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Sunday 12 July 2015

King Louis

Here's the partner to Marie Antoinette, King Louis.





REQUIRES
Yarn -  Twinkle DK approx 20g white and 10g lilac; Goldfingering light gold, 10g; Pearl DK 20g white; cream DK 15g.
Hook / Needles - 2.5mm
Sundries - toy eyes, toy stuffing, narrow black ribbon, velcro, stick on pearls, black fabric paint.

INSTRUCTIONS (Given in UK notation)

HEAD
Work as for Marie Antoinette using cream.   Using black fabric paint make moustache and beard.

WIG
Work as for Marie (Pearl DK) until both side rolls are complete.  To work back reattach yarn to wider section between rolls.  Work 1 row dc, then dec at each end of next 4 rows.  On last row work dc to centre back, then make 5 chain.  Dc on these chain, ss into same stitch and then complete row as normal and fasten off.  Decorate with black ribbon.  Stitch to head.  

RUFF
Work as for Marie.  Stitch to neck and then stitch velcro to bottom of neck.

CROWN
Using white Twinkle work as for head to end rd 1.  Rd 2;  inc in all stitches.  24.  Rd 3; dc.  Rd 4; dc in back loops only.  Rd 5; (dc2, dec 1) to end.  18.  Rd 6; dc.  Switch to goldfingering.  Rd 7; dc.  Ss to finish off.  Using goldfingering reattach yarn to gold row and work surface crochet line up one side, across top and down the other.  Repeat  so you are dividing crown into quarters, but on this line work as follows where the lines cross: Ch 3, dc into 3rd chain, dc into same stitch as ch.  Fasten off, stuff crown and stitch to head.  

BODY
Using lilac Twinkle work as for Marie to Rd 3.  Rd 4 -8; dc.  Switch to white Twinkle.  Rds 9 - 11; dc.  Rd 12; (dc 2, dec 1) to end.  18.  Stuff.  Rd 13; dc 9, ss across to 1st stitch of round forming a tube.  Dc 4 rds on these 9 stitches and fasten off leaving long tail.  Reattach yarn to unused stitches and work a tube as before.  Stuff breeches leaving space to insert lower legs.

LEGS AND FEET (make 2)
Work as for Marie’s legs using lilac twinkle for shoes and Pearl for stockings.  Stuff, insert leg ends into breeches and stitch firmly with tail ends.

TRIMS
Using goldfingering work line of surface crochet around waist, starting at centre front.  Ss to complete ring then crochet up front and round neck. Fasten off.  Using goldfingering embroider a line for pockets, and buckles on shows.  Add narrow black ribbon at side of breeches at knee.  Stick on tiny pearls for buttons on waistcoat.

ARMS (make 2)
Work as for Marie using White Twinkle instead of Pearl and Pearl for cuffs.

COAT
Using white Twinkle make 21 chain.  Work 2 rows dc on these chain.  On next row dc 2, chain 5, skip 5 stitches, dc 7, htr to end.  On next row htr 7, dc to end working 1 dc into each chain.  Work 5 rows of dc at top, htr (if this is not wide enough for your doll work more, or less if it is too wide).  Work another 5dc armhole to match first, then 3 rows dc.  Fasten off.  Slipe coat over arms.  Roll back neck and stitch down, then stitch around armholes.  Sew velcro to top of body.

Sunday 5 July 2015

Bastille Day is almost here!

Quatorze Juillet is almost here and I have been making some decorations for the day.


Besides the bunting I'm making amigurumi figures for a display; Marie Antoinette and King Louis will be facing the wrath of a couple of revolutionary peasants (the lady complete with knitting for keeping busy beside the guillotine).  Marie and Louis have detachable heads held on by velcro.  My mother says I have a macabre sense of humour but my daughter says that's a good thing, so there you go. 

MARIE ANTOINETTE

REQUIRES
Yarn -  Cream DK,  small amount; white and lilac Twinkle DK, about 20g each; Goldfingering light gold, about 10g; white Pearl DK, about 20g
Hook / Needles - 2.5mm
Sundries - toy stuffing, 6 or 8mm toy safety eyes (blue or black), small amount of Velcro, very small stick-on gems or pearls, black fabric paint, narrow pink ribbon

INSTRUCTIONS (Given in UK notation)

HEAD
Using cream DK, make a magic ring and work 6 dc into it.  Rd 1; inc all round.  12.  Rd 2; (dc 1, inc 1) to end.  18.  Rd 3; (dc 2, inc 1) to end.  24.  Rd 4: (dc 3, inc 1) to end.  30.    Rds 5 - 8; dc.  Rd 9: (dc 3, dec 1).  24.  Rd 10: (dc 2, dec 1).  18.  Insert safety eyes, positioning at about Rd 4 approx 5 stitches apart.  Rd 11; (dc1, dec 1).  12.  Stuff carefully, making sure you get stuffing between eyes.  Rd 12; dec all round.  6.  Rds 13 - 14; dc.  Fasten off leaving long tail, run tail through last six stitches and sew in tight.  

WIG
Using white Pearl work as for head to end of rd 4.  Rds 5 - 6; dc.  Rd 7; dc 4, turn.  [Work 3 rows dc on these 4 stitches, then ss the last row to the first forming a roll.  Ch1, dc into the same 4 stitches and make 2 more rolls. ] Fasten off.  Skip 8 stitches on main part of wig and reattach yarn.  Work 4 dc, and repeat from [ to ].  Fasten off and reattach yarn on other side of rolls.  Work one row dc, turn.  On next 3 rows decrease 1 at each end, fasten off.  For beehive (pompadour) work 4 dc in a magic ring.  Rd 1; inc all round.  8.  Rd 2; (dc 1, inc 1) to end.  12.  Rd 3; dc.  Rd 4; (dc 2, inc 1) to end.  16.  Rd 5; dc.  Rd 6: (dc 3, inc 1) to end.  20.  Rd 7; dc.  Rd 8; (dc3, dec 1) to end.  16.  Fasten off, stuff, and sew to top of wig.  Decorate with stick on gems, beads or pearls, make bows with narrow pink ribbon above the rolls and at front base of pompadour.  Stitch to head.

RUFF
Using Goldfingering light gold make 5 chain.  Dc into 2nd chain from hook, dc into each chain to end.  4.  Chain 3, ss into first chain (picot).  Dc into back loops of last row.  Turn.  Work alternate rows of picot row/ back loop row till you have 12 picots.  Slipstitch first row to last and fasten off leaving a long tail.  Run tail through the row ends on the non-picot side and pull up till ruff forms ring.  Stitch to bottom of head.  Now stitch one piece of the Velcro to neck in centre of ruff, so ruff hides it.

BODY
Using lilac Twinkle make magic ring.  Work as for head to Rd 3.  Rds 4 - 5; dc.  Rd 6; (dc 2, dec 1) to end.  18.  Rd 7; dc.  Switch to white Twinkle.  Rd 8; dc through back loops.  Rd 9;  (dc 2, inc 1) to end.  24.  Rd 10 - 12; dc.  Rd 13;  (dc 2, dec 1) to end.  18.  Rd 14; (dc  1, dec 1) to end.  12.  Stuff body.   Rd 15; dec all round, fasten off, draw up and pull tight.

LEGS (make 2)
Using lilac Twinkle make 5 chain.  Dc into 2nd chain from hook and into next 2 chain.  Into last chain work 3 dc, then turn and work down other side as follows; dc 2 into next 2 chain, 2dc into last chain.  10.  Rd 1; dc.  Rd 2; dc 3, dec 2, dc 3.  8.  Rd 3; dc 2, dec 2, dc 2.  6.  Fasten off lilac, switch to white Pearl, stuff foot.  Dc 7 rounds, stuffing as you go.  Fasten off and stitch to bottom of body.

SKIRT
Using white Twinkle reattach yarn to front loops of body Rd 8.  Dc all round.  Rd 1; (c 3, inc 1) to end.  30.  Rd 2; increase to 36 stitches, not evenly but clustering 3 inc stitches at each side of body.  Where the increases come will depend on where you reattached the yarn.  Rd 3; increase again to 42, clustering inc stitches at sides as before.  [ds 4 - 5; dc.  Rd 6; dc in back loops only. ]  Repeat [ to ] 3 times.  Fasten off white and switch to lilac Twinkle.  Last rd;  (dc 2; into next st work htr, tr, htr) to end.  Fasten off, sew in ends.  Sew oither section of Velcro on top at neck.    Reattach lilac Twinkle to first round worked through back loops and work into front loops as follows; (c, ch3, miss 1 dc, dc) to end.  Repeat this into the other missed front loop rounds, alternating Goldfingering and lilac Twinkle.  Finally work another frill round around the posts of the last white round, working the fans at the low points between the lilac fans.

ARMS (make 2).  Using cream make magic ring, work 6 dc into it.  Rd 1; (dc 1, inc 1).  9.  Rd 2; dc.  Rd 3; (dc 1, dec 1) to end.  6.  Change to white Pearl.  Rd 4; dc through back loops only.  Rd 5 -10; dc.  Fasten off and stuff.  Attach lilac Twinkle to missed front loops and work (dc, htr, tr, htr) into each stitch.  Fasten off.  Sew arms to body.

FAN
Using Goldfingering make 2 ch.  Work 2 dc into 2nd chain from hook.  Turn.  Inc  in each stitch.  4.  Continue to turn and inc 1 at each row end until you have 10 stitches.  Last row; (c, ch3, skip in dc, dc) to end.  Fasten off.  Starch fan.  When it is dry, sew to hand.


Marie and her spouse King Louis - before the revolution.