Knitted Beasties – Page 11

Explorer Beastie's Copenhagen - CrawCrafts Beasties

Off The Bea(s)ten Track in Copenhagen!

Posted on April 4, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Explorer Beastie, Knitted Beasties

Goddag!

Yep, Explorer Beastie is back today with more snaps from our recent trip to lovely sunny Copenhagen!
For this second post, we thought we’d stray away from the more typical tourist haunts and go hunting for the two places we always seem to end up in whenever we travel – graveyards and botanical gardens. We were pretty excited to discover that Copenhagen had examples of both! Care to join us?

After a hearty breakfast at the Laundromat Café (it’s a laundry, and a café, AND a second-hand bookstore – what more could you need?) we pointed our feet/paws in the direction of Assistens Kierkegård… Turns out it was pretty much just around the corner!
If you’re looking for somewhere ghoulish and spooky, this place isn’t going to be your cup of tea at all. With its wide open spaces and tree-lined walkways, it’s really more like a park than a cemetery – and the locals seem to use it as one. That morning, it was full of people taking the baby out for a stroll, or cutting through on their way to work… All of them enjoying the bright sun and the peace that reigns inside the gates.
Assistens Kierkegård is the last resting place of many famous Danes – in our wanderings, we came across the graves of Hans Christian Andersen, Søren Kierkegaard and Niels Bohr – but one of my favourite spots was the small Russian cemetery, tucked away in a quiet, shaded corner.
I could have stayed here all day… But Explorer Beastie was anxious to get to our next port of call, the Botanisk Have. It was back towards the city centre, and conveniently near the Torvehallerne food hall – that was lunch sorted! Suitably refuelled, it was time for some springtime fun among the crocuses…
Followed by a chance to view the gardens from higher ground…
…And indulge in a little early sunbathing!
Oooh, what’s in here?
The Palm House is the main attraction in the Botanical Gardens… And unlike the one in Dublin, you can climb a winding spiral staircase to the top and look down into the treetops! But WOW, is it hot up there – within seconds, my camera lens had completely steamed up!
Explorer Beastie would NEVER be seen in public without his trademark beanie hat, so he retired to the cooler environs of my bag until we came back down. But once we moved to one of the more temperate houses, he was up to his usual tricks again…
It was nearly impossible to persuade him to hop back into the bag and head for home. So, look out Copenhagen! I have a feeling we’ll be back…
What do you always look out for when you visit a new city? Let us know in the comments!

Galway All The Way!

Posted on March 21, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Commissions, Knitted Beasties

It’s beautiful here in Dublin today – the sun is shining, the sky is blue, and it’s only a little bit breezy. Perfect for sports, if that’s your thing… And it certainly is for today’s new Beastie!
Meet Galway Hurling Beastie!

Hurling is one of Ireland’s traditional sports, and if I were to describe it (from a completely non-expert point of view) I’d say it’s like someone blended hockey and tennis. It’s played with a wooden stick (the hurley, usually made from ash wood) and a little hard ball (the sliotar), so there’s your hockey connection. But unlike hockey, the ball is allowed to leave the ground… in fact, I’m pretty sure it spends most of the match in the air! It’s frequently thrown and then smashed down to the other end of the pitch, as in a tennis serve, or carried egg-and-spoon style on the end of the hurley, while the player runs with it. Skillful, right?

I’ve paid monster tribute to this sport before – you can meet that first Hurling Beastie in this post from 2015 – but this latest project called for a more personal touch. First of all, let’s show where his loyalties lie, with a hand-stitched shirt in his county colours!
Galway is one of the top hurling counties in Ireland – they’re currently ranked third after the 2016 Championship – and their maroon-coloured strip is one that even a layman like myself can pick out of a lineup! I also made sure to emblazon this miniature version with the county crest, and the logo of their main sponsor.

And on the back, a little bit of extra customisation to help him fit in with his new family!
Next, how about some nice red hair? Well, he is an Irish Beastie, after all!
He’s also the first Beastie to have brown eyes (look closely), and I’ve given him glasses modelled on the ones his new friend wears!
And of course, to complete his kit, he gets his own Beastie-sized hurley and sliotar!
Anyone fancy a knock-about in the park? Or are there any other sporting Beasties you’d like to see? Let us know in the comments!

Aaaaand next Tuesday, I should have a fresh new Explorer Beastie adventure for you all… So stay tuned! See you then!

Paddy and Plunkett have a Picnic - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Happy St Patrick’s Day!

Posted on March 17, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Flashback Friday, Knitted Beasties

Everyone’s Irish today… Or so I hear! And I thought this might be a nice excuse to revisit some of my favourite Barróg Beastie* pics from the past year. But, for a little bit of Paddy’s Day fun, it’s up to you to decide who is the most Irish Irish Beastie of them all – let me know in the comments!

*For those of you who are new to Beastie-spotting, a Barróg Beastie is one knitted from 100% Irish wool. They can be identified by their slightly smaller stature, and more typically Irish accessories! Oh, and that word “barróg”? That’s Irish for “hug”!
Fry-Up Beastie can’t wait to tuck into his full Irish breakfast. I’m not surprised – YUM!

Sláinte! Toast this most festive of days with Red Ale Beastie – I’ll drink to that!

Enjoy the sunny spring weather with Redhead Beastie…

… Or relax with a good book, like Finn McSpool here!

And if you just can’t decide, your last option is a two-for-one deal… Adventurous duo Paddy and Plunkett!
Wherever you are, however you’re celebrating, have a very happy St Patrick’s Day! Cheers!

A Sweet Sweetheart Beastie - CrawCrafts Beasties

Enough Beastie Love to go Around…

Posted on March 14, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Commissions, Info, Knitted Beasties, Life at Beastie Towers

Well hello there! And WOW, for some reason it feels like ages since my last post – there’s been a lot happening this past week. I can’t wait to tell you all about it!

But first, I think I promised you a new Beastie – although some of you might recognise this little guy from the post I did a couple of weeks ago about my new Beastie-sized photo studio!
Let’s take a look at how those pictures turned out, shall we?
Ooooh, look at that! Cerise and blue, side by side, with neither colour flaring or getting washed out – teeny photographic studio, I salute you!

As for the Beastie, he’s a Sweetheart Beastie… One of the mainstays of my monster crew for every market I go to. Hearts speak to everybody*, and a soft, squishy felt one stitches up nice and quickly. This particular one was made to order for a customer I met at the Dublin Christmas Flea, who wanted a friend to keep her niece company while she’s in hospital. Hopefully his big toothy smile will help keep her spirits up…
… And he’s so proud of his oversized cuddly heart!
I also couldn’t resist kitting him out with a funny little bobble hat! Very stylish.
This Beastie had quite a way to go as well – as soon as he was ready, he left Beastie Towers and headed Down Under. But he’s bringing a flavour of this side of the globe with him… Since half of the family originally hail from Huddersfield in the UK, he’s proudly sporting the local football team’s colours!
I hope he’s settling in well in his new home!

*Well, almost everybody. At a Christmas market a few years ago, a boy marched up to my stall and told me that he really liked the handsome black and red Sweetheart Beastie I’d brought along. “Apart from that,” he said, indicating the heart, and pulling the most disdainful face I’ve ever seen.

And now for my other big news – I’m in a magazine!
I first found out about Caboodle, an independent magazine from the UK that publishes twice yearly, through the blog Claireabellemakes. I ordered a copy, loved it, and when I saw an email calling for submissions a few months later, I thought why not? Then, can you imagine how excited I was when they actually accepted one of my tutorial ideas? WOWEEEEEEE!

The magazine is available now from the Caboodle website, but here’s a sneak preview to whet your appetite! I should add (although it is probably quite obvious) that those clumsy arrows in the first picture were added by me in paint.net as an expression of my joy at being a published author. Check it out!

My tutorial is a simple dip-your-toe-into-needle-felting project, inspired by my own first forays into this craft last year. If you’re interested in giving needle felting a try, this is a handy way to get used to the basic techniques by making and decorating some simple shapes!

Big thanks to Kayti Peschke from Caboodle for sharing an electronic version of the magazine, and giving us permission to use it! And also to Eirin, who took all my photos – believe me when I say that the tutorial would have been a disaster without her help! You can view her own stunning, atmospheric work on Instagram.

Phew! That’s about all I have time for this week! Swing by again next Tuesday, when I’ll have another new Beastie to share… In the meantime, have a great week!

Getting Around to Knit!

Posted on March 7, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Commissions, Crafting, Knitted Beasties

Well lookee here! It’s Tuesday again, and in keeping with BeastieBlog tradition, I’ve some new Beasties for you to meet today – although I think a few of you might already have caught these two little lady monsters on social media over the weekend…
… But this is your chance to get a proper, close-up look at them! As you can see, they are both keen knitters – and even though they’re working on quite different projects, they like nothing better than meeting up and comparing knit notes!
This pair have gone to live with a pair of fellow enthusiasts of all things yarny – Deirdre and Lora, from Irish craft magazine Olann And!

Lora and Deirdre - Image borrowed from www.olannand.ie — (Image borrowed from http://www.olannand.ie)

Deirdre thought it might be fun to have a pair of Beastie counterparts to share the work of writing and editing this quarterly magazine… So let’s meet her new monster friend first!
Her favourite colour is pink, so of course Deirdre Beastie had to be pink too… and she’s working away on a rather lovely bubblegum-coloured chunky knit there as well! Also, her cosy cowl is modelled on one of Deirdre’s own recent projects…
… And a quick scan of some of Olann And’s recent podcasts helped me to design her sweet little polka-dot dress!
As for Lora… Well, she’s more into her blue. As you can probably tell!
Her new Beastie friend is also sporting miniature versions of her trademark tortoiseshell glasses and Madonna piercing!
And Deirdre Beastie isn’t the only one to be wearing one of her latest knitted masterpieces! Check out Lora Beastie’s glorious cherry-red cardigan, inspired by one of human Lora’s recent makes…
But the best part of this project was watching Deirdre and Lora meet their Beasties for the first time… And fortunately, they caught it on camera! Here’s the link to Episode 10 of the Olann And Podcast, in case you missed it!

(For the sake of my non-crafty readers, I’ve set the video to start from the beginning of the Beastie segment. But I’d recommend my fellow knitters, sewists and crocheters to ping it back and watch the whole thing – you’ll find lots to enjoy and inspire you here!)

I can’t wait to see what yarny adventures await these two Beasties in their new homes! And be sure to tune back in next week to meet another new monster friend… In the meantime, why not check out Olann And’s latest issue? This time around, they’re featuring some awesome (and FREE!) patterns, sharing some locally-made goodies and dipping a toe into the world of embroidery – all on their spiffy new-look website!

Have a great week, everybody!

A Monster Family, by CrawCrafts Beasties

It’s a Family Thing

Posted on February 21, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Commissions, Knitted Beasties

Isn’t this year flying in already? I can’t believe it’s been nearly two months since I was putting the finishing touches on the new Beasties I’ll be introducing to you today!

So before another month zips by, let’s catch up with the last Beasties of 2016 – a happy little monster family!
These Beastie parents are justifiably proud of their sweet new arrival, who I made sure to wrap up in a toasty merino wool blanket, to keep those December chills at bay!
And just look at Mama Beastie… She’s so stylish in her checked shirt and satin bomber jacket!
Of course, Beastie Dad is no slouch in the style stakes either! He’s a bit of a Manchester United fan (or maybe that’s Monschester United?) so he pretty much lives in his favourite football shirt…
… Although since it was the middle of winter when he left Beastie Towers, it would have been irresponsible of me to let him out without a jacket. So I made him a classic felt parka, complete with a fur-lined hood!
This look might have been a little inspired by his favourite band… So I kitted him out with a copy of Oasis’s breakthrough album “Definitely Maybe” to keep him and his new family entertained. If you look closely, you’ll see that this is a super-rare Beastie-fied special edition!
The album cover is as close a replica of the real thing as I could recreate in felt and teeny embroidery. Yikes! Remind me to start this kind of work in the summer, and not leave it until the very darkest days of December like I did last year!

OK Beasties, I think that’s everything you need. Time to head off and meet your new family!
The best bit is that they arrived just as their human counterparts dashed to the hospital to welcome their own little person into the world – what are the chances? I couldn’t have planned that better if I’d tried!

Phew! Now that we’re almost up to date with new Beasties, next week I’ll be sharing some of the latest news from Beastie Towers… including my new photography toy and why it’s nice to be incommunicado every once in a while. See you then!

Road Trip 2 – Extreme North!

Posted on February 17, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Explorer Beastie, Knitted Beasties

This time last week, we left Explorer Beastie on a breezy hilltop overlooking Five Finger Strand in Co. Donegal…
… And now it’s time for us to push onwards and upwards, to Malin Head – the very northernmost point of the island!

There’s some pretty wild coastline up here…
… And before we headed up to the viewpoint, we took advantage of the last little bit of daylight (always in short supply at this time of the year) to wander along the shoreline. There are plenty of places for a Beastie to explore here!
Of course, sometimes just LOOKING at those rocks isn’t enough. The best way to experience them is definitely to get up close and paws-on…
…Because that’s when you discover hidden gems like these! Wouldn’t that pool be just heavenly on a hot day? Mind you, I’m not sure they get many hot days up here…

We also had a chance to watch the waves rolling in off the Atlantic, and see them meeting land for the first time in thousands of miles…
But as you can see, the light was fading fast… So we cut short our stroll and headed back uphill to the official lookout spot.
Here’s the proof that we were there! Oh, and the view isn’t bad either…
Apparently locals would gather here to catch a last glimpse of friends and family as they left in ships to seek an easier life elsewhere. Malin Head also has a military past – those incredible panoramic views made it an ideal spot to put a watchtower! There’s one here that dates back to the Napoleonic wars, and another signal station from around 1902.
I’m guessing my photo shows the signal station – although at the time my main motivation for taking the picture was the fact that it looked kinda like a monster singing into a microphone from this angle.

With a jam-packed camera and only slightly cold paws, it was time for us to hit the road again. But Donegal had a couple more surprises in store for us… First of all, a rather spectacular sunset!
And further down the road, a warm welcome at the Drift Inn! We’d barely entered the cosy bar before some locals sat us down at their table, in front of the most roaring open fire I’ve ever seen – seriously, there was half a tree on there – and started chatting away to us like we were regulars ourselves. They even treated Explorer Beastie to a pint of the black stuff!
That’s a lot of beer for one Beastie – no wonder he looks a little blurry around the edges! Cheers!

It really is amazing what you can discover when you journey even a short distance away from your usual haunts, isn’t it? If any of you have had a fun “staycation” or day trip recently, we’d love to hear about it! Share your story in the comments… and we’ll be back on Tuesday with the last of the pre-Christmas Beasties!

(Mer)Made Just for You!

Posted on February 14, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Commissions, Knitted Beasties

After Explorer Beastie’s trip to the northwest coast last week, it seems like a good idea to carry on with this maritime theme for a little longer! How do you all feel about meeting a real, live Mermaid Beastie?Look, there she is… elegantly running her paws through her tresses, as mermaids are wont to do. Now, at the risk of running aground on some treacherous rocks, let’s take a closer look at this elusive Beastie… You may never see her like again!

First, you’ve probably noticed that she’s wearing a rather fetching seashell bikini top… A girl has to keep up with fashion, even if she does live underwater.
She also has a friendly starfish in her hair, to keep her lustrous locks out of her eyes.
But of course, you probably want proof that this isn’t just a regular girl Beastie in a costume. So, here you are – check out her beautiful, scaly, sparkly tail!
Sharp-eyed Beastie spotters will also notice that her tail is stitched in such a way that she can lounge coyly on rocky outcrops, rather than sitting bolt upright…
… Although this shot captured her just as she got tired of posing for the camera, and she prepared to swim off to new and exotic shores! Since she left just before Christmas, I’m sure she found the waters around Ireland pretty chilly, but fortunately it wasn’t long before I received confirmation that she had arrived safely in her new home!
Heehee! It looks like she’s settling in well – and possibly challenging the Christmas fairy bear for her spot at the top of the tree!

Thanks for joining me for another New Beastie day – I’ll have the last of my Christmas commissions to share with you next week, so be sure to drop back in for that! And join us again on Friday for part 2 of Explorer Beastie’s trip to the very top of Ireland. See you then!

A Beastie-Size Tardis! CrawCrafts Beasties

Knock knock! Who’s There?

Posted on January 31, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Commissions, Crafting, Knitted Beasties

– Doctor.
– Doctor who?
– Exactly!
Aaah, they say the old jokes are the best… but perhaps that one might be the exception to the rule!

That said, the new Beastie I’d like to introduce to you today ties in quite well with the retelling of a corny old joke. The character he’s based on is known for his ability to regenerate and reappear as essentially the same person… albeit in a different body, with different personality traits. And even the tales of his adventures have made a comeback and evolved in recent years, creating a whole new army of fans!
Yes, you’ve guessed it – it’s Doctor Who Beastie!

Some of you might remember that I already made a Doctor Who Beastie, back in December 2015… But given the original Time Lord’s continuing popularity, I figured it was only a matter of time before I was asked to “regenerate” Doctor Who Beastie!

Of course, in keeping with the tradition of Doctor Who’s various distinct regenerations, and the fact that all Beasties are unique, there have been some subtle changes between this Beastie and his previous incarnation…
As you can see, his complexion has changed to a bright sunny yellow, and he’s clearly visiting a different dentist! But his tailor and hairdresser did such a good job last time around that he’s decided to stick with them…… And underneath his practical tweed jacket, he’s still rocking the same bright red braces and matching bow tie!Finally, I kitted him out with a Beastie-sized Sonic Screwdriver – essential for getting a teeny Time Lord out of all sorts of intergalactic scrapes!But surely you’re not going to walk to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, Doctor Who Beastie?Aha! I thought not! A cosy felt TARDIS will work much better.Perfect!Well, almost… Even though I gave him strictest instructions to head directly to his new home, and to be sure to get there in time for Christmas, he took it into his woolly head to go adventuring instead!

Days passed, then weeks… And still no Beastie! I didn’t know what to do – contact NASA and see if they’d noticed anything whizzing past the Hubble space telescope? Ring the BBC and ask for Professor Brian Cox? But then…
He popped out of whatever black hole he’d vanished into, and arrived on his new doorstep apparently none the worse for wear after his longer-than-anticipated journey!

Even better, although he wasn’t home for Christmas, with uncanny Time Lord timing he did manage to pick the next best date for this grand entrance – his new buddy’s birthday!

Here’s a taster of what he discovered when he started exploring his new home planet…… And don’t forget to stop by Tatie’s World to see more of this Beastie’s antics!

Thanks to Tajana for sharing her Beastie pics with me… And for being so patient while we waited for the Beastie Tardis to find her house!

Next week, we’ll be finding out what Paddy and Plunkett have been up to in their first adventure of 2017… See you then!

Get Along, Lil’ Beastie!

Posted on January 24, 2017June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Commissions, Knitted Beasties

Yeeeeee haaaaaa!

It’s been a while, but at last… It’s New Beastie Day again! I’m so happy that I’m FINALLY able to share my pre-Christmas commissions with you all. And we’re going to kick off 2017 in style, with Cowgirl Beastie!
She’s got everything she needs for a long day out on the ranch – first, a classic blue and white checked shirt…
… A toasty jacket…
… With real leather fringes on the front and back…
… And of course, a lariat tied with an authentic lasso knot!
This miniature cattle wrangler was requested for a real-life rancher, and she was already looking forward to helping her new friend out on her huge farm in Saskatchewan, Canada. She’s expecting to work hard, so I put her hair into a nice chunky braid to make sure it doesn’t get in her way!
Then I added one last finishing touch…
…A felt cowboy hat, complete with a star on the brim in tribute to sharp-shooting queen of the cowgirls Annie Oakley!
Ta-daaaaah! Ready to go!

With a long journey to her new home ahead, I sent Cowgirl Beastie on her way good and early – and luckily, she arrived well in time for Christmas! Here she is – looks like she’s settling in nicely, don’t you think?
The new Beastie bonanza continues next week, so be sure to join us for the intriguing tale of a little woolly monster who got lost in space… See you then!

	tierneycreates: a fu… on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
	crawcraftsbeasties on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
	quietwatercraft on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
	crawcraftsbeasties on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
	The Hidden Spain on (Mer)Made Just for You!