Hey there Beastie friends! And what’s this – could it be the first new Beastie of the new decade? I think so! Hey there, June Beastie!
That said, the most attentive BeastieBlog readers will surely remember her chance arrival on Paddy and Plunkett’s doorstep last year… And her subsequent departure to foreign parts in a convenient backpack!
But her visit was so fleeting that we didn’t really get a chance to check out all her cool stuff! So, let’s set 2020 off to a good start and get to know June Beastie a little better. She certainly loves to smile for the camera!
She also loves to cook, so I was sure to make her a neatly-embroidered felt apron to cover her hand-sewn lilac t-shirt.
And I’m hoping she’s as happy with her hairstyle as I am – check out those cute wool and mohair curls!
Then, how about we add a little sparkle? Hello, matching gold glasses and earrings! Very stylish.
And finally… The item that has been raising the most questions – not least from Paddy and Plunkett! It’s a… Rolling pin?!
Well, the way I see it, you never know when you might be faced with a baking emergency. And I’d hate to send any Beastie out into the world without their favourite piece of kit. But if you can think of any other eventualities where a rolling pin might be useful, or if you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you thought “I really wish I’d had a rolling pin with me”, be sure to share them in the comments!
We’ll be back next week with the first of Explorer Beastie’s postcards from London… See you then!
In 2019, I took a big leap and had a go at organising my own craft fair! I rounded up a group of my favourite local craftspeople, and met some awesome new makers as well.
I found Knitter Beastie hanging out among the plants in my studio, on the day I was going to meet one of my long-term knitting students for a goodbye coffee. This student had been a regular at the classes for a while, and we’d worked through some awesome and ambitious projects together. But alas, her time in Dublin was coming to an end, and she was moving home to Germany to continue her studies.
“Reeeeeally? I’ve always wanted to see Germany… And I could probably use a bit of help with this project, too.”
And with that, it was decided. Knitter Beastie hopped into my bag, and pretty much insisted on leaving the country with my student. I hope they’re getting on well… And that Knitter Beastie hasn’t been raiding all the local yarn shops in the hope of whipping up a few woolly monster friends!
This Beastie was requested by a thoughtful mum, who wanted to help her daughter to celebrate a very special birthday in the Beastie-est way possible. I mean, you don’t turn 10 every day, do you?
Done! And we needed to include her favourite colours, too – blue, mint green, white and peach.
Perfect! I even picked up some rose-gold-coloured jewellery findings to better match the warm peachy tones of the bag and its ribbon strap. Here you go, little Beastie lady!
And now I reckon you’d better get going… You wouldn’t want to miss the party, would you?
Meet Julia Beastie! This particular monster lady was made as a very special “Yay, you finished your MA thesis” gift… And as you can see, she’s not travelling alone. She’s being kept company by her feline felt friend, Paddy the cat!
Now, Beasties with pet cats aren’t new – you may remember that I made a few for the 
However, this was the first time I had attempted to copy a particular cat’s markings. Since this Beastie’s human counterpart is the proud owner of a devilishly handsome polydactyl cat, it only seemed right that Felt Paddy paid proper tribute to Real Paddy.
… And the combination of delicate green skin with rich dusky rose stripes!
Aaah, you can’t beat those classics! Although I adjusted this Anne Bront
And how about a ticket to a show, to complete the set?
“Carousel” is one of Human Julia’s favourites, so it’s fairly safe to assume that her new Beastie companion will enjoy it too. Just one thing, though…
“… And pop it in my backpack for me?”
As you can see, the straps clip into place at the base of the bag. That means they can simply be slipped around a Beastie arm and attached!
Perfect!
Here’s wishing them all kinds of monster adventures together!
Spencer Beastie was requested by our good buddy Melissa at 
Not only can he now hold things, he can also “hang out” on metal surfaces in the prison bus!
… Glasses…
… Favourite hat…
… And trademark bandana handkerchief!
I think we all know what that means… Let’s see what’s inside!
Aha! Everything a Beastie needs to tackle a serious refit project – a Beastie-sized torch, pocket knife and hammer!
Finally, for those of you who are suckers for the teeniest of tiny details, the torch contains a glass bead “bulb”…
… And the blade of the pocket knife really folds out!
Well, I think you’re ready to help out in the workshop, Spencer Beastie! Better get packed up and make the journey Stateside…
And the best bit is, you can see him settling in to his new home! Melissa very kindly featured Spencer Beastie in the latest episode of her podcast series… Check it out here!
Then I called on Explorer Beastie to pick a winner.
This didn’t exactly go according to plan.
But Explorer Beastie is made of sturdy stuff. Look, he’s got one!
Who is it?
Taaaa-daaaaah! 2018 is the year of “Sloe on the Uptake”, courtesy of 
Of course, Explorer Beastie would have to pick the most messily-written slip of the bunch! But an excellent result. And now I can finally get those bottles labelled!
Thanks, Tammie… And to all of you who took part! I reckon I’m all set with sloe puns for at least the next decade!
I also turned my hand to making some stitched embroidery hoop pictures. I’ve been meaning to do this for years! There’s a small (4in/10cm) version and a large (6in/15cm) one.
And of course, the Beasties had to get a slice of the action! First up, I made some Beasties in cosy, smiley cat sweaters.
And there will also be Beasties with their own felty, feline friends, like this guy!
