Saturday, September 25, 2010

Free Pattern: Rectangle Uglee


Materials:
WW yarn (color of choice)
G hook
Small amounts of felt (white &red)
9mm safety eyes
White embroidery thread w/ needle
Small amount of black yarn
Polyfill stuffing

Chain 21, turn
Row 1 sc in each chain space across (20 sc) turn; chain 1
Row 2 skip first sc, sc in each sc across row; turn, ch. 1
Row 3-54 repeat row 2.
Do not fasten off.

Fold the long rectangle in half, length-wise.
Working from the corner you’ve just completed slip-stich along the long slide of the rectangle, fasten off.

I work on the facial features now before stuffing and I can easily embroider with my hand inside the “body”.

Eyes:
Since this pattern can fashion more than one particular looking “Uglee” You need to decide how ugly it should be. I choose from a whole host of combinations for eyes.

*2 mis-matched somewhat circular or oblong eyes. ( I use quarters for larger circles and dimes for smaller. I free hand football-shaped eyes.)
*1 funny shaped eye
*A giant X for one or both eyes.

But this is your Uglee so if you think of an eye that matches the personality of yours, go for it!!! (Then please share your finished product, so we can oogle it!)

If I am working on 2 mis-matched circular eyes. I trace the pattern onto the felt. Cut it out, also cut a small notch out of the center of the piece of felt so you can slip the safety eye easily through the felt Attach the safety eye and felt about row 9 on the front of your stuffie. Using white embroidery floss, I fasten the felt with very fine stitches all around the edges of the felt to secure it in place.

Repeat with your second eye.

Mouth:
The same “eye” philosophy applies for deciding the personality of the mouth of your Uglee. I choose from these basic mouth styles:

A “V” shaped smile
A crooked smile
A straight line

I choose to use a WW weight black yarn (RHSS) in a large eye yarn needle and stitch in the mouth.

Teeth/Tongue:
I choose from these basic teeth styles:

1,2, or 3 small square teeth
1 fang
Tongue sticking out

I fashion these the same way I do the background for the eyes. I cut out the desired shape from the felt, place it in the desired location, then stitch around the edges to fasten it securely in place.

Body:
When you have the facial features completed you are now ready to finish slip stitiching the remaining sides of the rectangle leaving a small opening to insert the stuffing. I use the eraser end of a pencil to carefully fill in all the corners. When stuffed to your liking, whip stitch the remaining opening closed.

Legs(make 2):
Legs are made in a continuous spiral. Do not turn. Use a stitch marker to move up after every completed row or count your stitches.
Using the main body color, chain 2.

Row 1 6 sc into second chain from hook (6sc)
Row 2 2sc into every stitch around (12sc)
Row 3 *2 sc into next sc then 1sc in next stitch* repeat all the way around (18sc)
Rows 4-8 sc in every stitch
Row 9 *sc dec in next stitch then sc in neighboring stitch* repeat all the way around (12sc)
Row 10 *sc dec in every stitch around(6sc)
Rows 11 & 12 sc in every stitch around
Fasten off
Stuff lightly

Additional pattern notes:

I use the invisible single crochet decrease. You can find a great tutorial at http://www.planetjune.com/blog/the-ultimate-finish-for-amigurumi

Arms (make 2):
Arms are made in a continuous spiral. Do not turn. Use a stitch marker to move up after every completed row or count your stitches.
Using main body color, chain 2

Row 1 6 sc into second chain from hook (6sc)
Row 2 2sc in every stitch around. (12sc)
Rows 3 1 sc in next stitch, then 2 sc in next stitch; repeat around. (18sc)
Rows 4-5 sc in each stitch,
At the end of row 5, chain 3 and sc into the sc at the bottom of the chain. (forms “thumb”)
Row 6 sc in each sc around
Row 7 sc dec in first stitch then sc in next stitch; repeat around(12sc)
Row 8 sc dec in every stitch. (6sc)
Rows 9-10 sc in every stitch
Fasten off.
Stuff lightly.

Attach arms and legs to desired sides. I just use a simple whip-stitch. I like to place each arm in the center of each long side. I sew then behind the slip stitched seams.
Name your Uglee and enjoy!
Rectangle Uglee


Sketches of possible eye and mouth shapes:

Layla the Lion Ami

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

News!!! Noticias!!!

Well, sitting on my front doorstep was a box marked "Simon & Schuster" Ummmmm, I guess I forgot I ordered something. So, after I got the boys settled with a snack I set about opening my box. There were two 2011 Crochet Patter-A-Day calendars. Ummmmmmm, "Mom has lost it", I thought.Sshe meant to only order me one and accidently got the 2 button pushed, but then a little voice popped into my mind. Could it be one of my patterns made the calendar? I submitted last September, could it be???

I'm published!!!!!! Suffice it to say, it made my day. Thanks Christina and Aurora for encouraging me to submit my patterns.

I have added a pattern page to my home page so just click on the page to see a listing of my free patterns. I am removing the Spider! and Mouse Ami patterns for the year, so cutstomers who
purchase the calendar will get them exclusively.

Thanks for all the support!!!!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Presnting the Fall Hexagon Bag:




The lining is a bit loud, but it was this soft corduroy and I wasn't going to need to put stabilizer behind it, so I decided..."What the heck!!!" This was the first time I used my machine to sew the lining in place. I also made to large pockets inside.




Tuesday, September 14, 2010

WIP Wednesday

Here is the progress on my Fall Hexagon Bag: all sewn together now I need to assemble!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Drawing with Trenton

Over Labor Day weekend we had some extra time to just laze around and do whatever we wanted. My youngest DS and I pulled out our trusty colored pencils, crayons, and markers and had a drawing fest. Above is a collage of all his work. As you can tell I'm quite proud and I think he may be a chip off the block so to speak. He is very detailed oriented and quite a flair for design. He's only 7!

This one is the one I made for him, he's the biggest Club Penquin fan.


Here is the progress on my Fall Hexagon bag. I only need 7 more before I start assembling.




Have a simply sublime Saturday!

Monday, September 6, 2010

Sharp turn ahead!

Slow down and put on the brakes! I was walking through the craft aisles at WalMart today, not really in the market for anything, but just perusing when it hit me: the colors I neede for my new fall hexagon bag. Don't get me wrong, I like the color palette well enough that I had chosen in the previous post, but it didn't inspire like the summer one did, but in this swatch of material that I passed.....I have my inspiration. These colors want to make me crochet hexagons so fast, I'll be carrying this bag in a week. (Don't hold me to that, but you know what I mean.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

2 week break

Hi all! so happy to be back in blogland. With school starting, I decided to focus most of my attention on getting my class together, giving my students that lil' bit of extra TLC, mentoring the new music teacher (who is awesome and going to become a good friend!) and making sure my kiddos have my undivided attention.

I have been toying with the idea of a follow-up project to my Summery Delite bag. Above you see some of the colors I have been playing with. I can only carry my bright colored bag into September, then fashion will dictate that I carry a more seasonally colored bag. What do you think about this pallette for autumn?


My other project that I am getting ready to finish is my Flower Box Afghan. I can't decide wheter to color block it or go diagonally. Any thoughts?