web-goddess

Tag: toys

  • Plush Hobbes

    Hobbes

    I was just updating my Crafts page and realised that I’d neglected to document the creation of Hobbes. This was my Christmas gift to my nephew Penn. He recently discovered Calvin & Hobbes books, so I thought he would love his very own Hobbes. I’d seen and bookmarked the Instructables tutorial a long time ago. The hardest part was finding the fleece! I was calling all over Sydney with no luck. Then Issy sent me a message that she’d found some in a remnant bag she’d just bought! She brought it over and TOTALLY SAVED CHRISTMAS. Anyhoo, I used the sewing machine for most of the basic tube construction. Then it was all hand sewing: assembling the tubes, sewing on the stripes, and sewing on his face. It took ages, and I had quite a blister on my finger! (I never did get the hang of using a thimble.) It was all worth it when Penn opened it on Christmas morning though. Within 24 hours I had to do emergency surgery on a split that had opened in his tail, but that’s what Aunts do, right? Tigers are meant to Have Adventures, not sit on a shelf. We should also have such a best friend!

    Some construction photos:

    Fleece and thread

    Pieces<

    Basic assembly done

    Sewing on stripes

    Stripes finished

  • The w-g Oscar Contest 2013

    The w-g Oscar Contest 2013

    My ELEVENTH annual Oscar Contest is now open! If you pick the most correct answers, you’ll win a set of FOUR super-powered Avenger Monkeys! You get Captain America (with shield), Iron Monkey, Thor (with Mjölnir), and the Incredible Hulk Monkey. No, I didn’t do any of the lame human characters. If you want a monkey with an eyepatch or a bow and arrow, you can make your own. 🙂

    And remember, in the event of a tie, the person that entered earlier wins. So don’t wait too long!

    Here’s a body shot of Captain America Monkey. As you can see, he comes with a really sweet shield (painted by Mr. Snook himself!).

    Captain America Monkey

    A close-up of Cap’n’s face.

    Captain America Monkey

    Here’s Iron Monkey. (If you’re handy with electronics, you could make his Arc Reactor light up!)

    Iron Monkey

    And here’s his face. Sorry, Robert Downey Jr. not included.

    Iron Monkey

    Here’s Norse god Thor himself. He’s got a long red cape, flowing blonde locks, and a mystical hammer. (But don’t squish it too hard because it was sculpted out of clay, again by Mr. Snook.)

    Thor Monkey

    And here’s Thor’s close-up.

    Thor Monkey

    And lastly – HULK MONKEY SMASH!

    Hulk Monkey

    You can’t tell from the photos, but he really is bigger than the other 3. (Unfortunately socks don’t really allow for a lot of muscle definition, so I had to embroider his pecs on.)

    Hulk Monkey

  • Photo post

    Happy Halloween! I brought some googly-eyed friends to work.
    Happy Halloween! I brought some googly-eyed friends to work.

  • Easter Show Knitting

    This year I set a record in finishing THREE projects for the Easter Show knitting competitions. I probably shouldn’t blog about them yet – because, you know, SPIES and whatnot – but I can’t be bothered. I never win anyway, so there’s no point in being coy. As you will see, I stuck to my customary themes of “Giant Cabled Thing,” “Non-Traditional Colours,” and “Toys Based on Australian Children’s Literature.” Oh, and this year I added a new one: “Disturbing Accessories.” I even freaked myself out.

    Rhiannon SocksFirst, the Giant Cabled Thing in Non-Traditional Colours. It’s Cookie A’s Rhiannon Socks knitted in hot pink Wollmeise. Yes, really. Longtime readers will remember that I actually tried to knit these socks four years ago and failed miserably. There are some truly diabolical cable stitches in there (increasing four stitches while cabling at the same time, for example), but this time I cracked it. I knitted them both at the same time on my usual 2.75mm circs. This photo, of course, is from before they were finished. They were blocking for the past few days so I didn’t even have time to get a proper finished photo! Hopefully the Easter Show display monkeys don’t, like, cut holes in them when they display them. (If you want more details, check out the Ravelry page.)

    Sam SawnoffNext is my toy entry. Two years ago I knitted Albert from The Magic Pudding, and this year I decided to knit Sam Sawnoff. Sam, of course, is a penguin and a loyal member of the Noble Society of Pudding Owners. I used the Norman Lindsay watercolour as my model, basing the body off the “Fairy Penguin” pattern in the “Cleckheaton Wildlife in 8ply” book. I actually used two strands of 8ply wool throughout to make him bigger, and I improvised the feet and wings a bit (since the pattern instructions were incomprehensible). His eyes are felt, and his trousers are calico. They turned out a bit more nappy-like than I wanted, but I don’t think it can be helped given the realities of penguin anatomy. Incidentally, I’m pretty sure Norman Lindsay never even saw a real penguin. Sam is WACK. (More details on Ravelry here.)

    BokaclavaAnd now we come to DISTURBING: the Bokaclava. I’m not sure how I came across this free pattern, but somehow a few years ago I agreed to knit one for my colleague Sean. It sat hibernating for a long time til I was inspired to finish it. My goal, of course, was to completely freak out the Show judges. And given how much it freaked ME out every time I tried it on, I think I will succeed. I knitted it out of some random Aran wool that I was gifted, and the thing looks more like something you’d buy in a Newtown fetish shop than something entered in a country show. And really, that’s pretty much what I was going for! BOOYAH. (And the Rav page is here.)

    And now to wait and see the results of the judging. Any bets?

  • “Star Trek: The Next Generation” Crocheted Enterprise Crew

    “Star Trek: The Next Generation” Crocheted Enterprise Crew – Cute!

  • Photo post

    MY CREATION LIVES! (Well, he still needs wings. And eyes. And pants.)

    MY CREATION LIVES! (Well, he still needs wings. And eyes. And pants.)

  • Plush Tobias Fünke

    Plush Tobias Fünke – LOVE IT.

  • The TENTH Annual Web-Goddess Oscar Contest

    w-g Oscar Contest 2012

    My annual Oscar Contest is now open! If you pick the most correct answers, you’ll win the big prize: The Monkey with the Dragon Tattoo. Yes, I made Lisbeth Salander Monkey. She has piercings; she has a Macbook; she has a golf club; and she has the titular tattoo. I think this is the most work I’ve ever put into a single monkey! (She’s also the first one that’s probably Not Safe for Work, given the slogan on her T-shirt.) And remember, in the event of a tie, the person that entered earlier wins. So don’t wait too long!

    Here’s Lisbeth Monkey in profile. Check out that fringe.

    Lisbeth profile

    Front view. As you can see, she has an eyebrow piercing, a nose piercing, and a lip piercing. She’s also got black spiral earrings and a necklace chain with a razor blade on it. (Special thanks to the Snook, who crafted the razor out of plastic and spray painted it.)

    Lisbeth front

    She wears combat boots, of course.

    Lisbeth boots

    She wears a hoodie over a ripped-up T-shirt. Oh look! She’s hacking on her Macbook.

    Lisbeth hacking

    I wouldn’t piss her off if I were you. Chick has a golf club and she knows how to use it.

    Lisbeth golf club

    If you pull down her T-shirt in the back, you can see her dragon tattoo. (FREEHAND, BABY!)

    Lisbeth tattoo

    I told you it was Not Safe for Work.

    Lisbeth shirt

  • Cuddly Chewbacca

    Free Cuddly Chewbacca sewing pattern. I might need to make one (or four) of those!

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