Sunday, June 30, 2013

Widget the Chihuahua Mini Snuggle




Hello beautiful people!

Its been a little since Ive posted a new pattern. I've been super busy behind the scenes working on some fabby new items!

Today I want to introduce you all to Widget, who will be the first of many mini snuggles. Why mini? Well thats a good story! You see, this year I'm going to be involved in some shoebox filling for the local community. I thought about full sized snuggles but they take up a LOT of room in a shoebox. I wanted something smaller, that would still be snuggly and cute but would leave more space in the shoebox for other items. Enter the Mini Snuggle!

Widget here is a Chihuahua, and was named after a dog my partner had in his childhood. Widget is not only super quick and super small, he is also super easy! Aside from a little sewing he is all basic stitches.

I have quite a large list of animals, characters and people to work through thanks to 1am brainstorming so you can expect a lot more of these little guys in the very near future.

The Pattern
US terms

DK weight yarn in main colour, muzzle colour and a pink for the inner ears
3mm hook
5.5mm hook
9-10mm safety eyes
Sewing needle
Stitch Marker
Small amount of stuffing

Head

R1: ch2, sc 6 times in the first ch, place marker – 6 stitches
R2: 2sc in each stitch  (12)
R3: 1sc in the first stitch, then 2sc in the next stitch, repeat (18)
R4: 1sc in the next 2 stitches, then 2sc in the next stitch, repeat(24)
R5-7: 1sc in each stitch around
R6: sc in the first 2 stitches, sc2tg in the next, repeat (18)
R7: sc in the first stitch, sc2tg, repeat (12)

Insert eyes, I put mine in between R5 and R6 and approx 5-6 stitches apart.
Add some stuffing

R8: sc2tg around, back loops only.

End off leaving long tail. Stuff head firmly. Thread the end in and out of the last 6 stitches and pull tight to gather, sew in ends.

Ears (Make 2, made in the round)

R1: ch2, 4sc in the first ch, place marker (4)
R2: sc in each stitch (4)
R3: *sc in the first stitch, 2sc in the next*, repeat (6)
R4: sc in each st around (6)
R5: *sc in the first stitch, 2sc in the next*, repeat (9)
R6-8 sc in each st around
sl st and end off leaving a long tail for sewing

Inner ear (make 2, made in rows)
R1: ch5, sc in the 2nd chain from hook and each across (4)
R2: ch1, turn, sc2tg twice (2)
R3-4: ch1, turn, sc 2 (2)
R5: ch1, turn, sc2tg (1)
End off leaving long tail

Sew the inner ear to the main ear part.
Attach ears to top of head.

Muzzle
R1: ch2, 6sc in the first chain, place marker
R2: 2sc in each stitch around
R3-4: sc in each stitch around
sl st to the next and end off, leaving a long tail for sewing onto head.

Embroider on nose and mouth and sew onto head

Adding the blanket

For anyone unfamiliar with the granny square: Each 3dc cluster from R3 on is completed in the ch1 space from the previous round, and corners are in the ch2 spaces from the previous round.


R1: With main colour, turn head upside down and join with a sl st to one of the unworked stitches from head R8. ch1 and sc in the same stitch and the remaining 11 unworked loops, join.

Change to a 5.5mm hook

R2: ch3, dc twice in the same stitch, ch2, dc 3 more times in the same stitch, *ch1, skip 2 stitches, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) in the next stitch* Repeat twice more to complete the remaining 2 corners.

R3: sl st across to the next corner (the ch2 space) and ch3, (2dc, ch2, 3dc) in the same corner, *ch1, in the next ch1 space do 3dc, ch1, in the corner do (3dc, ch2, 3dc)* Repeat for the last 2 corners, join.

R4: sl st across to the next corner (the ch2 space) and ch3, (2dc, ch2, 3dc) in the same corner, *ch1, in the next TWO ch1 spaces **3dc, ch1**, in the corner do (3dc, ch2, 3dc)* Repeat for the last 2 corners, join. End this colour.

Join contrasting (muzzle) colour

R5: sl st across to the next corner (the ch2 space) and ch3, (2dc, ch2, 3dc) in the same corner, *ch1, in the next THREE ch1 spaces **3dc, ch1**, in the corner do (3dc, ch2, 3dc)* Repeat for the last 2 corners, join.

R5: sl st across to the next corner (the ch2 space) and ch3, (2dc, ch2, 3dc) in the same corner, *ch1, in the next FOUR ch1 spaces **3dc, ch1**, in the corner do (3dc, ch2, 3dc)* Repeat for the last 2 corners, join.

Finish of and weave in all ends.



Saturday, June 8, 2013

Dorian Booties

















Hello again beautiful peeps!

Another pair of booties today. I did say id be on a roll with them this week :) Once again, the name comes from a random name generator. I'm just really bad with naming things.

This little pair would be well suited for a boy, but I am sure it would work for a girl too in more feminine colours. They would also look good with the strap in a contrasting colour, or edged in a sl st in contrasting colour, or even with a contrasting sole. Lots of possibilities! Don't forget to add your finished images to Ravelry






Mine come out at around 6cm, and will suit a baby born at 30-32 weeks gestation.

You will need:

3mm hook

DK weight yarn

2 buttons


1. ch11

2hdc in the 2nd ch from hook, hdc in the next 6 chains, dc in the next ch, dc 3 times in the end stitch, on the opposite side: dc in the first stitch, hdc in the next 6 stitches, hdc in the last (same as 1st) stitch, join

2. ch2, hdc in the same stitch, 2hdc in the next stitch, hdc in the next 6 stitches, dc in the next stitch, 2dc in each of the next 3 stitches, dc in the next stitch, hdc in the next 6 stitches, 2hdc in the nex st, 1hdc in the last st, join

3. ch2, hdc blo around (26 stitches total) join.

4. ch2, hdc in the first 10 stitches, dc2tg 3 times, hdc in the last 10 stitches, join

5. ch1, sc in the first 9 stitches, hdc2tg, hdc, hdc2tg, sc in the last 9 stitches, join. End off.

Strap
1. Leaving a long tail for sewing: ch13, dc in the 2nd chain from hook and each ch across

2. ch2, turn, dc in each stitch across

3. ch3, sl st to the bottom of the dc below to make a loop for the button (see images below)





To add strap to bootie, position strap on desired location (mine are centered over the front edge so they partly cover the opening, partly cover the toe) and sew the inside edge to the bootie. On the outside add a button and loop the button hole over it.