After making my crochet dollies, I’ve been left with a feeling of ” somethings not quite finished”.
So I embarked on painting portraits of my crochet curiosities.
After making these mini paintings, I knew I needed to create frames to suit. A regular wooden frame just wouldn’t fit. So I raided my studio for materials and created original frames from mixed materials to compliment the painting and match the quirkiness .
So, here’s what I made earlier:
I’m really enjoying the process.
There will be more.
Some of the paintings will be exhibited soon at the Little Summer Benefits exhibition at the wonderful Vyner Street Gallery.
I’ve made crochet dollies, even creepy crochet dollies and I’ve made cats and dogs from crochet. Now of course , in an obvious step, I’ve combined the two.
Now I’m making Crochet animal /human mix ups; crochet anthropomorphism if you will.
But why use words, when a picture tells the story far better?So far there has been Pugwoman, a very worried looking lady with a few extra nipples with a very classical air.
Then there’s Bunny Girl, a very seductive creature indeed.
Then Kit E Kat , a pussy cat with a pvc mini skirt and black feather neckpiece.
Finally, probably the strangest of all so far is Cock a Doodle Dude. He’s pretty self explanatory.
I’m going to eventually set these dollies in environments to create art pieces in their own right. ( Apart from Bunny Girl and Kit E Kat who are for sale in the wonderful alternative space that is the Brighton Arts Club. )
There will be others. My imagination is teeming with them , all woofing, miaaowing and mooing to get out.
It’s been an interesting few days, full of coincidences and chance meetings.
I’m the sort of person who believes that if you are on the right path, then things go right and coincidences happen as part of that confirmation.
( Just as I wrote that line, Dynamo the magician playing on the telly in the background said : My grandfather always told me that there was no such thing as coincidences, just things that were waiting to happen… )
Spooky that.
Well back to my true story.
Last time I held my market stall in Brixton Station Road
The collectible section of my market stall.
( a very seldom affair) , a very lovely man spent an awful long time pouring over my stock , clearly deep in thought. I’m quite a shy sort, and I’m not quick to offer help so waited for the inevitable inquiry.
” Could you make a dog to order? I’ve got a Jack Russel that I’d love to have made as a gift for a friend who looks after her for me.”
Well I love a challenge so I gave him my card and waited for the contact.
One one side of my business card I have my crochet business details.
On the flip side I have my Diane’s Puppets business details. I thought I’d combine the two in a multi purpose card. After all the target audience is virtually the same.
Well, a few months past and I totally forgot about this lovely man. That is until I received an email regarding making the dog for him. He had sent these lovely two pictures of Betty the dog
Lovely Betty the Jack Russel
She’s a sweetie
and asked if I could make her before the beginning of September.
That gave me loads of time, I’d surely get it done long before the deadline.
At the end of the email, he wrote this:
“Yes, I did check out your website as I was fascinated by the reverse side of your business card.
By a curious co-incidence you might like to check out my website : www.simonbuckley.co.uk ”
My curiosity prickled, I clicked on the link to find that the man who operated the Churchill Dog on the adverts
who had operated Margaret Thatcher’s puppet in Spitting Image and who was the legend that was Nobby the Sheep from Children’s telly had commissioned little ole me to make him something. Talk about a puppets connection… how strange. He lived locally too, in Brixton.
Here is his showreel.
Seriously Simon, I’m not worthy.
But I took the job on and within two days Betty the little puppy was finished. Here is the finished result:
Isn’t she cute? She even has a little ladybird on her nose as an added cute touch.
I’m delighted to report that Simon loved her . We spent a very lovely morning chatting puppets and crochet over a coffee in Brixton as I presented Betty to her owner.
I’m still sitting here smiling at the serendipity of it all. I think I must be doing something right.
A bespoke crochet your pet service soon to be launched here at Crochet Bright and Beautiful for just £30 you can have your own pet made young forever translated into crochet. If you’re interested, leave a comment or email me on
thebabyfairyfifi@hotmail.com and make the subject line : Bespoke Pet and I’ll get back to you straight away.
I make all my puppies and kitties up as I go along, I’m not great with patterns. Now I’ve had some experience with crochet, I love the freedom of freeform crochet.
But if you are looking for inspiration and great patterns for dolls and cats and dogs, look no further than the wonderful Beth Webber who’s blog By Hook By Hand is an absolute treasure trove of patterns and who is my first inspiration on my journey for making my collectibles.
I’m trying to vary what I make just to keep things even and fresh. So after last weeks kittens and a very cute fairy , I decided to make another puppy.
to a lovely lady in Sugarland, Texas via my Folksy shop. It’s so exciting when people buy things; amazing the power of the Internet to make our huge globe so tiny! Well now I only have Boris the Bulldog
left. I needed another puppy in my stock so I decided to make one of my favourite dogs: a Rottweiler.
Yes I know they have a bad reputation and can be terribly dangerous, but I firmly believe that dogs are as dangerous as their owners. I owned the most wonderful Labrador /Rotty cross a few years ago and he was a perfect dog. Sadly he had terrible epilepsy and we had to help him go to sleep after 9 fits in one evening took it out of him. He was only 3 years old. Sleep well Tiny dog.
So here is Roddy the Rottweiler Puppy. He is made from glossy black cotton yarn and rusty brown acrylic.
Roddy the cutest Rotty
I think he’s a darling. He’s 9 inches high like all my other puppy collectibles and comes packaged in his own dinky white box.
All my collectibles cost £20 ( plus p+p) and would make a very special unique gift for someone who has everything.
Please note these creations are not sold as toys due to their handmade nature and are suitable for decoration purposes/ older children only.
In the last few weeks since I last posted ( yep, sorry for that, time just flies past) I’ve made lots, sold lots and made some more. I’ve sold at a market stall, a local event and a NCT Nearly New Sale and through my facebook page.
Here’s my stall at Brixton Makers Market, through the heady smoke of Jerk Chicken that flavours that particular part of the world ( I’m a local lass, so I love it).
The stall grows in size every time
I met loads of great local people and seriously felt the love. I sold a few bits too!
Then there was the Croydon St Georges Day event . That was a splendid day, held in Croydon Old Town to bring back a more positive vibe to the area after the horrid riots . It was a wonderful affair, with the Pearly King and Queen and two rather smart gentlemen called Felix and Felix who rode around on their penny farthings what what what.
Me and my darling granddaughter
My granddaughter did a sterling job of modelling my tiger hat. She was rewarded by keeping it . ( Well, I tried to take it back… )She loves being a ” Rarrr” as you can see.
Granny can growl with the best of them!
The day after the Croydon event I held a stall at the local NCT Nearly New Sale.
Crochet Bright and Beautiful hits Vauxhall
It was an interesting affair, I’m not sure that putting hand made crafts in the middle of what is intrinsically a jumble sale ( albeit good quality jumble) is terribly good business sense. But it was worth a try, and to be fair, I did get lots of admirers, gave out loads of cards and sold a few bits. So it wasn’t a waste of time. ( My granddaughter did fairly well out of it too, I came back with more stuff than I went with… )
So my next plan of action is Spitalfields Market. I hope to trade there soonish.
In the meantime I’ve been making some more stuff:
Vintage style cherry brooch
Ladybird necklace
Granny square scarf
Crochet rings
My persian cat
Lulu collectible fairy
Coral pink mohair boots
Magic wishing necklace
Poppy Pug number 2. She's found a new owner already.
Super funky furry shaggy hot pink boots ( with bows)
Here’s my latest puppy dog to join my crochet puppy clan.
Introducing Desmond . Don’t ask me why I’ve called him that, it just seemed to fit his gorgeous little face with it’s long droopy ears.
Delightful, doleful Desmond.
Isn't he a cutie?
Just as cute from the side
Like all my other puppy dog collectibles , Desmond ‘sits’ 6″ /15 cm high and comes in his own cute white box. His eyes and nose are safely fixed in and he is made in a smoke and pet free environment.
If you like him, why not give him a home. He is looking for a good owner who would take good care of him. He’s very low maintenance , requiring cuddles and kisses only and the very occasional sponge down. No pooper scooper or food required. He will go for walkies with you if you pop him in your bag or pocket.
Here is my latest puppy: a bulldog. I have no name for this cutie pie. Suggestions please?
Woof!
Grrr!
I want to go walkies...
Can I lick you?
Puppy features a cute sticky out tongue just ready to lick , safety eyes and nose, full pink detailing including paw pads and inner ears, the cutest stubby tail and a crocheted smart studded collar. Puppy is 7 ‘ inches tall and nice and chunky, just like a real bulldog pup.
![paint7]](https://dianespuppetsproducts.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/paint7.jpg)
I’m really enjoying the process.
Diane Goldie Artist 