Tag Archive | Spirited Away

Haku… The Process of Making a Dragon

So first and foremost… I got the most amazing idea and pattern off of DeviantArt thanks to Aphid777. Check her out, her patterns are not tested and often leave a lot of wiggle room, but if you are ready for a challenge and an amazing result – she is the best! Small-ish Haku can be found HERE, her profile link is HERE

Spirited Away is one of my all time FAVOURITE movies. And Haku one of my favourite dragons. So when I came across this gem on my random look through the artist’s fiber art, well I knew I HAD TO make one of my own (with Ken’s amazing help).

First off my supplies… I used Caron Simply Soft brand yarn and stills from the movie to pick my colours. I used white, blue mint, blackberry and soft pink. IMG_20170521_142549_579

For detail work Ken used roving wool from a variety pack we purchased off of Amazon. You really do not need much for this sort of detail work. The process he used is called felting. 

For the actual structure of the dragon we purchased 12 GA solid white insulated wire from Menards. We wanted to be sure the dragon could be shaped without snapping the wire and hold form. 

For whiskers and horns we used wrapped in DMC floss color matched from pictures and super glue for ends. (E6000 would work too, except we couldn’t find ours).

For stuffing I used the usual fluffy stuff you buy at Joann’s Polyfil.

I had Ken cut and double our body wire. We went longer than suggested so we could cut as needed. The length we used was around 62 inches… 31 inches when doubled over.IMG_20170521_142549_580

I did not place the wire in the body until I had crocheted a bit down the length, going around the wire once it was in the piece was one of the more annoying processes of the project.20170524_234055

I also varied my amount of stitches to meet the bottom center of the piece from what the artist did. Again this is all eye balling and personal preference. I found that once my head was formed putting a stitch marker on the top of the nose of Haku made it easier to eye ball my return to center.

The trick was to consistently add stuffing without over stuffing, but a long stick was quite helpful. 

Once you crocheted to the near end of the tail it was time to trim my end and cover it in electrical tape to avoid a sharp bit poking through. Then PATIENTLY decreasing until you tie off and finish.

The belly is an easy one piece. If I make this again I would consider making the entire structure longer (mostly for fun with posing) and that would change count. But her pattern was easy to read.

Ears are a quick process. Legs took more work. We used a single piece of wire threaded through the body to each leg for our assembly. And did not poke our wire through the side of the leg as indicated.20170708_174309

Feet were added after, easy enough. (and obviously legs and feet were AFTER mane, but you get the idea)

The mane and fluff at the end of the tail was hooked in like when you are hooking a rug. I made sure to face all my knots toward the front of the body and to keep them close to center. Eyeballing and what you like is key. Lengths do not matter, as once they are in you take a cat brush and brush them until they are fluffy and then trim. 

Before brushing

Before brushing

20170717_142120Message_1500517039610Ken felted in our details and BANG dragon! I am super pleased with the side view though we feel we need to work on our eyes to better get the front view. Though front on loses the body so… not the view I want anyway! 

And there you have it…. HAKU! Into the local county fair he went. (Like the next day after completion. Nothing like JUST meeting a deadline). End result – first place in crochet, storybook characters! Not bad! 20170728_194459

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This entry was posted on 05/08/2017, in Uncategorized. 3 Comments

Some Rainy Day Video Suggestions…

It has been rainy lately and I figured I would share some of my favourites… first some that I personally enjoy and then the kids and their movies… all foreign based but hey… oh and I am going to make you all do the work yourselves. If you put in the names of these in search you can find them on your own! Just remember all the first section are ones I found on CRUNCHYROLL!!! Love them! 

First off… get yourself a Crunchyroll subscription… I have an anime one, you CAN get a drama (I am tempted every week) but without it you can still watch the bulk of the videos. There are minimal commercials. I watch mine on the iPad.

Now for the comedies….

  • Bug Me Not
  • Dry Wood Fierce Fire
  • Magic Kitchen
  • My Left Eye Sees Ghosts
  • Women from Mars

Animes… Keep in mind these are MY preferred… NOT the kids

  • Rozen Maiden and Rozen Maiden Zuruckspulen
  • Gatchaman Crowds (the only mech I have ever watched through! Though there IS violence)
  • Silver Spoon (agricultural and educational with fun)
  • Moyashimon(another educational one)
  • Servant X Service (based in a ward office)
  • Folktales from Japan (awesome)
  • The Eccentric Family (I love this one with Tanuki and Tengu and all that stuff)
  • Ginatama (not for kids but hilarious)
  • Un-Go (a mystery series)
  • Wagnaria!! (based in a restaurant)
  • Natsume Yujin-cho (demons and names… seriously check it out!)
  • My Little Monster (awkward romance)
  • Say “I Love You” (another romance… this is an ongoing for manga as is My Little Monster)
  • Cuticle Detective Inaba (hilarious and irreverent)

Oh and for the kids!

  • Poyopoyo
  • Chi’s Sweet Home (both of these are about adorable cats!!!)

If you don’t want to READ your tv… Studio Ghibli has some amazing movies…

  • Spirited Away
  • Castles in the Sky
  • Kiki’s Delivery Service
  • Howl’s Moving Castle
  • Porco Rosso
  • Ponyo
  • The Cat Returns
  • There is a story before The Cat Returns called Whisper of the Heart. Definitely more of a romance with some bittersweet moments. The Cat Returns is a semi-spin off.
  • Ok so more mature but definitely worth a watch if you want to be amazed! Princess Mononoke

    An a screen shot from one of my all time favourites... Spirited Away

    An a screen shot from one of my all time favourites… Spirited Away

On the Edge of a Big Day…

June 14-15

Mere days to go until a rather special day… if you can believe it, this year the 16th is not only our anniversary (12th!) but also Father’s Day!

But before that we had to end out the week and welcome in the first half of the weekend. On Friday we worked together with books, plants and Father’s Day learning.101_2510101_2509

101_2517Of course we spent some time outside… I love watching the kids work quietly at the same time.101_2511

We have been watching movies at night from Studio Ghibli. I had the kids draw pictures of their favourite movies to date. Gavin and I share the same favourite… Spirited Away. He reproduced the movie box cover!!!101_2518

We even snuck in a Wild Kratts!

Woodpecker

Woodpecker

And amazingly enough the kids managed a game of Dora themed Candyland without tears and fighting!!!!101_2520

Oh and worked with Ken on cleaning up their ant farm… ants have been ordered.101_2521

Now for Saturday and… GIRLY TIME!! 101_2526

101_2528We had Caribou to drink…101_2536

And shopping to do, with a diaper change or two to go…101_2538

It was a great relaxing time out just Bree, Lily Bean and myself!

Baby in a carrier

Baby in a carrier