Yarning with Mad Martha: Dumpling Cats

Cheerio my dears! It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it, since we last sat down for a yarn so I am making up for that dearth of craft-related natter with a charming crochet book.  Dumpling Cats: Crochet and Collect Them All! by Sarah Sloyer is a book of amigurumi patterns based on that popular app and game, Neko Atsume, or Kitty Collector for the non Japanese-speakers.  We received a copy from Dover Publications via Netgalley and here’s the blurb from Goodreads:

Waffles is a relaxed feline who loves to read, and Cheeks just can’t get enough to eat. These fun-loving characters are just two of the 25 dumpling-shaped crochet cats in this whimsical collection. The cuddly crochet critters were inspired by the Pokémon™-like craze Neko Atsume, a game that enables you to attract cats to your backyard and “collect” them. Each little dumpling has a name and personality points that add up to big fun!

You don’t have to be an expert to crochet and collect these adorable kitties — the patterns are suitable for crocheters of all skill levels. Easy-to-follow instructions are accompanied by full-color photos and simple drawings. The directions explain every stage, from ears to tail, and some of the patterns include accessories and costume items. Plus, there are bonus patterns for a cat bed, food bowls, and more!

As craft and pattern books go, this one is quite high spec.  The patterns are clearly set out with extra pictures showing how to assemble the pieces, which is always helpful for those who like to see things step by step.  Between the 25 kitty patterns are “bonus” patterns for accessories such as bowls and beds so crafters can provide a bit of comfort for their crocheted kitties.  I jumped in with the pattern for Dusty, who is pictured on the left of the cover, but since the mini-fleshlings prefer Pokemon at the moment, I modified the ears and tail to make an Eevee instead.

The beauty of this book is that it is perfect for beginner amigurumists, because the patterns are simple to follow and result in a small plush that can be created in only a few hours.  More importantly though, from an experienced crocheter’s perspective, the patterns are basic enough that they provide a variety of good base shapes that can be modified, if you have the skills, thereby opening up a whole range of creatures that could be made.  I’m already planning a Pikachu mod based on one of the plumper shapes.

Apart from the uses that I can see this having in terms of creating new spin-offs using these patterns, the book didn’t entirely work for me because I prefer working with larger sized plushies.  The small plushies produced here, that fit into the palm of your hand, aren’t as forgiving when it comes to little mistakes that can be made here and there while following the pattern.  Again though, the small sized pieces mean that a finished piece that looks pretty much like the picture is achievable for those new to the craft.

I can see myself coming back to this book to gain inspiration from the adorably squishy body shapes of the dumpling cats and I would definitely recommend it to beginners and more experienced amigurumists alike.

Yours in yarn,

Mad Martha

Yarning with Mad Martha about Nobody Likes a Goblin (+ a free crochet pattern!)

Cheerio my dears!  Today is a red-letter day because not only do I have a wonderful picture book and pattern for you, I can also reveal that today’s book – Nobody Likes a Goblin by Ben Hatke – is a Top Book of 2016 Pick!  The perfect choice for little (and large!) dungeon-crawlers everywhere, this gorgeous picture book turns RPG adventuring on its head and presents events from the point of view of the supposed villain.

After having seen the tome on Netgalley and writhing in agony because it was offered by First Second Books, who don’t accept review requests from outside the U.S., we spotted it in PanMacmillan Australia’s catalogue and were THRILLED to be lucky enough to receive a copy.  Honestly, you should have seen Bruce leaping and twirling when the book turned up on the shelf!  I won’t keep you in any more suspense however – here’s the blurb from Goodreads:

Goblin, a cheerful little homebody, lives in a cosy, rat-infested dungeon, with his only friend, Skeleton. Every day, Goblin and Skeleton play with the treasure in their dungeon. But one day, a gang of “heroic” adventurers bursts in. These marauders trash the place, steal all the treasure, and make off with Skeleton—leaving Goblin all alone!

It’s up to Goblin to save the day. But first he’s going to have to leave the dungeon and find out how the rest of the world feels about goblins.

I cannot praise this book highly enough.  Putting aside the charming and fun illustrations for the moment, the text of this book is incredibly sympathetic to Goblin’s plight, as his home is rudely invaded by adventurous “heroes” and the little introvert must take to the big wide hostile world for the sake of those he values.  My favourite part of the tale is when, after rescuing his friends from the hands of the adventurers, Goblin and his stalwart mate Skeleton are pictured quietly sitting together in the mouth of a cave, “awaiting their doom” while angry, pitch-fork wielding townsfolk amass above.

There’s something really touching about Goblin and the bonds of friendship he forms by the end of the tale.  For young readers who enjoy the RPG gaming world that encompasses the tropes that are reversed here, this will be a wonderfully affirming story that will provide a link between their reading and screen-based worlds.  It has already become a firm favourite amongst the mini-fleshlings in this dwelling, with the youngest (two and three-quarter years old) often calling out for “Nobody don’t like a goblin” as the preferred bedtime story.

We unanimously voted this a Top Book of 2016 pick and we think that Goblin and his friends will fill that special place of all memorable characters from childhood reading experiences.  For that reason, my dears, allow me to provide you with a free pattern to make your very own amigurumi crochet Goblin, so you can oppose anti-goblin sentiments while creating a cuddly little friend !  Read on for the pattern.

We are also submitting this book for the Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge hosted by Escape with Dollycas:

You can check out our progress toward that challenge here.

Yours in yarn,

Mad Martha

Free Crochet Pattern – Goblin

This pattern is a bit fiddly, so is probably best suited to those with some experience of amigurumi.  The pattern is written using US crochet terms.

You will need:

Yarn (I used acrylic) in brown, blue, green, white, black, yellow.

4 mm hook

2.5 mm hook

Yarn needle

Scissors

Head/helmet:

Using brown yarn and 4mm hook, make a magic ring.

1. Sc 6 in the ring.
2. 2sc in each sc (12)
3. *sc in next sc, 2sc in next sc* x 6 (18)
4. * sc in next 2 sc, 2sc in next sc* x 6 (24)
5. sc in each sc around (24).  Switch to green yarn.
6. sc in each sc around (24)
7. sc in each sc around (24)
8. *sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog* x 6 (18). Begin stuffing head.
9. *sc in next sc, sc2tog* x 6 (12)
10. *sc in next sc, sc2tog* x 4 (8)
11. sc2tog x 4 (4).  Sl st in next st, snip yarn and thread yarn tail through last four sc.  Pull tight and fasten off.

Helmet guard

Using brown yarn and 4mm hook, chain 20.  Slip stitch in the first chain to form a ring.

1. sc in the next 10 ch, dc in the next 10 ch, sl st to the first sc
2. Ch 2, turn, dc in next 10 stitches
3. Ch 2, turn, hdc in next 3 stitches, dc in next 4 stitches, hdc in next 3 stitches.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail, and stitch to the bottom rim of the helmet, with the longer section at the back of the head.

Horns (make 2)

Using white yarn and a 2.5 mm hook, chain 6.

1. Sc in 2nd chain from the hook and in each chain (5)
2. Ch 1, turn, sc in each sc (5)
3. Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog (3)
4. Ch 1, turn, sc in each stitch (3)
5. Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc (2)
6. Ch 1, turn, sc in each stitch (2)
7. Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sl st to FO.

Whip stitch the two sides of the triangle together and sew onto either side of the helmet.

Eyes (make 2)

Using white yarn and a 2.5 mm hook, make a magic ring.

1. Sc 6 in the ring.  Sl st to the first sc to close.

FO, embroider a black pupil in the centre and sew to face, slightly overlapping the rim of the helmet.

Jaw

Using green yarn and a 2.5mm hook, chain 13.

1. sc in second chain from the hook and in each stitch across (12)
2. Ch 1, turn, sl st in the next 3 sc, dc in next sc, sc in the next sc, sl st in the next sc, dc in the next sc, sl st in the next 3sc.

Fasten off leaving a long tail.  Attach to the bottom of the head, and using brown yarn, embroider along the top of the lip.

Nose 

Using green yarn and a 2.5mm hook, ch 4.

1. sc in 2nd chain from the hook and in each chain (3)
2. Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc (2)
3. Ch 1, turn, sc2tog (1)

Fasten off and whip stitch two sides of the triangle together to form the nose.  Attach to face.

Body/Legs

Using brown yarn and a 4mm hook, complete pattern for the head up to and including round 4.

1-5. Sc in each sc around (24)

6. Switch to blue yarn.  Sc in each sc around (24)

7. Sc in next 12 sc, skip next 12 sc, sl st in the 1st sc (12)

8-10. Sc in next 12 sc (12)

Change to brown yarn.

11. Sc in next 12 sc (12)

12. sc in next 5 sc, 2sc in next 3 sc, sc in next 5sc (20)

13. Sc in the next 8 sts, dc in the next 4 sts, sc in the next 8 sc (20)

Stuff leg and body.  FO, Cut yarn and whip stitch bottom of leg closed to form boot.

Attach blue yarn in the first remaining sc on the body and repeat pattern from row 11 to form second leg/boot.

Arms (make 2)

Using blue yarn and a 4mm hook, make a magic ring.

1.Sc 6 in the ring

2-4. Sc in each st (6)

5. Switch to brown yarn. Sc in each st (6)

6-7.  Sc in each sc (6)

Stuff the arm, squeeze the opening shut and sl st across the opening.  Ch 3 picot 5 times to form fingers.  FO and attach to body.

Shoulder guards (make 2)

Using blue yarn and a 4mm hook, chain 7.

1. Sc in 2nd chain from the hook and in each ch across (6)
2. Ch 2, turn, hdc in each st across (6)
3. Ch 1, turn, sc, dc in the next 4 sts, sc (6)

Fasten off and attach to the top of the arm.

Belt/Armour

Using brown yarn and a 2.5 mm hook, chain 30 and sl st with the first chain to form a ring.

1. Ch 1, sc in each chain (30)
2. Fur stitch (long) in the next 5 st, sc in the next 5sc, fur stitch in the next 5 st, sc in the next 5 sts, fur stitch in the next 5 sts, sl st to first st. (30)

FO, leaving a long tail.  Snip the loops of the fur stitch and sew the belt to the tummy over the join where the blue yarn changes to brown.Make sure the fur stitch sections are at the front and back, not the sides.  For the shoulder strap, chain the required length (to fit from belt, over shoulder, to belt at the back), ch 1, sc in each chain, then FO and sew shoulder strap into place.

Crown

Using yellow yarn and a 2.5mm hook, chain 30 and sl st into the first chain to form a ring.

1. Sc in each chain (30)
2. *Ch 5 picot (sl st, ch 5 and sl st in the same stitch), sc in the next 3 sc* repeat to end.  Sl st in final st.

FO, weave in end.

 

 

 

 

 

Yarning with Mad Martha about The Birth of Kitaro! (+ a free crochet pattern)

I am so happy to be with you today my dears for it has fallen to me to introduce you to one of the shelf’s new heroes (and provide you with a free crochet pattern of course!).  We received today’s graphic novel, The Birth of Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki from PanMacmillan Australia (thanks!) for review and we just fell in love with the little one-eyed yokai boy Kitaro.  Having read Mizuki’s graphic memoir, NonNonBa, a year or so ago, we knew we were likely in for a treat with this collection of short paranormal fiction stories, but we weren’t prepared for how fun and endearing Kitaro would end up being.  But enough shilly-shallying: without further ado, I present to you: The Birth of Kitaro! Here’s the blurb from Goodreads.

Meet one of Japan’s most popular characters of all time-Kitaro, the One-Eyed Monster Boy

The Birth of Kitaro collects seven of Shigeru Mizuki’s early, and beloved, Kitaro stories, making them available for the first time in English, in an all-new, kid-friendly format. These stories are from the golden era of the late 1960s, when Gegege no Kitaro truly hit its stride as an all-ages supernatural series. Mizuki’s Kitaro stories are both timelessly relevant and undeniably influential, inspiring a decades-long boom in stories about yokai, Japanese ghosts, and monsters.

“Kitaro’s Birthday” reveals the origin story of the yokai boy Kitaro and his tiny eyeball father, Medama Oyaji. “Neko Musume versus Nezumi Otoko” is the first of Mizuki’s stories to feature the popular recurring character Neko Musume, a little girl who transforms into a cat when she gets angry or hungry. Other stories in The Birth of Kitaro draw heavily from Japanese folklore, with Kitaro taking on legendary Japanese yokai like the Nopperabo and Makura Gaeshi, and fighting the monstrous recurring villain Gyuki.

With more than 150 pages of spooky and often funny comics about the titular yokai boy, The Birth of Kitaro is the perfect introduction to the award-winning author Mizuki’s most popular series, seminal comics that have won the hearts of Japanese children and adults for more than half a century.

So although Kitaro is new to us, he has been kicking around in Japan for many a good long year and is well known there as the yokai boy who is available to assist with all your yokai-removal needs, possessing, as he does, the powers of his Ghost Tribe ancestors.  The book is presented in traditional manga format, so younger readers will no doubt find great amusement in having to read from the back of the book to the front.  Before the comics start there is a short introduction explaining Kitaro’s popularity in Japan and some background about the author.  Then we dive straight in to the story of Kitaro’s birth, in which you will meet possibly the most delightful and charming ghost/zombie/undead couple upon which one could ever lay eyes.  These darling creatures are Kitaro’s yokai parents, and their only desire is to find a safe place for Kitaro to grow up before they perish for good.

Following on from this are bite-sized chunks of adventuresome goodness, as Kitaro steps in to assist with all manner of unearthly problems.  These include, but are not limited to, giant sea-cow-crab monsters, face-stealing spirits and shape-shifting cat people.  While they didn’t particularly scare us as adult readers, the stories are full of strange beings and a mythical world that I suspect most westerners wouldn’t be familiar with, so I think younger readers will appreciate this more as “horror” or at the very least, strange ghost stories, while older readers will just revel in the fun and oddity of it all.  The stories all have a tiny bit of a moral, usually related to someone or other behaving in a way that brings misery down upon themselves.  The individual stories are easy to follow and I can picture the excitement imaginative youngsters would experience on discovering Kitaro and his adventures for the first time.

At the back of the book are a few unexpected and fun activities, including a yokai wordsearch, a drawing activity, a “spot the difference” puzzle and a run-down of all the yokai featured in the stories and their geographical origins. Overall, this is an extremely impressive package and it is clear that the creators of the book have gone to great lengths to make it kid-friendly.

We at the shelf would recommend this book most highly to young readers in the middle grade age bracket or older, who are either capable readers or fans of graphic novels (or both!) and are looking for tales that are good, clean, paranormal fun.

We just loved meeting Kitaro and will definitely be seeking out the second collection of stories (which was published a number of years back) posthaste.

Now is probably the ideal time to point out that in the first story in the collection – that involving Kitaro’s birth –  we came across a character who stole the show and quickly became our favourite little disembodied (then re-embodied) eyeball of all time.  We speak of Medama Oyaji, Kitaro’s father (pictured on the cover above – the green gentleman), who, after the decomposition of his undead body, resolves into a single, sentient and extremely active eyeball.   Recreating this charming little father-figure was just too tempting to pass up and it is for that reason that I am now able to offer you….

A Free Medama Oyaji Amigurumi Crochet Pattern!

As ever, the pattern is written using American terminology, because that’s how I learned first.

You will need:

4mm crochet hook

A large amount of white yarn and smaller amounts of black yarn and the colour you would like to use for the iris (I used green).

A small amount of stuffing

A yarn needle

Scissors

Special stitches:

3dc cluster: make 3 dc in the same st.  Before completing the final dc, remove the hook, place it from back to front in the first dc you made.  Pass the hook through the last dc of the cluster, yo and pull through the first and last double crochet stitches.  This will create a little bobble.

Eyeball (Head)

Using white yarn, make a magic ring and crochet six sc in the ring

1. inc (2sc in each sc) around (12)
2. *sc in next sc, inc* x 6 (18)
3. *sc in the next 2sc, inc* x 6 (24)
4. *sc in the next 3sc, inc* x 6 (30)
5. *sc in the next 4sc. inc* x 6 (36)
6. *sc in the next 5 sc, inc* x 6 (42)
7. *sc in the next 5sc, sc2tog* x 6 (36)
8. *sc in the next 4sc, sc2tog* x 6 (30)
9. *sc in next 3sc, sc2tog* x 6 (24)
10. *sc in the next 2sc, sc2tog* x 6 (18) Turn eyeball right side out and stuff
11. *sc, sc2tog* x 6 (12)
12. sc2tog x 6 (6).  FO.  Thread yarn needle and weave end in and out of final six sc.  Pull tight to close the hole, FO and weave in the yarn end.

Body and Legs

Using white yarn, ch12 and sl st into the first ch to form a circle (12)

1-3. sc in each stitch (12)

4. sc in the next 3sc, 2sc in the next 6sc, sc in the next 3sc (18)

5-6 sc in each sc (18)

Sc in the next 4 sc, to move the beginning st to the centre of the figure’s back

Beginning of first leg:

7. sc in the next 9sc, skip 9sc and sl st into the initial sc to join

8-11  sc in each sc of the first leg (9)

12. *sc, sc2tog* x 3 (6)

13-14. sc in each sc (6)

15. sc2tog x 3 (3)   

FO.  Cut yarn and pull tight.  Using yarn needle, weave in ends.

Join new yarn in the next unworked sc of round 7.

Repeat rounds 8 to 15 to create the second leg. FO, weave in ends.

Stuff the body and legs lightly and attach to the bottom of the eyeball/head.

Arms (make 2)

Using white yarn make a magic ring and sc 6 into the ring.

1 – 5. Sc in each sc (6)

6. sc in next sc, 3dc cluster in the next sc, sc in next 2sc, 3dc cluster in the next sc, sc in the next sc (6)

7. Sc2tog x 3 (3)

FO, weave in end.  Attach arm to body.

Pupil

Using black yarn, make a magic ring and sc 6 into the ring.  Sl st into the first sc.  Pull the ring to close, but leave a small hole.

Change to white yarn.

1. Ch 1, 2sc in each sc.  Sl St in the first sc to join (12)
2. Ch1, *sc in the next sc, inc* x 6, sl st in the first sc to join (18)

Change to black yarn

3. Sl st in each sc around (18)

FO.

Using the colour of your choice, embroider colour lines onto your pupil, adding a small white square in the original black magic ring.

Attach your pupil to your eyeball/head.

Display your work proudly!

So there you have it my dears!  A fantastic paranormal adventure tome and a cute, cuddly eyeball for your very own.  You can thank me later when all  your friends are begging you to make them a charming eyeball companion.

Cheerio my dears,

Mad Martha

 

 

Yarning with Mad Martha about Crochet Stories: Grimm’s Fairy Tales…

Welcome, my dears, to another yarning session with me, Mad Martha.  If you are a fan of fairy tales and crafting, then today’s book is sure to delight and inspire!  I speak of Crochet Stories: Grimm’s Fairy Tales by Vanessa Putt, which I gratefully received from the publisher via Netgalley, and immediately immersed myself in, hook at the ready.  Before I show you my completed glories, let’s take a closer look at the book itself.  Here’s the blurb from Goodreads:

Practitioners of amigurumi, the Japanese art of crocheting stuffed dolls, will adore this collection of sixteen playful patterns for fairy-tale figures. Projects include the witch and the gingerbread house as well as the hero and heroine of “Hansel and Gretel”; the giant and the golden goose of “Jack and the Beanstalk” in addition to the beanstalk and Jack himself; the long-haired captive of “Rapunzel,” her lonely tower, and her rescuer, the prince; the animals of “The Hare and the Hedgehog” plus a juicy carrot; and the wee subject of “Tom Thumb” and his cow.

Clear instructions for creating the characters are accompanied by color photos of the finished products along with charming retellings of all five fairy tales. An introductory chapter offers general notes and tips, including pointers on working in the round, stuffing, measurements, and finishing.

Just from that front cover, I could tell that this would be a charmingly whimsical repository of achievable patterns.  What I didn’t expect was the inclusion, before each pattern set, of a traditional version of each fairy tale.  Each of these covered a couple of pages and I felt they were a neat set-up for each of the pattern sets – as well as providing the option for eager mini-fleshlings to act out the story with the dolls as it is being read.

After flipping hastily through the pages, I decided that my first attempt would be creating the witch from the Hansel and Gretel tale, mainly on account of her alluring hair.  You can see the image of the witch on the front cover there – top right hand corner.  I am pleased to say that the pattern was clear and easy to follow and the witch worked up in a jiff!  Here she is:

Despite being reasonably experienced at amigurumi, I do think this is a pattern that is simple enough for a beginner to follow, with no particular tricks or traps.  In fact, the witch is probably a bit easier than the standard person shape because she is worked in only two colours and there’s no need to complete legs…so a win for the first pattern I tried!

Next up, I couldn’t resist having a go at the heart-meltingly sweet giant from the Jack and the Beanstalk tale, dressed up as he is in his dear little lumberjack guise.  Bless!  Here he is:

The perfect gift for a hipster, craft-beer-brewing friend! This pattern was significantly trickier than that for the witch because of the colour-changes needed, the addition of legs and the patterning on the shirt.  The giant took me a little longer than expected and I felt that the hook size recommended in the pattern was a touch too big for my preferences, but I am extremely happy with the result of this pattern nonetheless.  Especially the beard – gorgeous!

As well as the people and animals in the tales, there are also structures to craft, including the witch’s gingerbread house, the beanstalk and Rapunzel’s tower.  I didn’t have quite the level of commitment to go ahead and complete them for you, but they are a fun inclusion (and a worthy challenge) for those who want to make a complete playset.  I absolutely adored the golden eggs in the Jack and the Beanstalk tale, and tiny Tom Thumb would be a fun challenge for those who like to use a smaller hook.

Overall, I was very pleased with this book.  Even though there aren’t any picture tutorials, the patterns are clear and include recommended yarn types and colours.  The patterns cover a range of skill levels and techniques, which are clearly stated at the beginning of the patterns.  I’m not convinced that this would necessarily work for an absolute beginner at crochet, but for those who know the basic stitches and want to branch out into simple amigurumi, this would be a sterling choice!

Cheerio my dears,

Mad Martha

 

 

 

 

Yarning with Mad Martha about…The Lonely Beast + a Free Crochet Pattern!

Hello my pretties! It’s Mad Martha with you today, ready to share another of our shelf’s favourite characters – Chris Judge’s Lonely Beast.  I have been working my crochet magic and have managed to bring to life everyone’s favourite hairy, tea-drinking, book-reading Irish beast, so if you are inclined to pick up a hook now and then, do scroll down for my free pattern that will assist you in creating your own furry mate.

For those of you unfamiliar with Judge’s scary-looking but big-hearted Beast, he is the title character of three delightful picture books.  The first, The Lonely Beast, published in 2011, introduces us to the Beast’s species – reclusive, introverted and apparently living all over the globe!

It’s follow-up story, The Brave Beast, sees our intrepid hero overcoming his fears to help some Islanders who are plagued by a very scary noise.

And just recently, a third Beast adventure has been published, in which another type of Beast is discovered!

Obviously I’ll have to whip up a little hat and scarf for my beastie friend once we get our paws on this one.  It’s definitely on our wishlist.

If you, or your mini-fleshlings, love picture books that have exciting, unconventional illustrations that span double page spreads and adventurous stories that feature a loveably reticent monster as a protagonist, then The Beast series is definitely one you should seek out.

Clearly, we shelf-dwellers just adore this series, which is why I was pressed into service to make our very own Brave Beast!

He is certainly a most polite shelf-guest and despite his shaggy fur, hardly sheds at all!

So here is my pattern for an Amigurumi Beast.  As usual, there may be mistakes, for which I apologise.  The pattern is written in US crochet terms because that’s how I learned first.

Chris Judge’s Lonely Beast – Free Amigurumi Pattern

…designed by Mad Martha

You will need:

1 ball black acrylic yarn

Scraps of white or yellow yarn

4mm crochet hook

scissors

wool needle

small amount of stuffing

**Fur stitch**

Insert hook into stitch.  Make a small loop with the yarn.  YO around the free end of the yarn at the bottom of your loop, and pull small section of yarn through the st.  You should have two loops on the hook, and a larger loop of yarn on the opposite side of the st.  YO and pull through both loops on your hook.  (This tutorial  gives a good explanation of the stitch for those who like a visual approach!)

Use the fur stitch on every fourth stitch in required rounds.

Head/Body

Make a magic ring and crochet 6 sc into the ring (6)

1. 2sc in each st around (12)

2.  2sc in next st, 1 dc in the next st.  Repeat x 6 (18)

3. Begin fur stitch on this round and continue using it on every round until the end of this section. 2sc in next st, sc in the next 2 sts.  Repeat x 6 (24)

4. 2sc in the next st, sc in the next 3 sts.  Repeat x 6 (30)

5 – 27. Sc around (30)

28. Sc2tog, sc in the next 2 sts.  Repeat x 6 (24)

29.  Sc2tog, sc in the next st. Repeat x 6 (18)

Stuff the head/body. Flatten last round of stitching together and sc across the bottom to close.

FO and snip the loops of each fur stitch to create shaggy fur.

Arms (make 2)

Make a magic ring and crochet 6 sc into the ring (6)

Begin fur stitch on this round and continue using it on every round until the end of this section.

1.2sc in each st around (12)

2 – 16. Sc in each st around (12)

Do NOT stuff arms.  Flatten last round of stitches and sc across to close.  FO, leaving a long tail for attaching, and snip the fur loops as before.

Claws (make one set at the end of each arm)

Attach the yarn with a slip stitch at the smaller end of the arm.  *Ch 10, and attach with a slip stitch to the base of the arm*.  Repeat * to * 3 times, for a total of four claws.  FO and weave in end.

Legs/Feet (make 2)

Make a magic ring and crochet 6sc into the ring. (6)

1 – 2. Sc in each sc around (6)

3. Begin fur stitch on this round and continue using it on every round until the end of this section.  2sc in each st around (12)

4 – 18.  Sc around (12)

Lightly stuff the legs.  Flatten the last round of stitches and sc across to close.  FO, leaving a long tail for attaching.  Snip the fur loops.

Attach the limbs to the body.  Using white or yellow thread embroider two eyes quite close to the top of the head.

Enjoy your Beast!

Cheerio my dears,

Mad Martha

 

 

 

Yarning with Mad Martha…about Book Week!

 

Welcome to an all new feature here on the shelf – Yarning with me, Mad Martha! Bruce has kindly given over some extra space in our posting schedule to yours truly so that I can share with you my passion for crochet (and yarn craft generally). I can feel your excitement levels growing, and I thank you in advance for the deep love and affection for what will no doubt become your favourite feature.

Essentially, yarning with me will involve either reviewing a crochet (or craft) related book, or sharing some of my latest projects as they relate to books that we have been reading. I already have a very exciting project book lined up for late September (wherein you can crochet your own camping adventure!), as well as an amigurumi pattern for a very popular contemporary children’s book character (hint: he’s Irish, large and hairy).

Let’s start things off with everyone’s favourite dress-up day: Children’s Book Week! This wonderful week has just passed here in Queensland, along with another year’s worth of parental anxiety over having to fashion some sort of complicated, homemade costume out of rubber bands and superglue, because their offspring neglected to mention that it was, in fact, their school’s dress up day tomorrow, until about 8.15pm of the evening before.

Happily, the only mini-fleshling in this dwelling that was required to dress up has a strong aversion to cosplay of any description and so I was called in to provide a “prop”, to ensure that said mini-fleshling could participate in the dress up in a non-stressful way and to avert any teacher-held suspicions that mini-fleshling’s parents are just (a) indifferent to reading/literacy/dressing up or (b) the negligent sort.

Enter: Mad Martha, cape neatly tied and undies on the outside, to swoop in and create the perfect bookish buddy: an amigurumi Fly Guy!

If you are unfamiliar with the Fly Guy series, I can guarantee that you are missing out. Essentially a picture book disguised as an early reader, Hi Fly Guy! is the series opener, in which we meet the titular fly and discover how he forms a firm friendship with a young boy, Buzz. There are currently about fourteen books in the fiction series, with a half dozen more recently released nonfiction tie-ins, Fly Guy Presents. The nonfiction books feature Fly Guy and Buzz exploring a range of kid-friendly topics, including space, sharks and insects.

 

Our collective favourite at the moment is I Spy Fly Guy! in which a particularly challenging game of hide and seek is carried out in a location that tends hilariously in Fly Guy’s favour. Poor Buzz! The delightful friendship betwixt boy and fly is the champion of all the Fly Guy stories and the books are a perfect blend of humour and calamity, minus the bodily-function related content that often plagues books aimed at boys of the targeted age group.  It is easy to see why the first book in the series won the Theodore Seuss Geisel award.

This series, with its bright cartoon-style illustrations and clear, short sections of text, will appeal greatly to young male readers particularly and seem to be designed to slot neatly into that difficult space between picture books and early chapter books, in which young readers want to feel like they’re reading big-kid books, but aren’t quite ready to manage longer books independently. The stories are divided into chapters, but the whole book can easily be read in a single sitting, much like a standard picture book. An added bonus, of course, is the fact that kids can become familiar with the enjoyment of reading a series – particularly the anticipation of waiting for another book to appear – and gain a sense of familiarity with the characters, settings and in turn, language used in each story.

I must admit to being incredibly proud of my finished Fly Guy plushie – almost as proud as the mini-fleshling was of writing Fly Guy’s jar label all on his own! Having brashly agreed to save the day, I immediately jumped onto that giant of time-wasting, Pinterest, certain in the knowledge that someone, somewhere, would have definitely created such a plushie before, and as such, all I would have to do would be to follow a simple pattern and enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labour.

I was wrong. Pinterest let me down. Apparently, no one, anywhere, has ever had need to crochet a cuddly version of everyone’s favourite insect. Who’d have thought? And so I toiled and frogged and toiled until I had created a friend that one could cuddle with pride. Given the short time frame (and the rage-quitting that occurred during the creation), I neglected to note down my stitches as I was working, and therefore I cannot provide the illusive pattern for Fly Guy that Pinterest so sorely needs. For this, I am not at all sorry. Pinterest didn’t help me, so Pinterest is on its own when the time for a Fly Guy amigurumi comes.

Welcoming Fly Guy to the shelf. Bruce is stunned at my crochet prowess.

Well, that about wraps up our first Yarning session – I hope you have enjoyed it! I’d love to hear what you think of my work, the Fly Guy series or Book Week, so don’t leave without commenting, will you?

Yours in craftiness,

Mad Martha