Wednesday 26 March 2014

Garden  Creatures

Esmerelda (hedgehog) , Bumble, Scarlet (front), Winston (hedgehog)


I had a lovely time creating the garden creatures. I first saw the hedgehog at Tangled Yarns in Brisbane and knew I had to make it.  You can never stop at one so Esmerelda and Winston were born.  (I’ve decided I need to make a baby...Quills will soon join his parents!)   The hedgehogs – a pattern for sale by Marika Uustare, find them here 
                      http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hedgehog-11

The ladybird – (Coccinella septempunctata)-  this beetle is my favourite motif so don’t be surprised if you see her in everything!  I just worked her up one day and lo and behold,  Scarlet became my creation!  I’ve since made quite a few. They're lovely to send with gifts to friends or to attach to a card, or to give to children - a pet to hold in the hand and quick to make.  (see below for free pattern)

Watch Scarlet star in her own animation buzzing around my crocheted Valentine’s heart.




And then there was Bumble…oh Bumble!    You deserve a post of your own.   Come by tomorrow to see Bumble.

Happy Gardening.


Lu xx





             Scarlet -  free ladybird pattern   


Facts
4ply yarn, 3mm hook, tapestry needle
black, red, small amount of  toy fibrefil

BODY
Scarlet yarn.
Magic ring, dc6 into ring, slst into the first dc.
1.  2dc in each dc (12sts)                                              photo 1 (right) 




   (photo 2 left  place a marker on the last stitch of the row)  

2. *dc, 2dc in next dc repeat from * around. (18sts) 
3. *dc, dc, 2dc in next dc repeat from * around  (24sts) (photo 2) 
4. dc all round (if you want a larger ladybird, increase again in this row and decrease another row accordingly) 
5. dc, dc, dc2tog, repeat all round (18sts)
6. dc, dc2tog, repeat all round (12sts)  (stuff body with fibrefill)
6.  dc 2 tog all round. Fasten off and leave a tail. Gather up last six stitches onto a tapestry needle and pull tight.  Sink the knot into the body of the ladybird. Don’t hurt her too much.  ;-)          



The body should look like this... (left)  
Fold the heap cap in half and sit over the body (above) 
  
.
Stitch back and forth through the body and heap cap to secure


Making the dots and spine, stitch two rows of backstitch  down the spine 
 Twin Scarlets


L is for ladybird

HEAD CAP
Black yarn
Magic ring, dc6, slst into the first dc.
1.  2dc in each dc, slst into the first dc. (12sts)
Fasten off.  Leave a tail to stitch the head onto the body using small anchor stitches, securing the head cap through top and bottom. 

Dots – make the dots and the spine line  with yarn and your tapestry needle.  Backstitch is used for the spine. 

(Ladybirds were introduced  in our country - Australia -  from America to reduce scale/mites on plants. Their brightly coloured bodies are a warning sign to birds and prey, meaning they are distasteful or toxic.  They are associated with good luck and other myths.  They seem to find me wherever I go! :-) )   

Hope you spot one soon! 

Lu x















       





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