Little Panda Bears

Aren't these just the cutest little bears? They belong to a CBBC show called "the same smile"

In the programme they are taken around different playgroups in Britain to see how different kids do different things (different religons or abilities) but how they are also all the same; all kids like to play and have fun. It's a really cool programme.

There is just one problem. Even though loads of kids watch the show and are, of course, in love with the bears, the people at CBBC do not make the toys for sale to the public. This is so sad.

I was asked to have a try at making one. Well, I love a challenge...

The original bears are made from different materials but I was unable to find the right materials in the right colours.

Here is my first attempt. He is knitted all from a toweling effect yarn. His legs are pretty small and there is not much difference between him sitting down and standing up - but he can do both. (his head is not really off to one side I did that for the ahhhh effect lol) He does stand an impressive 14 inches tall though - which is pretty close to the same smile bears.

If I make the others it will be in white toweling yarn and yarn with no special effect. But that will make them more like the ones I'm trying to imitate. I'm quite pleased with him.

Creative challenge 52 in 52 - July 2010

I'm a bit late posting this month's finished objects. I'm still working towards my goal of 52 items in 52 weeks. July was not such a great month but some interesting items were made



So what are they?

• A snowman teacozy - I made this for a Marie Curie Cancer Trust raffle.
• A nice long scarf in shades of dark pink with celtic knots on it.
• An ice cream doily - this was made for a challenge on the Handmade in Europe Blog. Have a look and see what the others made for this challenge.
• A tiny donkey made for a swap on Cafemom.com. The theme was summer and the colour was red. So red donkey it was.
• A cereise piggy bank - yes he is knitted and yes he is hollow with a slot for money and a plug to get your money out. I'm made a few of these now - they are proving very popular. This one was for my dear friend Catrin who came to Cardiff on holiday all the way from Germany - It was very exciting to meet her and "the tall guy"

So totals?

• January = 9 items
• February = 7 items
• March = 9 items
• April = 7 items
• May = 8 items
• June = 5 items
• July = 5 items

That's 50 items in 31 weeks - so near and yet so far.

At the moment I'm working on a long-line jacket for myself and a robot for my shop They should be finished soon. But I think I might keep this calendar idea going just because it keeps me motivated to see the months fill up.

Creative challenge 52 in 52 - June 2010

Hurray another month done. Not one of my more productive months but some fun items here to add to my ever-growing list of completed items.

So what do I have for this month?

• A sock kittee in candy colours. These are so cute, the arms and legs are actually knitted in place not sewn - making them on of the oddest items I've ever made.
• A single pink glove for my daughter. Yes, she is a Hannah Montannah fan and dressed up as her for a charity-day at school.
• A tote bag made from daisy granny squares. This was made for a challenge in my "handmade in Europe" group. The challenge being "Summer Flowers" See what the others made at the Handmade in Europe blog.
• A little pink wrapover top. Or the "big booby top" as I now call it. Not terribly happy with how it turned out - Maybe that's why I don't tend to make clothes.
• Finally another kittee - this one is in Summer Berries colour. The other one sold so quickly I will have to make another of those too.

So totals:-

January = 9 items
February = 7 items
March = 9 items
April = 7 items
May = 8 items
June = 5 items

That makes 45 items in 27 weeks

ooh I'm getting closer - no more big booby tops me thinks ha ha

Creative challenge 52 in 52 - May 2010

Wow, this was a mega-busy month. I even made some special items which I will tell you about in another post.



So the goodies I finished in May are as follows:-

• Flappy flambe. he is a crocheted hand puppet who will be having adventures on another blog. Check him out on http://handmade-in-europe.blogspot.com/ He's lots of fun.
• Two Snuggle bunnies; one pink one purple off to live in Greece. yeay for people who order things off me (easy to do, just email me, tell me what you want and I'll make it - you will see it before you buy and are not obligated to buy unless you love it.
• A footballer handpuppet. He already is in a post of his own before this one.
• A very strange and magical house elf.
• A knitted lace scarf in gray silk yarn -mmm.
• A skull bag. Yup, the head opens up and the mouth also has a zip for keeping little items in.
• A green leaf scarf. made for "knit something green grass or leafy trees related Swap" It really does look like leaves. I'm going to make one for myself too I think,

So totals again?

January = 9 items
February = 7 items
March = 9 items
April = 7 items
May = 8 items

So we have 40 items in 21 weeks - yippee I'm still ahead of 52 items in 52 weeks. I may do it in half the time (but don't hold me to it LOL)

Creative challenge 52 in 52 - April 2010

Okay Kokay so here is April in all it's glory.

These are the items I have completed this month. I have a few more on the needles, but we can't count those - only finished items.

• first you will find 2 more Zodiac crabs; these are the rest of the "5 crab order" from Germany last month.
• Tabbee cat. I was privileged enough to be allowed to test on of Bobbi Padget's patterns for her before she puts it up for sale on Etsy. It's a great pattern
• Troll doll for a swap - this was for "a wind- related" swap - how is it wind-related? Well, it is called "the wind in my hair" fun eh?
• Next is Sgt Froggee - another Bobbi pattern test. I'm getting addicted to her way of knitting. It's so fun to knit with NO sewing up afterwards
• Tea time monkey. He was much harder work - lots and lots of sewing up involved. But he is kinda cute.
• Finally an alien in a UFO. Yes I know the alien looks a little like a baby giraffe -that's because the pattern was for a baby giraffe. The UFO is all my own design. I think that the little boy who gets it will use his imagination and it will double as a boat, or a paddling pool - that's fine - I love kids who use their imagination.
• I also made 2 cross stitch pictures - but I'm not including them - only knit and crochet.

So totals so far this year?

January = 9 items

February = 7 items

March = 9 items

April = 7 items

So we have 32 items in 17 weeks - yippee I'm still ahead of 52 items in 52 weeks.

Creative challenge 52 in 52 - March 2010

So March is gone and April starts today.
Here are my finished items for March.

1. A tea cosy in the shape of a turkey (already sold)
2. A little green garden gnome made for a "package of green swap"
3. A crocheted bag (with a sail boat on it and bamboo handles) made for "make something wind related swap"
4. A knitted black and white cat - made on request and already sold
5. A colourful nursery tortiose - also made on request and already sold - and another ordered!
6. My travelling scarf. This was a group effort made by 10 different knitters, but I made a section for each of their scarves too - so although it wasn't entirely made by me, it deserves to be here as it represents the sections I made on each of the 9 other travelling scarves.
7. A red knitted crab
8. A red knitted crab
9. A red knitted crab - yes they are all part of a requested order. She wants 5 - yippee

Oh yes, I can hear you unbelievers saying , "she just used the same crab photographed in different ways.

Well, just for you, here is a picture of 3 completed crabs plus the 4th in a state of wip (incomplete) taken just before the finished 3 were posted yesterday. So at least 2 more will be in next month's chart. I do love requests.

It's been a good month. Both for orders and sales. A big thanks to my customers at http://eddyspressies.artfire.com/

The challenge then?

• 9 items for January
• 7 for February
• and 9 for March = 25 completed items in 12 weeks

Gosh this 52 items in 52 weeks is easy with a better system of keeping count.

Creative Challenge February 2010 (52 in 52)

Here we are again at the end of another month. So I will now show what I made for the challenge.



If you remember; the challenge is to make 52 items during the 52 weeks of the year. January was a great start with 9 items finished.

So here's February's calendar/chart

So what are all those funny little icons?

• A 12" purple pony - made to order - people seem to love the purple
• Lilac and cream baby cuddle blanket - made for a swap.
• red striped scarf with celtic knots and cables - yes another swap - I got a lovely scarf back
• A Walrus crocheted in the "granny square" style - I'm really into those granny squares lately
• A baby and her bunny - that's for a givaway on another blog - you can enter and win this and lots more prizes too - more on that later.
• Small ladybird wrist purse - yes, for a "make something red" swap
• A knitted crab - so cute but already bought and paid for - I'll make another on request though.

That's 7 for February to add to January's 9; making 16 so far.

And next month promises to be better because I have so many items "on the needles" that just need finishing off.

I'm really enjoying this.

Swaps are such fun

I'm getting quite addicted to this swapping lark. They are great fun when it all works out properly.

I'm in a group on Ravelry.com ( a site for knitters and crocheters) We decided to make and send a whole scarf to another member picked at random for us from our group - that way we would all receive one each but not necessarily from the person we sent to - make sense? good.

Once I was given the name of the person I would be making for, I started to look at her profiles and blogs to see what she liked. She had lots of black accessories but wanted to put some colour into her life this year. So I chose this lovely Chunky yarn from James C Brett. It is so soft to the touch and great to work with. She received it a few days ago and yeay, she liked it. here's what she said about it,

"I have the most perfect scarf, its long long long and soft and squashy and gorgeous. Its definitely not black but lovely shades of pink and purple and covered from end to end in wonderful cabled Celtic knots which my swap partner realised I had a thing about from checking out the blogs - oops - forgot to add, my lovely partner was EddyG

Isn't that wonderful. I feel fuzzy all over to know I got it right. Actually, as I was working on it, I kinda fell in love with it and wanted to keep it - so I was going to make one like this for myself.

But now I think that all my other scarves can go to the back of the wardrobe as I received, from the swap (and yes a different person) this amazing scarf...

It's in one of my most favorite colours in the world; Navy blue and is knitted to look like a piece of Swiss Cheese - how fabulous is that? It's also over six foot long. You all know how I love anything unusual.

My wonderful partner even sent me some extra yarn so I could make a matching hat if I want to. It's made from lambswool so very soft and warm. And some lovely extras that I wasn't expecting; A postcard for my collection, french chocolate, red fruits tea, Yum.

I love it when a plan comes together.

Hurrah for giraffes

My friend Catrin found this adorable site which has a Norwegian guy trying to collect one million giraffes. yes that's right, He's asking people to send in giraffes that they have made

"My friend, Jørgen, doesn't believe I can collect one million giraffes by 2011. I'm gonna prove him wrong, but I need your help. You can create your giraffe(s) in any way you like, but not on a computer and no store bought objects. You must create your giraffe(s) yourself! So far I've got 566 899 giraffes, so I need 433 101 more and I have 324 days left.Let's show Jørgen how amazing the Internet is."

How could I let an opportunity like this go? I love to draw so I'm starting with a drawn giraffe.

This little guy has great sky and clouds markings but his scarf has the correct markings - I thought that would be fun.

It's been a long time since I have coloured something in not using the computer. I'd forgotten how long felt tip pens take to use. (aching arm) But I think he turned out OK

Creative challenge 52 in 52 January 2010

OK so last year I tried this creative challenge to

Make 52 items (knitted or crocheted) in 52 weeks.

I got a little bogged down with other things and found that keeping count got really hard - especially since I started partway through the year.

So this year I'm going to try it again.

Each month I will show you what I made, and with my new chart system, keeping count should be easy

Some of these items are for sale in my Artfire shop, others are for swaps or challenges or even myself.
So here we go with the counting;

1. 12" tall Pink sparkly pony
2. Purple knitted piggy bank
3. 9" tall Pink dragon
4. orange knitted piggy bank
5. sheep teacosy
6. little knitted firebird
7. snowflake hat
8. snow princess doll
9. baby security blanket - polar bear.

Yeay 9 items in the first 4 weeks we are off to a great start - I really hope I can keep this up.

I'm stuffed - but the toys are NOT!

Now that Christmas is over, and I'm all stuffed full of turkey and everything else, it's time to get back to toy making; I've got a lovely sparkly pink pony all knitted and ready to go but I've run out of toy stuffing!

Yes, no more toy stuffing; I only have a little left and that's not enough to stuff pony's leg!

My local yarn store has recently changed owners and has run out of lots of things (yes, stuffing is one of them) and due to the holidays and snowy weather, I haven't been able to get out to a different town to buy any. What am I to do? I can't make stuffed, knitted toys without stuffing - or can I?

That sounds like a challenge - and I love a challenge.

What can I think of that I can knit but is hollow and will stand stiff without polyfibre filling?

Well, yes, I pondered for a while until I got to experimenting.

A PIGGY BANK.

But not just a stuffed pig made to look like a piggy bank but an actual hollow bank with a slot for the coins and a plug in the bottom to take the coins out of. The knitted plug has a little button on it so you can get hold of it easier.

At first, I thought I would just cover a cardboard tube to get the stiffness. But cardboard does not stand up well to washing (and everything needs washing occasionally) Then I found this stuff called, EVA foam. It's sold in sheets and is usually used by card-makers to cut little shapes out of. But then I could see the brightly coloured foam inside and I didn't like that, so I knitted a lining too.
Hallooo in there! Yes as you can see, Once the plug has been removed, he really is hollow in there (you can see the slot on the other side) and it is quite a big space - Space for lots of savings. Now we are all starting to think about saving whether it be for next Summer Holiday or even Next Christmas.

Knitting Challenge - Week 24

Ok so I bet you all thought I'd forgotten about this didn't you? Well here's a recap first;

In January I decided that I would knit one item for each week of the year; making 52 items in 52 weeks.

Last time I blogged about this it was 22nd April - week 16 and I'd done 23 items.
(I know, it's been a while) but I've still been working on it.


The next thing that happened was that I got sent this lovely illustration by my very good friend and very clever illustrator Trisha Rennea. she asked if I could make them a reality. She designs lots of adverts, avatars, logos, free downloads and planner sheets on her blog

I think the answer to that one is yes! so there you have five happy owl cushion pals to add to my tally. My maths is shoddy, but I make that...28


And then, just because sometimes you have GOT to be silly; I made this shark hat designed by the knitting ninja - Allison Mac Alister.

I entered it into an "item made for father's day" contest on the Artfire Cafemom Team's blog - and won! yeay, Now my Artfire rapidcart (a selection of items in my Artfire shop) will be shown on their blog for a whole week. Yippee

OK so that makes the total ...29.

Not bad for week 24.

week 16 - knitting challenge

'Aint she sweet? hee hee. She's a prototype or a test piece, if you like. I was asked to make a set of little cheerleaders for one of the students at the University of Maryland. Their team is called the terrapins and so the cheerleaders are the "Terps"

I made this little one to test if I could reproduce their contest uniform well enough. The actual ones to be sent will have longer legs, slightly longer skirt and better hair/lettering

I do love a challenge; and this little beauty brings my total of completed goods for this year (since January) to 23

23? Have I missed something out? lets see

20 was the sailor top -which has it's own post

21 was Billy and his crochet bag and goodies - the post before this one

22 is the Terps cheerleader

and 23? Oh yes, I did another test knit. this time for Befriendmantic. It was an Easter bunny all crocheted. He was sweet.

The only thing is, I made a mistake when making him up and so you will see a series of decreases across his chest. They should not be there, they should be under his arm!

Well no one is perfect. He is a twisted bunny but I love him anyway. I'll make another when the corrections come through.

23 for week 16 is pretty good going I think. I'll soon have those 52 items in 52 weeks.

Knitting challenge - week 6 - some for the charity box.

This week I got out those dredded DPNs again. The double pointed needles. This is only the second project that I have completed using them I think it turned out pretty well.

It was a free pattern from a cafemom challenge (so two challenges in one!) Free pattern for the Chevron Bag

This little sheep was knitted from an Alan Dart pattern. (sorry you'll have to buy your own pattern for this one) called "Simply Sheep." for the Simply Knitting magazine; Feb, 2009.

She is completed but has no clothes yet. The one in the pattern has a stripey dress and a pair of knitting needles. But I think mine, like any self-respecting Welsh sheep will get to wear a rugby jersey which I will make next week.

I also knitted half a dozen of these little guys. Wee knitted chicks in chemo hats.

They are for the Velindre Cancer hospital appeal. The chicks will be filled with chocolate eggs and sold in the hospital shop. Good use for all that leftover yellow yarn.

The pattern for this is free from the hospital too, and was designed by one of the volunteers that works there; Mrs. Joyce Davies. I'll put a copy onto my scibt files so you can get that too. Probably tomorrow.

Knitting Challenge; Week 5 - Still knitting...

Well, this week, I found this cute and easy little pattern, called Teddies for Tradgedies. There are no increases or decreases making it perfect for someone learning to knit as a first project.
At first glance I thought it was a charity asking for people to knit and send in the teds. But on closer reading, it seems that it is just a pattern and you have to find the charities that want them yourself. So I've stopped at one. If I find a home for them I will knit more.

One little teddy is just not enough for me; so I made a partner for my daughter's horse. This one is made with some really nice denim-effect yarn in purple with a lilac mane and tail. I think this one turned out even better than the first. My daughter is not that soppy and she says he doesn't need a girlfriend so she will go on sale in my Artfire shop. You can go there to see more pictures and maybe even buy her?

Knitting Challenge: Week 4: O.E.S I did!

Rosco the Old English sheepdog cushion / pillow/ toy



















Ok so this week was a double whammy.

Not only did I design and make a cute Old English Sheepdog Cushion /pillow/toy,

but I wrote out the pattern for it too!


If you love him and want to make one the link to my pattern is here.

Rosco the sheepdog

You can download it for free as a PDF or a word document. I put in loads of photos to help you put him together. There is only some simple increase and decreasing so it makes a great "first big project" for someone quite new to knitting.


If you haven't the patience or time to make him, he is for sale in my Artfire shop at Eddy's Pressies


I'm feeling very proud of myself so...tickle my belly!

Knitting Challenge: Week 3: DPNs mastered!

OK so I told you last week that I was having a go at the long procrastinated DPNs. Wicked needles that are pointed at both ends and are used four at a time to produce a tube shape thereby making hats without seams.

Well, i did it! It took an awfully long time as I found all those needles very cumbersome. I'm rather proud of the resulting hat.

Here I show my hat on one of my daughter's dolls; her head is a bit smaller than a real baby so it is a good fit even though it might not look it.

I also made a few of these this week. I gave one as a present to my local

Chinese Takeaway as a new years gift and so I have been making more of them for all her relatives.

I can't complain, she's giving me £3.50 each for them.

I even made an extra one for my dear friend Tricia. She's an artist friend of mine from Nevada, USA. She's awfully clever. she has her own blog full of printables and sweet piccys at http://triciarennea.blogspot.com/

But she's not getting it for free. Oh no! She has to work for him.

I've told her when I sent him off. Monday, 19th at 11am my time.

She then has to tell me when he gets there and in what condition, so I can work out whether I need to upgrade my packaging or postal rate on my artfire site

Next week I'm hoping to make a doggy cushion/pillow. We'll see how that turns out! or not as the case may be!

Happy knitting

knitting Challenge; week two; oh no!

Week Two; Ladybug Mittens.

What a disaster this week's knitting has been.

I made a doll, but she was too small so I unravelled her and started again. The second doll I made, well, the head looks too small to me; so I will be re-making her again!

I got a lovely free pattern for a fluffy heart-shaped cushion with wings. Perfect for Valentines. I have got a ball of fun fur yarn in my stash so I thought I'd give it a go. Guess what? I ran out of yarn so very near the end! Do you think I can find a local shop that still sells that kind of yarn? No. They sold it last Summer but it has gone out of fashion now. Eek!

The one kind of knitting that I've never tried (because I was afraid of failing) is knitting on four double pointed needles. It looks great when it's made because there is no seam; the item is knitted as a tube. So I decided to give it a go. I picked a really simple pattern and got into alsorts of knots! As with anything new, it's slow going, but it is coming. I might have a baby hat knitted by next week. I know, I know, most people can knit up one of those in an evening but remember this is a new skill I'm learning; It's like learning to knit all over again!

Well, I did get something knitted this week, so I'm still in the challenge - hurrah! A pair of child's mittens. Even they did not go to plan, however, they are big enough for me! So much for kid's mittens.

Oh well next week will hopefully be more productive. It was just one of those weeks when you can't get the time to sit and knit. (and when I did, it went wrong)

But on a positive note, my son started a new school this week. It's a school for children with special needs (he has high-functioning Asberger's Syndrome) We have always kept him in mainstream education because he has no problems with the work, in fact, he is further along the curicullum than most as he loves to research for himself History, maths, and science. But his behaviour issues and his lack of self-control when it comes to his feelings have finally become too much for regular school. He is LOVING IT at his new school. And as I result I love it too. He hasn't been this happy in school for years. This new school has it's own swimming pool and lots of support staff so now he can do all the things he couldn't before. Like gym and playing with others at recess. (his last school kept him indoors at recess as they "couldn't guarentee his safety out with the other children" in other words, he got bullied alot and got into trouble whenever he hit back.) I can't wait to see him come home every day with a big grin on his face. He doesn't stop talking when he is happy, so I have a bit of a headache when he comes in but I'm happy to have it.