"The Force" Was With This Project

With my anniversary rapidly approaching, I wanted to make something for my husband.  But what can you crochet for a guy?  I could always make a scarf or a beanie but those options just didn’t seem to have the personal touch that I wanted.

Then it struck me – something Star Wars!  My husband is a Star Wars geek.  Not the “dress-up and go to conventions” variety, but definitely the kind that would enjoy a new Star Wars toy for his office at work.

His favorite character is R2D2 (or Arturito as we called him in South America where we both grew up.)  Once again, I began to search the internet.  I found a couple of sites that offered patterns for R2D2 but they weren’t exactly what I wanted (and they weren’t free,) so I decided to once again “give it a go” on my own.  The basic shape of the robot is not that difficult – a domed cylinder.  The legs were a little more challenging, but not as difficult as I thought they might be.  With the aid of a few good pictures I was able to embroider the details and sew on buttons to bring R2 to life.

My husband absolutely loved the gift!  He was the envy of all of his co-workers when he took it to his office.  They wanted to know if I made things to sell – but no, I don’t crochet for money.  “The Force” that inspires my creations is Love.

Two Birthdays

As the summer drew to a close, we celebrated two very special birthdays.  Our youngest daughter entered her teen years and our oldest daughter exited them.

Camila's 13th Birthday

Making something for a 13-year-old is definitely a challenge!  Instead of making another animal amigurumi, I decided to try my hand at making an anime character.  The older sisters informed me that Camila’s favorite anime character was Shikamaru – a teen-age ninja with a touch of bad attitude from the show Naruto.

I was unable to find a pattern for this doll, so I had to venture out on my own on this one.  I did have some good pictures to work from which helped a lot on the details since I don’t follow the show.




Camila shows off the final result.

  

Drawing from:

http://northwolf89.deviantart.com/art/Shikamaru-Nara-142191509

This is one of the drawings that I used to help me as I crocheted Shikamaru.

  

 

When Camila packed Shikamaru to take on our family vacation, I knew that the gift had been a winner!

Jasmine Turns Twenty

I couldn’t believe it; my little girl was turning 20!  For Jasmine’s birthday, I decided that I would make a sweater.  I found a beautiful pattern on-line and got right to work. 

The motif across the yoke of the sweater was intricate and required following the pattern very carefully.  I had to undo sections several times when I got distracted and missed a small step.  Ugh! 



Jasmine models as I admire the fruits of my labor.

The free pattern for this sweater can be found at:

http://www.naturallycaron.com/projects/avalon/avalon_1.html

With Jasmine's birthday fast approaching, I had no choice but to take the project with me on vacation.  The three hour drive to San Diego went by in a flash as I stitched away.  I followed the directions for size small, but when I finished joining the motifs together, I realized that it was going to be way too big for Jasmine.  With no time to start over, I decided to make some adjustments.  I added a couple of rows around the neckline with decreases to bring the whole top section in smaller.  I also took it in under the arms.  With the help of her younger sister, Maria, serving as a model, I was able to get the sweater sized correctly and I finished up the night before Jasmine’s birthday party.  Whew!!! 

The sweater fit perfectly and in the end it was well worth the headaches that it caused me.



A Teen's Terrific Turtle

Are toys only for kids?  Apparently not!  After oohing and aahing over Leila’s graduation owl, Maria put in a request for an amigurumi of her own for her 19^th birthday.  Deciding what to make was easy; Maria has always loved turtles.  I went back on-line to search for a pattern, but this time was not satisfied with anything that I found.  I took ideas from several different turtle patterns and melded them together into a version that I felt certain Maria would like.  As I began to assemble the various pieces that I had made, I realized that there was no way the turtle was going to be able to stand on its own or keep its head up, so I used some flexible wire to create a frame for the turtle prior to stuffing it.  The flower on the shell was the final touch to make it “girly.”

This Gift's a Hoot!

June brought a very special event for our family – another high school graduation!  As the day approached, I knew that I wanted to make something special for Leila – something that she could keep to remember this milestone in her life.  Since Leila is a fan of all things Japanese, I decided to make my very first amigurumi.  

“Amigurumi” is a Japanese term that means “crocheted toy.”  They are plush toys, usually animals, which are crocheted with a small hook in order to create a tight stitch that will contain the fiberfill.  I searched on-line and found a pattern for this adorable owl, complete with mortarboard.

How was it received?  Well, I think the smile says it all!

I found the owl pattern at http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/80282AD.html?noImages=

"Hooked!"

Summer afternoons in Paraguay can sap the energy out of everything - even a nine-year-old child.  However, siestas just weren't an option.  Naps were for babies and for old people.  And so I found myself wandering next door to Dona Celina's.  Dona Celina's grandchildren lived half-way across the country, in Ca'acupe.  My own grandmother lived half-way across the globe, in Pennsylvania. 


This is the first crochet project that I made with
Dona Celina's help.  I gave it to my mother for
Mother's Day more than 30 years ago!



Dona Celina would sit in the shade on her porch in the afternoon sipping terere, her crochet hook a blur producing intricate lace doilies or mantillas.  Her face would light up when she would see me crossing the yard.  "Adelante," she would call out - "Come on in."  She would give me the customary kiss on each cheek and pour me an ice-cold glass of terere. 

When I had drunk the bitter, but wonderfully refreshing Paraguayan tea, she would take out another crochet hook and ball of thread and hand them to me.  Her own hook would slow dramatically as she showed me how to make the stitches.  She would take my hands in hers, moving them in and out so that I could feel the rhythm of the stitching motion.  She would patiently correct my mistakes and praise my clumsy first efforts.  I fell in love with crochet that summer, not only because of the creative outlet that it afforded me, but because of the special afternoons that I spent with Dona Celina.  I was "hooked" on crochet!

Five years ago, I had the opportunity to return to Paraguay and visit Dona Celina.  She hadn't seen me in more than twenty years, but she recognized me immediately.  Spending an afternoon with her took me back to my childhood and was definitely the highlight of my trip!