Finger Puppet Fun

I don't usually get presents for Easter apart from the odd Easter Egg of course but this year my friend K gave me some  chocolate goodies and..... a crochet book, he knows me so well, he knew I would love this. I looked through the book at the time but have only just began to explore the possibilities inside. Finger puppeting has it's moments but the moments tend to stretch out to longer periods of time I have found.  Unless you try it you can not know just how much work goes into the making of these tiny little gems.  Some are pretty straight forward and others seem to go on forever.  My first attempt was this lovely little bag and butterfly.

Easy you think well think again.  The little bag consists of six pieces and the butterfly eleven! that's not counting the black edging and antenna.  The result is worth it of course but you have to be in the mood for some serious fiddly work to do these.

I took them to work to show friends and clients in the Day Unit and they absolutely loved them, in fact one of my friends has asked me to make some finger puppets suitable for little boys to give out at her sons wedding so I'm busy making a selection at the moment to show her tomorrow.  Here is a selection of what I've done so far.

Parrot Fish

Mr Hedgehog.

Mr Jelly Fish

Supposed to be a frog honest lol

Ahhh Alien invasion

Mean Shark

Thomas Turtle

Star Fish

Cheeky Monkey

Sneaky Snail

Apparently these space worms come in all colours.

Bumble bee

 Group Photo.

 I have to say these little puppets do take ages to do, the monkey in particular consists of fourteen pieces!  I'm wondering which puppets my friend is going to take for her boys.  I am off to tackle a spider.  More to come later. Patterns can be found in Gina Alton's book Crochet Finger Puppets .

Todays Garden

This clematis only flowers very briefly so I wanted to capture it's beauty before it sleeps for another year

Aqualegia hidden beneath the red currants, green now but soon will turn into red tumbling jewels

Blue Alpine carpet so short lived.

Pretty Crochet Top

It was nearly time to send in my box for the challenges but I thought I had time to make just one more thing.  I decided on this little top because I saw the pattern and loved it.  As usual it took me much longer than I thought it would, I am a slow but determined crocheter and find that I always have to adapt patterns along the way to fit in with my errors but I usually get there in the end.  This little top is made from the neck down I made it with Dk wool and 4.50mm hook.  I just managed to finish it in time to put into the box

You can find the pattern here
                                                               

Giraffe Sweater

I adapted this pattern for this little sweater  found  here      I missed out the cords on the front because I wanted to make it for a boy.  I then decorated it with a appliqué crochet giraffe 
The sweater took me about 4 days to do and I made it in Dk wool and used a 4.50mm hook.   I think probably it will fit a 6 year old.  The only problem I had with this pattern was crocheting in the front of the loop It took longer because I kept picking up two by mistake.  I was pleased at how it turned out and I will probably use this pattern again.