Mici

Hello Lovelies!

I do hope you are all having a lovely and productive week? 

Things have been pretty busy here as I'm mid way through rehearsing new cast members into the show at work, for this years cast change. 

"Cast change" means long focused days, with everyone working full steam ahead to make the most of the rehearsal period. The new actors, dancers and singers will premier in the show next month and shortly after that rehearsals will calm down a little. That means I'll have a little more time to spend with you guys!

Other than being busy at work.. I had the luxury of my parents coming out to visit Dennis and I in Stuttgart. We had a lovely weekend together, hiring a car and visiting some beautiful destinations in and around Southern Germany. I've got lost of snaps, so I'll share them all with you very soon. 

Today however, I have a little crochet project that has kept me busy over the past 6 weeks or so.....

I made another Lalylala, This time Mici The Mermaid! 

She was made using Oslo by Wolle Rödel. I chose the colours: white, cream, petrol, jeans and cherry along with a mini 2mm crochet hook. 

Using a slightly thicker yarn with the tiny hook meant that it was easier to keep the crochet tighter, which I find makes amigurumi like this look a little neater. 

I got to work following the easy to understand instructions. Starting at the base of her tail and working all of the way up to the top of her head. I would stuff her with toy stuffing as I progressed,  making sure she was holding her shape well and was nice and firm. 

Once I had finished her main body and stuffed her, I noticed that I was starting to see the toy stuffing poke through the crochet stitches. I had either crocheted a little loose or over stuffed her and stretched the stitches too much.
I was making Mici as a gift and so I wanted her to be perfect. I decided to weave yarn around the stitches of her tail to cover and hide the stretched stitches. It worked a treat and her tail ended up not only having a little contrast in color,  but looked much tidier.

Time for some fins!!

These were fast and easy to make. Working out of a foundation chain and crochet along one side, then around and back down the other side of the foundation produced the perfect finishing touch to Mici's tail. 

The hair was the fiddliest part of this pattern.
It consisted of making little circles and sewing them on to her head individually.
The circles were easy to make, but I found sewing them on a little tricky as it was hard to get the needle into and back out of her firmly stuffed head.
I made sure to pin all of her hair onto her head before I began to check it was positioned correctly.

I took me a couple of attempts before I was finally happy with how her hair was looking.

Sewing the individual parts of her hair was tricky, but that extra effort added a really lovely and intricate detail to the overall look of the doll.

The detailed hair was also a lovely contrast to the very simple black eyes (these were added as the head was crocheted, the pattern very cleverly and clearly explains exactly where these need to be placed).

Mici was almost there! She of course needed two arms and some extra special features to finish her off:
A red and white rubber ring and a sailor hat to add to her cuteness!

I stitched all of the pieces together and she was done!!
Looking totally adorable, if I say so myself!

Mici is the 3rd Lalylala I've made. I really am in love with the design of these dolls, they take a little while to make, but the effort is so worth the end results.

They are perfect for gifts as everybody seems to love them!!!

A rather fun make with some pleasing results! I do hope she enjoys her new home when I give her away (I can't say who I'm giving her to in case they are reading this!!)

Whats my next project going to be? hmmmm
I have one little thing that I must finish (I haven't forgotten about you Mel from yarntree.co.uk!!) and then my future projects list is a little empty, I must get looking for some inspiration!!!
Have a lovely Sunday and Happy Birthday to my Dad!!!

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