Friday 9 August 2013

Holiday with Happypotamus

I was wondering what I could take on holiday with me to crochet, when someone who had seen my Happypotamus (see June's African Flower Motif Hippo blog) asked me if I could make her one.  Great, I thought.....I can make the motifs on holiday and assemble it when I get home; doesn't take up much room and only 4 balls of wool.

The lady chose her colours: purple, off white, dark dusky pink and a light mixed fleck pink.  So on the days that we decided to chill out, I sat outside and did some crocheting.


Excuse the hair, it went a bit lank that day :-)

We had a lovely holiday on a campsite in France.  While I was crocheting a young lad in the next caravan saw me and came over and asked what I was doing.  So I showed him how I was doing the stitches and explained that I had to make all the flower motifs and then stitched them together to make a hippo.  At this point I showed him the photos that I had taken on my previous hippo.  He was amazed and had to go and tell his parents, who then had to come and have a look as well.

I came home with pile of motifs: 


This time I decided not to do any of the ends until I had done all the rounds and it made for a much neater finish.  I was much happier with the stitches.  I had read that someone in one of the crochet groups I belong to, saves all the ends and then uses them to stuff toys that she makes.  I thought this was a good and idea and it is amazing how many ends you have at the end of a project. 




Here is the finished Happypotamus: 21" long by 8.5" tall.





I have another week in France, different region, in a couple of weeks, so will have to think of another holiday project.


Holiday hippo (as he was called) was safely delivered to his new owner and given the name, Humphrey.  I am very pleased that  he has gone to a good home and will be cherished.

Just before he went off, I received my new labels which I ordered from 'gblabels'.  I am very pleased with them.....fast and efficient service which is more than can be said for Woven Labels who managed to get my order wrong twice.


2 comments:

  1. Hi, I'm starting my Happypotamus and not sure what wool to use. It says sock wool, but i'm not sure how that differs to those you find at markets etc.
    Any insight would be fab!

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  2. Hello Rhian. First I must apologise for not replying to you sooner. I expect you may have made a start already! I tend to use DK and a 3mm hook. For my latest creation, I am still using DK stylecraft but a 2.5mm hook which does make the motif a bit smaller and probably closer to sock wool. All that happens is that the thicker the wool, the bigger the toy.

    Hope you Happypotamus goes well.

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