One of my very favorite book series of all time is the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. After years of claiming I would make characters from the books, I finally did it. And here they are, in their very own photo shoot: Harry Dresden, Bob the skull, Mister the cat, and Mouse the temple dog.
I don’t know why I waited so long to make a crochet version of one of my favorite characters from one of my favorite book series. I kept saying I was going to make Harry Dresden from the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, but never got around to it…until now!
Instead of crocheting his head in the round, I went with making a triangle shape and then crocheting around that.
My daughter moved out a few months ago, and she set up a new office in her apartment. I have to say, I was very impressed with how she set it up. I had office envy! I also was touched but how she displayed all the crochet items I’ve made for her over the years. It brought back memories as some of them went back years. Some were made so long ago, I had completely forgotten about them. I didn’t photograph everything, but here are some of what she displayed.
I finished his ears and couldn’t wait to share. I’ve been walking around the house holding him like a baby.
It’s almost a shame I have to make him a little outfit. I kinda just want to make him a little diaper. His head wobbles a little because the head is heavier, but it’s perfect because it makes him feel MORE like a baby.
I worked his ears a little differently than past dolls I made. I used two strands of yarn for the green part and one for the pink part. That gave me three strands of yarn total, which made the ears stiffer.It also made the pink part smaller than the green part. I had to stretch it more to make it fit. This made it curl in a bit, which is what I wanted. These ears are stiffer than previous ears, but still flexible. I like it.
I started his outfit, and as happens sometimes, I chose a yarn ball I thought would last for the entire outfit. It didn’t. I got that yarn from a yard sale or something like that–many years ago–so I can’t get more. I had to rip it back and choose another, bigger ball. This time I picked something I can get more of. I never learn. 🤣
After finishing my son’s Sora doll for Christmas, I started work on this new doll for my sister’s acquaintance. The only direction I had was for pink hair. Using the techniques I describe in my book (like how I snuck my book in there?), I made the body.
My sister and I picked out the colors for the dress. She had an idea on how the dress should look, so that’s what I set out to do. As with all my dolls, it’s the doll that decides what it wants. I started working on a dress, but it, or the doll–I don’t know which–didn’t want it to be a dress! I made several attempts at a dress before I admitted defeat. I liked how the top was coming out, so I kept that. The part that was supposed to be a skirt desperately wanted to be pants.
Then, it was on to the hair! I didn’t necessarily struggle with the hair, but I didn’t like it at first. She looked like a clown! But I kept at it, knowing I might have to take it all out and start over.
Luckily, I didn’t have to do that, and I ended up liking it.
I even included a little purse.
What do you think? Do you like how she came out?
You all knew I was lying, right? When I said my big crochet Baby Yoda was the last one, no one believed me… and everyone was right. 🙂 First off, my sisters really liked my big one, and naturally they need one now. How could I say no? They’re my sisters and sisters need to be kept happy.
THEN, my brother put an intriguing idea into my head that I couldn’t shake. He asked his wife (and my close friend) to crochet him another Baby Yoda. What he wanted now was a black Baby Yoda with red eyes. She elaborated that he mentioned some Darth looking thing that was still a Baby Yoda. I assumed he was talking about Darth Vader but you know what they say about assuming something. Being the good friend that I was, not to mention a great sister, I asked questions and offered her suggestions.
Well, this festered in my head because I couldn’t stop imagining how I would do this. Mind you, no one asked me to do this. It was my own obsession. When my siblings and I got together, I couldn’t resist asking my brother what the heck he was envisioning. He wanted something that was like Darth Maul (NOT Darth Vader) from Star Wars. Now armed with a better idea of what he was rambling about , I took it upon myself to attempt this crazy quest. I didn’t know from Adam if he wanted something from me at all. He could have specifically wanted something made from the loving hands of his wife, so I didn’t ask him. My sis-in-law, however, was busy making a few more dolls for her sister and was happy I was trying to figure this thing out.
It was time to research Darth Maul and try to adapt him to a Baby Yoda.
Do I look like a Baby Yoda to you?
My challenge (self imposed of course) was to make it cute and evil at the same time, while making sure it still looked like a Baby Yoda. Well now… Darth Maul is NOT all black with red eyes. He is mostly red with a lot of black, with yellow and red eyes. He also has horns, a bunch of horns!
I made an all-red head and knew immediately that it wouldn’t work. His head had way too much black to try to add it afterward, so I tired again and incorporated the black from the get-go. The eyes were also tricky, and I spent quite a bit of time trying to find the right buttons or the right combination of buttons and didn’t like any of them. I gave up on buttons and just crocheted something. The face was a big challenge (not sure I captured it) but it wasn’t too shabby. I wasn’t sure I had the right mix of cute and evil at first, but initial reactions were mixed with some thinking he was evil looking and others thinking he was cute. Success!
And the horns! Darth Maul has six on his head and two on the side. I stopped at four because I didn’t want to crowd his head but I may change my mind. My bro said he didn’t care so I’ll probably leave it.
My hubby is a big Star Wars fan and he was fascinated by what I was trying to do and had many opinions. Naturally, I’m going to have to make him one and he most definitely was NOT NOT NOT trying to steal this one. Hubby said that for his, he wanted all six horns. 🙂 That didn’t stop him from borrowing (stealing) him when I wasn’t looking. I went to my crochet bag to continue work and the unfinished doll was gone. I found it though.
He was safe in hubby’s office hanging out with a friend.
I’m not done with his outfit and he might get more horns but I couldn’t wait to take him out for a photoshoot.
The crowns are done and my queens loved them. They picked really cool yarn colors that worked out really well. They keep trying to convince me to let them wear them now. Nope. They have to wait until it’s their week to be queen. Cruel, I know. 🙂 But in the meantime, the doll gets to wear them.
I get to wear the crown!
I might keep this one.
This is what I’m working with. (Image courtesy of Pinterest) My version of Jeffy will have no diaper or pencil shoved up his nose. I refuse!
I started work on the easiest part of the puppet, his t-shirt. I made a yellow tube in single crochet and embroidered his name on it. The yellow yarn I picked might not be exactly right but I think it’s close enough. In some pictures of Jeffy, the shirt looks bright yellow but in others, the yellow has more of an orange cast. I don’t think my student will complain about the color of the yarn.
My first attempt at the shirt came out a little wide so I ripped it back and tried again. I made it smaller, was happy, added the name, and then realized the first attempt was better. 😂 Oh well, I’m committed now.
The arms and legs came next. I didn’t feel like stuffing arms and legs, so I crocheted rectangles and rolled them up. Gives it dimension without having to stuff. I probably should add hands but I’m not sure I will yet. I guess it depends on how much time I have. He is supposed to have shoes but that might not happen either.
Don’t be alarmed by my headless body! It’s in the works.
I’m leaving the head for last. I’m not sure how I’m going to do it yet. Different ideas are marinating in my head and I’m almost ready to get started. I’ll probably take this part back to work with me and finish the head there. That will give the student the chance to say something about the hands and shoes. If he doesn’t, it stays the way it is. 🙃
Today I’d like to promote a great blogger, Tami at Tanglewood Tapestry, that features some great food, great writing, and my favorite, Scary Saturday. Scary Saturday is a weekly segment where Tami features true paranormal stories submitted by her followers. I have submitted some of my own personal experiences that have been showcased. I am super excited to see this segment grow so I can read all the wonderfully scary stories that are submitted. So if you have any great stories head on over there and submit them. I can’t wait to read them!
Just to give you a little taste, here is one of my stories that is featured on her blog. And this yarn (pun intended) is linked to crochet loosely. 🙂
This photograph has been re-enacted to represent true events. That is not the same crochet chain mentioned in the story. I made a new one because the old one was unraveled (to appease worried spouse), but the wrist pad and keyboard are one and the same.
Q: Did you experience this paranormal event or was this an occurrence that someone else experienced?
My husband experienced it but my son and I were involved as well.
Q: What type of paranormal event have you experienced (examples – spirits/ghosts, UFOs, monsters/weird creatures, etc)?
It’s still a mystery but I would categorize it as a spirit/ghost event.
Q: Have you experienced this phenomenon multiple times?
Something similar happened again some time later.
Q: Where did you experience your paranormal event?
This happened in our house.
Q: Were you alone or did other people experience it too? If you were alone, have other people reported the same event in that location or during that time period?
My husband was in his office when he had the experience and my son and I were in our rooms.
Q: Please describe the details of your paranormal experience.
My husband was working in his home office (upstairs). He stepped out to go do something (maybe go to the bathroom or the kitchen) but when he went back into his office, he came right back out and came straight into my office. He asked if I had gone into his office. I said I hadn’t. He asked if I was sure. Of course I was sure. Naturally I asked why. He seemed agitated.
He said there was a string placed on his wrist pad near his computer that wasn’t there when he stepped out.
What???
“You know, one of your yarn things!” he said.
I was very confused.
“You did it, right?” he asked.
I went to his office to look because I had no idea what he was talking about. I saw one of my crochet chains, made from a chunky, rainbow yarn, laid perfectly straight across his wrist pad in front of his keyboard. I told him that yes, that was mine but that last time I looked, that particular chain was downstairs because my students made it and I brought it home. But I did NOT put it in his office. He seemed relieved that at least it didn’t appear out of nowhere. It had been in the house already. I don’t know why that made him feel better but it did.
At this point, I started laughing because it was all so ridiculous. He immediately accused me of doing it as a joke because I was laughing so hard. I kept repeating that I hadn’t done it but he wasn’t convinced, which made me laugh harder. He asked my son if he did it and my son was more confused than I was and said no, he didn’t. So we were back to me laughing. Now they both thought I did it as a joke. I kept telling them through hiccups of laughter that I didn’t but the fact that they thought I did was even funnier. I stressed that that would have been the worst joke ever. Why on earth would I think placing a crochet chain on his wrist pad be funny? It turned out it was very funny but I was innocent! He started to skeptically believe me so he called my daughter, who no longer lives with us but still has a key to the house, if she came over and did this. I couldn’t stop laughing. The thought of my daughter sneaking into the house, grabbing a chain that I had downstairs, and placing it on his desk like a present, had me in hysterics. And then she zipped out, all while we were home. Naturally, she said no, she had done no such thing.
He then went around the house looking for an intruder. Nope, there was no intruder. More laughter ensued (I couldn’t help myself!).
I said it was our ghost messing with him and playing a joke. He didn’t think THAT was funny at all. My son just thought it was all weird and thought maybe I did do it. We came up with theories on what could have happened. Maybe the chain got stuck to my husbands jacket when he brought something up from downstairs and it ‘landed’ on his wrist pad while he was working. The problem with that theory was that the chain was perfectly straight. There’s no way it just fell that way. To this day, I believe he has doubts as to whether I did it but we just chalked it up to a mystery we may never solve.
Q: Are there any other details or related information that contributed to this event or that you believe are related to it?
Something similar happened a few months later. My husband has a favorite water bottle he takes to the gym with him. I don’t usually interact with this bottle because he always has it.
One day, it was on the kitchen table so I decided to wash it. The whole time, I was wondering if I should dry it right away and put it back in his office. I ended up leaving it in the drying wrack and I forgot about it. My son puts the dishes away and I’m pretty sure he put it in the cupboard with the other water bottles. I vaguely remember thinking I shouldn’t leave it there but it was just a fleeting thought.
The next day, my husband asked if I had seen his water bottle. He was on his way to the gym. I told him I thought our son put it in the cupboard. He said it wasn’t there. He left and I looked too and it wasn’t there. I thought maybe my son borrowed it. He said he hadn’t because he knew it was dad’s favorite and he has his own. Last he remembered, it was in the cupboard. My husband was annoyed it was misplaced but said it would turn up eventually. It didn’t, so he went out and bought a new one.
About two weeks later, repeat the scenario from above. We were all in the same rooms. Hubby comes to my office again and asks me if I’m messing with him again. I started laughing again which made me look guilty…again. I asked what I did this time.
Apparently, while he was working, he turned around and saw his water bottle on the floor, as if someone rolled it in from the door. He insisted it wasn’t there before because he would have had to step over to get to his desk. And the kicker was that it was wet inside as if it had been used. I know it was dry by the time my son put it away. It didn’t smell dank either. It would have been if it had been wet since I washed it and was somehow lurking in his office all this time.
Repeat the same laughter and the same accusations about it being me. It wasn’t. This time, through bouts of laughter, I accused him of forgetting he brought it up and left it on the floor all this time. I didn’t really believe this. I find it hard to believe he didn’t see his water bottle in the middle of the floor for weeks. Hey, turn about is fair play! After we were all convinced we were all innocent, we tried to come up with theories and just concluded we had another unsolvable mystery, but my theory was that the ghost did it.
There’s probably a perfectly good explanation and we just don’t know what it is but I’ll stick with my ghost theory. 🙂
It’s done! It’s done! I had to take her home to finish her legs because I just didn’t have enough time at work. During our Spring Break, I worked furiously. When the legs were done and attached, with a jolt, I realized I wouldn’t be working on her anymore. There’s a lot of energy expended when creating, and suddenly, there’s nowhere for that energy to go. But that feeling didn’t last long (there’s always another project waiting to monopolize my time).
Once I got her dressed, I left her on my bed until I was ready to take her to my car. What a surprise to walk back into the bedroom to find my hubby pumping her legs up and down like she was running and then playing patty cake with her. He looked at me with a huge grin and I burst out laughing. What a scene! I had a good belly laugh. He kept right on playing with her. Wasn’t this the same man who knocked her over and threw a jacket on her so she would stop scaring him every time he walked into the house? Well, he did say he loved her even though she scared him. 😁 Continue reading
I agree!
Hubby and I headed off to the Renaissance Faire dressed in our finest attire. We pulled into the entrance and dutifully paid our parking fee. We drove down the long road towards the back of the reservoir to get to the fair. As we got closer to our designated parking area, hubby asks if we should park in the preferred parking area. He asks me that every year and every year I say the same thing. Continue reading
yochet 