JLA vs. Avengers

Just finished the Justice League of America.  Really like how Flash came out. Batman's ears are a little floppy for my liking but they look alright.

I only had these cans...

Also finished the Avengers.

Comic versions of everyone except for movie Fury because he was easier...

I still like the JLA better.

There were a lot of loose ends in the back for the color changes but half way through I used a technique that I learned for Fair Isle knitting for colors that were used close together in a row, like in Hawkeye's mask, where you twist the yarns around each other in the back.  It greatly reduces the amount of loose yarns though you do end up using a bit more yarn.

Another thing, the rows move in a spiral pattern so you have to adjust the design for that. I often offset a row in between in order to keep things straight.

Other than that, this made me realize how similar people's costumes were to each other.  I basically used the same colors over again.

I've run out of ideas for cozies but I might try a few more designs. I got a request for Alice in Wonderland and Ninja Turtles.

I'm hoping to go to the yarn store tomorrow so I can stock up before I find my next thing to make.  Let me know what you think and ideas are welcome.

Cozy Crazy

Went a little cozy crazy this week.  Made the Totoro one for my friend and she took it to her office.  The next thing I know, I'm making a ton!  I started off with the Cthulhu one because I was familiar with making tentacles.  The next day I had an order for a Doraemon one.   

The formula I use is one that I adjusted from Denton's Inventions.  I use the Red Heart yarn mostly so I found that my cozies weren't big enough.  The pattern is pretty forgiving and I mostly just freestyle the designs on after doing a rough approximation on graph paper.

Currently working through the Avengers.  I wanted to do the JLA since I love love love DC way more than Marvel but sadly, I'm lacking a few colors.  I still have to do Hawkeye and Fury.  I've been doing comic versions of the cast but can't decide whether to make Fury comic version or movie version.

Cozy:

1. CH 40, SL ST with first chain

2-4. SC all (3 Rows)

5. (9 SC, DEC, 9 SC)*

5-7. SC all (3 Rows)

8. (17 SC, DEC)*

9-10. SC all (2 Rows)

11. (8 SC, DEC, 8 SC)*
12. SC all

SL ST to end

All detailing was done with yarn, except for Totoro's eyes which were made with buttons.

Cthulhu Tentacles:

Coil A: CH 16, (2 SC, INC)x5

Coil B: CH 13, (2 SC, INC)x4

On Row 12: 15 SC, Coil A, SC, Coil B, SC, Coil A, SC, Coil B, SC, Coil A, 15 SC

For all extremity items like the wings and ears, I wove the long finished end through the outer edge of the wings/ ears to help them keep the shape.

Captain America's Wings:

1. CH 4, Turn

2. 3 SC, CH 4, Turn

3. 3 SC, 3 HDC, turn

4. 5 SC, CH 4, Turn

5. 3 SC, 5 HDC, Turn

6. 6 SC, CH 4, Turn

7. 3 SC, 6 HDC, finish

Totoro Ears:

1. CH 4, turn

2. 1 SC, INC, 1 SC, CH 1, Turn

3. 1 SC, DEC, 1 SC, CH 1, Turn

4. DEC, finish

Any ideas of what I should do next?

New to Blogger

Been changing up the layout and changed my profile picture. The background picture is of shoes I made for my friend awhile back. It's a few letters from Edward Gorey's The Gashlycrumb Tinies. Those shoes were fun to make. It was just cheap shoes we found at Payless then painted white and used sharpie for the drawings. I finished that with some clear water proofing spray.

The profile picture has a few crafty things I've gotten into the past few months. I made a lot of kandi for a couple of raves that I went to. The pattern making for those actually helped me with a few patterns that I've made for crocheting and knitting. I just learned knitting from my mom to make the ravenclaw and slytherin scarfs. And Batgirl. I love Batgirl. Cass Cain Batgirl, not any others.

I actually have this funny story about learning to knit. I tried to make a panel of knitting to practice and so I decided to make the batgirl symbol. The knitting went ok, and I think that was the first time I used purling but the panel kept curling! I was at my folk's house and had no idea where the iron was (my mom was attempting to organize her mountains of stuff) but I did know where the stove was and pans. Well I had the brilliant idea of using the bottom of a pan. I sprayed the panel with water and got a towel, heated the bottom of the pan then pressed it on the panel. Well, I was using acrylic yarn, and wouldn't you know, that stuff melts.... I ended up throwing everything out. Luckily I took a picture before it all happened and that is the picture at the bottom.

I recently found http://dentonsinventions.blogspot.com/ through tumblr and saw that he had a bunch of awesome patterns! He's so creative! My friend asked me to make a cozy and using his pattern for the hello kitty cozy, I was able to make an adorable Totoro one. I love everything he makes!

Blogger is so confusing to me! I'm having a hard time finding blogs to follow so if anyone knows good amigurumi blogs please let me know!

Moogle Making

This post goes out to shuraiya. Thanks for being interested. 
I learned most of my crocheting from my mom and goldenjellybean. This pattern's base, hands, and jacket are an adaption from goldenjellybean's link sackboy. Please look her up! 
If there are any questions feel free to leave a comment and I'll answer it as best as I am able. This is my first pattern so it may have a few errors >.< 

MC: Magic Circle or however you like to start. 
SC: Single Crochet 
INC: Standard increase (two single crochet in one stitch) 
DEC: Invisible decrease 
CH: Chain 
HDC: Half Double Chrochet 
()*: Repeat whats in the bracket all around the row 

Colors used: 
Gold-hair - nose 
light brown - body 
brown - pants/belt 
dark brown - gloves, boots, ears, eyebrows, stitches on pants 
white - shirt 
green - jacket 
yellow - details on jacket 
orange - wings, ball on head 
black - mouth 

Montblanc FFTA 

Head: light brown 

1.MC 6 
2.INC all 
3.(1 SC, INC)*
4.(2 SC, INC)* 
5.(3 SC, INC)* 
6.(4 SC, INC)* 
7.(5 SC, INC)* 
8.(6 SC, INC)* 
9-14.(SC)* 6 Rows 
15.13 SC, DEC, 8 SC, DEC, 8 SC, DEC, 13 SC 
16.(SC)* 
17.13 SC, INC, 7 SC, INC, 7 SC, INC, 13 SC 
18.14 SC, INC, 8 SC, INC, 8 SC, INC, 13 SC 
19.15 SC, INC, 9 SC, INC, 9 SC, INC, 13 SC 
20-23. (2 SC, DEC)* 4 Rows 
24.DEC untill 11 stitches left 

insert eyes and hair and stuff firmly 

Body: light brown 

1.INC all except for last stitch. 1 SC in last stitch. 
2.(SC)* change to white 
3-8.(SC)* 6 Rows change to brown 
9.(2 SC, INC)* 
10.(3 SC, INC)* 
11.(4 SC, INC)* 
12.(5 SC, INC)* 
13. back loop (5 SC, DEC)* 
14. back loop (4 SC, DEC)* stuff 
15. back loop DEC all until closed.

add details to pants (ie. stitches) with dark brown yarn. pull the front and back stitches tight so the pants bend inward in the middle to look like two legs of pants.

Legs: brown

(a.n. if you need help with this part, check out goldenjellybean's tutorial on picking up stitches on her youtube channel.) 

1.pick up 7 stitches where the leg should be 
2.(INC)* 
3-8.(SC)* 6 Rows change to dark brown 
9-10.(SC)* 2 Rows stuff 
11.DEC in back loop until closed 

Turtleneck: white 

1.CH 4 
2.3 SC, CH 1, Turn
3.continue untill desired length then sew around neck. 

Jacket: green 

1.CH 30 
2.SC for about 8 rows or untill desired length. change to yellow 
3.In original chain, SC with yellow in the side that doesn't have the green SC then sew around body. add yellow details on the front of the jacket. 

Arms (make 2): 

(a.n. also check out the tutorial on hands and fingers on goldenjellybean's youtube channel) green 

1.pick up 6 stitches from jacket
2.(INC)* 
3-4.stitch in back loops for the top half of arm (6 sc) and front loops for bottom half of the arm (6 SC). 2 Rows. 
5-8.(SC)* 4 Rows 
9.back loops (SC)* change to dark brown 
10-11.(SC)* 2 Rows 
12.start fingers. 1 Row dark brown 2 rows light brown. 

Ears (make 2): dark brown 

1.MC 6
2.(INC)* 
3.(1 SC, INC)* 
4.(2 SC, INC)* 
5.(INC, 3 SC)* 
6-8.(SC)* 3 Rows change to light brown 
9-18.(SC)* 10 Rows 
19.(DEC, 3 SC)* 
20-21.(SC)* 2 Rows 
22.(DEC, 2 SC)* tie off 

Belt (with smaller hook or thinner yarn): brown 

1.CH 3 
2.2 SC, CH 1, Turn 
3.repeat until desired length and sew onto waist. 

Wings (make 2): orange 

1.CH 5, Turn 
2.4 SC, CH 3, turn 
3.2 SC, 4 HDC, CH 1, turn 
4.5 SC, CH 1, turn 
5.5 SC, CH 1, turn 
6.5 SC, CH 3, turn 
7.2 SC, 5 HDC, CH 1, turn 
8.6 SC, CH 1, turn 
9.6 SC, CH 1, turn 
10.6 SC, CH 3, turn 
11.2 SC, 6 HDC tie off and sew to back 

Ball above head: orange

(a.n. I attatched it to the head and ball by using black 18 gauge craft wire and rolling the ends in masking tape then shoving it through the stuffing in both the head and ball.)

1.MC 6 
2.(INC)* 
3.(1 SC, INC)* 
4.(2 SC, INC)* 
5-10.(SC)* 6 Rows 
11.(2 SC, DEC)* stuff 
12.DEC untill closed add additional details with felt (ears) and yarn (face)

Completed Project: