Choly Knight

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Category Archives: Monthly Crafting Challenge


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New Crafting Challenge Pattern for April!

Hi everybody!
I hope you all had a great March! Spring is finally in full swing where I am, which is a little unfortunate because cold weather is hard to come by in Florida. I’ve been chugging along this month creating more patterns and tutorials. I feel like I’m really on a roll, lately!

Last month’s Kappa plushies got a lot of love despite being a little more obscure. But you fans out there that enjoy classic monsters are in for a treat 😀 The new pattern I’m unveiling for this month is…

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The Loch Ness Monster!

I feel like these little cuties hardly need an introduction; I’m sure you all know about the legendary sea monster that hails from the famous lake in Scotland. How could I even dream of doing a year of legendary creatures without including ol’ Nessie, right? I spent a lot of time perfecting her, since lots of other awesome pattern designers have made their own versions of Nessie and I wanted to be sure mine looked different 🙂 So my Nessie is a good deal tinier and chubbier. Shown is the classic Nessie in sea green and an alternate one with lashed eyes, a contrast belly, and head fins for that little something special.

The one down side to this little girlie is she’s a bit more difficult than other plush patterns I’ve done before. I’ve given it a 5/10. Technically she’s the first pattern I’ve done with a gusset. If you’ve done plushies with gussets before it shouldn’t be too intimidating. If you think you’re ready to try them out, I go through the process very slowly, so with any luck maybe this pattern will help you pick up a new skill! I do think that if you wanted to make the process easier, you could enlarge the pattern 150% or 200% so the seam allowances are larger and it’s easier to be accurate. I’ll see about making up a larger version to show you guys how it might look!

★ So how do you get this pattern? ★
If you’re NEW to this site, this pattern is my one time only FREE gift to you! Just submit your email address to subscribe to my blog between now and April 30th (found in the submission box on the right sidebar above “My Books”). This will earn you the pattern ONE TIME for THIS MONTH ONLY.
Give it about 24 hours for your new pattern to arrive after signing up. But if it doesn’t, or you have other troubles, you can check out more info at the main Monthly Crafting Challenge page, the FAQ, or by emailing me.
★ What if you’re not new to this site? ★
If you’ve already signed up for email updates, that’s where the CHALLENGE comes in. You can also earn this pattern if you make one of the projects from this blog, my books, or my Etsy then email me or message the finished project to my Facebook.
★ What if there’s no way you can participate this month? ★
If you think you can’t make anything this month, I also have the pattern ready for purchase on my Etsy for a very low price. And you can use coupon code MCC2016 for an extra $1 off.
So don’t forget to check back next month for another new legendary creature! And keep sending me photos of your amazing creations!


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New Crafting Challenge Pattern for March!

Hi everyone!
Despite the extra day this year, February really flew by! I can’t believe it’s already March. I was able to tackle some new projects this month, but I also ended up coming up with more things to do, so I feel more crazy than ever, haha! Has that ever happened to you?
Anyway, the response to the dragon plushies from February’s challenge was huge! I could hardly expect any less since everyone loves dragons 😀 This month’s creature might not be as well known, but let’s hope it still gets some love!

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Little kappas!

If you’re a Japanese culture nut like me, you may have already heard of kappas. But for those uninitiated, kappas are turtle-like trickster creatures that live near rivers and lakes. They’re said to kidnap children, and so are a common way of scaring kids into not playing near the water. They love cucumbers, which is why my plush are each holding their own tiny cucumber. The ‘water plate’ on their head always has to stay wet or else they may die. It’s common to see scary and creepy versions of kappa artwork floating around in prints and paintings, but it’s no surprise that Japanese companies have kawaii-fied them like these guys here. I chose to introduce them in March because it’s said kappa travel down from the mountains to the rivers in the springtime.

I think the difficulty on this one is maybe just a smidge less than the dragon from last month, but not by much so I still gave it a 4/10. Sewing on the water plate is a little tricky (though a little easier if you do it by hand — just takes longer), and the head is also sewn on by hand. With all this, it can be difficult to make sure everything is aligned right, so it helps to always pause and get a good look at your work while you sew to make sure nothing has shifted.

★ So how do you get this pattern? ★
If you’re NEW to this site, this pattern is my one time only FREE gift to you! Just submit your email address to subscribe to my blog between now and March 31st (found in the submission box on the right sidebar above “My Books”). This will earn you the pattern ONE TIME for THIS MONTH ONLY.
Give it about 24 hours for your new pattern to arrive after signing up. But if it doesn’t, or you have other troubles, you can check out more info at the main Monthly Crafting Challenge page, the FAQ, or by emailing me.

★ What if you’re not new to this site? ★
If you’ve already signed up for email updates, that’s where the CHALLENGE comes in. You can also earn this pattern if you make one of the projects from this blog, my books, or my Etsy then email me or message the finished project to my Facebook through the month of March.

★ What if there’s no way you can participate this month? ★
If you think you can’t make anything this month, I also have the pattern ready for purchase on my Etsy for a very low price. And you can use coupon code MCC2016 for an extra $1 off.

So don’t forget to check back next month for another new legendary creature! And keep sending me photos of your amazing creations!


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New MCC Plush Pattern for February!

Hi everybody!
It looks like 2016 is in full swing with January having come and gone. With the holidays completely behind us it was great to work on more projects for the blog for a change 😀 One of which you’ll get to see shortly! My creative juices have really been flowing, so here’s hoping I can churn out more before I get swamped with other work.
The first crafting challenge pattern for 2016 was such a hit, I’m sure you all are itching to know what the next one is! Well, the second installment in the legendary creatures collection is…

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A dragon plush!

I feel like I just had to do this one for February because Chinese New Year is coming up! So this pattern has options for a Western dragon with wings and horns, while the Eastern dragon has antlers and whiskers. I did warn that some of the patterns in this collection would get a little harder, and this one here is a good example. I rated it 4/10 in difficulty, which is higher than usual for my free patterns. There are a lot of little details with the horns, wings, whiskers, etc. that can be difficult to keep track of and sew in place. I put some tips in the pattern to help get through the tougher bits, and the pattern itself breaks everything down into 24 detailed steps, but if you’re still completely new to sewing, you might want to save this one for later 🙂

These guys were definitely tough to design because lots of pattern sellers have their own dragon pattern, so I had to try to make this one unique while still remaining relatively simple. And I couldn’t very well leave it out of the collection! I mean, if I’m doing a set of legendary creatures there’s no way I could skip a dragon, could I? So hopefully this particular design is something you might not have seen before.

★ So how do you get this pattern? ★
If you’re NEW to this site, this pattern is my one time only FREE gift to you! Just submit your email address to subscribe to my blog between now and February 29th (found in the submission box on the right sidebar above “My Books”). This will earn you the pattern ONE TIME for THIS MONTH ONLY.
Give it about 24 hours for your new pattern to arrive after signing up. But if it doesn’t, or you have other troubles, you can check out more info at the main Monthly Crafting Challenge page, the FAQ, or by emailing me.

★ What if you’re not new to this site? ★
If you’ve already signed up for email updates, that’s where the CHALLENGE comes in. You can also earn this pattern if you make one of the projects from this blog, my books, or my Etsy then email me or message the finished project to my Facebook.

★ What if there’s no way you can participate this month? ★
If you think you can’t make anything this month, I also have the pattern ready for purchase on my Etsy for a very low price. And you can use coupon code MCC2016 for an extra $1 off.

So don’t forget to check back next month for another new legendary creature! And keep sending me photos of your amazing creations!


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3 Year Blogiversary! Plus a new Crafting Challenge Collection!

Hi everyone!

I can’t believe it! A whole new year and my blog turns 3 years old today! I hope it was the same for everyone else, but my 2015 was fantastic. I got to make a lot of awesome stuff for both myself and my Etsy shop, and overall it just felt like a really productive year.

In 2016 I hope to expand my Etsy shop even more with lots more plushies, hats, and hoodies. And here on the blog I’m going to keep churning out those free patterns that help me use up my fabric stash. I’m nearly down to a manageable level! Then maybe I can make better projects with fresh new fabrics!

But I’m just itching to usher in the new Monthly Crafting Challenge for 2016! We’re in the fourth year now! In 2013 it was sushi plushies, 2014 had Japanese snack foods, and 2015 had punny food animals. In 2015 you all submitted nearly twice as many photos to me as last year! It’s always such a blast to see your work and the ways you modify and made the plushies your own. I can’t thank everyone enough for all your contributions!

Anyway, here’s what I have planned for 2016! A whole set of 12…

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Legendary creatures!

That’s right! We’re talking animals and things from fairy tales, scary stories, myths, and legends. In the midst of last year’s silly punny animals, most of the requests I got were for more obscure animals that are harder to find patterns for. I had to do my own special twist on it, of course, so I landed on doing mythical creatures. So be prepared for a year of scary, cute, and strange animals from your favorite myths and legends 😀

I started this year with a Kraken, mwahaha! Not only because it’s a little simpler compared to what’s coming down the road, but because I think it’s so unbelievably cute! It’s a really great pattern for beginners, since there’s only 3 main pattern pieces. It takes a bit of hand-sewing, but it’s nothing that can’t be handled in a few hours. As usual, my projects have a lot of applique, but you can use safety eyes on this guy, or simply iron on all the details with heavy duty fusible web. The pattern comes with options for an angry Kraken face or a happy one 😀

★ So how do you get this pattern? ★
If you’re NEW to this site, this pattern is my one time only FREE gift to you! Just sign up for email updates between now and January 31st (enter your email address in the submission box on the right sidebar above “My Books”). This will earn you the pattern ONE TIME for THIS MONTH ONLY.
Give it about 24 hours for your new pattern to arrive after signing up. But if it doesn’t, or you have other troubles, you can check out more info at the main Monthly Crafting Challenge page, the FAQ, or by emailing me.

★ What if you’re not new to this site? ★
If you’ve already signed up for email updates, that’s where the CHALLENGE comes in. You can also earn this pattern if you make one of the projects from this blog, my books, or my Etsy then email me or message the finished project to my Facebook.

So don’t forget to check back next month for another new legendary creature! And keep sending me photos of your amazing creations!


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Last Crafting Challenge Plush for 2015!

Hello all!
Looks like Thanksgiving is over here in the states and the officially holiday shopping season has begun! I am feeling the effects already, both trying to juggle making gifts for friends and family and filling orders at my Etsy shop. If you’re also shopping around for others, you might be interested to know I have a sale going on in my shop 😀 A bunch of ready-to-ship hats, hoodies, and plushies have been marked down 20%, and you can also use coupon code HOLIDAY2015 to get an additional $10 off orders of $100 or more! This sale lasts until 12/18 so you have a few weeks left to check out what you might want!
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But onto the real reason why we’re all here! It’s the last month of the 2015 Monthly Crafting Challenge! As usual, it’s a bittersweet ending for me. This year’s collection of punny animal plushies were so fun to do – I wish I could have made a dozen more! But I’m also looking forward to next year’s collection 😀 Holiday craziness has made it hard, but I am working away to get January’s project up and ready to go.
So here it is! The last punny animal plush pattern:
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A Yeti Four!
I’m sure most of you have seen little petit four cakes, the adorable little square confections that are decorated with frosting flowers and swirls and such. I’ve always thought those were so adorable and irresistible as a kid, especially when those Swiss Colony catalogs would start rolling in during the holidays. The fact that it rhymes with a monster known for living in the snowy mountains seemed just too perfect!
Sewing up the body of the yeti is pretty basic if you’re used to cubes. But all the extra details, especially the arms, might be a little tricky. I think beginners can tackle this one if you take it one step at a time and try not to rush yourself.
YetiFour

★ So how do you get this pattern? ★
If you’re NEW to this site, this pattern is my one time only FREE gift to you! Just sign up for email updates between now and December 31st (found in the submission box on the right sidebar above “My Books”). This will earn you the pattern ONE TIME for THIS MONTH ONLY.
Give it about 24 hours for your new pattern to arrive after signing up. But if it doesn’t, or you have other troubles, you can check out more info at the main Monthly Crafting Challenge page, the FAQ, or by emailing me.

★ What if you’re not new to this site? ★
If you’ve already signed up for email updates, that’s where the CHALLENGE comes in. You can also earn this pattern if you make one of the projects from this blog, my books, or my Etsy then email me or message the finished project to my Facebook.

★ Also, bonus! ★
For today only I’m offering both this pattern and the one from November when you sign up or send in project photos. After today though, the prize is just this guy 🙂 You’ll have to purchase the older pattern through my Etsy if you’re too late.
So don’t forget to check back next month for a brand new collection of plush patterns! And keep sending me photos of your amazing creations!


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New Crafting Challenge pattern for November!

Hello all!
I hope everyone had an amazing Halloween yesterday! I spent a lot of it sewing in front of the TV, watching silly scary movies and eating mouthfuls of York Peppermint Patties 😀 It’s so nice to move into another month and get one step closer to winter – or the closest thing we have to winter down here in Florida. I wasn’t very active here on the blog during October because of all the Halloween orders I was filling. It was a ton of fun getting to make others’ costumes, but hopefully this month I can move into making some more personal projects!

To kick off November I have a new plush pattern you can earn!
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A Chocolate Gato!

This pun is multilingual again ^-^ and I love it! It’s based of the Spanish word for cat: gato, and the French word for cake: gâteau – which sound very similar. So together it’s a petit little cake with an adorable kitty head popping out the top. Little icing roses in brown and red finish it off.
Sewing up the cake and the kitty head are pretty simple, but putting it all together takes a lot of hand sewing, so just be prepared for that ^-^ It might be a pain to position everything just right, so basting the pieces in place first before going back and doing the real seams can be a big help.
ChocolateGato3ChocolateGato4

★ So how do you get this pattern? ★
If you’re NEW to this site, this pattern is my one time only FREE gift to you! Just sign up for email updates between now and November 30th (found in the submission box on the right sidebar above “My Books”). This will earn you the pattern ONE TIME for THIS MONTH ONLY.
Give it about 24 hours for your new pattern to arrive after signing up. But if it doesn’t, or you have other troubles, you can check out more info at the main Monthly Crafting Challenge page, the FAQ, or by emailing me.

★ What if you’re NOT new to this site? ★
If you’ve already signed up for email updates, that’s where the CHALLENGE comes in. You can also earn this pattern if you make one of the projects from this blog, my books, or my Etsy then email me or message the finished project to my Facebook.

★ Also, bonus! ★
For today only I’m offering both this pattern and the one from October when you sign up or send in project photos. After today though, the prize is just this guy 🙂 You’ll have to purchase the older pattern through my Etsy if you’re too late.
So don’t forget to check back next month for a new punny food animal plush pattern, and keep sending me photos of your amazing creations!


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New Crafting Challenge Pattern For October!

Hi everyone!

I can’t believe it’s October already! So many fun holidays to look forward to! It likely went so fast for me because my Etsy store exploded with Halloween orders! So I’ve been super swamped and not been able to update as much here. I’m still working on new projects for the site in every free minute I have though!

I’m so excited to kick off this holiday season with a new plush pattern you can earn!
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A Platypumpkin!

This of course is a silly portmanteau of platypus and pumpkin – so together we have a chubby little pumpkin with platypus features 😀 This one’s a lot tougher to put together than the others, especially to get all the little pieces on like feet, bill, leaf, and stem. Plus all the ridges of the pumpkin take a bit of extra time too. So it’s fun to see it all come together, but be forewarned it’s not altogether beginner friendly.

★ So how do you get this pattern? ★
If you’re NEW to this site, this pattern is my one time only FREE gift to you! Just sign up for email updates between now and October 31st (found in the submission box on the right sidebar above “My Books”). This will earn you the pattern ONE TIME for THIS MONTH ONLY.
Give it about 24 hours for your new pattern to arrive after signing up. But if it doesn’t, or you have other troubles, you can check out more info at the main Monthly Crafting Challenge page, the FAQ, or by emailing me.

★ What if you’re not new to this site? ★
If you’ve already signed up for email updates, that’s where the CHALLENGE comes in. You can also earn this pattern if you make one of the projects from this blog, my books, or my Etsy then email me or message the finished project to my Facebook.

★ Also, bonus! ★
For today only I’m offering both this pattern and the one from September when you sign up or send in project photos. After today though, the prize is just this guy 🙂 You’ll have to purchase the older pattern through my Etsy if you’re too late.
So don’t forget to check back next month for a new punny food animal plush pattern, and keep sending me photos of your amazing creations!