It’s about counting and working in non-stop rows … so you need your full undivided attention!

My prototype got a shorter leg and a shorter arm.  I knew about the leg [interrupted I lost the count] but the arm was a surprise [thank you Arno]. It could be that the sewing reduced its length.  Anyway, my mama fell in love with my imperfect rabbit.  We picked the eyes together [via Facetime] in a stack that I still had from my Grand-Mère and soon it will be ready to ship overseas. She will be thrilled with her surprise!

Due to the enthusiasm about my greenie, I decided to start another arigurumi.  And once again, I was surfing the web and found a few nice animals …

• pig – is that a pig?
• teckel – pinkie [a variation of brownie] | brownie
• cat – sylvester
• bear – bidon
• mouse – hug buddy
• owl – cutie owl
• Baby cuddly

If you go to this website, you will find an amazingly large selection of free patterns of all kinds … humans, animals, accessories, for all and all seasons.

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felix the cat

I must admit that I spend a lot of time online looking for inspiration, trying to find the best design without being too complicated, admiring oeuvres d’art … Doing that, I found this adorable black cat ‘Sylvester’ by DROPS Design.  No doubt I will make one like that.  maybe after my teckel.

Here is its pattern.  And the picture from their website to remind me what this all about.  Once mine is done, I will show off my new pet!