Octopus...

I've been working on this for the past couple of weeks - I had an idea that didn't quite turn out how I imagined.  To be honest, I lost interest about half way through!

This has been painted using Inktense pencils and pigments on paper.

Eight-Legged Freak

When I saw this pattern in the current Knitty pattern collection, I had to make it!  I wasn't sure how it would turn out, so didn't buy the wool specified but instead found something vaguely similar in our local shops.

I didn't realise quite what a large undertaking this would be - it was about ten days worth of solid knitting every evening - not difficult, just a lot of it as the octopus is life-size.

One evening was spent just sewing it together and stuffing it - each leg had to be stuffed as it was sewn in small increments.  I've been dreaming about this, and woken to be very disappointed that it wasn't finished!

My favourite part, if I had to choose, is the way the eye is made - red is a difficult colour to photograph under electric light, but you can see how lifelike it is.  This is a technique I can see me using in the future for other projects.

I think I am now suffering from a case of RSI so need to give the knitting a rest for a few days - not to worry, there are plenty of other ideas swimming round in my head!

I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside...

...so as I can't be there, I'll just paint and knit sea-related things!  This is a bit of an experimental piece, new paper, new paint, so I am not sure where it is going to be honest.  The paper is Japanese synthetic Yupo paper - very different, very thin and almost shiny and you don't feel it would take watercolours but it does. The amazing thing is that you can scrub off anything you don't want and leave the pristine white once again. The paints I am using are Derwent Graphiks paint pens - quite vibrant colours, but I am loving them.  I don;t think this will replace traditional methods for me, but I will definitely use both paper and paints inthe future but perhaps not together.

With no animation work to do, it's a chance to catch up on patterns I've been wanting to try out.  This octopus is on the current Knitty issue.  It's going to look vey cool, but after knitting one leg I've already had enough!  But I will persevere, because he keeps looking at me reproachfully...

We picked the last of the grapes yesterday - more jelly to be made today.  The birds are welcome to the remainder, but I do wish they wouldn't make such a purple mess on our patio!

Happy 2012!

Happy New Year! It's been a lovely Christmas break but unfortunately over far too soon - it's back to work at the day job tomorrow and I don't want to go!  There wasn't much time for arts & crafts over the last 10 days and I would dearly like a few free days to do more.  I did manage to make this little bag for my new phone - it's been so long since I replaced my phone that I didn't know they no longer make them the right shape to fit in the special little phone-pocket in my handbag.  As I am very hard on my phone, jamming it into pockets together with keys and dog treats, dropping it in mud, dropping it on concrete, using it in the rain...you get the idea...it seemed sensible to give it a fighting chance to last as long as the last one by making it a protective case.  This was sewn from a scrap of gorgeous watery-blue cotton, lined with bright pink felt  with an appliqued goldfish on the back.  I'm sure it won't stay looking like this for long....

I've also managed to put the finishing touches to this scarf which was knitted well before Christmas but needed the fiddly-diddlies to arrive from China.  Now it has the sweetest little mother-of-pearl buttons sewn all over it, each one with a tiny flower design on it.  Pretty and practical, it can be buttoned in place however it's new owner pleases.

I've made a fair bit of headway with this miniature fireplace - now it needs some knitted tiles to go around it as well as a grate with knitted logs and flames.....nothing too difficult, eh?  We were watching Sherlock on tv last night when I saw exactly the right kind of fireplace tiles I want to make for this - I just wonder how to condense them into 2 cm squares!

I did manage to fight my way through the debris and get to my desk for some painting a few days ago.  I've had this picture in mind since we went to Boston and photographed these tame sparrows in a bush in the park.  I know they are common little birds with no fancy plumage, but I just love them - they are such characters and I spent ages hand feeding them at Boston Harbour last year.

I got given this spectacular necklace by the lovely Sybille from Magpie Magic as a combined birthday/Christmas present.  It is so pretty and I have enjoyed wearing it over the holidays with no fear of it getting pulled apart by little fingers or covered in goodness-knows-what - the hazards of working in an infant school.  It's been great wearing decent clothes and staying clean for a fortnight - the worst I've been covered in has been a bit of mud from dog-walking and gardening.  That all ends tomorrow, back to wearing the scruffy clothes.......

Finally, daft photograph of the week.  I can't leave anything soft and fluffy around without the dog thinking it's a custom-made pillow for him.  Nothing says comfort like a stuffed octopus apparently....

Bits & Pieces.....

One photo that I forgot to upload yesterday - looks a bit dull doesn't it? My partner was snapping away at just about everything while on holiday and took this picture of a plane landing at Logan airport. It wasn't until it was downloaded on the computer and viewed on the big screen that we realised just what the large plane on the landing strip in the foreground was.....Airforce One! We'd missed the Obama motorcade - we were in the aquarium and didn't know the president was in town anyway, so it was quite exciting for us to find out we'd at least seen his plane.


Here are the pieces of fabric and bead edgings I bought at a discount fabric shop. If I'd known this lot would only total $9, I would have grabbed more......don't ask me what I am going to do with the John Deere tractor fabric, I just knew I had to have it!


Faced with the vast selection of cookie cutters, I had to be sensible and only buy ones that I knew I'd use. So we will be having lobster cookies, Golden Retriever cookies, and will never be short of Halloween shapes...unfortunately I just haven't got round to making any Halloween cookies yet, too busy!


Who could resist this gorgeous cuddly octopus? I just had to have him!


Finally, I haven't just been sleeping or washing vast piles of dirty clothes since coming back from holiday - I did finish this pretty scarf. It's knitted in purple Sublime mohair with a soft fluffy eyelash yarn edging with a touch of silver tinsel. The scarf is in simple stocking stitch with a flared edge either side, and then gathered gently down then centre to create the ruffles. This will be for sale on Etsy shortly.

Ollie Octopus

This week I bought an amazing book, Amigurumi Knits, and this is my first creature using the splendiferous patterns within. The patterns looked incredibly difficult, but once I got started and translated the overly explained instructions into proper English it was quick, easy and very effective. I think the author is just catering for every knitter's ability, whether they are complete beginners or more experienced, which makes for a lot of long explanations but once you learn to sift out what you need, the patterns are really cool.

With a Chick-chick here.....

Despite knitting like mad to complete a commission, I have had time to make a couple of fun things inbetween.


These little chickens and their chicks are so tiny and sweet - just right for Easter decorations. The plan is to have quite a few done and up on Etsy before Easter......well, I've done two at least! If you fancy a knitted chicken, they will be £3 plus p&p.


I've also made a luminous Amigurumi octopus keyring this was my own 'design' - very simple really. There will be more of these in different colours shortly. They will be £4 plus p&p.

There are more projects but still secret......