It’s been a while since my last post and I apologize for it. Took me a while to think of what to make for my comeback and how to express my gratitude for all your letters of support, simple hello messages and letting me know you are here, missing me and waiting for me to return. I have no words to thank you! Your selfless and generous hears have left me speechless. What I can do is to make many more free patterns available for you to enjoy, and to try to help you whenever needed.
As you can see, there are some changes on this web, and I am still working on it. I have extended it in order to add shop. Through the shop I will add some of my patterns which I have for sale. In time will add finished toys done by myself and my friends as well as materials (specially local ones) I use in my creations that are not available in your country. This way I invite all to join me in this venture. If you are interested in selling pattern or finished product on this shop, please feel free to contact me and we’ll find solution suitable for both.
We can talk more about shop later…and as I said, feel free to email me if having any questions.
Today I wish to show you Baby Unicorn which was born last week. This lovely Baby Unicorn pattern is adopted and simplified BB Dragon pattern
Materials used:
Double knit cotton yarn in white for major parts of head and body. Secondary color of your choice for accents on head, arms and legs. Color of your choice for mane and tail. If you choose to make mane and tail in multicolor yarns, choose 5 different colors.
Cotton thread No.10 or any similar weight thread in black and color of your choice for eyes), tiny bit of white (or white textile paint to add light dots on the eyes)
Crochet hook 2,5 mm
Crochet hook 1,50 or 1,75 mm (for eyes)
Embroidery needle for finishing touches on eyes (if decide to embroider light points on each eye)
Darning needle for sewing the parts together
Glue and/or invisible thread for attaching the eyes
Difficulty: Easy to intermediate
Size: finished toy measures 13 cm (5 inches) seated
Abbreviations (US terminology used):
St(s) – stitch(es)
Ch – chain stitch
Sc – single crochet
Hdc – half double crochet
Dc – double crochet
Inc – increasing stitch
Dec – decreasing stitch
** – repeat what between start by number of times that follows behind (Xn)
R – round
Work in continuous rounds or spiral work unless stated different.
Head
Start working with light blue, pink or any other color yarn you choose to make nose.
Ch6
R1 starting from the second chain from hook sc4, 3 sc in the last chain stitch, continue working around chain. Sc3, stitch 2sc in the last stitich (12 sts)
Working the last stitch on the previous round change color to white and continue
R8 (sc1, dec1) x5, sc7, dec1 (18 sts)
R9-R18 sc18
Stuff the leg nice and firm, flatten the last row and stitch through both sides making 8sts across. Tie off and leave long end for sewing later.
Arms (make2)
Ch6
Start with color of your choice chosen for making your unicorn unique (light blue, pink, yellow, light green…)
R1 sc4 starting from second chain from hook, 3 sts in one sc, continue working around chain, sc3, 2sc in one st (12)
R2 inc1, sc3, inc3, sc3, inc2 (18 sts)
R3-R6 sc18
Working the last stitch on the previous round change color to white and continue.
R7 (sc1, dec1) x6 (12 sts)
R8-R20 sc12
Stuff the arm nice and firm.
Flatten last row and stitch through both sides with 5sts across. Tie off leaving long end for sewing later.
Body
R1 Sc6 in magic ring (6 sts)
R2 inc6 (12 sts)
R3 (inc1, sc1) x6 (18 sts)
R4 (inc1, sc2) x6 (24 sts)
R5 (inc1, sc3) x6 (30 sts)
R6 (inc1, sc4) x6 (36 sts)
R7 (inc1, sc5) x6 (42 sts)
R8 (inc1, sc6) x6 (48 sts)
R9-R18 sc48 sts
R19 (dec1, sc6) x6 (42 sts)
R20 sc42
R21 (dec1, sc5) x6 (36 sts)
R22 sc36
R23 (dec1, sc4) x6 (30 sts)
R24 sc30
R25 (dec1, sc3) x6 (24 sts)
R26 sc24
R27 (dec1, sc2) x6 (18 sts)
R28 sc18
Tie off leaving long end for sewing. Stuff the body nice and firm.
Mane (make 5)
Use yarn in different colors. I’ve chosen nice pastel colors, but you don’t have to follow my lead. Important is to make 5 pairs of mane which will be sewed on head later.
Make each piece as follows:
Ch31
*Starting from the second chain from hook and crocheting on the back loops of the chain
Inc20, sc10*;
Chain next 31 sts again and repeat ** (30 sts x2)
Tie off leaving long end for sewing mane on the head later
Tail (make 5)
Use same colors as used for mane. Make 5 hairs for tail.
Ch25
Starting from the second chain from hook and crocheting in the back loops of the chain
Inc20, sc5 (25 sts)
Tie off leaving long end for sewing tail later.
How to assemble and more details you can find in free download I can prepared for you and you can find it under
Before I start with book announcement I would like to use the chance to thank you all for being part of my life for the past three years. Some of you have become my dear friends I always love to hear from.
I am this sentimental and thankful for all I have because in the last month I’ve seen and heard and witnesses sad and heart breaking people destinies, where in almost every second case children are part of it. I assigned myself as a volunteer at refugee camp at Eastern Croatian border, where we welcome, shelter, dress and feed refugees that are on the road for months before they continue their journey for some better lives out there in Europe.
Beside my gratitude to all of you who are with me and come to learn something new or try to find inspiration for your new projects or simply looking for new crochet patterns for your beloved little ones, I would like to use the chance to apologize for my lack of time and attention I give to all of you lately. I need to apologize to my publisher as well, for making this announcement post few weeks to late. I simply didn’t have time to make it earlier.
Once again thank you all for all your love, support and kindness! You are the best and I am one lucky person knowing some of you and having you around.
Now let me say few words about this awesome new book.
Few months ago when Rob Appleboom, and you all know Rob from his fabulous GREATAMIGURUMI blog, asked me if he could use my bear bunny pattern for his book I felt so honored and so happy. Later he needed doll pattern, and that is when I made Lana dolls I presented to you few months ago. Whoo hoo, I thought! Two patterns in my first book!
Isn’t that awesome!? 🙂
Rob hired magnificent group of designers who did fabulous work putting all of our (amigurumi designers who participated with their patterns in this book) patterns and photos together into one harmonized, happy and colorful book easy to follow for everyone. I am sure you’ll love this book!
In the book you can find:
14 easy to follow patterns,
photos and detailed pattern instructions to lead you all the way,
beautiful illustrations and colorful pages you will enjoy.
awesome designer patterns whose works have been tried and tested over the past few years are presented with new designs.
Thank you, thank you, thank you …. my dear and beloved friends.
I will try to return soon with some news and patterns for the Halloween. I can show you sneak peak on what I’m trying to finish (but like I said, situation is changed. I will do my best to finish this pattern in time so you can try making one yourself for this year’s holidays).
As announced few weeks ago, it is time for little lesson on how to make doll in one piece.
There are several ways on how I do it. In this, first lesson will try to show you, which I find, the easiest way on making such doll.
It is started from head and worked downwards.
This simple way can be adjusted and worked few different ways, but this post is on showing you the basics and giving you ideas on what you can do, and how it can be done when crocheting doll in one piece.
I didn’t try to write the exact pattern, but rather tried to show you the way, leaving you to try and work your own one piece doll.
It is very simple and I am sure after reading this post and seeing all the photos you will know your way and will be able to make you doll from the first try.
So how it is done?
As always, you have to have general picture on what size or kind of doll you wish to make. Size is more important, I think, because the size of your doll will determine number of stitches used for the head, arms, body and legs.
Before you start, think of what size doll you wish to make. Try to remember some nice patterns you worked on before or doll’s you liked to make, and based on that, write down these, approximate parameters.
how many stitches you will use on widest round of the head,
how many stitches you think on working for the arms
do you wish your doll to have improvised thumb or you’d like to make fingers instead
how many stitches you think on making for the body
what shape your wish body to be (oval, cone looking…)
how wide you wish your legs to be
do you want doll with feet…
Important is to have idea on size of the head compared to the body.
In my case, I like making smaller size dolls (around 25 cm, 9.8”), with big heads compared to their bodies.
I know it must sound to much to think about before starting your doll, and for some must seem pretty terrifying but it is not so.
Imagine your doll, write what you think is important for you and start. Once you’ll have the work in front of you and all those stitches to count and work with, will be easy as breathing 🙂
You’ll see!
As said at the beginning of this post, the work is started from the head and worked downwards.
Making head
Remember that you’ll need to add all featured on the head before starting to work on neck and further down.
If using safety eyes:
Add eyes as you go. If you are not sure where to place eyes, I suggest you stuff the head first, check how different sizes work with the head you made.
Place them different positions and see where you like them the best. You wish to make nice looking doll, without mistakes, so take your time. There’s no rush to place eyes that will completely destroy the look of your doll. Or to choose different size. Not stuffed head looks different from stuffed one. You are designer now, and you need to decide how your doll will look.
Once you are sure with where to place the eyes and which size to use, take the stuffing out, place eyes on, and stuff again.
Now you have doll’s head looking exactly as you imagined, right!? 🙂
You can embroider nose and lips. Try to add as many details as you wished there would be on the head.
Done and moving forward.
Make sure head is stuffed nice.
Making neck and shoulders
After you finished with head and decreased to certain amount of stitches for the neck, repeat one or two rounds to make neck visible.
After neck is done, continue evenly increasing each round for that many rounds until you reach, at least, the same stitch count as used at repeating middle rounds of the head (in most cases these are the widest rounds of the head as well).
In my case, those counted 48 sts.
My neck was 12 sts wide. After neck was made, I increased each round evenly (using 6sts increase count) until I reached round counting 48 sts.
Important, when working at doll in one piece, is to plan your stitches in advance. That is why I told you to think before you start, on how wide you wish your body to bee, arms …
You need to know approximate size(s) in order to increase to right stitch count where needed (as in this case was increasing to shoulders width. Shoulder round will soon be divided into three parts. Two for arms and one for body opening.
Making arms
We increased to shoulders. At this point, you can repeat this round one or two times. Repeating round will give you nice round shoulders and will keep your arms closer to the body. Will also circle this shoulder part nicely.
I haven’t repeated this round, and later you will see how arms on my doll are flying away from the body. It is charming for such small dolls, but if you prefer arms closer to the body, repeat shoulder round two times before proceeding with making arms.
It is time for some stitch count. Time to mark stitches where arms will be created.
Do not cut yarn . Secure the last stitch while stitches are counted and marked for the arm openings.
Flatten the shoulders or upper body part. Flat sides have to be parallel with front and back face, while corners of this flatten piece will point to the sides of the head.
Look at photos for better understanding.
Now count both sides, of this flattened shoulder piece, even number of stitches for doll’s arms.
In my case. My shoulder round was 48 sts. On each side I counted 9sts (for each arm). Marked them all, for easier crocheting later.
Same way count your stitches, mark first and last stitch of each arm opening.
As you have marked your stitches for arm openings, start working on first arm, or one where your last stitch of previous round was made.
Now this might sound confusing, but I have to mention it…
Depending on how you flattened the shoulder piece, your last stitch might end up on body opening instead on arm. In that case, make the body first, and then return to finish with arms. Nothing to worry about! 🙂
Whichever part you make first, or whichever order you choose to do is the right one. You can work body first and then make arms, or in my case arms first then body. You can even work arms at the very end, after body and legs are finished. Marked stitches are there. All you need to do is to work them in rounds, and in that many rounds as wished for arms length.
In my case, arms are done first, so let’s see what happens next.
Continue working where you last round ended and work in rounds. Make sure to connect both sides, or both of the marked stitches for each of arms.
Suggestion:
when connecting sides, I like to slip stitch and pull that stitch a little in order to bring sides very close to each other, in order to avoid wholes where connections are made.
If you choose not to, and wholes show later, you can always sew them closed with same color yarn, so no biggie, just my suggestion.
Once first round is closed and prepared to work in rounds, work as many rounds as you wish for your arms to be long.
Depending if your arms will be finger-less, with improvised thumb or with all 5 fingers made, make sure to make them appropriate size.
I know that many of you will wonder, on how to determinate arm length. I have no idea what to tell you on this one! 🙂 Really, I have none!
And again it depends on what you like, what you wish to make.
I can tell you what I like and how I count most of the times.
Like said, I like heads to be bigger compared to the body. If the head counts 20 something rounds, I like to keep my body few rounds shorter, and at least 3 increasing rounds less wide. Does it make any sense to you? That is when it comes to body.
For example, if my head was 48 sts wide, I like to keep widest body round at 30 sts the most.
If head was 20 something rounds long, I will try to keep body few rounds shorter (that would be 16, 17 or 18).
Arms and legs, most of the times, will try to keep same length as body. This is nice ratio, and you can try working with one like this on your first doll.
Now, let’s get back to our tutorial and see how arm is done and looking so far.
I’ve decided to make hands with improvised thumb.
After reaching the wrist length, I increased one round to fist width and on next round added cluster on the inner side of the arm (or the side closer to the body).
The same way you can make fingers. Sharon Ojala @ Amigurumi To Go has great tutorial on making fingers this way, towards the fingertips which will help you greatly if you decide to make fingers on your doll.
Here is the link with the pattern and video to check it needed
One done. Don’t forget to stuff it before making last round and closing. Fasten off leaving tail for sewing last round closed. Hide end inside the arm.
Prepare for next arm.
This time, we have to attach the yarn. I like to add it on one of the stitches on the back side of doll. This way, if I make them “not so nice” they keep hidden on the back 😀
Once attached and first round closed and prepared to work in rounds, work the second arm same way as first.
Both arms are done!
Here you can see how arms are “flying” away already. Missed to make one or two repeating rounds on shoulder (what I mentioned and talked about earlier).
Before continuing stuff head, neck and shoulders well. It will be very hard to add stuffing to these areas later.
Making body
Now there is body opening that needs closing and finishing.
In my case, my body opening remains with 30 sts around.
Whichever stitch count you decided to work with, connect all of the remaining stitches left for the body and work the body desired shape and length.
I decided to work on simple cylinder shape with slight decrease on the bottom. My whole body was made with 30 sts in each round.
I planned to make legs 12 sts wide. In order to reach this count I decreased on second last round to 24.
Count in advance. Know what your leg count will be, and plan your body ending and last round in advance.
Making legs
Body is finished and some more stitch count are required in next step. We need to make openings for legs, or to divide last round into two openings with same stitch count each.
You can do this two different ways. The most simple way is to count equal amount of stitches each side (and again flatten the body piece, edges facing sides, while flat sides facing front/back of the head).
Mark first and last stitch of each leg and simply continue by working on first leg, or the one where your last stitch on the previous round was made (this way you don’t need to tie off).
As you can see from above photo, this way is very simple. Each leg will be simply connected by one stitch in the middle and continued downwards in rounds.
This method is really the easiest, and the most simple one, and I am sure you won’t have any problems making it. The above connection I like to call hugging stitches connection. Nice and easy way to make legs on small dolls with few stitches on each leg.
I decided to work different way. One I like to call bridge connection.
Bridge connection leaves space between legs which is much better for bigger dolls, long legged dolls or dolls you make with more than 12 sts in each leg round.
Let’s see how the bridge is made.
And again you need to count. The bridge will determine how many stitches you wish to increase or decrease for the legs (depending on stitch count you have on the last body round).
How is that?
For example; My last body round ended with 24 sts count.
I like to make legs 12 sts in a round each, but I also want to make this gap between legs.
I decided that 3 sts between each leg is nice gap to leave. That means I have to take off 3 sts on front and 3 sts on the back of last body round (front/back= flattened sides of body piece). Taking off, is working them into bridge and closing them this way so they can’t be worked on when I start on with legs.
So where and how to add those 3 sts back?
We will add them over bridge, making bridge 3 sts wide and 3 sts long.
Wide side is our front and back, but long (depth) side where we will make new stitches for our legs.
This way you can make bridge longer, shorter, wider, more narrow….adding or decreasing stitches this way Hope it makes sense 🙂
Once stitches are counted, slip stitch to first of your bridge stitches (either side, back or front) and work as many rounds as you wish to add or decrease for your legs.
As you can see, I worked 3 stitches each side, and worked them for three rows.
Once you made your bridge, cut off the thread and sew it over the marked bridge stitches opposite side
Bridge is done and we can start making legs. At this point stuff the body nice and firm. It is very important to stuff it best possible now. It will be very hard to add stuffing later.
As you can see, I didn’t fasten off the yarn. I used small amount of other yarn for the bridge. This way I tried to keep my work of one piece doll really, as much as possible, one piece.
It also looks nicer not to keep attaching yarn all the time. No matter how neat your work is, good eye can always tell where work was fastened off and started again.
And I like to keep my work as clean and as neat as possible.
Whichever way you decided to make your openings for legs, it is time to make them.
Work one leg at the time.
Make them desired length. Decide in advance how you wish to make the feet. Simple cylinder ending, nice round, improvised feet or complete feet with all toes on….
I’ve decided to go for middle solution, and make nice round improvised looking feet.
I know many of you will wonder how to shape feet working backwards, or from top to toes. Well…you work backwards! 😀 And I am not joking!
For example, if you have nice foot pattern you worked on earlier, but worked from bottom up, you can simply use that same pattern to make your foot, but this time using the pattern backwards.
Let’s say your pattern was like this:
(using Fairy doll’s leg pattern)
R1: 6 Sc in magic ring (6)
R2: 2 sc in each st around (12)
R3: *2sc in one st, sc1* x6 (18)
R4: 18 sc
R5: dec6, sc6 (12)
R6: dec3, sc6 (9)
What you will need to do is work backwards and instead of starting at R1, you’ll start at R6 (if your leg stitch count is 9. If different from 9, adjust the stitch count accordingly, it is easy, you’ll see).
In this case your backwards work would look like this:
R1 inc3, sc6 (12)
R2 inc6, sc6 (18)
R3-R4 sc18
R5 (dec, sc) x6 (12)
R6 dec x6 (6)
Hope it makes sense. When working backwards, for increase work decreasing stitch and vice versa.
For small feet, you will never go wrong if you will simply increase 2-3 rounds over 2-3 sts each, and those stitches have to be centered in the front part of the foot. Will explain it little bit more further below.
To make sure doll’s improvised toes will point front, you need to count stitches again. And again some flattening the pieces.
Prepare your leg for foot making. Flatten the piece, but this time flattened sides, facing body sides, while edges are facing back/front
This front edge you see on above photo is crucial. This is where increases need to be centered in order to face foot right direction.
For the most simple foot shaping, like earlier said, increase this front edge of doll’s leg by 2-3 sts for two or three rounds. This is the most simple way for all of those who dislike counting stitches by number (not good if you wish to write the pattern though 😀 In that case you will have to make sure and count exact number of stitches on each round, as count exactly where these increases will be made. For your first trial, simply flatten the bottom of leg piece like shown on photo above and for each of the next 3 rounds, increase top two to three stitches. This way doll’s foot will grow longer and foot will form.
Once increasing rounds are done, repeat round or two to shape the bottom of your leg before starting to decrease.
I like to make my first decreasing round in the back loops only. This way bottom of the foot folds nicely and stays flat.
Before working last decreasing round, stuff leg nicely. Finish last round, tie off and sew last round closed. Hide yarn inside the leg.
One leg down. One more to do!
Working on remaining stitches on the body, work them all in round the same way done for first leg.
And doll in one piece is finished.
Add her clothes, hair and prepare for playing 🙂
I know this was very, very long post….hope you enjoyed it and hope you learned something new.
Also hope I have covered everything so you can start making your doll in one piece right away. In case you’re missing any info, please feel free to write and ask.
I will try to make next tutorial on how to make one piece doll from toes to head soon.
Like said many times during this post, think in advance. Plan your stitch count and know what you’ll do next. I hope all the photos I made will help you enough to overcome all doubts when making your first one piece doll.
Looking forward to see your one piece dolls soon. Many of them!
This week managed to finish Liz the Goth Doll. Liz, together with her friends is really lovely (if I can say so) 🙂
Liz is another of my simple and rather fast doll projects to make.
She comes with changeable clothes and on top of these fabulous features, most of our little ones like playing with, Liz comes with her own little doll. Little voodoo doll. Little voodoo doll is 5 cm (2″) big and goes really nice with little Liz. Pattern is in photo tutorial form you will find together with your Liz doll pattern.
I tried to write this pattern with as many details as I could remember, that I found very important for all of you to make exactly the same doll as you can see on above photo.
You can make one Liz with different colors, changeable clothes or make many different Liz dolls, each in her own favorite color(s).
I am specially proud of doll’s hair style.
For a long time I wanted to make this particular style, and I am so happy I succeeded in making one so easy and so lovely, that I really hope you’ll enjoy.
And this is not all!!
After this pattern was finished I worked on little key chain Liz for my nieces school backpack. She wanted doll with long hair, so I adjusted little Liz’s hair to create longer one this time. This is what I came up with: While regular Liz doll is 21 cm (8 inches) tall. This little one, worked in thread and with 1,5 mm hook ended up half original doll size. I smudged and decorated her with crayons, markers and glittering nail polish.
Pattern for Liz the Goth Doll is available in my Etsy shop and you can find the link right here
I would like to use a chance to announce that I’ll be going to make additional free of charge bonus to this pattern, and it will be the version for long hair, as you can see on little Liz I made for my niece.
For that reason I would like to ask everyone who will purchase the pattern, to leave me message with e-mail address where wishes to receive this long hair pattern. The pattern will be finished by Monday, when I will start sending it.
Few more photos of Liz and her friends…
Hope you like this little one! Next week starting with one piece doll explained in details and working on new free pattern to share with you soon.
after long and very hot summer, I have returned with Ella The rainbow Doll.
Las week I had friend over for a visit, who came with her 6 year old daughter Ella. After I showed Ella my crocheted dolls collection she had hard time deciding which one was her favorite. So I offered her a deal.
I told her I would make her the most special off all dolls, doll she dreams of. In order to make her wish come true, I asked I gave her colored pencils and markers and asked her to draw such doll. Told her to take her time, to take some time thinking and when completely sure to draw her dream doll.
After a while Ella came with this drawingOn the left side of the drawing you can see tarantula, while on the right side, giant African millipede is crawling. I keep few of such lovely creatures (many of you will have goosebumps hearing this 🙂 ) as pets, and Ella loved seeing them. She was specially fascinated by giant African millipedes and their size, as well as hissing Madagascar cockroaches who hissed at her every time she came near.
Now I had the drawing and next day had to start making this lovely doll we named Rainbow Princess.
As with starting any other doll, important is to know which shapes to use, where to start, and to prepare your material in advance.
I finished this lovely princess in one day. It was wonderful experience and so much fun to return to childhood and create something so simple and something so extraordinary and beautiful as Rainbow Princess Ella had drawn. Colors she has chosen, the way she put them together. High heel boots in orange color that were must have…. and so many other details that were so much fun to make.
I remember, when I saw the drawing for the first time, my first thought was “oh, nooooo”… for the open mouth with tongue showing. I was so worried and thought of ways making such mouth without many complications while crocheting.
At the end decided to simply draw the mouth using textile paints and apply them as more as drawing than to fill each stitch with color trying to make them as perfect as possible. At the end it worked nice (so I think).
On what I came up and how I crocheted doll after 6 year old Ella’s drawing is here:
thaa-dhaaa….
At the end Ella was thrilled with her doll. Do you know what amazed her the most?
Those criss-crosses you can see in front of her dress, and off course, high heels on doll’s boots 😀
If you have a little child or grand child and you don’t know what doll to crochet for them. Ask them to draw doll they’d like to have, and simply make one.
Same as your child has drawn in simple way, you crochet that simple. Keep an eye on details and colors. Those are important. If you make or fail the shape of head, or body, or make legs little shorter or even longer, child won’t notice that. On another hand, don’t forget to add details as fingers, use exact colors on locations your child drawn them, if doll has eyelashes, add them, if there is one single polka dot on drawn dress, don’t forget to make it on your doll too. Those little things are what children won’t forget and will check your work to see if it matches their drawing. I warmly recommend you try this, making a doll or toy based on your child’s drawing. Happiness when they see their dream doll come to life, is priceless.
Really hope you like little Ella The Rainbow Doll. If you wish to make doll based on your child’s drawing but not sure where to start, feel free to write and I will try to help you.
This is not the only project I’ve done this summer. I was not near PC and internet each day, but whenever I had little bit of time (and when it was not hell hot), I did work a little.
In the following weeks there will be several patterns I’ll share for free and sale.
Some of them are:
Flower Fairies
Liz the Goth dollOne piece dolls work in details( project)…general information will be shared here, but on actual project we will work through FB group.
Will be exciting with lots of news coming up. If you had hot summer, cool down in the following two weeks, gather your yarn, sharpen your hooks and get ready to start the new adventures with AmigurumiBB 😀
Thank you all for your time stopping by and reading this post. Hope you’ve enjoyed Ella the Rainbow Princess.
Time flies when we work or play… or simply enjoy the life! For the past moth I have been working and playing with my work a lot!
Finally, and yes, finally have managed to finish Flip the grasshopper pattern, one from the series of already started (Maya & Willy), and yet not all finished patterns (ants, hornets…) from Maya the Bee movie.
Finishing the pattern was disturbed and prolongated by various toys I had to make to order, and here are some of them you can see.
Leonardo from Teenage Ninja Turtles and Laalaa from Teletubies are my own creations. With Olaf was running out of time so I took a shortcut and worked based on pattern created by www.kasiulkoweprace.blogspot.com
Children who received them were over excited and really enjoying their time with new friends. Have to say that Olaf is on his vacations at the sea and is enjoying Mediterranian sun these days 🙂
Flip the grasshopper patiently waited for his pattern to be done, and finally I’ve managed to finish him today. He ended up as one remarkable toy. I am more than pleased with the outcome.
This is my second Flip. First one is already at my nieces hands, who was the initiator and has ordered all these characters from Maya the bee movie 🙂
I don;t think you’ve seen my first Flip finished, so let me show you
There is slight difference and variation of colors used in each of Flips made, but this will just give you the idea on what to expect if decided to start working on one of your own.
Working with 2 mm crochet hook and cotton yarn in sport weight, your Flip will end up of some 50 cm (20 “) tall (from foot to top of the hat).
Pattern is edited and prepared for you to download and use. The link you can find here
Violin or better say guitaoline Flip is holding is something I’ve done at the very last minute.
It doesn’t make part of the pattern!
As I have hard times keeping my patterns to myself, and I didn’t have time to write the violin pattern in details, I’ve decided to offer you basic violin shape pattern, I used, and make it possible for all of you to create violin by yourself.
Here is plain violin pattern :
Violin is made from three pieces. Bottom part, cover and neck.
Bottom part
Start with making ch12
R1 sc10, sc 3 in the last chain stitch, continue working around chain, sc9, sc 2 in the last chain stitch
R2 ch1, to alter the stitch, inc hdc, hdc in the next 2 sts, sc x4, hdc, dc x2, inc dc x3, dc x2, hdc, sc x4, hdc, x2, inc hdc x2, sl st to ch1 made at the beginning of this round
R3 ch1, hdc, inc hdc, hdc x2, sc x4, hdc, dc x2, inc dc, dc, inc dc x3, dc, inc dc, dc x2, hdc, sc x4, hdc x2, inc hdc, hdc, inc hdc, hdc, sl st to ch1 made at the beginning of this round
R4 sc around working in back loops only
fasten off leaving long tail for sewing later.
Cover part of violin
chain 12 and repeat from R1-R3
To make violin sides strong, you can add some cardboard inside. Cut out the shape that fits your violin and place it inside the top and bottom part of your violin. Thread the needle with tail yarn of the base violin part and sew around both part. Before closing add some stuffing. Do not overstuff! You need to keep the violin shape!
Violin neck:
R1 ch6, sl st last to first st to create circle and continue working in rounds
R2-R5 sc6
R6 dec1, sc4
R7-R9 sc5
R10 flatten the top round and make two sts across (working through both side stitches of your flattened piece) Make 2 sts. Continue working in rows (ch1 and turn after each row)
R11 inc2
R12-R14 sc4
R15 dec2
fasten off leaving long end for sewing. Roll the top (flattened part worked in rows) and sew it just a little so it keeps this rolled shape.
The bottom of your neck, sew on top of your violin.
Use your imagination to add details. I used toothpicks and beads for string curlers, added tiny little wooden piece to hold the strings on violins top.
Chin holder and pieces you see black are crocheted.
Bow is made from wooden stick wrapped in yarn.
Making violin is fun and I hope you will find this basic pattern useful to come up with some extraordinary ideas and make your violin beautiful and Flip happy 🙂
Hope you have enjoyed your time with all these news and most of all you will enjoy your time making Flip! Hugs to all
I would like you to meet these lovely and colorful Lana dolls.
Created this pattern two weeks ago as addition to one book on small crochet toys and dolls (that I will talk about some time in the future). This is one of two patterns I made for this book. The second pattern will show and share with you soon, and both will be available only through the shop. So far you can find it in my Etsy shop.
If you liked BB dolls, than you will looove these little ones. Easy to make, and long lasting! I have tried to come up with
the doll that can fit any little girls bag or back pack,
durable doll that can be played with for many years,
doll that can be washed,
doll which can change her clothes/shoes….
doll girls will love!
So far, both of my nieces, 4 and 7 years of age love it. Hope your little ones will feel the same!
Before I finish for today, wanted to mention that Flip from Maya the Bee movie is progressing pretty nice. So far missing only the hat to finish the pattern. If times allows me, he might be finished and pattern shared next week. Fingers crossed!
Here is little preview on how the Flip looks so far.
Have a wonderful day and happy working Monday tomorrow.
Maya the Bee is character, based on the books written by German author Walderman Bousel and first published back in 1912.
Maya was very popular in ’70s and ’80s through animated TV series. She was my favorite cartoon!
Last year Maya was released again by Studio 100 Media and what a wonderful work they’ve done.
Adventurous little bee who left the hive in order to explore the world.
I created crochet Maya for my nieces fourth birthday. She wished for and asked me to make her one (not just Maya…my niece asked for the whole set of movie characters) 😉
In two weeks time, which I had to investigate Maya’s new look (as well as look of her new friends), examine her shape(s) and develop the pattern) I was able to make just Maya and her friend Willy. They both turned out better than I expected they would (despite to lack of materials while making dolls for my little niece).
“Wow!” – was the only word my niece said after seeing her new dolls. Took both in her arms and since then they became unseparated. They play together, go to kinder garden together, eat together and sleep together.
This week she ordered Flip (which is the grasshopper, Maya’s friend; and hornet (son and father) friend (which I am not sure who he is and which role he plays in this, Maya’s movie). More for me to investigate and work on, but the trouble is worth it! 🙂
Since I had the pattern done, I feel happy to share it with all of you who wish to make Maya and Willy for your little ones. Please remember that both characters are registered and protected by the law and by any means do not make them for sale. Feel free to use this pattern to make Maya and Willy for you family and friends.
In this pattern I have written details on everything I’ve done while working on dolls I made for my niece. New Maya has special kind of hair, and that hair is what makes her character so unique. I tried to take as many photos as possible through all the process of hair making so you can make exactly the same one like I did.
here is collage of some of the photos you will find in the pattern on how to make Maya’s hair:
Second of some specialties in this pattern are painted eyes. My dolls have their eyes painted. Knowing that even mentioning painting on crocheted dolls for many of you will cause fear I decided to draw stencils, and lead you through step by step; from preparing your materials, coping to painting. I almost 100% positive anyone can make this. If you have possibility to buy any kind of textile paints in white, green and black and have some fine brushes (or can buy some)….go for painted eyes. You can make it! Children will love this!
Here are the eyes you can copy (detailed instructions on which size to copy and use them on your crocheted doll’s head, you’ll find in the pattern)
Maya’s eyes:
Willy’s eyes:
And here is little collage of photos you will find explained in details inside the pattern:
At the end what is left are the mouth. I haven’t sewed them but glued them on the head. For me it always works great! Mouth stay permanently on and are very, very easy to apply (and above all always look great).
As you can see I have really tried to make it possible for all of you to make exactly the same dolls!
So far the pattern is on test by several ladies, and so far the only problem they encountered is the way foot are made. I did made few photos and tried to explain it in the pattern, but still waiting for all testers to be done and give me feedback and their suggestions on how to make this foot explanation more simple for everyone. The foot I might to come up with in few days with new post. For now I will share photos and pattern I have made so far.
Foot starts from chain and is done in closed rounds. I call them closed rounds because each you start with chain and close with slip stitch (to chain made at the beginning of the round). The rest of the stitches are worked usual way…just this little start/end is different from continuous work.
Looking at this photo I think you can tell:
More details and complete 32 page pattern you can find and download HERE
Before we end, and before I come with some new Maya’s photo for the ladies who are testing the pattern, leaving you with few photos of my Maya and Willy.
Enjoy the pattern and feel free to write and ask for help if needed. Happy Maya and Willy crochet everyone 🙂
Eglantine is made by my very special and very dear blogger friend Arlette. Doll is completely sewed by hand and is really piece of art. Clean and firm work from head to toe! I am amazed how wonderfully doll is crafted.
She came wearing soft overall baby PJ’s.
Arlette sewed her adorable little dress as well. This dress my little Eglantine can wear when showing off to my friends and family.
More about Eglantine’s clothes and how they’re done you can read at Arlette’s blog.
I love this doll!
For a long time I wished having real Waldorf doll. I am not good at machine sewing and wasn’t confident or brave enough to sew one by hand. When Arlette told me and showed me doll she made for me I was so excited. Fell in love with Eglantine at first sight.
Today when the package arrived and when I saw her, I couldn’t stop hugging and cuddling her. She is sooooo beautiful! And I am sooooo happy!
Thank you Arlette for wonderful gift.
Can’t wait to make her few more outfits!!!
But before I start making clothes for Eglantine, have to finish editing Maya the Bee pattern. This one is coming in day or two!