Samuel Crowe now resides in Cornwall. Not quite Penzance, but close enough. He and Elizabeth are here:

There are lots of interesting things to look at and buy in the shop including hand-crafted products from many local crafters: 

Handmade Genuine Gemstone Jewellery, handmade cards, models and model kits, prints, water colour paintings, wool goods, crochet items, patchwork and felt gifts, glass-work, ceramics, cross stitch patterns and yarns, costume jewellery, shamballa bracelets, solid silver jewellery, wool and new and second-hand books.......and more. 

It's well worth a visit should you be down Hayle way.

A Breath of Fresh Air opened in June this year and is at 15 Fore Street, Hayle

From top to toes - shoes next.

All cast on and ready to go

The Pirate's head - nearly the title of the post.

The pattern for the scarf had the option of finishing it halfway for a narrower version, but he would have looked rather like Rambo so it wasn't really an option at all.

I also dug out some beads and finished his hair with a few beaded strands.

Now he is done.

Time for a cup of tea .... and then to start Elizabeth Witch

The book 'Knitted Pirates, Princesses, Witches, Wizards & Fairies with outfits & accessories" by Annette Hefford is available from Amazon.

And finally .........

The star of the show - Meet Samuel Crowe:

I wasn't happy with the hat as knitted up from the pattern (left), so I devised my own version (right).

Instead of knitting and casting off rim reinforcement, I started with a few rows of garter stitch that could be folded over (and conveniently over a ring of pipecleaners). I also made the underside of the brim - the outside of the flaps - the knit side and swapped over for the crown of the hat. I used a non-slanting decrease, the raised stitches of which are a feature (and help in the folding of the tricorn). I also used pipecleaners to strengthen the base of the crown.

The pipecleaners give the hat some rigidity and shapeability.

There are 6 ridged decreases through the brim and 3 in the crown. The full pattern is below the next progress picture of Samuel.

Next to start on the accessories.

All cast on and ready to go.

Abbreviations: 3stdec --- slip 2 stitches knitwise TOGETHER, knit next stitch, pass slipped stitches over
                        3decP -- purl one stitch, slip 2 stitches knitwise TOGETHER, slip all three stitches back to LH   
                                       needle, pass slipped stitches over purl stitch, replace purl stitch on RH needle
(I know the purl decrease is a bit convoluted but I do not think there is a better way to do it, I couldn't find one)

Row 1    K
Row 2    K
Row 3    K
Row 4    K
Row 5    K
Row 6    K
Row 7    P
Row 8    (K12 3stdec K11) 6 times
Row 9 and alternate rows (11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21) Purl
Row 10    (K11 3stdec K10) 6 times
Row 12    (K10 3stdec K9) 6 times
Row 14    (K9 3stdec K8) 6 times
Row 16    (K8 3stdec K7) 6 times
Row 18    (K7 3stdec K6) 6 times
Row 20    (K6 3stdec K5) 6 times
Row 22    (K5 3stdec K4) 6 times
Row 23 - 34 Stocking stitch commencing with a Knit row
Row 35    (K9 3stdec K8) 3 times
Row 36 and alternate rows (38, 40, 42, 44) Purl
Row 37    (K8 3stdes K7) 3 times
Row 39    (K7 3stdec K6) 3 times
Row 41    (K6 3stdec K5) 3 times
Row 43    (K5 3stdec K4) 3 times
Row 45    (K4 3stdec K3) 3 times
Row 46    (P2 3decP P3) 3 times
Row 47    (K2 3stdec K1) 3 times
Row 48    (3decP P1) 3 times

Break yarn and thread through remaining stitches.

To make up:

Sew up seam, keeping in mind the knit side is the right side.
Sew in pipecleaner ring at base of crown.
Turn garter stitch edge over and sew in pipecleaner ring.
Mould hat.

So it's been time to do the hair.

The hair is done with a loop stitch:

1. Insert RH needle and wrap yarn as though to stitch
2. Wrap yarn around (certain number) of fingers and the needle again
3. Knit pulling both loops though.
4. Transfer loops back to LH needle
5. Knit loops together
6. Tighten loop

Now, I'm not one to faff about transferring loops back to the LH needle if I can help it. So, leaving the two stitches on the RH needle I insert the LH needle through the stitches from the right. Geometrically, it's identical.


Loop stitch in pictures (Leth-styley):

The result is a lovely head of curls. The loops were then cut to give a shaggy look.

Obviously I couldn't stitch on the wig without giving Samuel a face first, so copying the photograph in the book I stitched in his features.

Then came his beard, which was a row of loop stitches spaced out with knit stitches. The strands were cut, separated, gathered into two bunches and bound.

I have not yet dug about in the cupboard for beads to add to his hairstyle, but here he is:

I am unhappy with his hat, so I have devised an alternative pattern and shall see how that turns out.

All cast on and ready to go.

It soon became apparent that was I suspected was true - the feet of the doll were far too big. This means that the templates for the soles in the book were approximately 25% too big.

Poor Cinderella. Off came the feet. I remade them with new cardboard soles and noted the new size in the book. (This is not the first time I have had to remove the feet, I managed to put them on backwards initially <sigh>.) And now the boots fit.

Next the hat. All cast on and ready to go.

The shirt is now done.

As usual, there was an issue with the pattern in the book. If I had followed the pattern as it stood, the RS of the stocking stitch would have reversed at the point where the neck detail begins. After much pondering, wondering whether I should reverse the Ks and Ps to keep the row count the same and so on, I concluded that by far the easiest thing to do was simply add another (uncounted) knit row and continue with the pattern as written.

When adding the collar, the book said it would be a bit tight - it was. It might be worth fishing out some double pointed needles when doing this in future.

TIP - when 'picking up and knitting stitches' I don't use the knitting needle. I use a crochet hook to bring the yarn through the fabric. This makes it easier to place the stitches, and introduce the 'twist' as you put the loop on the needle.

The sleeves are gathered with cords. The only cord thin enough to do this out of the three options in the book (I-cord, chain and twisted) is the twisted. I made up a sample of each to check which would be best and neither of the other two were even remote possibilities.

Here is the pirate modelling the finished shirt:

Next the boots.

All cast on and ready to go.

The breeches are done.

They were fairly straight forward. Mostly stocking stick with garter stitch along the bottoms of the legs and a stripe up the sides. They have a front flap which is secured with loop and knitted button fastenings.

There were a couple of mistakes in the pattern; a missing row and an incorrect ribbing one, but easily spotted and sorted out.

It was such a relief to be working with stocking stitch again. I find it easier to make up.

Now on to the shirt ...

All cast on and ready to go!

OK, he's naked.

However, he is knitted, sewn together (I soo hate that bit) and stuffed.

The pattern is from 'Knitted Pirates, Princesses, Witches, Wizards & Fairies' by Annette Hefford. a Christmas present from my parents (blimey, they really got it right last year).

What I am aiming for is in the picture below - Samuel Crowe - but I've had to make some changes to the original pattern. Especially the hands.

The pattern for the hands in the book does not work, you just can't make anything acceptable with it as it stands. However, if after each turn row for the digits you add a knit and purl row along all the stitches, then repeat the turn row, you do indeed get what you need.

I've also added a pipecleaner down each digit and they go most of the way up the arms. He'll be able to grip his sword now!

I've started on his clothes. His coat is garter stitch and I've had to rip back and start again a few times as the edge really needs to be neat! I am so sloppy at the edge if I'm not concentrating and that's where tension matters.

Next update - when his coat is done