Author: Sonja

Face & expression, Tips & Tricks

Animal safety eyes

Sonja

When I tried different eyes for my lop bunny pattern, I noticed that if I used coloured eyes, they seemed smaller than the same size of black eyes. Because I hadn’t taken that into account, I ordered a bunch of eyes in black and brown and couldn’t use the brown ones because they looked much too small. I had to buy new eyes.

I decided to write a post about this in my ‘Tips & Trick’s’  section to give you a heads up.

I made some pictures to illustrate this topic. (The eyes are not attached completely but are just inserted loosely without the safety backs.)

From left to right: 11 mm/0,43 inch black safety eyes, 12 /0,47  black safety eyes, same size brown safety eyes, the eyes in 11 mm, 12 brown and 12 black. I’m going to use the 11 mm black eyes or the 12 mm brown ones. The 12 mm black ones look too big.

Actually it’s quite logical a coloured eye looks smaller, because it has a transparent ‘orb’ on top of the flat coloured circle, which reflects the light a bit. You can also look a bit through the eyes.

Conclusion. If you’re going to use coloured eyes, keep in mind that they look smaller and buy them one step bigger or buy a few sizes so you have the right size for sure.

 

Art

Bunny sketches

Sonja

Here are some sketches of the design process.

A bunny has an inconvenient body shape for a crochet doll. That’s because it has an egg shape head obliquely on top of an egg shaped body. (Hopefully the sketches clarify that.) If you would crochet the head and body in two pieces, it means that the openings of both the head and body are in the wrong place, and sewing together two closed pieces gives a weird result. I did do that for crochet Boefje, but wasn’t  happy with the result because the doll has no ‘neck’. For this new bunny I had to make that look better, so decided to make a round head with a little flat muzzle to get the eggy shape.

I hope I’ll have the bunny finished soon!

 

Stories

Lamb!

Sonja

We saw the sweetest and most beautiful little lambs a few days ago. They couldn’t have been older than a few days, because their navel cord was still hanging to them. There was a dark one, the one in the pictures that is. He came running towards us very happy but stopped abruptly about a a metre from us and ran back, very funny. He was quite athletic. The other ones where white and very light brown/beige.

He looks so ‘not sheep’ with his long legs and short body.

lammetje

screaming lamb

Because I’m going to move, the coming weeks will be a bit busy. Not much time for crocheting and blogging I’m afraid. So see you in a few weeks.

Hurray, spring is coming!

 

Stories

Son’s Popkes Shop

Sonja

I just opened my own crochet pattern store, the Son’s Popkes Shop. It’s a shop at Craftsy. I will continue to post free patterns here, but I am also going to sell some patterns for a small amount at my store.

It’s something I’m very proud at and was looking very much forward to. Complex dolls like Starfox and the Lop Bunny I will sell there. More simple patterns, like Bomberman, I’ll post here for free. Because I needed to know if there would be enough interest in my patterns, I first offered the Starfox pattern for free, but on demand. I got so many request and positive reactions about the pattern that I got enough confidence in selling some patterns from now on.

So….crochet Starfox is the first pattern in my shop! ‘Feel free to look around….yes.’

And thank you all kindly, for your lovely and encouraging comments and the interest in my patterns, it’s absolutely great to hear from you, really!

 

Stories

Next project

Sonja

It’s been a while since I’ve posted something after Starfox. I’m already working on my next project and have a long list of ‘popkes’ I want to design. I’ve posted that list a while back but the dolls on it have to wait a bit longer to be made…..

The project I’m working on now is a ‘crochet bunny with floppy ears’, a lop rabbit. Some time ago I made such a bunny pattern, in memory of our sweet pet Boefje. Because it was a very personal doll, I didn’t want to share the pattern I made for it, even though I got a lot of enthusiastic comments and request for it. That’s why making a similar crochet bunny got priority above the dolls on list.

This is the bunny I made back then.

"crochet lop rabbit"

I’m also setting up a Craftsy ‘shop’, and the pattern for the lop rabbit I’m going to offer there for a small amount.

 

Stories

And now comes the hard part.

Sonja

This is what I have so far.

"crochet starfox amigurumi"

The boots where the most fun part. You know, quick result and not too complicated. But now comes the rest of this crochet Starfox, and that will be a lot tougher! It all has to do with the proportions. Boy, I’m not even certain what size the head should be. I think I’m going to start with the body and jacket. That way I can adjust the head to the body.  The head probably will become moveable like Link’s, unless it’s to hard for a fox-shaped head.

I’ll keep you posted!

 

Stories

Tiny cuddly boots!

Sonja

When I’d finished the first boot I rushed to get the second done, so I could write this post. Aren’t they cute! I think I’m going to crochet just boots for the rest of my life, hehe. They are 5 cm / 2 inch small. These Starfox boots are made out of 5 pieces: the sole, the boot, the nose tip, the heel and the boot neck.

Anyway, if the rest of Starfox will have the same kind of ‘cuteness’, I’ll be very content! For now the boots and legs are finished.

Pattern will follow.

 

Art

Ho ho ho, merry Christmas!

Sonja

"santa claus christmas painting"

No gifts Again?
Acrylic on canvas, 18 x 30 cm
By Sonja van der Wijk, me 🙂

This years Christmas card, which I’ve sent to family and friends. I’m very satisfied with it. It was quite difficult to make this paintig, because I’ve no experience in painting snow and I had some trouble with it.

The title is based on last years card, in which Santa got robbed by an UFO. I’ll add that one at the bottom of this post.

Here are some close-ups.

"reindeer rendieren red nose"

"santa clause foxes and rabbits, de kerstman"

And, last years Extraterrestrial Christmas Robbery.

"Extraterrestrial Christmas Robbery painting"

I hope these ‘ll give you a laugh!

I haven’t really started on crochet Starfox, but I will in Januari, I didn’t feel like it yet….

 

Stories

A first sketch

Sonja

"starfox amigurumi sketch"

This is how I picture my crochet Starfox. I hope he’ll turn out pretty similar to this sketch. I think my Starfox doll should have about these proportions. When I picture him, he has big, removable boots. I think I’m going to make his body and legs in one piece, with a sewed on crochet jacket and gear. I’m not really going to make his green outfit, but’ll make the body and legs in green. For the tail opening I have to find a solution. His backpack’s a must too. Crochet Starfox needs to be able to stand on himself. Maybe I’ll make a moveable head like Link, not sure yet.

It’s going to take some time, making this doll and I’m especially looking forward to the end result. Crocheting it, isn’t really the most fun part for me. I really get pissed of sometimes after taking a piece apart for the hundredth time, but in the end I’m very happy.

You know, I make my own projects, illustrations or crochet dolls, because I see in my head an awesome end result. Something that needs to be made. It makes me enthusiastic and fanatic. Sometimes what I want to make can be very complicated and delicate, but that won’t stop me, I’m a perfectionist and will go on till I get the right result. The downside of that is, that it makes me kinda cranky when it doesn’t go the way I want to. Not very good, I’ll need to ‘chill down’ when something goes wrong. The great and even greater side is, that I create things that make me happy and proud. The feeling of a beautiful finished amigurumi or painting is worth everything to me!