Moggy

Hello, you lovely lot!

As you know, things have been a bit busy here, but I thought it was about time for a free pattern.

So here's Moggy.

She's my new doorstop. 

And why would I want to make a new doorstop, you wonder?

Well, I have this little dog called Lola. She is a year old now and very, very cute.

But Lola can be a bad doggy.

See? That's my old doorstop.

Anyhoos, I thought I'd reuse the filling and the bag of sand to make another.

This is an easy project; Moggy is crocheted in continuous rounds of single crochet (UK doubles) in amigurumi-style. I used some leftover chunky yarn from my stash, so she worked up quickly, too. 

You could use any yarn to make yours.

Moggy Doorstop

You'll need:

Yarn and hook to match (I used Sublime Chunky Merino x2 50g balls and a 6.5mm hook)

Polyester toy filling/ a bag of sand/ rice to add weight

Stitch marker

2x 13mm safety eyes

Length of contrasting yarn for nose

Ribbon

Stitches and Abbreviations:

I use US terms, so single crochet= same as UK double crochet here.

Chain (ch)

Single crochet (sc)

Stitches (sts)

Single Crochet 2 Together (sc2tog)

To single crochet 2 together:

Insert hook into next stitch.

Yarn over, pull up a loop. (2 loops on hook)

Insert hook into next stitch.

Yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)

Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.

Pattern

Starting from the bottom and working up

Make 6 sc in magic ring OR

ch2, 6 sc in 2nd chain from hook.

1. 2sc in each sc (12 sts)

2. 2sc in each sc (24)

3. Sc 24

4. (Sc 1, 2scs in next st) repeat around (36)

5. Sc 36

6. (Sc 3, 2scs in next st) repeat around (45)

7. (Sc 2, 2scs in next st) repeat around (60)

8-21. Sc 60

22. (Sc 2, sc2tog) repeat around (45) 

Begin stuffing /add your bag of sand

23. (Sc 3, sc2tog) repeat around (36)

24. (Sc 1, sc2tog) repeat around (24)

25. Sc 24

26. (Sc 1, 2scs in next st) repeat around (36)

27-28. Sc 36

29. (Sc 5, 2scs in next st) repeat around (42)

30-33. Sc 42

34. (Sc 5, sc2tog) repeat around (36)

35-36. Sc 36

Ear 1

To make the ears, you will work both 'halves' of the head separately

37. Sc 9, make 1 sc stitch across to the other side (see photo), then sc 8  back to the stitch marker 18)

Add eyes and stitch nose. 

Stuff as you go.

38. Sc2tog, sc 5, sc2tog, sc2tog, sc 5, sc2tog (14)

39. Sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog, sc 6 (12)

40. Sc2tog, sc 3, sc2tog, sc 5 (10)

41. Sc2tog around (5)

Sew closed.

Ear 2

Repeat rows 37-41

You will have a slight gap between the ears, which can be sewn closed at the end.

Tail

Make 6 sc in magic ring OR

ch2, 6 sc in 2nd chain from hook.

1. (Sc 1, 2scs in next st) repeat around (9)

2. Sc 9

3. (Sc 2, 2scs in next st) repeat around (12)

4. Sc 12

5. (Sc 1, 2scs in next st) repeat around (18)

6-9. Sc18

10. (Sc 1, sc2tog) repeat around (12)

11. Sc 12

12. (Sc2, sc2tog) repeat around (9)

13-14. Sc9

Fasten off, leaving 30cm tail for sewing on later.
Stuff

Finishing off

Sew the tail to the side of the body.

Add a ribbon to your Moggy's neck.

Sew the gap between the ears closed.

There you go- your very own Moggy doorstop.

Mine will have a new home upstairs, well away from the bad doggy...

Have a great week, everyone xx

Advancing Deadlines

The deadline for sending the advance materials to the publishers approaches! 

(Eeeeek! It's all happening!!)

(The advance material is a section of the manuscript, containing some of the patterns and the physical crocheted items. This is used to mock up a kind-of early version of the book, which is used for marketing.)

I've been good at working and am the kind of person who works easily within time limits, so I think I'm on track. Mind you, I keep re-reading the text and changing bits here and there. I must stop doing this and leave it for a bit.

BTW, I am enjoying this whole writing malarkey immensely and choosing new yarn is so much fun. The ones in the above picture above are Debbie Bliss Cotton DK and they are completely delish...

Right, just a short post. I need to get on.

I'll keep you posted on bookish happenings and I have a new freebie pattern that I'm working on, too.

And so the clock ticks....

Instagrannies' Day Out

Well I have to say, the writing's going well so far and I must admit, I'm really rather enjoying the whole process.

But as we know, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so it was with great excitement I went off to our second Instagrannies' day out (the first seems so long ago...)

Image from here

This is the meeting place (Barnett Hill, near Guildford).
Isn't it lovely?

It's a beautiful house, built in 1905 by the grandson of Thomas Cook, the Travel Agent. It was later given to the Red Cross and used as a convalescence hospital during the war years and then as a training facility. Now, it's a conference centre. 

History lesson over.
Oi, you at the back, wake up.

Anyhoos, the super-gorgeous ShabbyChicSarah is the brains of the outfit and decided to invite the gals of Instagram to a little meet-up. And so, for a very reasonable fee, we travel from far and wide and get together.

Tea is sipped.

Homemade cakes and biscuits are nibbled at.

Look at all the crafty stuff

We sit, chat and bring our projects to work on and there is sewing and crochet and knitting and embroidery and lots and lots of laughter.

(And we also eat a great big lunch. Four courses, no less).

And before we know it, our time has come to an end and we mourn how quickly our day has passed.

Plenty of yarn

Busy bees. There's Ashley from CountryRoseCrafts, too!

But new friends have been made and ideas have been shared. Tips and tricks have been wondered at and stories have been told.

And there is the promise of another get-together in the summer....

...I will be there. With bells on.

Yours truly and the lovely Sarah (not so shabby, really)

Have a lovely weekend, everyone.

(Bank Hols here in the UK- yipppeeeee!!)

Sarah x