Fly me to the moon

rocket
Originally uploaded by Bearium

"Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars. Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars."

This little rocket was inspired by my son's space themed bedroom and his need for a doorstop so he doesn't have to sleep in the dark. A bean bag provides the necessary weight but is optional. It's worked in the style of amigurumi patterns in a continuous spiral and I am using UK terminology throughout.

The tension is not actually critical but the fabric needs to be dense enough that any stuffing does not protrude between the stitches. I'm using a 3.5mm hook and Sirdar Bonus DK yarn and am getting a tension of 24dc/25rows to 10cm/4". I'm not quoting quantities of yarn as you can use odds and ends from your stash. The finished height is 16cm/6.25".

Notions: plastic pellets/beads and something to make a bean bag from (I used an odd sock), toy stuffing.

Rocket Body:
Row 1: Begin with your cast on loop on your hook, using the tail of the yarn make a loop and then 6 dc into the loop. Now pull the tail of the yarn to close the loop and mark the beginning of the round.
Row 2: 2dc into every dc (12 stitches)
Row 3: (1dc, 2dc into next st) rep to end of round (18 stitches)
Row 4: (1dc into next 2 st, 2dc into next st) rep (24 st)
Row 5: (1dc into next 3 st, 2dc into next st) rep (30 st)
Rows 6-10: continue in this manner increasing 6 stitches per round until you have 60 stitches
Work 2 rows dc into every stitch
Row 13: (1dc into next 9 st, 2dc into next st) rep (66 stitches) change colour.
Rows 14-23: work 10 rows, dc into every stitch
Row 24: First decrease round. Decrease 6 stitches evenly per round by working 2 stitches together. (1dc into next 9 st, 2dc dec) rep to end (60 stitches)
Rows 25-28: work 4 rows dc into every stitch
Row 29: (1dc into next 8 st, 2dc dec) rep to end (54 st) Insert bean bag here and stuff allowing room to continue working the top edge. Continue to add stuffing as you go along.
Rows 30-33: work 4 rows dc into every stitch
Row 34: (1dc into next 7 st, 2dc dec) rep to end (48 st)
Rows 35-36: work 2 rows dc into every stitch
Row 37: (1dc into next 6 st, 2dc dec) rep to end (42 st)
Rows 38-39: work 2 rows dc into every stitch, after first row, change colour
Row 40: (1dc into next 5 st, 2dc dec) rep to end (36 st)
Row 41: work 1 row dc into every stitch
Row 42: (1dc into next 4 st, 2dc dec) rep to end (30 st)
Row 43: work 1 row dc into every stitch
Rows 44-47: continue decreasing 6 stitches per round as above until 6 stitches remain.
Cast off

Fins (make 3)

Using red yarn (or another contrasting colour), work 2 rounds as per the rocket body
Row 3: 5dc, (2dc into next st)twice, 5dc (14 stitches)
Row 4: 6dc, (2dc into next st)twice, 6dc (16 st)
Row 5: 7dc, (2dc into next st)twice, 7dc (18 st)
Row 6: 8dc, (2dc into next st)twice, 8dc (20 st)
Row 7: 9dc, (2dc into next st)twice, 9dc (22 st)
Row 8: 10dc, (2dc into next st)twice, 10dc (24 st). ss to join round. Break yarn leaving enough to attach to fin to body.

Windows: (make 2)
Using a contrasting yarn, CO and work 2 rows as per the rocket body. ss to join round. Break yarn leaving enough to attach window to body. (For a larger window, work 3 rows as per the rocket body)

Assembling the rocket:
Stuff the three fins and space them evenly around the base of the rocket. Place them so that the base of the rocket body sits on the floor. Although the weight of the bean bag in the base of the body should provide enough stability for the rocket to remain upright, the fins will add support and stop it from rolling sideways. Stitch them firmly in place. Add the windows to the rocket body and again stitch firmly in place.

Et voila, one completed rocket to do with as you please. Ok now the serious part, this is my design and I’m happy for anyone to use it. In fact, I welcome any feedback as this is the first pattern I’ve put “out there”. It is for your own personal use, do not be rude and sell it on. Thanks

Cool kitty

Cool kitty
Originally uploaded by Bearium

This is one cool dude isn't he? Sat there lolling nonchalantly on my sofa. Not unlike my real kitties actually, they loll a lot too.
I finally decided Nadia was right, it is probably a he after all, notwithstanding the pink shade of course. I can't call him Miss Pink Cat anymore, even if I gave him a bow, I think he'd still be a boy. There's something definitely masculine about him.
He's pink and he has attitude. I'm just going to have to think of something better to call him.

Can you tell what it is yet?

Amigurumi
Originally uploaded by Bearium

There's something about crocheting amigurumi that I find strangely satisfying. Maybe it's just the simplicity of it, after all you just keep on going round and round. It's funny, even the most complex of them often start off life looking like a skittle.

It's Monday so I'm rambling

I have said time and time again that I really should try and blog more regularly but for some reason I never seem to manage it. I have so many things that I want to share but I never get around to posting them all and it always seems a bit silly writing about something two or three weeks after something has happened. I'm a bit embarrassed but I've actually made myself a list of things to remind me that I'd intended to blog about them. I've discovered I'm a real list writer, I write lists for everything. A bit obsessive maybe? Possibly but I do know that if I go shopping and don't take a list, I always come back without the one vital thing I need.

So what's been happening over the last couple of days? Where shall I start? Well, I mentioned my gran briefly last time. She's been staying with us for the last week and as much I as I am always pleased to see her, a week is too long. Probably for her as much as for us. She has a different way of doing things and of course, her way is always the right way. Regardless. I would suggest that it's just because of her age but I think it's more of a cultural thing. My dad's family are from the north east and my gran is the epitomy of that north eastern stereotype of "strong" women. She's opinionated and not frightened of sharing them, which of course doesn't make for an easy life. She just can't help herself, she has to interfere. There was obviously a good reason that my dad put three hundred miles between him and his mum at the age of seventeen!
Anyhow, along with everything she disapproved of though, she did fall in love with the amigurumi bears. So I made her a little one to take away with her. Isn't he cute! and a definate improvement on the first one. I hope she likes him - I tucked him into the box of bits she was taking home.

On the amigurumi front, I'd like you to meet my little girl. Currently she's been christened "fugly betty". The name's kind of self explanatory really - I think she's going to need a bit of work to improve her looks. Actually, I'm quite pleased the computer's working this morning. I told mum what she was called yesterday and she laughed so hard she threw her coffee all over the computer!Hehe. Ugly face aside though, I am quite pleased with the adaptation of the bear pattern. I think I'll have to consider her a work in progress. lol.
I've just searched the whole house, fugly Betty is mia and I didn't get a chance to photograph her. I think Granny took her home with her. Who knew!

Back to the knitting - I thought I'd finished my Chevron jacket this morning. Yes, the sleeve is finished at last. I stitched up the shoulder seams, picked up the neck stitches that were on the holders ready to do the last couple of rows. Then I reread the pattern - I have 8 inches of collar to knit. Doh! So, the hemlockring will be waiting a little longer.
It's a good job I picked up a spare ball of yarn last week or I'd definately not have enough wool. It's official, the pattern needs an extra ball of yarn to complete so after all that umming and arring over yardage, I was right all along.

small bear sidetracks Jaywalkers!

No you're not going mad, that really is a little purple bear. I blame Laura, it's all her fault. I go to SnB knitting socks and come home hooked on Amigurumi! I've another "on the hook" that's just about ready for sharing as well, you'll have to wait until tomorrow to meet her though.So, just why am I making these little critters? Well as I was saying, Laura showed me hers, she was making it as a present for one of her friend's birthday. Having just hit birthday season, (the mighty midget has a party to go to every weekend for the next month) I of course thought what a fabulous idea and the rest as they say, is history. I scoured the internet and found this little fella - how cute is he? (even minus the rest of his face) and a couple of others that I just have to try.

I'm going to add a keyring to them too. So, there could be a hoard of four year olds wandering around Colchester with critters dangling from their backpacks.