Piggy Wig Hats for Piggy Wig Girls

So yesterday I introduced you to Bettina Batfink. Isn’t she gorgeous, sigh? Actually, within the Blythe world, Ultimate Tour (of which Bettina is one) is a bit of a Marmite girl – you either love her or hate her. Many people find her pouty little lips and chin blush somewhat objectionable, and many do not like the whole gothy thing she’s got going on. I, however, find all this fab. Anyone who knows me in real life will understand this – whilst I am not a fan of purple and black velvet; platform shoes with metal panels welded to the side; or dying my hair black, I do love images of skulls and bones, and really dig that whole dark Victoriana thing that there is. Think more Russell Brand than Marilyn Manson So for me, Bettina is perfect, with her little bat wing tattoos on her shoulders, bat hair accessories, skull eye chip and black pull charm. I love her so much!

However, there is one downside to her – the hair. Don’t get me wrong – in many ways it’s beautiful. It’s soft, long, silky and tame. But it’s in perma-pigtails. The way that her hair has been thatched for the full length of her head and along her fringe means that if you take her hair down, you risk losing the lovely neat thatch line that makes her piggy tails so pretty and, even worse, that her fringe is simply lost in her mass of hair Because of this, I decided to leave her hair in pigtails, which really doesn’t bother me as I’m a very lazy dolly hairstylist anyway. But it did mean that she couldn’t wear any hats, risking a cold noggin in the winter. Or did it?

After a bit of though and a play around with a few idea, I managed to come up with a hat pattern especially for pigtailed girls – you simply feed each pigtail through a hole in the hat and then put it on as normal! So inspired by Bettina, I have designed a range of OOAK Piggy Wig Hats, which happen to be for sale in my Etsy shop

I really enjoyed making these and I am sure that more will follow – and yes, any Blythe in pigtails can wear them so long as you style her hair in pigtails! As well as creating a new crochet pattern, I really enjoyed designing and stitching my unique felt motifs and am super pleased with the results. As ever, though, I have put the needs of the shop before my girls, so I really must make sure that I make a special hat just for Bettina that’s hers to keep forever

Esmeralda’s Dream

Esmeralda had a dream…

That all her sisters had special eyes, just like she…

Esmeralda (Princess a la Mode) is the only Blythe that comes with ready-done sleep eyes. I had always wanted to give my existing girls sleep eyes, but lacked the courage. Thoughts of breaking them or otherwise maiming them were inescapable, deterring me from taking up that steel crochet hook and prising their little noggins apart. Oh, but how I still longed for sleep eyes, made worse ever since I received Esmeralda in January. They’re just so sweet!

So, this week I decided to take the plunge, and armed with a 1.25mm crochet hook, some sturdy nylon cord and an assortment of pull string charms appropriate to each girl (Gwendolina has got yellow glow-in-the-dark stars), I set about performing open Blythe surgery, with impressive results.

To be honest, it was very, very easy and I don’t know why I was so worried. So, in the spirit of Blythe love, I though I’d share with you my method for giving Blythe sleep eyes. A couple of notes. All my girls are RBLs (the newer version with three screws and no glue), which makes opening them up a complete doddle. I’m pretty certain that the method will work for other Blythe types (BL, EBL, SBL, ADG), but you will have to open the head appropriate the the mold in question, and I take no responsibility for any mistakes! Another thing is that in my haste, I completely forgot to take any photos, so my notes are the best I have to offer. I hope they are understandable, but leave a comment if you want help. Having said that, if I were to receive another girl (cough, Ichigo Heaven, cough), I will be doing the procedure again in an instant, and promise to take pictures this time!

Here goes…
1. Disconnect the spring with a crochet hook by wiggling it until you get a grip.
2. Undo all three screws
3. Gently pull the back face plates off. They connect at the ears with little flaps, so squeeze gently here. You will also need to gently prise the plate off where the bottom screw holes are, as there are connectors here. This step is tricky as the plates can be stiff, but just be patient.
4. See where the spring is still connected to the eyemech? Thread your cord through that little hole and *back through the spring* before you tie the string in a knot above it (thus holding the spring in place). This anchors the spring in place, means you won’t lose it, stops it rattling inside the head, and means that you still have everything in place, should you want to reverse the procedure.
5. Thread the other end of the string back out of the face plate through the square hole where the spring was formerly anchored.
6. Reattach the back face plate, again being gentle on each of the four spots. It will *click* at each ear – do not be alarmed!
7. Put the screws back in
8. Add a pull charm
9. Existing string closes the eyes (and makes them change colour). New string does the job of the spring and re-opens the eyes.

Et voila! Use the original string to change the eyes as normal (thus closing the eyes) and the new string to open the eyelids back up. All the new string is doing is replacing the function of the spring you disconnected, which opened the eyelids up automatically after an eye change. Just think about how long your girls have gone without a sleep – surely they deserve a well-earned rest?

I’m back! Did you miss me?

Hello blogging world! Well, I am back and – phew! – what a hectic and surprising month this has turned out to be, with even more twists are turns in store for the immediate future! I’ll try as much as I can to fill you in without boring the pants off you. First of all, I finished the final draft of my thesis. I’d like to pay great respect to my poor laptop for carrying the burden of the whole 86,000 word endeavour (excluding references and bibliography!). The beast got handed in to my supervisors on Tuesday, and in my mind I had set aside three weeks for them to read it, and three weeks to make any amendments deemed necessary. So, imagine my fall-of-the-seat surprise when an email pops up on Thursday saying that not only had they read it, but it was excellent and that it was ready to hand in, apart from a couple of minor changes. I took minor to mean a couple of weeks’ work, but no! Apparently, the changes should take no longer than a day!!!!! So, err, that’s that and I’m on my way to Sheffield on Thursday to get it bound and handed in! I have also found out that out of my cohort of 20, I am the third person to submit, which is rather good. Actually, to be completely honest, I am annoyed that I am not the first. I know that being so competitive isn’t attractive, but that’s the way I am. I like to be first! I like to win! So, I have rationalised to myself that I would have been first had I not also took some time out to renovate two houses over the period of my PhD; indeed had I not done this, I would have actually finished my PhD in under 3 years. So not only would I have been first to hand in, but I would have equalled the Department record, which makes me a winner on two fronts! I told you my competitiveness was downright ugly

And, errr, talking of renovating houses, itchy feet has struck again! Yes, despite the stresses of last year’s move to Leeds, it’s time to up sticks again, and move onto pastures new once more. Pastures new being Sheffield. The place I lived in for ten years, loved, ended up loathing, and have recently come to a new understanding with . I don’t really want to say any more at this stage, because there’s actually quite a lot riding on this move that isn’t about floor space and money, and if I say it now, and it doesn’t come off, the disappointment will be too raw and deep to relay here. The stress levels are already high, made worse by the fact that it is all completely out of my controlling hands (the other aspect of my competitive nature), and I once again only have the sage words of Russell Grant for solace. Whilst I don’t want to say much more for now, I will however just say that there are no babies involved though

Amongst all of this, I have still managed to find time for a spot of light crafting. I am in the midst of making a pair of these socks, but it’s soooooo slow! I’ve heard how most people get bored by the second sock, but for me, tedium has set in halfway through the first ankle! But, I don’t give up (tenacity being a good aspect of competitiveness) – no socks are beating me! So, I’ll keep you posted on that one! I’ve also been bitten by the Blythe crochet dress bug, which also bit Rima a couple of weeks ago with wonderfully creative results. It started in March with these (I don’t think I shared these before).

I then moved onto creating another new pattern, with even prettier results.

Indeed, the feedback to this dress was so lovely, that I started to make a few for sale on a commission basis, where each panel is in a colour handpicked by the buyer. (Further details are here, plug plug ). So far, it’s been wonderfully fun, and I have got to try out some amazing colour combinations such as these.

Indeed, the shop as a whole is doing rather nicely! It’s always a pleasure to make special clothes for special girls, and even better when you’re able to see the results of your labour being worn and enjoyed.

(THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR SHARING YOUR PICTURES WITH ME – FULL CREDITS AVAILABLE HERE).

What we’ve been making

As I had previously mentioned, the lack of posts has been the result of many hours crocheting for my little shop. I’ve made four different lines so far; two of hats and two of tops.

The first things were these gorgeous bonnets with little crochet flowers added.

Then, a wonderful find at my new-found secret yarn supplier led to the creation of some little sparkly sequined helmets. (In fact I managed to get some more of this in new colours, so keep your eyes peeled for further helmets!)

After being buoyed by the positive feedback I’d received, I decided to try out some of my designs for little tops. I loved making these jumpers and was super pleased with the way they turned out.

And just this weekend, I revealed another design – my babydoll camisoles – which sold out in three hours! I was astounded, to say the least. I know a lot of people were disappointed so, if time allows, I’m going to make some more for sale on Etsy this week

There has been a couple of downsides to this frenetic Etsy activity. For one, the girls are getting very peed off at having to model all the clothes without ever getting to keep any for themselves.

Also, I think that all the money I’ve made has been pretty much reinvested in wool, adding to the already precariously large Pudsey wool mountain! Only thing for it is to make some more clothes!

I’m opening an Etsy shop!

That’s right! It’s opening on Monday night and will be full of wonderful goodies for that special Blythe in your life.   It’s called Millie Made…  Just for You  in honour of my special seamstress, the Tailor Gibson. The first things for sale will be these lovely crochet bonnets for Blythe. They’re made out of Debbie Bliss cotton angora and are super soft and gorgeous. In case you can’t wait until Monday, there’s a few for sale on This is Blythe at a special discounted price

I’ll be adding to it slowly but surely over the coming months with new designs – my head is overflowing with ideas to the extent I’ve dedicated a little notebook to jotting them down! Needless to say that only the very best yarns are being used – Debbie Bliss, Rowan, Louisa Harding and Lain du Nord to name but a few. But surely Blythe is worth it?

First WIP of the Year

And it’s only 3rd January!  Bloody hell!  Actually, I did start the project over my Christmas break, and the only part I’ve technically done this year is the casting off and blocking.  But, hey, it’s good to hit the ground running  The project in question is the Branching Out scarf on Knitty, which literally thousands of us on Ravelry have had a bash out. Fortunately no-one else lives in Pudsey, so I should be okay next time I do the quiz at the Fox and Grapes I did try to take an arty photo to show off my handiwork, but my ‘assistant’ had other ideas.

This photo shows you the lovely lace patter better. I used Rowan felted tweed (intended to get storm grey but the pink was so pweeettty!), and it only took one ball. I’ll be using the other to make another scarf for Mum’s Mother’s Day present, although I’ll be investing in sharper needles to speed things up.

I’ve also started another project!

No, it’s not a thermal warmer for John’s man bits; the dimensions are far too out of whack for that (which way I will leave to your imagination ). It’s for one of these! My very own Archie Anaconda and Marvin Mouse. And one day I will put my knitting skills to good use and actually make clothes rather than toys, lol! 

I’m only two days back at work, and I’m already looking for a way to skive off and spend more time knitting and sewing. At the moment there are two potential options on the horizon:

a) Snow. Pros – doesn’t hurt. Looks pretty. Cons – Can’t go anywhere. Shops run out of food.
b) Norovirus – Pros – Instant weight loss. Opportunity for extended quarantine. Cons – Can’t go anywhere. Hurts.

Hmmm – a bit of a sh*t sandwich as my ever-eloquent man might say. Oh well, I’ll console myself by sharing this lovely photo of little Connie in the snow today

Christmas Crafting Fun :)

When I started this blog, I really wanted it to be an outlet for my crafty stuff – for others to enjoy, and for me to keep a record of my developing ’skills’ so on a low day I could look back and see what I’d achieved. However, I seriously had no idea that a few weeks later, I’d be selling up, moving to a new city and renovation another house, whilst writing up my PhD thesis. In fact, this life-changing decision was made in MacDonald’s at the end of the M67 on the way home from some friends’ wedding. Never let it be said that I’m a gastronomic snob (although I did have the vegetarian option on a wholemeal sub and took the wrapper home for recycling).

Since then, life has been manic with little time to myself to do the things I enjoy, which has left me stressed, ratty and at times rather tearful Recently, however, things seem to have turned a corner. DIY is reaching an end, and is my PhD thesis (I hope, crossing anything cross-able). I’ve even managed to find some time for my beloved craft! Do you remember me mentioning that I was making a bag for my mum? Yes, I know it was a long time ago but I didn’t forget about it or give up. Slowly but surely I’ve been plugging away at it and now it’s done!

Do you like it? I do, although I try not to look too closely at my stitching up (not my greatest skills). I wish I could claim credit for the pattern, but it’s from Knitty. That lovely frayed fabric brooch? Nah, not my idea either, but so kindly provided by Maize on her blog. It is super sweet though and matches the inside perfectly. I love the corduroy lining – I bought extra so maybe my girls can have some winter capes when I get my sewing machine a fortnight on Monday (wooooottt!!!!)? There’s even a knitted pocket inside that caused no end of headaches, make no mistake. I followed the pattern to the letter and all of it’s turned out mm perfect apart from the darn lining which is 2cm too wide. This called for some judicious sewing and stretching, but hopefully Mum won’t notice (I think you have to be looking for it).

And that’s not all I’ve made! Next weekend it’s my Dad’s wife’s birthday and I had bought her a really cute trinket box for her newly decorated bedroom. I wanted something to put in it, so decided to crochet a poinsettia brooch for her, as it’s December’s birth flower. I’m really pleased with how it turned out, it’s my own design (!) and the clear glass seed beads are sewn on individually for a dewy effect.

And here’s something I’ve made for Sarah/electrocuties for our handmade festive Flickr swap (Sarah – if you’re reading this, don’t scroll down!). It’s a hat for her super-cool Blythe, Pepper. I’ve never used a variegated yarn before and I’m really happy with how it looks. Only trouble is that all my girls now want one. I *hope* there’s enough left for three more hats!

Finally, I still have a WIP on the needles. This is a present for my little brother (aged 24 1/2), or for his childhood toy Doggy to be precise. AAaaaages ago I mentioned making a little jumper for my threadbare Blue Ted. Well I did finish it (did I ever show you? I guess not as it was mid-move), and when my brother saw, it a look of pure envy crossed his face (I *think* that’s what it was anyway!). So the equally threadbare Doggy is going to be getting his own for Christmas. I’ll take a photo of the two together at Christmas and show you all

So real progress all round! Having time has certainly helped, as has joining my local knitting group, injuries notwithstanding. I’d recommend a knitting group for anyone who is time-poor on the needle front as it’s a great way to focus your energies. My jumper for Blue Ted will be done by the next meeting in a fortnight, so the plan is to next make two pairs of these for our Mums. Wish me luck – I may even get this all done in time for the 25th, although I’ll probably be sat in the passenger seat on Christmas morning somewhere over the M62 sewing in the ends

The first weekend off since?

Yet again I have been rubbish at posting, but for that you can blame the boyf. He has been relentless with the DIY drive, the majority of which seems to fall upon me (“I don’t know how to hold a paintbrush Flissy”). Anyway, the results can now be seen. Our lounge is now complete and is looking rather fab.

I have a lovely place to work, which is very important when you’re home-based. In the last house I faced a blank wall and now I have a fab view to boot!

But the thing I love the most is the view out of our bedroom window – it’s very special.

I’m thinking of selling this shot to the Pudsey Tourist Board if there is one (if there isn’t one, there should be), as Pudsey is very underrated.

To be fair to John, he has been working hard. He spent the past two weekends taking out the kitchen and putting it back together. There was a reason for this. The kitchen had an island unit which housed a gas tumble dryer. To accommodate the outflow from this stupid dryer, the whole kitchen floor was raised up by NINE INCHES, so you had to step up to the kitchen. Not only that but the stupid unit meant there was nowhere to put a dining table. So the island unit and the raised floor had to go! This meant:

stripping the kitchen out
removing the laminate floor
removing the floorboards
cutting out the frame which supported the raised floor
dropping the plumbing
dropping the power points
re-routing and killing some gas feeds
laying new floorboards
re-laying the laminate
re-fitting the kitchen

All this work just to fit in a dining table! It’s fair to say that I like my food, but this was excessive. I hate bad design with a passion, and this was the most poorly designed kitchen I had ever seen in my life! John’s dad’s a joiner so he helped with the re-fitting. When he saw the state of the kitchen design, he did that tradesman thing of sucking the air over his teeth whilst grumbling about shoddy workmanship (“bloody nailguns” – a no no for joiners, apparently). Anyway, they both worked hard, as this pic proves.

In non-house news, we have a new toy!

It’s a 1972 (tax free, yeah baby) MGB GT, and it’s John’s pride and joy! He’s not let me have a weekend off DIY in two months, but now he’s said it’s okay to down tools. We’re taking it for a spin to Whitby later, so I should be able to take some great photos – it’s glorious today!

Hopefully by the next post, I should have some nice crafty pics for you. I have just started Mummy’s Christmas present, but 2cm of knitting isn’t really worth the effort of even clicking the shutter button. I’d better move fast – there’s only 79 days until Christmas and this is present number one on the knitting list…