A man in the palm of my hand.

Just how I like 'em.

Another one for the PTA. His hat is "hinged", and if you tip it up he looks not unlike a pink and red egg.

There were three of these little chaps, plus a Frenchman in a beret and several random animals. Here are some of them in all their single crochet glory (ok, "glory" is pushing it a bit).

The Spice Boys.

"Inspector Troy"

This isn't supposed to happen. Maggie appears to have arrested Inspector Troy. Midsomer will never be the same.

Snorty and Snortlet.

Snorty and Snortlet are from a pattern on Roman Sock. 'tis a very excellent piece of work. The patterns are very clear and I recommend them very highly.

Outrage

The picture tells the story far better than I ever could.

Fortunately, normal service has now been resumed. But the closure nearly resulted in pitchforks and flaming brands.

Thank goodness there are two pubs in the village.

My PTA Hell

Well, not really as it's quite enjoyable. But it doesn't half make the hands ache. Here is the latest progress, mainly in pictures.

From this....



To a shy bear called "Herb".

And for all out debauchery, here's Kenneth the drunken cat and his partner in crime, Hortense the Hippo. She's flat out and refusing to be photographed. She was also an absolute bugger to make.
Here she is before she fell in with a bad crowd.

And here, a limbless frog ponders the fate of his leg. Garlic, anyone?



The pattern for the frog came from Roman Sock, which is linked to this site if you wish to peruse more enviable patterns.

Pumpkin Envy

This was our attempt to menace the neighbourhood with pumpkins on Halloween. It's not bad, but on our perambulations this afternoon, on a rather pleasant autumn day of textbook quality, we found this outside the manor house.


It is superior in every way and I am absolutely devastated.

Ravelry almost achieved

• You signed up on October 18, 2007
• You are #45684 on the list.
• 6791 people are ahead of you in line.
• 6101 people are behind you in line.
• 68% of the list has been invited so far

Meanwhile, the PTA effort has flagged this week, but the products have been larger than average, so this is a reasonable excuse. A large cat, stitch intense hippo and random moss green and silver grey thing now have a full set of limbs. The sewing and stuffing and stitching will take place this weekend. This is always the hardest bit. One eye too far to the right and that endearing bunny looks evil. Or demented.

Lots of gardening to do this weekend as well. Mulching and levelling the front garden, and despairing of the back. There is debris everywhere. One longs for the wealth to employ permanent staff at times like these.

Huge amounts of wool

There are headless bodies all over the kitchen table. Several dismembered legs and some tails. Three packets of eyes in a basket and several zillion balls of wool.

Much work has to be done by 21st November in time for the PTA to get their craft stall together in time for the christmas sale. They have asked for several dozen treefrogs, some mice, cats and ladybirds. Even worse, they are expecting the cats and mice to be co-ordinated. What!

Crochet - in this case the specific Japanese brand known as amigurumi - is quite a relaxing pastime when watching tv or when there's nothing better to do, but all of a sudden the pressure is on. It's like a living computer game, as the woolly creatures have to be completed in secret otherwise they're seized on by the resident Groke Park child, who then refuses to relinquish them despite bribery and threats. If I get them off him, I earn 234,000 points and advance one level. If he keeps hold of them, he wins the Amulet of Yendor, learns the password and becomes a fourth level Paladin. But this is not the only hazard - hiding the fabric fiends succcessfully is also a dark art, as the cats will hunt down any half finished animals they catch sight of and drag them mercilessly across the floor, mewling in triumph. Four cans of meaty chunks for every bunny chewed and extra stealth points.

Thus, the question on no lips whatsoever is - of the amigurumi creatures about to be made, how many will reach the safe haven of the PTA pigeonhole?

Lay your bets, and tune in over the next month as the production line swings into action and watch indifferently as the story unfolds.

There will be pictures, so be sure to wear diving goggles to protect your eyes.

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Current status on Ravelry.com

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• 12316 people are ahead of you in line.
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• 69% of the list has been invited so far