Tag: photography

Stories, Uncategorized

It’s time for something new

Sonja

I’m so happy to announce that I have finished the updates. Last week I updated the last 14 patterns and now all my patterns are text edited for correct English and proofed a last time. The older patterns also have extra head shots of the animals so it’s easier the see where the eyes, ears, muzzles or bills go. And the patterns might even look more fancy than the most recent ones because of the decorative images of the animals on their backs. I will add those to the newest patterns too, but will do that ‘in between’ because it isn’t really necessary but just looking great. Adding those images made this experience more fun for sure, just look at them!

It was a huge endeavour and in the end I really got tired of it, but it was worth it. For most patterns that got a big make over, I’ve send a Craftsy and Ravelry update message. But I forgot for some and for the rest of them I skipped the messages. I didn’t want to bother you peeps with loads of emails. Here’s a list of the patterns I have updated in case you would like to have an updated version. Send me a message and your receipt and I’ll email or send the new version to your library.

There are a few patterns I made temporarily unavailable because I felt like making new and better versions of them. Basil the otter is the one I am starting with, Monty the marmot, the lop rabbit and Sjuffel the dog will follow, but I am not sure when because I also want to make a completely new pattern, a giraffe that is, after the new Basil. When I look at my work now, I am so proud. Thanks for all of your support, you crafters are fabulous!

Now we are updated. Hope to be here soon with a glimpse of a new otter.

Stories

I’m in update mode

Sonja

Some of you know I am currently updating my older patterns. Why is that? It is not because I’m still in that phase. And it is not because the patterns aren’t good enough either.

There are two things that bother me. The first is, some of the older patterns are not text edited by my amazing editor and therefor contain silly mistakes. Just typos and weird sentences she has helped me with over the past few years. The second thing is, I am not satisfied anymore with the pictures some of them contain. When I started designing these crochet animals, I didn’t pay that much attention to the backgrounds of the pictures. Along the way the backgrounds have become cleaner and nowadays they basically just are a sandy warm colour. I have thought of shooting against a white background, but found that a bit too clean.

Because I’ve already designed so many animal patterns, I’m not going to do new photoshoots for all of them. Even though the older pictures aren’t as neat as the new ones, they do their job as instruction photos. The pictures I am replacing are the promotion pictures you see in my pattern page and the shop listings. The reason for that is, I want my shops to have a clean and professional look.

It is a bit overwhelming I have to admit, it’s a lot of work. But also addicting, because when I start something like this, I’m looking so much forward to the end result, I want to go fast. Check out my progress so far, you can clearly see the updated images. And ever so frustrating, despite my hard work some of them still have a slightly different coloured background…

These patterns have received an update lately:

Flam the fox. The doll itself only got a neater body, the pattern received a complete update with new and shiny pictures. This one needed it the most! Click image to view the new post.

 

 

 

Flims the hedgehog. No changes to the doll, only a pattern update. Hopefully no more silly mistakes and better images. My editor commented ‘you cannot call a hedgehog a hog’. Oops, no more hog then! Click the image to view the new post.

 

 

 

Wasby the raccoon, like Flims, no changes to the doll, only a pattern update with more and better pictures. Click the image to view the new post.

 

 

Currently I am working on an update for Jonesy the duckling and Moser the mole. More will follow, oh dear…

Patterns

Mr. Creeper says Hi

Sonja

There are several free patterns to find at my blog, but Mr. Creeper is my favourite and he deserves some extra attention. If you feel linke making something creepy but cute, try this pattern, it is fun. The legs acquire some patience to crochet but this amigurumi is so worth the effort because let’s face it, Mr. Creeper is one cute spider. You can find the free pattern below the image, go for it!

crochet animal patterns

For this pattern you’ll need worsted weight yarn and hook US E/3.5 mm. to get an approximately 6 inch / 15 cm tall spider, measured from front to back paw. I’ve used the darkest brown colour of Lètt Lopi, a 100% wool. You will also need fiberfill, animal eyes, I used 7 mm eyes. Safety eyes with big backs won’t fit in the head so make sure you are going to use eyes that do fit. You also need pipe cleaners for the legs, so you can bend them into shape.

 

Body

1. magic ring of 6

2. 2 sc in each around = 12

3. (sc in next, 2 sc in next) x 6 = 18

4. (sc in next 2, 2 sc in next) x 6 = 24

5. 2 sc in next 2, sc in next 10, 2 sc in next 2, sc in next 10 = 28

6-7. sc in each around = 28

8. s2tog, sc in next 10, s2tog x 2, sc in next 10, s2tog = 24

9. (sc in next 2, s2tog) x 6 = 18

10. (sc in next, s2tog) x 6 = 12

11. s2tog x 6 = 6

Now close the gap by inserting the needle from the inside out, trough all the outside loops of the 6 st clockwise. If you do it correctly, you can pull the tail and it will close the gap. Sew in the end.

 

Head

1. magic ring of 5

2. 2 sc in each around = 10

3-4. sc in each around = 10

Leave yarn end for sewing.

 

Legs (make 8)

1. magic ring of 4

2-11. sc in each around = 4

Leave yarn ends for sewing. You can now insert the pipe cleaners. Stretch the paws so they get the desired length and leave the tip of the pipe cleaner sticking out, so you can later push it into the body.

 

Jaws

ch of 2, in 2nd ch from hook sl st. (leave both tails long enough for sewing)

 

Assembling the spider.

Finish the spiders face by attaching the eyes and sew on the jaws. I sewed Mr. Creepers jaws tight by sewing both ends to the head. Now you can attach the head to the body. After this I attached the paws neatly opposite to each other, by inserting the ends of the pipe cleaners first. If they are in the right spots, sew them tight.

There, your creepy crawler is finished, Happy Friday!

Uncategorized

Son’s Popkes Holiday gifts CAL & photo contest!

Sonja

santa-and-rupert-guinea-pigs

Hi there lovely Crafters!

It still feels a lot like autumn but the holiday season is getting so close. Many of you crafters will be making their own gifts and a lot of Popkes will be made. Therefor, let’s share some crafty fun! I thought it would be a splendid idea to give a crochet along another try. And, by adding an Instagram and Ravelry photo contest to this CAL, you can win two of my patterns.

You can join this festive crochet along in my Ravelry group. It starts now and ends December 24, just before Christmas. You can choose any of my patterns.

There will be a discount on all my patterns for this CAL too. The coupon code for a 10% discount you can find in the CAL’s topic in my group.

There’s also an Instagram and Ravelry photo contest attached to this CAL, where the winner can win two of my patterns by their choice and a second price of one pattern.

  • To join the photo contest, simply post a gorgeous picture of the end result in the CAL thread on Ravelry and add it is your entry for the contest.
  • If you do not have a Ravelry account but are making Popkes as Christmas gifts, you can also join via Instagram, if you do, use hashtag #popkejoy
  • You can enter the maximum of three pictures
  • The winner will be announced on boxing day, December the 26th.

Do not be shy and join my group and this CAL, it is so much fun. You meet lovely new people and can even make friends, and you can win two patterns. If you can, share the word about this CAL and photo contest, the more people who join, the merrier.

See you in my group!

Stories

An Autumn portrait

Sonja

crochet animal patterns

This summer I started an Instagram account and am loving it so much. For me it is some sort of fantastic encouragement to photograph my work much more. I’m experiencing with all sorts of settings and backgrounds and get inspired by other people’s work. Yesterday I felt like making an Autumn portrait of one of my crochet animals. Rupert became the subject and some old tray was turned into a gorgeous rustic background. The picture became so special I wanted to post it here. I am thinking of more portraits like these, so keep an eye on my Instagram.

Because of all the enthusiastic reactions and requests, the ‘#popkejoy’ Instagram and Ravelry photography contest will be a recurring thing. I am thinking of a new contest somewhere around the end of the year. I’ll keep you posted about that.

Happy Autumn crafty folks!

Art

And the winner is…

Sonja

It was so hard to choose! I never realised that when I started this little contest. I though, ‘hey that will be fun’, till I saw all the funny and creative pictures. Some of you created these lovely settings, Popkes giving each other a haircut or stealing cookies out of a jar together. Also there were adventures Popkes who went rock climbing or visited Hogwarts (those were the extremely lucky ones!)

But a winner had to be chosen. For that I didn’t only look at the setting or idea, but also at the composition of the picture, the light, in basic the quality of the picture. With all that in mind, I came up with a shared first place but before I reveal the winners, I want to share a selection of the pictures.

And now the winners

Rock climbing mouse by Helen and the Popkes who are up to no good by Chris. Helen posted her picture on Instagram and Chris in my group at Ravelry. Her picture isn’t square, you can see it in its full glory here.

Helen and Chris, you are the winners. Please let me know the pattern you would like to have and I will email it to you!

Chit and Chat

Summer Popkes II

Sonja

Summer-blog

Hello everybody, it has been a while! I had a lovely and active summer holiday but the activity did not include any Popke designing. (It did include too much running away from deer flies who hunted us down in groups while hiking, but still we had a lot of fun.)

I am back now and as a last goodbye to my holiday, I happily present a new summer Popkes picture. Just look at those lazy animals, they don’t seem to be pining for Autumn as I am…

As many of you know, I started a Popke joy photography contest on Instagram. I received a lot of messages from crafters who don’t have Instagram but really want to join the contest. Amongst them are some dear friends and I decided to expand the contest. If you are a member of my Ravelry group, you can now find a thread there with everything you need to know about the contest and, do join, it is fun! I’ve already seen many Popke joy pictures there in the past. Actually, the crafters there came up with Popke joy in the first place, so it would be more then fair to have the contest there too.

You can now join the contest there or use the #popkejoy on instagram.

This holiday I did design the upcoming crocodile on paper, so be ready for a first glimpse of his sweet and kind looks this week.

It is good to be back!

Chit and Chat

Win a pattern with Instagram

Sonja

Hi everybody! This weekend I started on Instagram and discovered how easy hashtags work. I thought it would be fun to start a ‘Popke joy’ Instagram contest. The winner can choose one of my patterns!

Now how does the contest work?

It’s very simple. Just go out, or stay in, whatever you like and take a picture of a Popke or Popkes in an interesting surrounding. I made a fun example picture of Popkes inspecting my new boots. Follow me on Instagram and use hashtag #popkejoy when you share your photo on Instagram. When I search for #popkejoy, I can see all the pictures you made using the hashtag. September the 10th I will choose my favourite picture and will publish it here at Son’s Popkes. Of course I will also write the winner and ask which pattern he or she would like to receive.

In short:

Starts August the 10th and ends september the 10th

There must be a Son’s Popkes pattern crocheted animal in the picture

Follow me and use hashtag #popkejoy

Good luck!

Boot-Popkes

Stories

Happy rainy holidays

Sonja

Crochet animal patterns

This is what mice do best, hanging around in my little garden. And look at the picture, it was even sunny! I was looking forward to making another summer Popkes picture, with new dolls and a lovely setting, but because of this years summer weather, my only choice would have been a picture of Popkes with umbrellas or in rain suits and that is not very appealing.

Actually, I don’t really mind this cool summer weather with a downpour every day. I am not in my element when it is too warm because I love doing active things and when it gets hot, I become slow and tired too soon and it spoils all the fun.

Our summer holiday has just started and I am looking forward to doing all sorts of things. I will probably work less, but I can’t stop completely. I just ordered a gorgeous shade of green (light highland green) to design a crochet crocodile. I felt like something completely different and a crocodile and armadillo pattern seemed just perfect. I have no idea how that will go, so I can’t make any promises there will be patterns soon. Let’s just see how it all works out.

In the mean time, do enjoy summer dear crafters! Even on those rainy or way too hot days, there are plenty of fun things to do, or crochet ;).

Patterns

Friebel, crochet mouse pattern

Sonja

After many modifications to my original idea, Friebel the crochet mouse is finished!

House mouse crochet pattern

amigurumi mouse pattern

This pattern is the perfect celebration of all the little mice that came and visited my garden the past few months. It may be, that because of all those lively creatures, I became very critical about how my crochet mouse should look. When I started this pattern, I had a standing crochet mouse in mind. But when all the parts were finished and I had made a first prototype, the mouse looked like Bamse on a diet. Oh dear, that wasn’t at all good.

So, I frogged everything except for the rather sweet head and started all over. While working on a more classic doll shaped body, I realised it suited a crochet mouse much better as mice are such adaptable and playful animals. For the standing version I had made little pink hands and feet and when I gave the mouse doll such hands and feet, that didn’t work out either. Yet another modification had to be made. Even the tail became different that I had anticipated.

Of course there were moments during this process that I got annoyed I had to start over again, but that is a part of the designing process. Every crochet animal doll needs to have the proportions matching that specific animal and I cannot be satisfied until I adore what I see. There has to be a certain perfection in the cuteness. And in the end it is so rewarding to cherish the new creation.

Info about & links to buy the pattern

This cute mouse is made with Istex Lett Lopi, a worsted weight wool. He is 13 cm / 5.1 inch when sitting. All the additional information you need to know about this pattern you can find in the shop listings. You can buy this pattern in my shop at Ravelry, Etsy or order it here. It contains a clear and colour coded description of how to crochet and assemble the mouse with example pictures at the bottom to help you get everything right. In the pattern you can also find what materials you need, the yarn colour numbers, in short, everything you need to know to make your own little friend.

And heads up, the pattern has a one dollar release discount till Friday the 15th.