Wednesday, 1 January 2014

Year end 2013

2013 has been a very busy but exciting year.

I started the year making a walrus and narwhal to finish off the fins and flippers pattern group.

In February I was busy picking and organising to move home. Cassi, Cal and I moved into our new house at the end of Feb. The shelf above the sofa quickly claimed by the cats as the cat shelf.

March saw my first magazine pattern of the year. My bunny and chick featured in an amigurumi special in lets knit magazine. I have just finished my next project for Lets knit I think it'll be in this years march issue, its got an Easter theme again but its a bigger project and I'm sure you'll like it.
I got lots of crafting done in March and started working on a new range of household accessory's.
At the end of the month my second magazine pattern was released in Inside crochet magazine.
Which was such a lovely birthday present I decided to write a free mini Easter bunny pattern that I released on my birthday. Its still available on my blog here
March/April was a very busy pattern writing month. I was given the opportunity to write the toy patterns for a book on crochet that will be out in the shops this Feb. It was a tight deadline and a lot of work but lots of fun. I can now finally show you some picture as info about the book is finally coming out.



This is the cover. Doesn't it look lovely. Filled with over 80 patterns including 6 of my own, this book is suitable for any level of crocheter even a beginner. Its available to pre order from amazon here

I quick peek inside at one of my patterns. A cuddly polar bear with a scarf.

I'm very excited about this book coming out so getting this little look inside from the DK website it wonderful :)

 After the book work was finished April was a month dedicated to getting some really good pattern designs under my belt. I knuckled down and worked hard. I created a new stitch along with some really traditional patterns.

 Green sweater bunny has a bear and a cat as friends but at the time this was taken they were still in pieces.

This hedgehog pattern which includes the new overworking stitch became my most popular pattern of the year but we'll get to that later.

May saw my next pattern grace the pages of craftseller magazine as Bubblebunny became a star.
I had sold the original bubblebunny at a craft fair at the end of the year before so when Craftseller asked for her. I only had an afternoon to get another one made. My crocheting speed defiantly improved after that afternoon.

In May I also made an investment to get some really good drawing pens so I could improve on my sketching and work out the colours and designs of amigurumi before I started crocheting them. My first attempts are sketching are a bit amateurish but I'm still learning and getting better every time i try.



The weather was starting to be lovely and being stuck in crocheting wasn't really what I wanted to be doing with all my spare time. I was very lucky that an old friend came back into my life under the main role as pub companion at this time. Even if I felt slightly guilty for wasting time I could be working and sending money I hardly had, I resolved not to go back to being a hermit and become more sociable since.

It wasn't all fun and games, I got some work in and started the mini patterns.
I also wrote another free pattern to go with some lovely vintage buttons that came with molly makes magazine. its still available here

June arrived with the release on my next magazine pattern for Craftseller magazine and what a surprise I got.
My first magazine cover :)

I had three magazine patterns in July. Two inside crochet and one in craftseller magazine.



Other than that I think I must have been out enjoying the sunshine as I didn't blog a lot in July. I do know I was working on the next project for Craftseller magazine. It was a big one but great fun and in August I got the happy news that my girls had made it onto to cover.





Two covers in my first year of working for magazine I was ecstatic. Work was coming in fast and patterns for my etsy shop had to go on hold while I completed the magazine work. I did get chance to make this boy doll for a tutorial on amigurumi hair I will be posting at some point.


I also had another two none amigurumi patterns published in Inside crochet.

By the end of August I had started to rework and update some of my first ever patterns. Teddy heart was given an overdue makeover.

I started to look at the way I photo my amigurumis and added making my photos better to my never ending to do list. ( a challenge for 2014 me thinks :)

If I was surprised to get two cover in one year then I was utterly thrilled when I got my third in September.
This owl doorstop had been my first ever published crochet pattern so to see it again was lovely in Love crochet. I'm currently working on my next project for Love crochet which will be another cheeky Easter surprise.

There was defiantly a woodland theme this month as my Craftseller project was woodland critters as well and this months magazine had my hedgehog, fox, raccoon and bunny pattern



I also got time to update some more patterns and work on my new idea for crochet jewelry

I still haven't had time to add long limbed bunny or blue sweater bear written up and in my etsy shop - another thing to add to that to do list.

Leah modelling my tiny crochet ball earrings (another pattern I haven't written up yet, its on the list don't worry)
My day of the dead bracelet was picked up by inside crochet magazine and they had it as an exclusive free pattern on there website for Halloween. Its still available here

October also saw the start of Christmas crafting appearing in the magazines and my Santa, elf and gingerbread man was released in Craftseller magazine

I also had my hedgehog family pattern printed in Simply crochet magazine this month

 Lucy over at attic24 made one of my hedgehog's for her wonderful Autumn wreath go have a read here and just look at this amazing wreath she made. Its because of this post by Lucy that my hedgehog pattern has become my best selling pattern ever.

The weather started to turn and I took time away from amigurumi to make something for me
I make myself a hat every year. This year I decided to go for a cloche style. Its not a very good photo and you can't really see the buckle but at some point I'll remake this and write up the pattern and photograph it better (how many thanks have I added to my to do list now?)

I had a different project for Novembers Craftseller magazine a shawl.


I love crochet and I really enjoy projects that take me out of my comfort zone. This shawl was great fun to make and looked really pretty in the magazine.

I got another bundle of fun late November when Cal gave birth to four lovely kittens


Finally December arrived and this month I was in three different magazine Craftseller, Inside crochet and love crochet.






 I was busy all month writing patterns for next years magazine and creating custom dolls for customers but I still found time to spend with friends  and family and enjoy the festivity's. I did run out of time to get my own Christmas pattern written up so yet again that's on the to do list for next year.




Pride when before a fall when I was all smug after finished piping merry Christmas on my chocolate cake for Christmas dinner, then I realised I'd spelt Christmas wrong. I'll share the photo here so you know its not just on my blog where my spelling is so bad :)

My final project for the year is a very belated housewarming gift for a friend and my first completed granny square blanket. Its been one of the most relazing things to make and very cozy as I can snuggle underneath it as it grows. I may struggle to part with it.
Cal getting in on the photo there :)

I hope you all had a lovey Christmas and new year. 2014 will hopefully be even more busy than 2013, I'll keep crocheting away whatever.
 I'll leave you now with some more pics for Cals wonderful kittens while I pop over to handmade Monday to see what the other crafty bloggers have been up to.

 Pounce.
 Pretty.

Say cheese :)

See you in 2014 xx







Monday, 9 December 2013

Whats new

This blog post is way over due so there is lots to share. Bear with me this is gonna be a very photo heavy post.

My first news is to welcome to the world Cals latest litter.

This bundle of cuteness were born on the 26th of November and are now nearly two weeks old. This is Cals third litter and will be her last but it is wonderful to see her with kittens again. She is such a happy mum.

We have two boys and two girls. They have good markings and are going to be wonderful cats. They are already starting to show their own personalities. I'm going to have great fun with them over the next few months before they find their new family's.

This little man is the main character of the group. He's the biggest and loudest, he doesn't like to be picked up yet and tells you as much if you try but hes a little chubby angel when hes asleep.

This picture was taken just as this little girl was the first to open her eyes :)

Next up and a personal best my patterns are in 3 magazines this month.


Love crochet came as a bit of a surprise. I was in Asda when i noticed the new issue was out. I picked it up cause I can't resist looking at any crochet mag and to my surprise saw bubble bunny on the cover.

Its a wonderful to see bubblebunny in print again. Love crochet have laid the pattern out very well and there are lots of tips, photos and information that make it really easy to follow.

In inside crochet it was time for my favourite squirrel to have his moment of stardom

This pattern hasn't been released anywhere else so this is an exclusive for Inside crochet so grab a copy while you can. Fans of my hedgehog pattern need to get their hands on this pattern as this squirrel uses the same overworking stitch to give him a wonderfully bushy tail.

Last and by no means least Craftseller.
Every month  my editors at Craftseller set me a new crochet challenge and this month was a great one.
They asked for a lacework angel to go on top of a Christmas tree. This had two problems to overcome. I haven't done much lacework before and how to stiffen it so it would stand ridged.

The head and body were done in a traditional amigurumi shape. We decided to keep the face blank to keep the white angelic look. The skirt and wings are made of lacework crochet but I've kept it really simple so they are easy to make if you've never tried lacework before. They are set with sugar syrup which works well but takes a lot of time - up to three days to dry. It left it a bit touch and go to hit my deadline but the finished angel will last for years and be part of many Christmases to come.

Christmas is suddenly very soon and I'm very behind on everything. I have to say I am sorry but the Christmas patterns I planned to release in my esty shop will not be ready in time. I don't want to rush them and make mistakes so they will be released next year. It will now be a full range of  patterns for Christmas 2014.

As a taster here are some pics of what I've got so far.






There is more but I'll leave it there for now as I want a cuppa and a catch up over at handmade Monday before I start work for the day (I'm making Bunny's, chicks and Easter eggs today)






Sunday, 17 November 2013

magazine work update

Well its been a while since I wrote a post so there is lots to ctach you up on.

First up my family of hedgehogs made a visit to Simply crochet magazine

This was last months issue so its not in the shops anymore but you can still get the pattern from my etsy shop or you should be able to pick up a back copy of the magazine if you contact them via their website.

 This pattern has been really popular and I've seen lots of my hedgehogs popping up all over the Internet. Lucy over at Attic24 wrote a lovely blog post about hers. she adding it to an Autumn themed wreath which I can't wait to see.

 Lucy also inspired me to write a photo tutorial as the photos in the magazine didn't really show anything help with the construction of these guys. Hopefully this will help if anyone get stuck with the new spine stitch.

 This is the finished little hedgehog I made for the tutorial. She's such a little cutie. Before my mum can steal her I'm going to run a giveaway over on my facebook page to find her a new home. To enter just head over to my facebook page and post a comment on the photo of this little hedgehog :)

She is sitting on my latest project which is another version of the shawl pattern I did for craftseller magazine

This one is in Autumn colours and will be decorated with falling leaves.

The Craftseller pattern has flower and sparkle.

 Craftseller wanted a sparkly shawl that would make a good Christmas present. As you all know amigurumi is my crochet home but I love all forms of crochet so it was great fun to get to do something a bit different.

 This pattern is ridiculously simple to make if you know the basic crochet stitches.Its also really quick to make so if you are looking for a quick make for a last minuet present it works really well.

Along with the shawl pattern you also get flower corsage pattern that can be used as a shawl pin or just use it on its own as a corsage.



That caught me up a bit although Ive lots of new patterns that I'll be adding to my etsy shop soon so stay tuned :)


Monday, 14 October 2013

Craftseller christmas trio

Working on Christmas things when its still summer outside can be hard. When I was making this Christmas amigurumi trio for craftseller magazine it was one of the nicest weekends we've had all summer, and I was inside sketching elf's and Santa's.

Making a pattern set for a magazine can be tricky as there is only so much page space your pattern can take up. To make 3 very different figures all with a lot of detail fit in the page space. I have had to make a basic body pattern that can be adjusted slightly for all 3. Only problem with this was that my Santa has been on a diet.

Sorry for the bad photo. These are the trio before I sent them in to the magazine and here they are in the mag...


This little elf is one of may favourite patterns to date. I think he's so cute. His messy hair and pointy ears just make me smile every time I see him.

Next months craftseller has a very different project from me but it'll still add a bit of sparkle to your Christmas.

In other news my day of the dead bracelet is available as a free pattern on Inside crochet new website
you can find the pattern here

I'm also working on a set of easy Halloween patterns. They should be in my etsy shop in the next few days :)

I have missed a few weeks so I'm going to have a good catch up over at handmade monday