crafty like a fox!

[xparrot]

(A fox with opposable thumbs.)

So the thing is, I've done crochet on and off for years - my grandmother taught me with a huge size K hook when I was nine or ten - I've made a few afghans, following patterns. But for some reason the idea of amigurumi never occurred to me (else I'd have taken it up young and never stopped, given my love for stuffed toys.) A year or two ago, however, I came across this free pattern, which was too good to pass up, especially since I love the popcorn stitch. Didn't get hold of hooks in Japan, but back stateside I dug up my old bag of yarn and got to work.

(I finished these a few months back, but one was a Christmas present for gnine, so I couldn't post pics until post-holidays.)




I ended up making two Daleks, the first (black) as a practice run (it was my first amigurumi) and then the second (gold) when I had a better idea what I was doing. They're both based on the original pattern, modified for accuracy (hey, I'm a fangirl, Daleks are supposed to have 56 divots!), especially the second time around. I found perfect buttons for the eye-stalk lenses, though nothing good for the little ear-stalk lights on the dome (need to look harder!)


EXTERMINATE!


GIVE US A CUDDLE?


Flush with Dalek success, I decided I wanted to do a dragon next. Failing at finding any free patterns online that were quite what I wanted, I started with this pattern for the head, then fooled around with the yarn, crocheting and pulling out and crocheting again - crocheting without a pattern, or bothering to count stitches, makes for some nice organic shapes, rather suited to dragons, I found.





...And then Christmas came and my mother claimed the green one as her own, so now I have to make a new companion for my little gold firelizard...

Comments

[tringasolitaria.livejournal.com]

LOL - awesome! :) May I post a link on my journal?

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee, sure, link away! ^_^

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

o-omg. They're so SQUISHY. *_*

("Firelizard" - now that brings back memories. Hee. ;D)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

What, don't you always want to cuddle Daleks whenever you see them? I know I do!

Pern was one of my first fandoms, way way back when...I still want a queen dragon and a pair of firelizards :P

[captainsblog.livejournal.com]

It's sci-fi knitting day!

Present for your approval, a Jayne hat knitted by a FB (and here) Friend of mine for a friend's baby (no jokes about the platform it's being displayed on, plz):

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee, that's awesome! shiny indeed ^__^

[littlehollyleaf.livejournal.com]

Those are some of the most amazing things I've ever seen! Seriously, I would PAY MONEY to own one of those daleks! *is in awe*

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee, thank you! (heh, if I could get away with selling them, I could totally use the $$, but the BBC tends to frown on such copyright infringement ^^;)

[shadowspun.livejournal.com]

Cool. Both the Daleks and the Dragons.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee, thank you! ^^

[trystings.livejournal.com]

The Dalek's are amazing! And eeeee! - the blue dragon's little front paws!! XD

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

^___ Both dragons actually have little 3-toed front paws, but I didn't get and good shots of them...

[incandescens]

Utterly impressive! I love both dragons and Daleks!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I had a lot of fun with them...

[hungry-worm.livejournal.com]

Hee, aw, they're cute! :D

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

^___^

[zimarra.livejournal.com]

Oh Wow! Those are awesome! I had no idea you could do that!
You have such talent.:)

I'm surprised you and Lena-kun didn't have like a crochet/knitting needle war at ASIC.. That would have been an interesting event to see!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee - I didn't know I could make amigurumi myself, I never did it until these guys! I wasn't crocheting so much in Ithaca, though I should've been, I would've gotten a lot done in ASIC! ^^

[rosalui.livejournal.com]

*lols forever*

YOU WIN. I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU WIN, BUT. Crochet Daleks. I am in amazement. XD

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

From the moment I first saw the pattern I knew I had to make one (or two, why not?) - too good to pass up! ^_^

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

...well, crocheting wedding gifts is an old stand-by for me, actually. Hypothetically speaking, what color dragons would you like? <3

[tonicollins.livejournal.com]

The Daleks are terrific - of course, I'm of an age where my first thought was 'toilet paper cozy' but then I saw they had a bottom. *g*

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee, yeah, I was actually thinking of making one as such ^^

[georgiamagnolia.livejournal.com]

I love your dragons! LOVE! They are wonderful.

[georgiamagnolia.livejournal.com]

(Daleks scare me, even yarnish ones)

[lgvu.livejournal.com]

I CAN'T WAIT to try this pattern and crochet my very own dalek!!!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Have fun! It's not a terribly difficult pattern, and the end result is so worth it ^_^

[tipper-green.livejournal.com]

Those are so COOL! So, so cool! You have my total awe, right now. SO SO COOL!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee, so glad they appeal! Geeky crochet is the best kind ^_^

[cynaravurzyn.livejournal.com]

Where do your errata need to be added in the pattern?

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Errrm...that's harder to answer than it seems. With the gold Dalek, pretty much every row past 12 is changed to some extent or other; I wasn't looking at the pattern at all then, just referring to the black Dalek. If you have a question about a specific part, ask and I'll try to answer, but otherwise I'd have to write up the pattern from scratch, and that would be hard since I don't actually have the Dalek with me anymore (it's off with gnine in England!) (also I've never written a pattern before, and I am terrible about counting stitches, so fear how it would turn out ^^;)

[snarkydame.livejournal.com]

Those are the cuddliest Daleks I've ever seen! And I ♥ those dragons, too.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

hee, sparkly!Chopper! ^^

Cuddly Daleks are the best kind of Daleks! And dragons are nice no matter what. ^__^

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Thanks! ^_^

[tasabian.livejournal.com]

Adorably snuggly Daleks - they're so precious!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

All a Dalek really needs is a hug! Well, these Daleks, anyway...

[epicycles.livejournal.com]

Aw, cuddly Daleks! I can't crochet, but I knit one of these once for a tiny Whovian fangirl-in-training and I deeply regret not making one for myself. *goes hunting for needles*

And those dragons are too cute!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee, I can't knit myself, so was glad to find a crochet pattern! And yes, these are good for starting fangirls young, I think ^__^

[ro-anshi.livejournal.com]

Cannot wait to try the Daleks myself! (Hmm, maybe I should print out the pattern, grab some yarn and my box-o-hooks, and make some at your mom's Stitchy Weekend in May!)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee, they'd be good for that, they're pretty straightforward - have fun whipping one up! ^_^

[sg-lab.livejournal.com]

Hi, I found you through tringasolitaria. I've been crocheting for a couple of years now. I'm making dishcloths to sell on ebay soon.

But when I read her post saying crocheted Daleks I had to check your post out. Really wonderful job of both the Daleks and dragons. I haven't done amigurumi yet but I've seen some patterns.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee, thank you! Amigurumi isn't too difficult, at least I haven't found it such - and it's lots of fun! ^^

[lavvyan.livejournal.com]

Hee, so awesome! I love the firelizards! ♥

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

The temptation to do a blue, brown, and bronze is strong, I admit ^_^

[attaccabottoni.livejournal.com]

These are so cute! I especially like their color. And the little button-Dalek toilet plunger thingee is just adorable.

I've done crochet since I was 11, but since I am the laziest girl ever when it comes to anything involving a needle and thread (thank God we never did knitting at school... I mean, 2 needles would be too much for me), the only think I know to do are doilies.

Now you made me think on the possibilities of Dalek doilies.

My yarn and hook are untouched in more than a decade but in working condition, so I'm looking forward to see if I still got the hang of it. :D

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

The color was lucky - I went to the shop and the first yellow-ish yarn I saw was just the right shade - a little brighter than the real thing, but with the right shine to it. (also good for gold dragons! and faux strawhats as it turned out...)

Heee, Dalek doilies would be awesome! I've never done lace-crochet, only yarn, but have been meaning to learn, have a friend who does really pretty little things.

[less-star.livejournal.com]

Awww, cuddling Daleks!! So completely awesome!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

All a Dalek really needs is a good cuddle! ^_^