I have a teenage brother who is really into being ‘cool’, playing computer games and acting aloof. It can be tricky thinking of birthday presents for him.

So this was the great idea – combine my new favourite hobby, cross stitch, with his latest craze for the computer game Minecraft. But there is no way that a moody teenager would appreciate a handmade cross stitch, right?

Wrong, he loved it. You should have seen his face when he opened it – his grin was from ear to ear. I even later heard him telling his other computer nerd friends about it while playing Minecraft. Who knew that cross-stitch could appeal to a teenage boy? Though I doubt I’ll be teaching him the basic stitches just yet.

Here it is with another cross stitch I made for my step-mum. When my 8 year old brother asked her what it meant she said, “it means I love you.”

Panda’s really are one of the coolest animals out there. In fact they probably make my top ten favourite animals. I mean just look at this crochet Panda – isn’t he the cutest?

Amigurumi somehow manages to capture the essence of a panda and make it so much cuter. Look at it’s huge head and tiny body – how crazy are those eyes? You crazy panda. 

Top panda fact: pandas are great at making friends. Here Mr Panda is making friends with all the cool kids like Mr Frog.

That’s why I couldn’t resist making a crochet panda for my friend Harriet’s birthday – they are going to be such great pals.

Over a year ago a promise was made. I promised to make a crochet super monkey for my friend’s birthday. When that birthday came, and went, it became a running joke at work. Every craft club I would be asked by my friend: ‘where is the monkey?’ I began to hate the idea of that stupid monkey.

But this year, when my friend Sachin’s birthday came around, those of us in craft club made it our mission that this time that monkey was going to get made – even if it meant we had to be super ourselves.

It took much sneaking around to find meeting rooms where we could get stitching without our plan being known and we worked hard not to let the monkey out of the bag.

Sarah and I split up which monkey parts we could make separately at home and Sharon and Sophie had the job of stitching the pieces altogether.

Here Sophie is with the finished monkey – great job stitching on that cheeky face!

Sachin was really surprised when we finally gave him that monkey. It was really fun working to get that monkey made and through it I learnt two important things.

1. It is really fun taking on a challenge with friends and working together to get it done

2. Be careful when you make a promise…

The biggest pleasure in crafting is the part where you flick through a craft book to find your next project. It is so much fun looking at all the possibilities and of course getting to look at lots of shiny pictures. But for my first Amigurumi project, where better to start, than on the project that sits welcoming on the front cover.

Making this frog involved learning some new techniques including getting to grips with the ‘magic circle’, and the need to keep your tension consistent. Otherwise you end up with about six feet all different sizes, as I did.

I don’t think that I am particularly skilled at this Amigurumi malarkey. In particular because  this frog’s eyes are a bit skew whiff and he’s the oddest looking frog that I’ve ever seen. But I think he is oozing with charm and character. Obviously when an estate agent uses the phrase ‘oozing with charm and character’ you should steer well clear, but in the Amigurumi world I think this is an acceptable term to use. I would even go so far as the say that this little frog is in good decorative order and an early viewing is recommended.

Our lovely friends are leaving London -boo. But essentially, in my head, by moving to Devon they WILL be living at River Cottage. Which makes me a) quite jealous and b) invite my self down to stay in the new year.

So, to send them something fitting to put in their new Kirstie Allsopp-esque farm house (again, this is all in my mind), I decided to make them a framed cross stitch pattern.

Here is their cat, Betsey, looking quite proud. So for me if it is a hit with the cat then I did OK.  I clearly deserve a slice of cake and a listen to Still Alive.

I made this apple cosy for my friend Sarah. It means her apples will never be cold again, and it can sit nice and toasty on her desk until lunch time.

It wont roll away in it’s little alpaca coat, and it can be used again and again.

And some people said it wasn’t ‘practical’.

You can make this from the Guardian’s make page and it is quick and fun. I find it easy to crochet in a round, and doing this project also means this practice will give me preparation if I wanted to start doing any amigurumi crochet.

One person said to me; “don’t worry, I’m sure we can find another use for it”.

Clearly they just don’t get it.

In response to the many who would pose the question ‘Why?’, ‘What is the point?’, ‘Do you have a lot of time on your hands?’, I present three reasons below.

Three reasons ‘why’:

1. Because apples get bruised in your bag – and that is not fair on the apples.
2. Because even Granny Smiths get cold in the winter.
3. Because Willy Wonka once told me “Oh little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men”.

These flower rings are a really easy quick project to do. What I like about them is that by wrapping the yarn around a bangle it keeps a really nice shape. I find it hard sometimes for my crochet to look neat, and this definitely helps.

I discovered this pattern from Molllie Makes issue 4, but you can also read it on Lola Nova’s blog, which is a lovely blog.

Whilst making this some people were a bit bemused as to its purpose, some assumed it was still going to be used as a bracelet and not a wall hanging.

So far my attic flat has left me in a position of not having enough straight walls to stick these up, but they were a really lovely project to do.

Now I’ve used all the bangles I own, so I will need to purchase more if I want to have a third one to complete the set. And some more to wear I guess.