Embroidery – Page 5

Rugby Girl Beastie Closeup - CrawCrafts Beasties

A Very Beastie Birthday Surprise!

Posted on November 8, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Commissions, Knitted Beasties

Well, THIS has been a while coming! Today’s new Beastie actually left Beastie Towers back at the end of September… But since I devoted all of last month to Hallowe’en-themed monsters, this is really the first chance I’ve had to introduce you to this little lady! However, now that the days have suddenly got much colder, and tickets for the Six Nations have gone on sale, it seems like a good time for you all to meet Rugby Girl Beastie!
Rugby Girl Beastie was commissioned as a very special birthday gift for a devoted Munster Rugby fan! So of course she’s proudly wearing her team’s jersey…
… Featuring a hand-embroidered crest and a personalised number, to mark the occasion!

Rugby Girl Beastie’s new human friend also LIVES in her Converse trainers, so I made her a pair of her own to match!
And so that she can join in on the pitch if needs be, she got a hand-embroidered rugby ball too!
This Beastie girl’s new human buddy is a busy lady! When she’s not following her favourite rugby team’s exploits, she loves going to gigs and festivals… and so that Rugby Girl Beastie can tag along, I included a special VIP wristband to help her sneak backstage.
Then, as a final finishing touch, an accessory to celebrate her love of travel!
The hand-embroidered felt “stickers” are from some of Rugby Girl Beastie’s new friend’s favourite holiday destinations… and since she often travels to see Dublin band The Coronas play overseas, I’ve included a nod to them on there too!

Now I think we’re ready to hit the road!
Thanks so much to Katie for requesting this commission!

Oh, and thanks to all of you as well! Last week the BeastieBlog hit the 400 followers mark… And we literally couldn’t have done it without you. So… CHEERS!
Join us again on Friday for more overseas antics with Paddy and Plunkett… And don’t forget that this weekend we’ll be at the Creative Collective Ireland Craft Fair in Ranelagh, Dublin 6!

Who sewed this guy together? CrawCrafts Beasties

Hallowe’en Is Coming…

Posted on October 4, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Info, Knitted Beasties

…And this year, I’ve actually had a chance to start getting under way with some seasonal special edition Beasties! Today, I’m excited to introduce you to my first “Famous Monsters” Beastie – Frankenbeastie!
Cobbled together from discontinued dyelots and abandoned WIPs, this little monster hasn’t enjoyed the same precise stitching as some of my other creations…
… And the tailoring of his outfit leaves a lot to be desired as well.
But it’s fine, because I’ve equipped him with this season’s must-have accessory – a pair of electrodes in his neck!
Now those will surely add a little extra spark to his personality!

So, what’s the verdict – a thing that should not be, or a misunderstood creature who makes us question what it means to be a Beastie? Let me know in the comments!

And as if that wasn’t enough excitement for one week, I made some time over the weekend to peruse the latest issue of online crafty magazine Olann And. Look who made a special guest appearance in their Handmade in Ireland feature!
You can read the full feature here – Knitter Beastie was delighted to be included in the lineup alongside so many other great Irish handmade goodies! There’s also a new edition of the Olann And Podcast up on YouTube, which I’m looking forward to checking out on my next day off. If you want to beat me to it, you can find it here… But no spoilers, please!

We’ll be back on Friday with another blast from the Beastie past – in the meantime, have a great week!

Baker Girl Beastie in the Kitchen- CrawCrafts Beasties

Flashback Friday – Baker Girl Beastie

Posted on September 23, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Commissions, Flashback Friday, Knitted Beasties

It’s time for another browse through the BeastieBlog archives… and since we’ve been talking a lot about treats already this week, it only seemed fair to have another treat-y Beastie to see us into the weekend! Hands up who remembers…
…Baker Girl Beastie!

I made this Beastie at the start of 2015, and she was one of my first “real” commissions. It was exciting to be making a monster for someone who I didn’t previously know… and a little nerve-racking, too!

Fortunately, the lady who requested this little monster girl had a good idea of what she wanted. First up – red hair, to match her own…
… And a cute little printed cotton dress, protected by a hand-embroidered apron!
But the most important accessory was her big pink cupcake!
In fact, I recently revisited this idea, and made some larger stand-alone felt cupcakes!
They’re really fun to make, and right now I’ll take any opportunity to flex my newfound felting muscles!

One thing I noticed while putting this post together was how much my Beastie photography has improved in the past year and a half, even if I do say so myself! It just goes to show that practice makes… um… maybe not perfect, but definitely better!

It’s been a while since I heard from Baker Girl Beastie… hopefully either she or her human will see this and drop us a line! Then again, perhaps she’s training hard for the next season of “The Great British Bake Off”! Are any of you planning to spend some time in the kitchen this weekend? Let us know in the comments!

Beastie Treats!

Posted on September 20, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Crafting, Knitted Beasties

Hurrah! If it’s Tuesday, it must be New Beastie Day! And since we had a no-show last week, today I’m planning to make it up to you all by introducing you to two (yes, TWO!) new Beasties!

First up… look who’s joining us for breakfast! It’s Fry-Up Beastie!
Can there be any better way to start your day than a big tasty fry? Well, your arteries may scream “Yes! Quinoa porridge and three servings of organic fresh fruit!” but sometimes a hearty plate full of assorted fried goodies is just the ticket. Plus, no matter how busy you are, after a traditional “full Irish” I guarantee you won’t need to eat again for about 6 hours. Talk about efficiency!
The fried breakfast is a familiar sight on tables across the UK and Ireland, but what you find on your plate varies depending on where you are. The least healthy variant is the Ulster Fry, my birthplace’s contribution to world cuisine, thanks to its traditional line-up of both fried potato bread AND soda farls. Truly delicious… but have one of those every day for a week and you’ll probably keel over!

Anyway, Fry-Up Beastie seems pretty content with his portion. Pop it up on the table there, so we can have a closer look!
Oooh, yum!
Let’s see… Sausages, a fried tomato, bacon rashers, a lovely big puddle of baked beans, black and white pudding and a fried egg. A proper Full Irish… no surprises there, since eagle-eyed Beastie-spotters will already have identified this little monster as a Barróg Beastie, made of 100% Irish wool! I should also point out that all elements of this delectable Beastie feast were cut, stitched and embroidered by my own fair hands, making this a truly home-cooked meal!

And now that we’ve had a hearty breakfast, it’s time for… elevenses!
Hey there, Doughnut Beastie! He looks pretty excited to tuck into his favourite treat…
…And perhaps we should take a closer look at it ourselves.
Mmmm… Strawberry felt frosting with embroidered rainbow sprinkles! Good choice, Doughnut Beastie! Although perhaps you shouldn’t eat all that in one go… It’s nearly the same size as your head!

Wow, for some reason I’m now feeling incredibly peckish! It might be time to raid the fridge…

We’ll be back on Friday for Flashback Friday, since it seems to have been a hit with many of you! In the meantime, what’s your favourite tasty treat? Share it in the comments, and I may immortalise it in glorious felt for my next round of gourmet Beasties…

A Nice Relaxing Day at Beastie Towers

Posted on September 6, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Knitted Beasties, Life at Beastie Towers

Being out and about is all well and good, but sometimes you just want to enjoy the quiet life! And as someone who has always been a fan of more… um… sedentary activities – just ask anyone who has ever tried to get me to run anywhere, or play sports for “fun” – it was only a matter of time before I started sharing my favourite pastimes with my ever-growing Beastie family!

Here, let me introduce you to my latest batch of Hobby Beasties…
First up – well, no surprises here! It’s always nice to have a Knitter Beastie around, even if they do dip into my yarn stash every once in a while.

What are you working on there, Knitter Beastie?
“Hmmmm… I think this might become a toasty winter sweater!”

Much as I love to knit, there is one other hobby that I really go out of my way to make time for…
…READING!

I’ve been a bookworm for as long as I can remember. I even loved books before I learned how to read them, a quirk which my parents used to make my earliest mealtimes go a little more smoothly. As I pawed through my book of animal pictures, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, I barely even noticed that I was surreptitiously being fed at the same time!

So of course, the first Beastie accessory I ever made was a little felt book…

Bookworm Beastie, by CrawCrafts Beasties — Not the first one, but definitely an early one!

…and you’ll usually find a Reader Beastie hanging out in the gang on my market stall!

I also have endless fun coming up with titles for their books… Regular visitors to the BeastieBlog will know that these titles have to be a pun that references monsters, yarn or craft, so this latest Beastie is reading “The Purl”!
And here are some other classics from the Beastie Towers Library!
How do you like to spend your down time? Let us know in the comments!

Another Monster Big Day!

Posted on August 2, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Commissions, Knitted Beasties

Hey there Beastiebuddies! It’s Tuesday again, so that means I am duty bound to introduce you to the newest arrivals here at Beastie Towers – and since wedding season is still in full swing, it looks like you’re actually getting TWO new Beasties for the price of one. Don’t say I ain’t good to ya!

Ooookaaay, where shall we start? Aha! Here comes the bride now.
Isn’t she pretty? I loved styling her beautiful long hair!

Her dress is an understated yet elegant ivory satin, with a fitted wool bodice and net petticoats, and she has a veil to match… topped with pale yellow roses, to complement her golden skintone.
This Beastie bride’s human counterpart is a big fan of board games, so I also made her a personalised miniature Scrabble tile necklace to complete her outfit!
And what’s that in her paw?
It’s a “Carcassonne” board game, shrunk to Beastie size! Apparently this is the human bride’s very favourite board game, and I thought Beastie Bride would like one too.
I used felt as the background, then appliquéd hand-cut pieces of felt on for the larger blocks of colour, before adding in the details and lettering with hand-stitched embroidery. The finished box measures just 5x6cm!

But let’s not forget about the groom! He’s looking dapper in a navy felt and wool suit, and his golden yellow tie is a thoughtful nod to his lady-wife’s complexion.
And because he’s an enthusiastic Latin scholar and budding writer, I couldn’t quite convince him to leave his dictionary and favourite pen at home…
…But I did manage to attach them both to his jacket…
…So he can show off his sweet dance moves at the reception!
Congratulations to the bride and groom, and thanks to Niamh for requesting this fun commission as a gift for her friends!
We’ll be back on Friday, when we’ll be checking up on Paddy and Plunkett. Let’s hope the sun is still shining on them, wherever they are…

Until then, have a super week!

Happy Families at Beastie Towers!

Posted on July 22, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Commissions, Crafting, Knitted Beasties

Well, now that we’re back in Beastie Towers, suitably rested and relaxed from our little holiday, it’s business as usual here on the BeastieBlog! I’ve some new Beasties to introduce, and they’re super-excited to meet you all. So, without further ado, here they are… a whole FAMILY of Beasties!

These were made as a very special commission to celebrate the arrival of human baby Roibín… so of course the most important element was a little baby Beastie!
Look how cosy he is in his stripey handknitted blanket! I’ve given him big wide-open eyes and a little tuft of blond hair as well, to more closely match his human counterpart. But of course, we’d better not forget about Mum and Dad…

First of all, pretty Mama Beastie is modelling a mostly hand-stitched skater-style dress… yes, I’m FINALLY trying to do more of my monster tailoring on the sewing machine! All the stitches you can see in the photo are done by hand, but my machine made short work of speeding through the seams. I’ve also made Mama Beastie a necklace similar to the one her human normally wears!
And check out her beautiful blonde merino wool locks!
But what about Papa Beastie? Ah, here he is.
More tailoring here – this time, a bespoke checked shirt! After watching “The Great British Sewing Bee”, I’ve learned the benefit of strategically placing template pieces so the fabric’s patterns line up better on the finished article. I have to admit to being quite pleased with how this little shirt turned out!
And since Mama Beastie is holding the baby, what’s Papa Beastie got? Well, it turns out he’s a bit of a musician, so…
Perfect! Now he can play a gentle lullaby to send Baby Beastie off to sleep!
Here’s wishing this little monster family a nice quiet weekend together! And have any of you got fun family time planned for the next couple of days? Let us know in the comments!

As usual, we’ll be back on Tuesday… and there will be another new Beastie for you to meet, too. See you then!

Save

Beach Beasties Take a Weight Off - CrawCrafts Beasties

Summertiiiiiiime… And the livin’ is Beastieeeee!

Posted on July 5, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Commissions, Crafting

Happy Tuesday, everyone! And look, I’ve some new Beasties for you to meet!

I’m delighted to introduce you to Beach Babe Beastie and her new Beastie hubby, Outdoor Adventure Beastie!
The person who requested these two little monsters wanted them as a wedding gift for a couple who she described as “summer people” – when the sun starts to shine, they’re the first to dash outside to soak up some rays on the beach or seek out adventure in the countryside! So rather than dress their Beasties up in stiff, formal wedding garb, we decided to go for outfits and accessories that would reflect their love of those long, hot summer days.

Ready for the guided tour? Great – ladies first, then!
With her sunkissed blonde hair and Beastie-sized bikini, Beach Babe Beastie is all set to spend her honeymoon basking on golden sands somewhere in the tropics. And look, someone has brought her a cocktail to sip as she sunbathes!

Then once the sun slips below the horizon, she can pop on a cute floral-print skirt and head out for a relaxed dinner with her Beastie Beloved!
I also gave her a little tote bag, to hold her sunscreen – she needs to preserve her lovely rose-pink complexion, after all.
And of course, she needed a pair of film-star sunglasses to complete her look!
Now, where’s that husband of hers got to? Oh, there he is!
He’s a real outdoors enthusiast, who loves keeping fit and camping under the stars. All this activity has helped him grow a bit taller and musclier than your average Beastie!
While I was making these Beasties, I thought it might be a good opportunity to redesign my Beastie backpacks – the new-style ones close with Velcro instead of snaps, and I think they’re a better, more realistic shape and more sturdily constructed.
They still hold everything an adventurous Beastie needs for a day away, too – in this case, a big bottle of water and a tasty cheese sandwich!
And finally, this guy had to have a pair of sunglasses!
All we need now is a bright sunny day for them to enjoy! But until then, they’ve managed to find a decent substitute…
Hurry up, summer… I need my desk back!

Hope you’re enjoying less apocalyptic weather where you are – my must-have summer accessory this past week has been my umbrella! What do you keep in your beach bag or backpack?

Hooray! New Beasties!

Posted on April 5, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Knitted Beasties

We’re taking a leap forward in time on the BeastieBlog this week – after meeting a prehistoric proto-Beastie in the last post, you’re probably ready for something new and exciting! So here they are… the first two Barróg Beasties of 2016!

For anyone who doesn’t yet have a working knowledge of the various species of Beastie out there, Barróg Beasties are a subspecies native to the island of Ireland. Their skin is made from 100% Irish wool, and they can be recognised by their slightly smaller size (we Celts are generally a diminutive people) and their typically Irish accessories… Like Irish humans, they’re prepared to travel pretty much anywhere, but they always like to bring a piece of home with them. And that word “Barróg”? That’s Irish for hug, which seemed to sum these friendly little monsters up perfectly!

So, first up from this pair is Aran Beastie!
Remind you of anyone?
I’ve noticed that a lot of Irish knitwear companies have started to think outside the woolly box lately, and make traditional-style Aran sweaters in colours other than cream! So I thought I would hop on the bandwagon myself, and give this Beastie a jumper in fresh spring green…
And as for his friend…
Meet Leabhar Beastie! “Leabhar” is the Irish word for “book”, and this literary little monster has taken on quite the reading challenge…
Yes, that is a hand-embroidered copy of the rambling Beastie yarn “Spin-egans Wake”… This monstrously convoluted, near-impenetrable book is loosely based on James Joyce’s novel “Finnegans Wake”, often cited as one of the most difficult, complex pieces of fiction ever written. In fact, there’s a book group in Cambridge, Massachusetts who have been reading “Finnegans Wake” for the last 18 years! They’re currently on their second read-through, which began in 2010… Their first reading took 13 years. I wonder if we’ll have to set up a book club here to help Leabhar Beastie tackle his own literary adventure?He seems to be getting on fine so far though – just look at that contented smile.

There will be more new Beasties joining these two soon… And tune in next week to see another hidden Dublin treasure with Explorer Beastie! See you then…

Christening Beastie Extreme Closeup - CrawCrafts Beasties

Beastie Beginnings

Posted on February 23, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Commissions, Info, Knitted Beasties

Looking out my window this morning, I could really believe that Spring is finally here! The sun is shining, the sky is blue and I can almost convince myself that there are buds on the trees. So, I reckon it’s the perfect day to introduce you to the first Beastie of the new season!

Please give a warm BeastieBlog welcome to this super-special Christening Beastie!
Christening Beastie is one of my Big Beasties. They’re always fun to make – bigger Beasties means more knitting time for me, hooray!

Then to make this sweet little girl monster even more special, I gave her some lovely soft hair…
… A pretty silver and pink dress…
…And sparkly silver stripey legs!
Christening Beastie was joining her new family just in time to celebrate her soon-to-be-BeastieBuddy Mila Kate’s christening – what a coincidence, eh? So to make sure she looked the part, I added some reminders of the day for Mila to enjoy when she’s a bit older.

First of all, a pair of cute felt angel wings and hearts embroidered with her christening date…
…And then a heart-shaped pillow embroidered with her name!
The ribbon loops mean that this Beastie can put the pillow down if she gets tired of holding it… and then she’ll be better able to play with Mila too!

Thank so much to Louise for requesting this special Beastie, and to Izzy for helping with the colour choices and design!

And while we’re on the subject of new beginnings, a few of you may have noticed that I’ve been monkeying around with the BeastieBlog over the last few days, and it now looks quite different when you view it online! However, I realise that a lot of people (myself included) do the bulk of their blog reading through the WordPress app, so these earth-shattering changes may well have passed you by. So if you have a second, please go and check it out… It’s still very much a work in progess, and I’d love to hear what you all think!

And that’s not all that’s been going on behind the scenes recently! I’ll have more monster news for you this time next week… And be sure to drop back in on Friday, when we’ll be visiting some Beastie friends of mine in Italy!

	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!