Granny afghan you will be Exterminated!

[Crafty Butterfly]

I found this ugly, neglected afghan for $3.99 at my local thrift store.  I thought that the combination of colors left a lot to be desired. However there were some nice colors in there to work with. I'm a geek married to a geek and we both love Dr Who. So, a Dalek seemed a good choice for a finger puppet.

Here's a couple of before pictures:

Must Exterminate granny afghan! Exterminate! Exterminate!







After trying out a few things and falling short of awesomeness I came up with these monstrously cute finger puppets. Would anyone care to give them names?



Here's a view from the back to show the spines, mohawks, tails or whatever you want to call what I crocheted along their backs as I stitched them up.



And of course here's the Dalek:



Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!




I plan to give most of what I've made to a local hospital to distribute to young patients and kids in the waiting room. I'm hoping the finger puppets will bring a smile to the kids faces.  ( I think that the first Dalek has already been claimed by my son but future Daleks and the monsters will be given away)

I did have a couple of sources of inspiration for these monstrously cute finger puppets. First I got the idea to make the finger puppets from this site: http://meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com/2009/10/where-wild-fingers-are.html
I took the idea on there and played around with it a lot. It was a lot of fun having a basic idea of construction that I could start with and make the rest up as I went along.

Then they needed faces. My inspiration on how to do the faces was from a fellow craftster: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=351953.0

There is still quite a lot of yarn to make up. I think that making up these finger puppets and perhaps some small stuffies is going to be an ongoing project for me. I wonder how many things I'll be able to make and give to the hospital out of this one afghan?


Thanks for looking! Feel free to leave ideas, comments, or criticisms.    Please vote!

[fly46]

I'm always sad when I find crafts like blankets and cross stitch pieces at thrift stores for so cheap.  I know how much cost and time goes into making them.  I'm glad you used it for the same medium - and for a good cause.

[Crafty Butterfly]

I'm sure the afghan was loved in it original state. I agree it's sad to see blankets like this that had soo much love put into them at the thrift store. It was a bit hard to rip it apart but I hope that whoever made it wouldn't be too horrified by the new life that I've breathed into it.

[MissThing]

the little yellow dalek is sooooooo cuuuuute (although i say that with fear of being exterminated- i'm sure daleks are agiainst being called cute)

[emosauce]

That's a really neat idea. I salvage yarn from sweaters and always see afghans that are worse for the wear or ugly, but I never thought I'd get enough long pieces of yarn to work with from them. But I never thought of making finger puppets, or small stuffed toys... I might steal your idea.

Also the Dalek is awesome!

[badgerbear]

I would never in a million years have thought to do that! what an awesome way to upcycle an old afghan, its so sad to see them being unloved when so much has gone into making. I just can't get over how super cute these little guys are! INSPIRED recon! genius.

[Kaypee]

nice job repurposing!!! too cool.

[SusanSummerland]

Beautiful! I am loving how you recycled the yarn in the granny afghan!

The fact that you found it for $3.99 made me cringe a little, just thinking about the amount of time it would take to make that size granny square. Just another reminder to always use a nice color combo!

But yes, cuuuute little finger puppets!

[KrisCreates]

Oh!  those finger puppets are frikken ADORABLE! but you unravellled that uber sweet granny afghan!?!?!


I am totes into finding and rescuing granny crocheted blankets, haha!

[Knickertwist]

Those puppets are really wonderful! I kinda want one