Crochet Pattern: Energy Zing

April 18, 2012 in amigurumi, crochet, patterns | 1 comment

Yep, it’s a freebie :)

A friend commented about how cute EDF Energy’s new mascot ‘Zingy’ is. She said her son ‘needed one NOW’ so I offered to write a pattern.

Isn’t he sweet?

Here’s the pattern – you’ll need dk-weight yarn, 3.5mm crochet hook, 2x 12mm safety eyes, 1x 8mm safety eye, toy stuffing, a sewing needle, and scissors :)

Energy Zing!
Main piece
- The Pointy Bit
Rnd 1 – in an adjustable ring, dc4
Rnd 2 – (dc1, 2dc in next st) x2 – 6sts
Rnd 3 – (dc2, 2dc in next st) x2 – 8sts
Rnd 4 – (dc1, 2dc in next st) x4 – 12sts
- The Head
Rnd 5 – (dc1, 2dc in next st) x6 – 18sts.
Rnd 6 – (dc2, 2dc in next st) x6 – 24sts.
Rnd 7 – (dc3, 2dc in next st) X6 – 30sts.
Rnd 8 – (dc4, 2dc in next st) x6 – 36sts.
Rnd 9 – (dc5, 2dc in next st) x6 – 42sts.
Rnds 10-14 – dc around.
Rnd 15 – (dc5, dc2tog) x6 – 36sts.
Rnd 16 – (dc4, dc2tog) x6 – 30sts.
- The Body
Rnd 17 – (dc4, 2dc in next st) x6 – 36sts.
Rnd 18 – (dc5, 2dc in next st) x6 – 42sts.
Rnds 19-23 – dc around.
Rnd 24 – (dc5, dc2tog) x6 – 36sts.
Rnd 25 – (dc4, dc2tog) x6 – 30sts.
Rnd 26 – (dc3, dc2tog) x6 – 24sts.
Rnd 27 – (dc2, dc2tog) x6 – 18sts.
Stuff head and body before continuing.
Rnd 28 – (dc1, dc2tog) x6 – 12sts.
Rnd 29 – (dc2tog) x6 – 6sts.
Bind off and sew in ends.

Eyes (make 2)
Rnd 1 – in white, dc6 in ring
Rnd 2 – 2dc in ea st – 12sts
Rnd 3 – (dc1, 2dc in next st) x 6 – 18sts
Bind off.
Use one 12mm safety eye to attach each white circle to the head then sew around the edges of the crocheted circle to attach to the main piece of crochet.

Nose
Place the 8mm safety eye at the juncture of the white circles as a nose.

I would love to see pictures of your finished Zings :)

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This is your fault Jennie Breeden :)

April 2, 2012 in Uncategorized | No comments

The Devil’s Panties is a webcomic. It is not about satanic porn. It’s about the author, Jennie Breeden, and her friends, family, life and is very funny. There are many times I’ve been reading the strip and wondering how it is she knows the conversations my husband and I have or the silliness that goes on in my head. Apparently, I am not the only person in the world who thinks the way I do. You should all be very scared by this :)

I’m telling you all this for a reason. Jennie has written/drawn a couple of times about riding her bike and each time she has shown her helmet with bike eyes, lots of teeth and horns in several configurations (like this one). She’s also said she doesn’t have a helmet like that but wants one which got me thinking – I can’t make helmets but I can make helmet covers! So, yesterday I borrowed my son’s helmet for sizing and started knitting. I finished crocheting the eyes, horns and teeth this morning and sewing it all together this afternoon.

Here it is!
Helmeted HeadHelmeted Head

He wants a neckerchief or cowl-type thing now as the bottom jaw so it looks like he’s been eaten….

Yes, I will be writting a pattern and yes, I will take commissions if you want me to make one for you :)

So far at the studio in 2012…

March 29, 2012 in crochet, knit, STUDIOdelirium | 2 comments

So if you didn’t already know, I am one of the worst blog updaters in the world! So, here’s a picture heavy update on the things I have been working on in the last few months…

First up is one of my own designs. I made a chess set for my son for Christmas and posted pics among some of my online friends one of whom requested one for himself. They are quick and fun to make even if there are 32 pieces in total. Of course the pieces I enjoy making the most are the Queen and the King of which there are only 2 each.

**

Commissions give me an opportunity to play with new patterns and techniques as well as new yarns. This one tested me. I am not a colourwork knitter for many reasons – I lack the patience for it, my tension is questionable when carrying the yarn through the work. Mostly these things are because I do not take the trouble of practicing the necessary techniques. that being said, I enjoyed the exercise that was making this sweater to fit my customer.

This sweater is based on the one worn by the character Sarah Lund in the tv show ‘The Killing’. It’s knit in Austermann’s AlpacaSilk yarn (which is beautiful and soft and gets softer as you work with it) and in the reverse colourway. The sweater pattern is of a seamless construction instead of using raglan sleeves.

**

This Snuggle Penguin is another commission but was also an opportunity to test a pattern for another designer. I named her ‘Molly’(for no other reason than I like to name personified characters).

Though this pattern is meant to be knitted in an eyelash yarn (like Sirdars ‘Snowflake’) I had planned to knit her in a feltable yarn but instead chose to knit her with Austermann’s Merino 125, a soft, machine washable, pure merino.

The original commission asked for a penguin wearing a scarf. After choosing this pattern, it was agreed that without shoulders it would be difficult to keep a scarf on her. So I gave her a pretty button and bow instead. Molly stands roughly 10 inches tall and took less than a week to make.

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The colourway of reds, yellows, blues and blacks is called ‘Songbird’ and is the first yarn spun on my spinning wheels larger flyer. Dyed by LimeGreenJelly here in the UK, this wool yarn was spun in a fat single then plied with an orange polyester cotton thread to give it a wavy look and a new name – Sunbird.

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There are few things I have not done with knitting. One of those things was to finishing knitting a pair of socks. Not only did I manage it this year, but they fit and I even wear them but the most awesome thing about them is that they are Doctor Who socks!!! Knit Picks produced a colourway caled ‘Time Traveller’ in their Felici sock range, coloured with 6 of the 7 colours featured in the Fourth Doctor’s iconic scarf. I added the missing green at the cuff and the toe and used a TARDIS shade of blue for the heel.

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I love sock yarn. Some of the most beautiful colourways I have even come across have been in sock yarns, particularly in Schoppell-Wolle’s Zauberball range. Last year I made this mitred-square shawl using three balls of this yarn in the colourway ‘Tropical Fish’. If I wear this shawl to knitting related events, I have a lot of trouble leaving with it still in my possession.

Since adding Zauberball to the Studio’s stock I have been eyeing the fucshia colourway – in deep purples, oranges and yellows it’s like a sunset in yarn! When i came across the pattern for ‘Wingspan’ on Ravelry, I knew exactly which yarn needed to be knit into this shawl.

**


Lastly, this winter has been bitterly cold and therefore unkind to my RSI-addled hands. In an effort to let them rest some but to continue to create I have taken up patchworking. Yes, I know, I have enough crafting hobbies already and really don’t need another but this one allows me to stretch my hands instead of clenching them around needles and hooks.
During a phone conversation one day I asked my mother if she would like a patchwork quilt. She knows me well and asked ‘knitted, crocheted or sewn’. She said yes before i finished saying ‘sewn’. I chose and ordered fabrics. when they arrived she said she’d prefer a tablecloth. It’s not quite finished – needs an edge and backing yet, but here it is so far. It is far from perfect but I am pleased with it regardless. It’s all a bit like assembling a puzzle really.

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Fred in ‘The Knitter’

January 3, 2012 in amigurumi, crochet, knit, STUDIOdelirium | No comments

Go and buy this month’s issue of The Knitter and turn straight to page 9 – my little Fred is featured there!!! See?

And even better, you have a chance to win his kit as part of their giveaway! If you don’t want to wait, go to www.studiodelirium.co.uk to buy him now.

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Secret Garden Stitchers

January 3, 2012 in crochet, knit, STUDIOdelirium | No comments

Welcome to 2012 fellow yarn-crafters. Tomorrow is the first meeting of the Secret Garden Stitchers for the new year. Please come and join us from 10.30am at Studio Delirium (9b George St, St Albans, AL3 4ER) for knitting, crochet, and lots of laughter with an excellent group of crafters!

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STUDIOdelirium online store!

January 2, 2012 in admin, crochet, knit, STUDIOdelirium | No comments

The Artfire store will shortly be closing but fear not! Studio Delirium has its own domain – www.studiodelirium.co.uk. Find Handspun yarns, commercially-produced yarns, crochet and notions kits as well as magazines like Designer Knitting and Mollie Makes.
I’m still building and adding to the shop so keep an eye here for updates :)

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Crochet Pattern : Fred the Sheep

December 21, 2011 in amigurumi, crochet, patterns | No comments

If you subscribe to ‘The Knitter’ magazine you will have seen Fred the Sheep. I don’t have my copy yet but some requests for the pattern have made me realise that I have neglected to share him with you all here on Princess-Delirium.com so here he is!!

Fred the Sheep
Finished size : approx. 4″/10cm.
This pattern uses -
* DK/8ply/11wpi weight yarn in grey and cream
* 3.5mm/E size hook
Price : US$4.00

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Gratitude

November 18, 2011 in orchids, STUDIOdelirium | 1 comment

Despite being unable to attend Lex’s class assembly (in which he talked about Neptune – their topic is ‘space’) today has been a day for gratitude. My current commission is making dice bags for my local comic shop (sewn not kntted or crocheted) and was thnking how grateful I am for my mother who taught me the basics of sewing and doing a good job of it with only a basic sewing machine. I am also grateful to her for encouraging my creativity and that it has led me to where I am today – not exactly making money yet but I am doing something I love and getting to share it with the world. Which brings me to the days next moment of gratitude. I am grateful for my abilty to teach (which I also learned in part from my mum, and partly from raising my son). As I was sewing dice bag number 15, my bobbin lace student popped in to say hi and she brought me a thank you card and a gorgeous white moth orchid plant! I was very surprised and grateful to her for thinking of me in such a way. So often I don’t get any further feedback from students – it was lovely and I adore orchids which made it even more awesome :)

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Why We Knit – a dissertation.

November 15, 2011 in knit, STUDIOdelirium | No comments

Not mine I’m afraid but my friend Katy. And she needs your help.

A while ago she sent out several knitted squares with notebooks in which she wrote the following:

Hi there.

My name is Katy. I am a 2nd year Textile student specialising in knit.

As part of my degree, I am interested in knitting for others and the concept of knitting with intent. I also want to explore what happens when this is extended to a wider community – how can knitting connect us?

This is where I’m asking you to help. Using the idea of ‘travelling scarves’ I’d like to create a ‘travelling intention shawl’.

I’d like you to add to the shawl in anyway you like. It can be any size you wish, as much or as little as you are able to do. You can use any yarn you wish but I ask this it has a significance for you. Similarly, use any stitch structure you like – garter, mitre, cable. There is no wrong answer. Add the details to the book in any way you wish – draw, sketch, colour, stitch. Make your mark and pass it on.

All I ask is that this blanket/shawl is returned to me by APRIL 2012.

There is also a ravelry group where topics explore themes within my dissertation ‘Why We Knit – A Dissertation’.

Finally, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to help me.

Best wishes,

Katy.

She expected the date to hand her dissertation in to be in April but has recently found out that is has to be in in January instead so the  travelling shawl/blanket has become a non-travelling travelling shawl. Basically it stays with me and you all knit a square of any size, write a little about why you chose your yarn and why you knit, then send it to me at the studio. I will assemble the blanket and get it to Katy in time for her to hand it in with her dissertation.

Please feel free to email me with any questions but here are a few answers in anticipation of your questions :)

* Yes, you can use any yarn you like as long as it means something to you.

* The stitch and pattern are your choice.

* Make the square whatever size you like. You can even make it a rectangle but i’d like straight sides (circles don’t fit together so easily….)

* Please do not sew in the ends. Leave them long so I can use them to sew the pieces together.

* The notebook is A5 size but I can fold paper so if you only have A4 paper, send that :)

* Write about the yarn, or why you started knitting, or who taught you to knit. You can draw a picture. You can write a sonnet. You can sketch your stitch pattern. It really doesn’t matter what you do but please include at least your first name and a sample of the yarn you used so we can identify your piece later (and so I can be sure I haven’t missed anyone).

* Send your note and your knitting to me at :
Studio Delirium
9B George St
St Albans
Hertfordshire
UK
AL3 4ER

*Laastly, thank you for joining in! :)

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Online sales with Artfire!!

November 13, 2011 in knit, STUDIOdelirium | No comments

Yes, I have finally listed some things in my Artfire Studio. First thing beyond patterns to be listed in my Knitting Knotions Knitters Tool Kit.

Each kit comes in a handsewn calico bag which holds :

* a 3.50mm crochet hook
* stitchmarkers in 3 sizes for needles from 2.0mm – 6.5mm
* a needle gauge
* 2 point protectors for needles up to 5.0mm
* 2 cable needles
* a row counter for needles up to 5.0mm
* scissors
* a tape measure
* a stitch holder
* 2 wool needles
* and a mechanical pencil

All items are by Pony except the stitchmarkers (which are by Clover) and the pencil (which is by Zebra) so they are quality items.

Want one that reminds you to ‘Keep Calm and Carry Yarn‘?

Knitting Tool Kit

Keep Calm and Carry Yarn

Or maybe you prefer one that bears the image of CraftBonnet Sue?

Knitting Tool Kit

CraftBonnet Sue

 

Some colours may change but the contents remain the same.

Each bears the studio logo on the back.

Notions Kit BackYou know you want one :)

 

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