Thursday 21 July 2016

Quick Crochet Fun on the Weekend

A 'hedgehog' motif consisting of a red circle crocheted in the round for the body with a jagged border across the top for spines; a white triangular face with black embroidered eye and nose.
Made by Jodiebodie 2016

Looking for a quick project?

Here's a little creature 
whipped up last weekend.





"Hedgehog" is a little motif found in the book:
Hooked!  40 whimsical crochet motifs from weird to wonderful

by Michelle, Cécile & Sylvie Delprat.



The only hedgehog I have ever come across in Australia is 'chocolate hedgehog', something to eat.*

Being totally unfamiliar with the live kind of hedgehog, I am not certain that this motif has the right kind of snout but it was still fun to make and cute all the same.


A 'hedgehog' motif consisting of a red circle crocheted in the round for the body with a jagged border across the top for spines; a white triangular face with black embroidered eye and nose.

This hedgehog was made with 8 ply/DK  cotton/acrylic blend using a 4 mm crochet hook. The motif examples in the book use finer weights of yarn and thread but it was no problem to adapt the pattern with thicker yarn.


The finished hedgehog body circle has a diameter of 8 cm
(3.25 inches) which makes it perfect for its intended purpose as a drink coaster to protect a new study desk.


A standard glass tumbler rests on the red, white and black hedgehog coaster on a white desk.
Glass and coaster fit perfectly!



Have you ever seen a real live hedgehog?
What are they really like?




*The Macquarie Dictionary defines 'hedgehog' as:
a heavy chocolate-flavoured uncooked cake made from
shortening, nuts and broken pieces of arrowroot biscuit.

Project Details


Pattern: 'Hedgehog' by Michelle, Cécile & Sylvie Delprat
Yarn:  Moda Vera Beetle 50% cotton 50% acrylic
Red: col. 77, lot #14635, 8.8 metres / 4 grams
White: col. 31, lot #14637, 3.3 metres / 1 gram
Black (for eye and nose detail): col. 29, lot #140407, less than 1 metre / < 1 gram
Hook: 4 mm aluminium (Pony) with blue plastic handle
Finished dimensions: 8 cm tall x 12.5 cm wide (3.25 x 5 inches); circle diameter 8 cm (3.25 inches)


Cover of the book "Hooked!" shows a string of bunting made of white crocheted squares. Each square has a crocheted motif applique. Appliques include an outlined gingerbread man, orange owl, red hedgehog, yellow starfish, red & white mushroom, black skull, blue & pink cupcake, green love heart. The title "Hooked" is displayed across the top with the subheading in smaller text underneath. The authors' names are in the centre of the page surrounded by the bunting. All on a white background.

Publication Details


Delprat, Michelle, Cécile & Sylvie, Hooked!  40 whimsical crochet motifs from weird to wonderful, David & Charles, imprint of F&W Media International, Ltd, Newton Abbot, UK, 2015; a subsidiary of F+W Media Inc. Blue Ash, OH, USA, 2015

The book was originally published as Motifs au Crochet in French in 2014 by Hachette Livre (Marabout) 2014

12 comments:

  1. We have hedgehogs in the garden on a regular basis, they have a pointed snout and lots of prickles like a porcupine only smaller. I love the idea of using them as coasters.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for the info, Lorraine. I suppose my hedgehog's snout isn't as pointy as it should be. I hope you meant the crocheted hedgehogs and not the real ones with prickles in your last sentence! ;-) hehe English is a peculiar language sometimes.

      Are your garden hedgehogs welcome visitors or pests? Do they live nearby or are they nomadic? I feel I should learn more about them if I am going to crochet them.

      Cheers! :-)

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  2. I remember seeing them in my time in Germany. My host sister gingerly picked up a small (a bit bigger than a baby) one by putting her jumper sleeves over her hands and handed it to me to hold. It promptly curled itself into a protective ball and it was hard to appreciate it's cuteness. They are some of my favourite creatures due to the cute factor.

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    Replies
    1. How sweeeet! What a unique experience for an Australian girl. Can you remember what they are called in German? xx

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  3. Very fun my friend!
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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    Replies
    1. It is fun to make a 'character' project. As soon as you add facial details, the personality reveals itself and you make a new friend!
      :-)

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  4. So sweet. We once had a hedgehog in our backyard and a park ranger came to collect it. He asked if I knew how hedgehogs made love? Very carefully.
    Amalia
    xo

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    Replies
    1. Hahaha! That's a good joke - it's left me smiling. :-)

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  5. What a handsome fellow you've made! I don't make many motifs, but I do love to make snowflakes for some reason. Cheers!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Erica, welcome back!

      Snowflakes are very popular to make and understandably so. They can be as simple or complicated as you like. They are decorative regardless of size - they don't need to be large. Like doilies and mandalas the pattern repetition can be meditative and therapeutic. The maths of fancy patterns can be mesmerising and intellectually exciting and challenging but the small size of snowflakes prevents them from becoming overwhelming.

      What do you do with your snowflakes once you have made them, Erica?

      It doesn't usually snow where I live but this year the Adelaide Hills and northern parts of South Australia received some light snowfalls. It has been a very stormy midwinter so you never know, we might see some more snow before the end of August.

      My hands don't like the cold so your crocheted snowflakes are much better than real ones! :-)

      Warm wishes, Jodie ;-)

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  6. Aww, this little hedgehog is adorable. We have Igel here every now and then and they are sooooo cute! Quite endangered my cars so which is so sad...

    Take care
    Anne
    Crochet Between Worlds

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Anne, for the German name for hedgehog: der Igel. Süß!
      Only this morning I was reading that we have a similar problem between cars and bandicoots in the Adelaide hills. Local people are lobbying to create a tunnel so the bandicoots can move from one area to another without crossing roads and meeting cars. There are similar tunnels for koalas and wombats in other parts of the country that have been successful.

      I hope you are having a good week xx

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