silly animals: series 1

It's been a long time since I've designed anything new for Silly Lily but I know that anyone who looks in on this blog (and I know there's not many of you) will know I've been rather preoccupied with crochet for the past few months. More recently I've focused on amigurumi and after a month or two practising I've (rather presumptuously) decided I'm expert enough to design a whole range of amigurumi animals!!

Without further a do, I am pleased to be able to introduce Marge, Mister Moo, Peppermint and Robert who form series 1 (a bit like Lego mini figures, etc.) of what I hope will be an ongoing collection of silly hand crocheted animals.

silly animals: series 1

Peppermint Pig loves turnips for tea!

Mister Moo prefers daisies to buttercups!

Marge Mouse pinches pecorino when nobody's looking!

and

Robert Rabbit would do just about anything for a carrot!

I have, at long last, got my act together and I'm delighted to announce that you can purchase your very own silly animal from my Silly Lily shop which is now open for business on ETSY. If you prefer to have a go at making one, the patterns can be downloaded via Ravelry for a wee fee!

I hope that somebody, other than mum and Aimee, will love them enough to want to have one (or two, or three, or four)!

Peter Puss

I'm not sure why I decided to design a cat for my first crochet pattern. I don't really like real cats but I have always found cats good inspiration for toys. Perhaps it was watching Aimee playing with the knitted cats I made her at Christmas. Who knows.

I have always worked with things finished in my head so I knew what Peter would look like before I'd even thought about how to make him. Things don't always work out exactly as I imagine them but Peter seem to come together really easily and with hardly any trial and error. I guess because I've worked on a few amigurumi patterns over the last couple of months I had a good idea how to create the shapes I needed.

In the end the trickiest part was getting his features just right; head at a jaunty angles, sad eyes and nose in the perfect spot.

I'm really pleased with the way he's turned out and so by way of thanking all the other talented people who have inspired me I have decided to share the Peter Puss pattern.

I hope somebody enjoys making him; maybe they'll be inspired too.

Say cheese everyone . . .

. . . CHEEEESE

Over the past few weeks I've hardly put the crochet hook down. Cupoftea times and lunchtimes at work, evenings, days off and weekends have been spent mastering that elusive magic circle and I've been working my way through the growing library of amigurumi patterns I've collected to try.

Wilf the wolf is my first ever amigurumi creation. I have to keep him for me because I think he's just the beginning.

Bun-Bun was a special request from Aimee.

Poppy puppy was for mum.

Bob frog is for Mary and Spike below was made for Fionn; my niece and nephew.

As for Henry? He's been much admired by Aimee and friends so who knows where he'll end up!

I owe big thanks to Cat Carlisle, Britainy Relland, Nancy Anderson, Erika Hughes, Willy-Nilly Waterlily and Jean Herman for sharing your patterns for free on Ravelry or blogs.  You have all been inspiring.

Working on all these different amigurumi I've spotted similarities in the way some of the pieces are worked and I'm feeling confident that I can maybe make up my own simple pattern. I seem to have lots of grey yarn (leftovers from a cardigan I finished last year) so have decided that Peter Puss is going to be my first amigurmi and I hope to share the pattern soon.