Amigurumi Swappiness

What a wonderful morning at Caribou Coffee house a few weeks ago, no kids, lots of knitters, and all these cute little critters to share with each other.  I think everyone made out!  Now, if I could only find that darn little camera I had with me I could share the photo's with everyone.  But I do have the photo's of what I gave to Devona, and most likely her girls as well.

The basic larger owl design was from 2 different free patterns: 
The body design was from http://mactata.blogspot.com/2009/05/free-crochet-pattern-amigurumi.html by Expattern and
http://littlegreen.typepad.com/romansock/2007/12/owls-and-envy.html by
Roman Sock provided the head pattern.  This was also the pattern for the owlets.  I mean who can resist something so cute and nly takes an hour to make?

I have an aversion to truly learning how to read corchet patterns, hence I look at the photo's, try to read the pattern, get frustrated and then just 'wing-it' so the little guys look like the photo.  Sometimes it works great and sometimes not so much  This time it worked out for the best!

And since I find googgley or doll eyes just a little creepy I crochet those as well.  If you every decide to do this,  first smack yourself on the head, then repeat after me "sew on the pupils before sewing the eyeball on", believe me you will need this mantra to save your fingers and sanity.

But I must say, it was all worth the effort cause they are just adorable!

There is a side story with these creations.  When I made their bodies, without eyes/beaks/wings/feet I found I had an amigurumi thief in the house.  This small 2yr old came over to the pile of bodies, smiled, then quickly nabbed the little dudes and said "I have your babies" giggled and ran away. 

Do NOT be decieved by this cute little face...he is wanted for abduction of defensless Amigurumi

Not that he went far, instead he placed them on his "treasure chest" (aka toy chest) that sites under the front window, pulled the curtains around the chest and announced they were now in his tent. 

With no 'babies' to work on I proceeded to work on the nest.  This was a basket I made with some handspun Jacob's wool that never really shrank to be a basket.  Instead it shrank and became this floppy waste of time, water, and handspun yarn.  So I cut it up, braided strands together, and attached a roundish bottom.  Whalla, the babies now have a home.  Which was then stolen and put in the tent. Sigh, a mommy sometimes just can't win.

I did bribe my abductor with promises to make him a ninja, which is now lost in his room and should the ninja come up for air I promise to fix your neck, take a photo and add you to this blog!  Just in case the "monster's" you help to kill finally take you out, or my son throttles you to death with that death grip he has when he holds you about the neck.