With rare bonus crafter! This was a long one – the UFO was over 100 stitches for each disc. Once again, the pattern is Lalylala’s Flying Saucer Musical Toy. I didn’t have the music maker, so instead it’s a hanging toy for a friend’s space-themed nursery. I love the little cow. And the alien. Both are fantastic.
So cute. (Pattern is Lalylala’s Alien Music Toy. Book below it is Amigurumi Monsters 2, which is completely unrelated but cute.)
With con season upon us, time for some more sf characters. These two are Karen Memery and Priya Swati from Elizabeth Bear’s books Karen Memory and its sequel, Stone Mad. Nice to have this adorable couple as my first post of Pride month!
One of the things I did new this time was using magnets so they could hold hands! Their arms are wired as well – if I had decided that earlier I probably would have gone for a full skeleton, but they are meant to travel. (Once again, these are a gift to the author!) 
Karen’s not described in a ton of detail since she’s our first person narrator, so I went with a blue dress a bit like she wears on the covers and a darker blue vest to add some visual interest. The dress is a bit stiff, but she can sit. I did want to add a scar on her cheek since she gains one near the end of the first book, but I of course picked the best yarn for it as her main skin color and the others look particularly odd on it. Might still before I’m done. We’ll see.
Priya, mad scientist in training and Karen’s love interest, is described in more detail. I went with her shorter hair from Stone Mad for ease of tinkering and a shirt and boots (though they’re hard to see in pictures) from the shopping trip in Karen Memory – a yellow and black checked fabric they pick up and dark blue boots. For the pants I figured a simple black was best – I haven’t done much complicated colorwork like this before and wanted to have them both ready in time for the next convention. Additionally, Priya’s hair was done with two yarns at the same time to add chestnut highlights to it. 
The one thing I really wish I had done differently is put the safety eyes on the other side of the doll – the color change was in front and that means the cleanest check pattern is in the back! Whoops.
I love amigurumi. Have I mentioned I love amigurumi? They’re small, work up fast, and cute. These are patterns from Jana Whitley’s Cuddly Cacti Crochet (she also goes by JanaGeek on Etsy). In particular these are the Old Man Cactus and Hen and Chicks Succulent. The cactus’s bottom isn’t flat so they’re lying down here.
The succulent here is my first time carrying a second color in stitches rather than a full change. By that metric, it went well! 
They’re very cute. I don’t have much to say but I am very pleased.
… I did not intend to take so long a break from blogging. But I figured there’s only so many pictures of giraffes and elephants I could post at a time. Instead I bring you a triceratops! Brought to you by Justyna Kacprzak’s Dinosaur Amigurumi. (I decided to leave off the toes hers has in the end – they’re cute, but the legs are worked all as part of the body and it was difficult enough maneuvering the main body around for them.) She’s cute, but also big – parts of the body have 80 stitch rounds. For me and my tendency for little guys, that’s a lot to keep track of. I even ran out of the main color yarn before hitting the frill and tail.
The craft shows went well, but we’re done for the season I think. We need to build up stock for the fall and winter, after all!
I’ve got a table at a local craft show next month! Which means building up stock. In this case, that stock is mostly currently pigs. Continue reading Elephant and Piggie and Piggie and Piggie and…
Well this one took a while. Remember how I said my favorite character in Kingdom Hearts is Xion? Well, the ending of KHIII gave me everything I wanted including a new getup for her. Which I am, it turns out, mostly capable of making!
I tweaked the original doll’s proportions so she’s a bit bigger now. Gives more space for detailwork, which is good with something as detailed and hard to see as her blouse, which… well, look at a closeup. 
I ultimately couldn’t figure out the buttons (French or Colonial knots could do it but they still don’t show up well and I can’t quite make them yet,) but she has the pleats on her skirt, the collar, the belt, and the ruffles on her sleeves. A bit clumsy at times, but did I ever try. 
I’m still super proud of the boots and skirt, which is pleated using the technique Here, and the first technique here, which is the same technique but different pictures. Both were helpful. The boots started from the base from that Tonberry pattern I did from ArtisticGaming a while back, and then modified to fit a human (if Kingdom Heartsy) foot.
The hair fit largely the same, but different size means slightly different look, and her new blue eyes are from GlassEyesOnline. I am really proud of the full result, even if, say, the wire didn’t quite go through completely straight for the arms. She’s done! And eventually, her friends will join her. But later. I have some other projects to work on.
Speaking of bracelets, I made this one yesterday as well for Valentine’s! It’s also Sailor Moon-inspired, themed after Sailors Uranus (colors: dark blue and gold) and Neptune (colors: sea green and blue.) The shell hearts feel very Neptune-y as well. Done on elastic cord because frankly? I have Plans for a later take on this if I ever pick up soldering.
So I said ‘in the coming weeks,’ like, two months ago, but timing there didn’t quite work out. Anyway, while I’m still sick and don’t want to cough all over nice scarves, I do have another creative outlet lately! 
Last year I took a course on wire-wrapping jewelry at the local community college, and I’ve found I really enjoy it. So I’ve been working on that, especially on days I don’t feel up to crocheting. (Which, again, has been often. Dang colds.) Continue reading Jewelry!
This is today. So you know, that’s where I am this week.
Alexa Appel - Blanket Dragon 