Art of Coloring Disney Villains

How do you like your Disney villains? Do you like them devious? Cunning? How about hipster-y, self-centered, and covered in patterns? Then have I got a treat for you!

I see you found a Disney coloring book more suited to your tastes.
Yes, though I only had a chance to flip through it. Art of Coloring Disney Villains is a little thank-you gift I bought for one of my friends. It's weird at times, but thankfully still entertaining. Unlike in the Disney Princess coloring book, the characters in Disney Villains are allowed to express a wide range of emotions while reenacting scenes from their movies or otherwise posing with new, "updated" material. Probably one of the funniest examples of this are the several images of Gaston from Beauty & the Beast as he takes an endless stream of selfies on a smart phone. Yeah. Wrap your head around that one. You'll see it makes complete sense— if he had a smart phone. One of the repeating "wallpaper" images is multiple villain faces wearing hipster glasses. Weird? Yes. Entertaining? YES.

The book is split into several different sections: animal kingdom, strictly human, and witches/creatures. As an unexpected bonus, most of the villains in the book also have a small, card-size portrait with information regarding: their movie, when it was released, and who voiced them. As with Art of Coloring Disney Princesses, this book is also that strange kind of hard cover (where it's a soft cover book with cardboard on the front and back). I still don't get it, but since the images were so much more fun for the villains, I really didn't mind so much. My favorite thing about this book, though, is that each of the villains has at least one image that include the movie's heroes as well. In each of these, the villain looks (appropriately) menacing— or looms over— the heroes/heroines; especially Izma from Emperor's New Groove. So what if they drew her with a piece of spinach stuck in her teeth? She's still a badass!

If you're interested in purely classic villains doing only what they do in their movies, I recommend you move along now. As previously mentioned, they took some liberties with these characters. However, since they are still "in character" for the most part, I forgave the artists and would be happy to have this book for my very own. I recommend you get one for yourself as well!

Edward's Menagerie: Birds!

My youngest brother loves birds, and I love making things. So when I came across Edward's Menagerie: Birds by Kerry Lord on Amazon and saw that they were having a book sale, I made a deal with my dear bro. If he got me the book for Christmas, I would make him a bird for his birthday. Well, he kept up his side of the bargain, and I became the proud owner of this avian themed collection of patterns. Then, of course, my schedule blew up and I've yet to start the toucan I promised him. His birthday was four months ago.

Worst. Sister. Ever.
Yeah, I know. But he'll get his toucan! I just hope he names it something more interesting than Kerry Lord named hers. All of the birds in this book have their own names and little bios stuffed full of personality. It's disgustingly adorable, for the most part. But then you get to the toucan, and the description was so prissy it actually turned me off to the entire pattern. Since all of the patterns have little bios, though, I think this could also work as a little children's book. Not the kind that you hand to itty-bitties to tug on, but you could read it to them and show off the pictures. Or, even better, make the toy and then tell them the pre-made story behind it!

Beyond that, there are some things you should know before you go out and buy this book...

1. All the patterns are written with European abbreviations. I know this is a deal-breaker for some people, but the European abbreviations don't make it incomprehensible. Additionally, Lord even points out in a couple of sections what the U.S. equivalents are for what she's talking about.
2. The birds are sorted into three levels of difficulty, so if you're a complete beginner you can start at level 1 and if you feel the need for a challenge you can jump to level 3. I think you could make all the patterns with only a little experience and some tenacity.
3. The patterns are split in different parts throughout the book: standard forms, levels 1-3 birds, and technicals. So if you wanted to make Ina the Stork (level 1), it bids you to start the body, neck, head, and wings from the standard forms. The pattern for the legs and beak are on the same page as Ina's bio. To put it all together, you would refer to the "technicals" section; that covers all the additional little details.
4. Of the 40 patterns listed in the book, there are 3 distinct: owls, penguins, and chickens. Think about that. You don't just get an owl, or a penguin, or a chicken. You get a barn owl (and 2 other subspecies buddies), an emperor penguin (and buddies), and a silkie chicken (plus a regular hen and a rooster). That's just cool.

If you appreciate birds, attention to detail, and some realism in your toys, I would highly recommend Edward's Menagerie: Birds. Even if you're a complete beginner, you can find something here that would be satisfying and fun to make. The patterns look solid, and the directions for all of the toys are "baby friendly" (none of them use extra little bits like buttons that babies and younger children might choke on). As always with crafting books, I recommend getting the print version of this book— especially given how the patterns are separated in the different sections. So have fun with it, guys!

P.S.
I hope I'll have an opportunity to show off my brother's toucan soon, along with a blue-footed booby for good measure. Because how could I resist making a booby or two?

Challenge Mode: ON

As you may recall from a previous post (if you're keeping track), I mentioned that I will be heading to StocktonCon on August 20th and 21st. Last year, I did very well at this convention, so I have high hopes of repeating that success this year! Of course, that'll never happen unless I set high goals, sooooo...

Behold: My goal!

It's a box...
Yes, an empty box! And, to be fair, it isn't even all that big. My goal is to fill this box twice before StocktonCon with all sorts of crochet goodies. I'm thinking an assortment of hats, gloves, and amigurumi ought to do it. I've already gotten started, but items will make it into the box as they are completed (all loose tails tucked in, faces made, ready to go home). I have project ADHD, hence why this box is still empty. I probably have five jellyfish amigurumi and multiple sets of gloves that are in "finishing stages" limbo.

Okay, given how long it takes to crochet some of these projects, I guess that's a challenge...

The bag of poly-fill is bigger than
the goal box...

Actually, that isn't the challenge. Seeing as how I've got two and a half months to work on this, filling the box only twice is a smart goal. The challenge is to make things using only my current, accessible stash of supplies. Because, you see, I have so many more supplies besides what is pictured, but some of them are currently in storage; and they will not come out until I've finished what I have on hand. So there lies my challenge: emptying out the bags and bins of yarn I can reach by convention-time in August. Expect more pictures of my progress as I fill up the box! I'll be sure to have some completed projects in there by next week! Oh, and if you have ideas on how to make this additionally challenging, or have requests— for toys, hats, or a particular style of gloves— that you'd like to see in there, let me know by leaving a comment!

All the jellies, ALL the time

The smack of jellies on the right is the result of an amalgamation
of patterns: one found in this book and the other online.

I've had a busy day today, consisting primarily of trying not to melt in the heat while being covered in a pile of yarn as I make a metric butt-ton of crochet jellyfish.

I don't think "butt-ton" is part of the metric system.
No, I suppose it isn't. Fine, if you insist on accurate terminology, I was making a smack of jellyfish.

How is that better?
I didn't make that one up! I just learned, about two minutes ago, that a group of jellyfish is called a "smack." So I thought I'd share a smack with you. Someday I may even give you a smack. If I'm fortunate, someday, someone will purchase a smack from me. That will, indeed, be a great day for me. I may even make it a selling point.

Anyway! I just wanted to share a picture of what I was up to today with you guys. These guys (and their jelly brethren) will be available for purchase at Stockton-Con this August 20th and 21st. I'll be sharing a table with my significant other in the artist alley, and I sincerely hope you'll come visit us if you have an opportunity! (COME VISIT ME!)

Stitch 'N Bitch: The Happy Hooker

Find me on Amazon in digital format!

My love of this book—

"Love," is it?
—begins with the title. Which, unfortunately, does not lend itself to my usual introductory snark, so I'll be skipping that today. Instead, let me just tell you about one of my favorite crochet books!

The Happy Hooker was my introduction to the Stitch 'N Bitch series by Debbie Stoller, as well as my reintroduction to crochet after many years of not practicing. I came across this title while perusing the craft section at Barnes & Noble many years ago.

Like a crack addict in the crack section of the store? What a surprise.
My name is Ly and I am a yarnaholic. My stash is so great that several months of dedicated crocheting have done little to reduce it. That being said, it is not for lack of trying or lack of patterns. If anything, maybe I have too many options. Debbie Stoller put together a collection of patterns from various designers that range from hats and scarves to purses and swimwear; an entire wardrobe just begging to be made. Not that I'm insinuating there are only patterns for clothes and accessories here. The book also includes: an outdoor rug, amigurumi, bunny slippers, afghans, and some baby things.

Happy Hooker is split in two parts. The first is the best and most comprehensive "how to hook" section of a crochet book that I have ever encountered. Even if I got bored of all of the patterns in this book— which is unlikely— I would hang on to it for use as a reference guide. If you are a beginning or returning crocheter and you're rusty on your basics, this book will whip you back into shape in no time flat!

Kinky hook(er), is it?

Creativity and knowledge of a few basic shapes turn a
basic beanie pattern into something extra special

More like best hook for buying and keeping a book! Most craft books will give you a crash course on the basics you'll need to know to reproduce the patterns therein, but this... This is comprehensive! I find that I remember things best when I understand how they work, instead of memorizing that they just work a certain way. Stoller explains the "hows" and "whys" of crochet, as well as delves into some of the history and the differences between crochet and knitting. The result is that after reading this, and a little practice with the patterns, I was able to start figuring out patterns on my own. This book has even helped me with patterns in other books. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to start a project, follow the directions exactly, and find that at the end, the directions didn't make sense for the thing you're trying to produce?

Is it awful?
It IS awful! But with a bit of knowledge, like that provided in The Happy Hooker, you may be able to figure out what went wrong and fix it yourself! I certainly have. I cannot stress this enough: this will help you break down patterns into their basic components. No pattern will be so complicated that you can't ultimately make it your bitch. That's how this book will make you feel. From how to hold your hook, to finishing your project, and everything in between: Stoller explains it all.

Part of making a pattern your bitch is making things up
when you can't find a pattern for it at all.

What about the patterns?
Part two of The Happy Hooker is broken up further into sections for: scarves and shawls, hats, bags, "spring and summer" (clothes), "Fall and winter" (sweaters), accessories, and "home, gifts and baby." The patterns are by different designers and I've yet to encounter one that didn't work the way it's supposed to. In other words, someone actually made all of the projects presented and edited the patterns accordingly so there are no mistakes.

You say that like not all editors earn their keep...
Because they don't always earn their keep. That is yet another point in this book's favor. Each pattern includes some basic information about the project: the finished size, different sizes (small, medium, large), materials, extras you may need, and special stitches you'll be learning. They have recommendations for the yarn you use or how to adapt the pattern if you decide to go with something else. I believe the patterns for scarves, shawls, hats, bags, and home things are generally the easiest to make, since gauge— though always given— is not always as important to adhere to. However, once you've gained some confidence in your hooking abilities, I recommend branching out and making yourself some clothes!

So basically, what you're saying is... You love this book.
YES! Stitch 'N Bitch: The Happy Hooker is my constant crochet companion. I highly recommend it to everyone, whether beginner or master hooker. I am an extremely happy hooker; you can be too!

A note about format:
I bought myself a Kindle a few months ago after years of believing that a digital format could never compare with the touch and smell of a paperback. While I sometimes miss the smell of paperbacks, I'm happy to report that my Kindle Paperwhite at least feels like a book in my hands, albeit much lighter. Obviously, whether you decide to go digital or physical with your books depends entirely on your personal preference but I do want to point something out. With craft books, there will be times when you'll want to check the reference section at the front of the book for help on something while you're working on a project and I (personally) think physical copies are the way to go in such cases. Just putting my opinion all over this blog, y'know. I recommend this book and —if you have the space for it on your bookshelf— I recommend getting a physical copy. That being said, I hope you enjoyed the review!

My Crochet Doll: A picture book with patterns

Check me out on Amazon!

Once upon a time, in a strange, faraway land known as "JoAnns Fabric Store," I came across a charming crochet book featuring a simple doll with practically no nose, no mouth, and a delightfully detailed outfit. Intrigued, I snatched the book off the shelf and flipped through its contents.
"Hello, Kitty," I purred at the pages, for clearly our no-nose heroine's name is Katherine, "Why don't you tell me about yourself?"
Having thus acquired several weird looks for the day and no verbal response from the book, I continued my monologue at home after purchasing My Crochet Doll. Sixty pages worth of photos later, I finally found the patterns Isabelle Kessedjian promised. Despite my potentially misleading title (in which you might think that a picture book with patterns is a bad thing), I am quite in love with this book! Sixty pages of pictures goes a long way in showing you what is possible before actually teaching you how to do anything.

But it does show you how to make things, doesn't it?
YES! Okay, this would normally be the point where I start showing off some of the stuff that I've made while using the patterns in the book.
... I have a small confession to make.
       I have owned this book for over a year, and have yet to make anything from it.

GASP OF HORROR!
Don't judge me too harshly, I beg you! Thing is that, for as beautiful as the illustrations are, and convinced as I am that the patterns are sound, there has been something deterring me from just jumping in and making a beautiful crochet doll of my own. The patterns use the European abbreviations for crochet. European abbreviations are a bit odd to my American eyes. How can you call a single crochet a double, and then expect a half double to mean-- Okay, maybe you're not as interested in my tech-gibberish at the moment. That's fine. Moving on! The second deterrent is that the yarn the author uses is a lighter weight than what I normally work with. I believe she uses a weight 3 (or sport weight), while I use weight 4 (medium worsted a.k.a The Yarn EVERYONE Uses). Ultimately, that's going to make the patterns come out a little different. I like making one just how the pattern says for my first try, to figure out any quirks beforehand. Then I go crazy with it, adding or subtracting details as I see fit. But no matter what I do, my end product is going to end up different or a bit off because I'm not about to go out and buy more yarn until I've finished with what I've got. And if you saw the size of my stash, you'd see that's going to be quite a long time.

Enough excuses! What can you tell us about the patterns?!
Well, do you like weird? If you're still reading this, I'm going to go with "Duh, I like weird."
Okay, so you like weird.
This book... has a pattern... to make underwear for your doll. Not even joking. Honest to goodness, you can make cute little undies for your amigurumi. You can also make: shoes, pajamas, overalls, a superhero outfit (which is ultimately why I bought the book), a fancy dress, tiny cakes, and many other things! It's freaking adorable! And that's not even mentioning all the different little accessories that you can add to your new playmate. Ms. Kessedjian also mentions how to make a variety of hairstyles using different types of yarn, from regular 4-ply to wool. She talks about giving your doll additional personality with bits of wire (perhaps adding glasses to the doll) and other scrap materials. The funny thing is that, despite my insistence on making the first doll be "just like the author's" to get a feel for things, the author actually points out that the doll in this book is hers and she highly encourages the reader to make their own. Change the color! Give her different hair, or some glasses, or a different outfit, or mix-and-match with what's available in the book and beyond! Go crazy with it from the beginning! The important thing is to have fun. At the end, what you've made will be your crochet doll.

So that's pretty much all I've got to say about that. I highly recommend this book. At least check it out. Just remember, the abbreviations are different in this than in a book from a U.S. author. That being said, there is a little section (as in most of these books) that goes over the technical aspects of crochet: what the abbreviations are, what they mean, how to make the stitches, and the difference between U.S. and U.K. terminology and what the heck they mean by each.

I enjoyed the format of the book. The illustrations were gorgeous, and it was pleasant to simply flip through the pictures first and then have the patterns at the end. This may not be the best book for the absolute beginner. I recommend already knowing your basic stitches (chain, single stitch, slip stitch, etc) prior to picking this one up because there are no illustrations demonstrating how to get that started or hold the yarn. You're going to be awfully frustrated if you don't know how to hold your yarn and you try just going at this. Well, who knows... You might actually be a prodigy. But for those of us who aren't prodigies, it can get frustrating if you don't already have an idea of what you're doing.

Some day, I may share with you pictures of My Crochet Doll... but in the meantime, I hope you have fun with your own!

Tis' the Season! Kind of... Creepy Cute Crochet

Come for Cthulu,
stay for the monkey.
Click here for the Amazon link!

I have a confession to make: I'm addicted to making toys. So much, in fact, that I hope my gravestone will bear the title "Master Crafter & Toymaker" along with a goofy-looking octopus wearing a top hat imprinted somewhere on it like a hidden Mickey (only not so hidden).
On that slightly morbid note, let me tell you about Creepy Cute Crochet by Christen Haden! This, along with Amigurumi World was one of the first books I purchased when I started making toys. My relationship with this book might best be described as "complicated." Unlike Amigurumi World, this book is still very much in one piece. Of course, it helps that it's hardcover. If you were to flip to any page in this book and set it down, you don't need to set anything on top of it while you work to keep it open. I assure you, when you're in the middle of a project and all you want to do is briefly glance at the page to remind you what to do, it helps if the book will stay open on its own. That. Is. GREAT. But aside from the fact that it's hardcover and will stay open without my abusing it, my copy of Creepy Cute is in fantastic condition because I just don't use it as much as some of my other books.

But WHY Ly? Everything in here is so creepy and/or cute! How can you resist?!
Well... Hayden's work IS adorable, but the devil's in the details. Unless you follow the directions quite precisely, your work will vary wildly from what is pictured in this book. I'm not saying that is either good or bad. I'm only saying that if you want things to stay in the same style as Hayden's creations, you have to go the extra mile. And you might enjoy it! One of the things I admire most about Haden's work is how she has accessorized her creations. She describes a number of ways to make your own eyes for creatures (using polymer clay), weapons (with clay and felt), and tiny little outfits for them if the pattern also calls for outfits. I just like her little monsters so much that I'm disappointed when mine don't turn out quite as well. To be fair, that's just my own laziness because I won't go out and start experimenting with clay as well. I may be a "master crafter & toymaker," but I do have my limits. So I'm disappointed in myself, on this score. But I wanted to warn you, in case you have a tendency to be lazy also.

I'm not lazy! I will make ALL the things! OR totally make them my own! I know no disappointment!
Good for you! How long have you been crocheting, if I might ask? While I would describe Amigurumi World as perfect for the total newbie and up, I cannot say the same for Creepy Cute Crochet. I would recommend this book only if you have at least some basic knowledge of crochet, how to follow a pattern, and how to wing it when things get confusing. And things do get confusing sometimes. I'm never totally sure, on any given round, whether I'm supposed to count my connecting slip-stitch or not. Generally, in most other patterns, you wouldn't. But here, you sometimes do and you sometimes don't, and it's a surprise whether or not you're supposed to be doing that from one row to the next on the same pattern. I've learned to deal with it, but I just wanted to give you fair warning. Again. That being said, I have learned things from within these pages that I use daily when I crochet, and not just for making toys! A magic circle, pretty edging, top hats, hair-- I learned all of these from this book!

What are you going on about now?
Techniques! Excellent, practical techniques!

• A magic circle is a way to start your work that does not involve a slip knot. What's neat about it is that you can tighten it closed to the point where it looks like there you crocheted into nothing. That means, no unseemly looking top-hole on your work (like when you're making the head of a toy). This is officially how I begin all of my toys, and all hats, and anything else that starts with a circle.
• I learned an edging on this book that is simple but immediately fancifies and beautifies anything you attach it to. The best part is, you just do it as part of your work, not as a separate thing to attach later. Win!
• Top hats! ... Okay, did you guys happen to notice on my previous post that a number of things I've made include hats? This is the book I learned that pattern from. I no longer use the pattern as is described because there are points in her descriptions that just confuse me. But I did simplify it some, and I make little hats for my toys constantly.
• Hair. Oh. Dear. GAWD. You guys... have you ever tried making a yarn wig for your toys? It is surprisingly easy! Well... Straightforward, anyway. I learned the technique in this book and bastardized it to fit my purposes. But you gotta start somewhere, and this is as good a place as any!

If I might draw your
attention to Thurston's
Hat of Mystery...

Did you notice TechGal's full
head of hair, perchance?

There are many techniques contained within this book that will help you make your own little critters, even if you don't want them to look anything like Christen Haden's stuff. So, is this my absolute favorite crochet book EVER?! ... No. But it's good, and I would recommend it if you have at least a little experience. And if you have no previous experience crocheting, you'll probably still enjoy it. Just be mindful that you may have one or two more frustrating experiences with it than if you started elsewhere. Enjoy!

Quick note! 
Sorry for not having any new pictures to demonstrate my work as it pertains to this specific book. As it turns out, I've given away the little creepers I made from these patterns without taking their pictures. (I've done that a lot.) And while I do use patterns from here regularly, they're more of the little trimmings rather than the full critters. 

Literally Loved to Pieces: Amigurumi World

What the hell does that have to do with Amigurumi World?!
We'll get to that.

I love Little Big Planet. Have you ever played it? It's adorable. It was probably the first game I purchased for my PS3. Sackboy (that's their mascot on the cover of the game there) was one of the oddest things I had ever seen when the game came out. Here's this little toy full of character, and made of yarn. And you can customize him as much or as little as you want! I love that weirdo little toy... Loved him so much I wanted to make my own.

Oh, you're still waiting for me to get to the point, huh? Well, thing is, Little Big Planet is what got me interested in making amigurumi. I had no idea what they were, had never heard of them before, and had even fewer clues as to how to make them. Lucky for me, the internet exists, and I was able to ask the Magic Google-ball what the heck Sackboy was supposed to be and how I could go about making one. That's where Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet by Ana Paula Rimoli comes in...

But what's an "amigurumi" anyway?

It's basically a stuffed toy. According to Wikipedia, amigurumi literally translates to crochet or knit stuffed toy. The word is derived from combining the Japanese words ami (for knit or crochet) and nuigurumi (for stuffed doll). At first, I thought they were all knit. Sackboy in Little Big Planet is knit. I have a unique set of skills. Knitting toys is not one of them. However, I did know the basics of crochet, and I figured that I could pick up the rest as I went along. Enter the resource books.

Okay, NOW enter Amigurumi World.

 I did a lot of shopping around on Amazon before I finally purchased this book. I picked it because I liked the look of the toys, the reviews were mostly positive, and most importantly it was legible. Remember, I didn't have a lot of experience at the time, and I wasn't completely certain on how to read a pattern. Besides being seriously cute, this book is also seriously easy. The patterns each come with two sizes (a mommy/daddy and a baby), and are easy to follow. Best of all, in my humble opinion, is how easy it is to play Frankenstein with these patterns! Since I bought this book, I have made almost every single pattern multiple times! I've fiddled with patterns, borrowed pieces from different animals to create mythical creatures and humanoid dolls. I love making these so much that I've had to start selling them, just to make room for all the other stuff I inevitably make.

Thurston: Magic Bunny
Named after a great
magician. Made for a
great magician.

The first toy I ever made on the
left compared to my current work.

If you've never crocheted before, but are interested in doing it now, this is a great book to start with. The beginning "guidelines" are an easy-to-follow, crash course tutorial on crochet. Also,  as I mentioned previously, the patterns are simple to follow. (That's one of the beauties of crafting and especially crochet: if you can read the pattern, it's awfully tough to mess it up.)

Amigurumi World features about 22 patterns of different animals. You'll notice, if you make multiple toys out of this book, that a lot of these patterns are a repeat of one basic toy with different details. The type and color of your yarn, and the details (like nose, eyes, mouth, and accessories) are what will make your creations unique to you and different from each other. They'll still be based on the same basic pattern, but no one else needs to know.

Even if you're not a novice to crochet or amigurumi, I would still recommend this book. It has cute ideas, is good for inspiration, and the basic patterns are versatile. Your creations will only ever be as amazing as you make them, but the tools to help you are there. ... Except for the crochet hooks and yarn. You'll have to buy that stuff separate. Oh, and speaking of crochet hooks and yarn... If you want a cheat sheet to what you'll use most often if you're following the directions to Amigurumi World, you'll want to have the following handy:

1. Crochet hooks sizes F & G (that's American for 3.75mm and 4.25mm) These are the most commonly used hooks in this book.
2. Medium Worsted Yarn. (That's size 4, on the label of yarn. It's the most common size, so it'll be the easiest to find in a wide variety of colors.)
3. Felt, Buttons, Safety-backed eyes. For faces. ... If you want to give your toy a face, that is.

And that's pretty much it! So again, if the rest of the review didn't already impress this upon you: If you don't own this book, you're missing out. I love it, and I highly recommend it. Mine is in pieces from how much I've used it over the years. It is definitely worth the money!
Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet on Amazon.com

Kristi from TechGal comics by Timothy James
Available Here

Tune in next time when I tell you how I really feel about something else! It may or may not be about Creepy Cute Crochet. See you then!