One small step for Moon Mouse.....

He has been tested, a few minor *cough* corrections made, and now he is all ready!

I really have had a love/hate relationship with making this little guy. I loved the challenge when my customer commisioned him from me, and thought, 'yep, looks easy enough, he's going to look great!'. 

Unfortunately, he was so painfully frustrating to get 'just right'. 

I had an idea, and image in my head, but the stitches just weren't falling in the right places, and his shape didn't look quite right.

I am a bit of an OCD perfectionist, I wanted him to look good, I mean, really good. Not only for me, and my own pride, but more importantly, the client waiting for him!

I knew I wanted his pattern to be fairly straightforward, so the nose, head and body needed to be one piece. - I hate sewing things together anyway, so I wanted to reduce that step as much as possible.

The first experiment looked okay - he was only a first draft so his colouring didnt matter. But that was a good thing, as it made me focus more on his shape. 

A few adjustments noted, and I started on my second mouse. Optimistic, so I chose the right colouring. As I've mentioned in my previous post, he needed a shorter nose, and to be a bit podgier!

There is a lot of perseverance in designing a pattern. By that, I don't mean in patience, and just plodding on with something I dislike, but more, I need to have faith that what Im doing will start to look right, and come together the further I go. 

The finishing touches really make an amigurumi perfect in my mind, and luckily, the longer I crocheted, the more confident I felt.

By the end of the project, I was pretty happy with him! Although, sitting him next to a photo showing the original Clangers, he was taller and still slimmer in comparison. But, as my hubby complimented, he looked 'cuter'! Well that sealed the deal, and the more I look at my Moon Mouse, the more I agree!

Modest of me I know! But as I said to my customer, when it gets to the point when I'm so pleased, I'm actually gutted I have to give a project away, thats when I know it's finished.

Speaking of which, I have had to start another couple of Moon Mice to help fill the void this lovely guy will leave when he travels to his new home!

<Violins softly playing...> ;-)

 His pattern was sent off, and then reviewed and checked by several testers. Now, it's all tidy and hopefully, mistake free!

This is the link for his pattern in my Ravelry store. He is the only crocheted Clanger that I've seen so far, as originally, the Clangers were actually knitted toys used for the TV series. So I'm happy to have made a crocheted version!

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/moon-mouse---inspired-by-the-clangers

Editors choice!

Eeek! Bless my lovely Moon Mouse! He won Editors choice! 

I know he's my creation, but I always feel, when I've finished an amigurumi, that they do come to life. They develop a character. 

Yes, they start with my sketch, and then some yarn knotted together in a fancy and complicated way, but when the last few stitches go in, and the face is completed, they become something else. 

Soppy and silly I know, I've always had a weird attachment to my projects! (A bit like Dr Frankenstein perhaps!) But Mr Moon Mouse really has been electrocuted by something and has come to life! 

His pattern is being tested at the moment, and they should be finished by this Saturday. So fingers crossed there aren't too many mistakes!

I am very proud of Mr Moon Mouse! I hope he continues to recieve lots of love and adoration!

This award goes to you, you lovely pink guy you! 

Moon Mice have landed

Well, a huge and loud 'Tadaaa!' He's finally finished, and I have to say (with a huge cheesy grin), that I'm really pleased! 

Technical Stuff

 His body, head and nose, are all one piece. So its an easy pattern for all levels of skill.
I think, if I wanted him to look downwards a bit more, I could easily just 'pull' in the rounds underneath his neck by placing a straight stitch downwards and tugging it gently together.

However, for my Moon Mouse, I like him looking upwards and happily stargazing.

I quite like the simplicity of this Mouse's armour.
For Experiment number one, I attached a thread across all the 'plates' of armour, to make them look attached and more realistic.

I think however, it ended up looking too busy and messy. So I'm a lot happier with the modified uniform for Experiment Mouse number two!

Its simpler, its gives the desired affect, and all whilst looking fabulous!

Here they both are, cousins from different moons across the galaxy! The mouse on the left, lives on a moon with less sun rays, and more chocolate - Thats my kind of moon! 

Here is the authentic, official photograph of the Moon Mouse landing. 

Our earth isn't quite the same as his home on a distant moon, but I hope he'll be happy here! Hopefully more of his friends will be landing soon ;-)

My Moon Mice

I have been asked to make a Clanger! 

Although they weren't showing in my childhood, I certainly remember the cute pink space mice with fondness, and their awesome whistling language.

I started looking for an existing pattern for the Clanger, but unfortunately, they are all knitted, and I can't knit! I couldn't find a single pattern, so I decided to make my own. Seemed simple enough. >cough<

I happily got the feet done... then got onto the rest! I like my patterns to be as straightforward and easy to make as possible. So I wanted to make the nose, head and body as one piece. As you can see, I got pretty frustrated with making the nose and head... I frogged that piece... ALOT.

Eventually, after lots and lots and lots of attempts, I came up with my Moon Mouse, experiment number one! 

Obviously, I just used any pink I had, hence why this guy looks rather sunburnt. He also has wayyy too big a nose, and needs to eat some cake!

To finish him fully, I'm just adding some hair and fingers. Then I need to get his armour completed and attached properly. At the minute, its just pinned in - although I do quite like the mulitcoloured pins and the effect it gives... Hmmm!

For my next Moon Mouse - experiment number two, he will hopefully be a closer 'Clanger' colour, and fatter! 

Stay tuned, and I'll update with more Moon mouse news soon!