Fun Fur?!

I've got a new project commissioned by the Creature. She wants mommy to knit her a Grumpy Old Troll. Here's a pic.

Okay, it looks like this will be a pretty easy knit. But I'm now in search of fun fur. Yep, yellow, and TWO shades of orange fun fur! If you think it can be knit w/ something else, please let me know**. I've got all sorts of yarns, but nothing in these colors (apparently, I don't work in this color palette).

**I really don't want to spend $50 on 'fancy' yarns for this project.

Anyway, I'm going to find the camera and take some pics of projects today.

Panda

I knit this for my young friend who has a 15th birthday coming up this weekend. I never can figure out what to get for her each year, but recently, she's let it be known that she likes panda bears. And you know, it's not like she can have too many pandas. So I looked through my patterns and found the perfect one. It's from Noah's Ark by Alan Dart.


I knit him in worsted yarn instead of DK because I didn't want him to be teeny tiny. The pattern can be found in the simply Knitting magazine or his book, Irresistible Toys to Knit.

Stats:
Date started finished: a week because I was thinking about modifications.

It's actually a very fast knit, it took me a bit because I had to think about how to redo his legs and body so that he's more sitting, and less standing on all fours (like a cow). I wanted him to not be on 4s because well, I normally see sitting pandas.

yarn: acrylics
needle size: US2
mods: Many.

Here's my modifications:
Body: Done in the round because well, I try to do all of Alan Dart's patterns in the round when ever possible.
Head: Done also in the round after the neck part.
Arms: Done in the round. Went with casting on 10 stitches, knit a tube for a bit and then decreasing by k2tog and then thread through and pull. Stuffed and sewed on.
Legs: Done in the round. Cast on 14 stitches, knit 2 rows, increased 2 stitches at stitch 1 and 7, knit a few, decrease again, k row, decrease, knit.

Here's some more shots because he turned out so nicely. btw, that's a lucky bamboo that my mother gave me in the 90's (maybe 1996?).

Presenting Miss Dangly

I had everything done but her eyes and thanks to everyone who commented, I went with the eyes close together.

I also made her a little crown and a little tulle skirt. I hope M likes her.



And yes, she is doing the splits.

Dotting the eyes

According to Chinese folklore, dotting the eyes of the dragon is what makes it come alive. In Western culture, the eyes are the windows to the soul...

So, I actually sometimes follow that thought of putting eyes on last. Not because of the folklore, but it sure does make a difference when you put them on. And that's just weird having a toy head staring at you...

Well, may I introduce you to Ms. Dangly. I'm having issues with her eyes. Which to use? far apart as per original pattern (free)
Fish eyes

or close together?


I guess I should give you some specs:
yarn: Patons Merino in pink and white
needles: US3 dpns (probably could have gone down to US2, but didn't)
start: March 5, 2008
finish: mostly done March 7, 2008
mods: circular knitting except for the tail.

This is a birthday present for my buddy M who's turning 3. I will be making her a couple of outfits since she's a big girl.

Happy Chinese New Year! Year of the Rat

Well, I have been working on a rat for this post, and well, I just finished in the nick of time.


I was going to do a wee mouse, but decided on Cheese (of Chalk and Cheese). The arms are extraordinarily clever, done with short rows. You gotta love Alan Dart. Anyway...

Happy New Year!



check out that tail. I'm proud of that tail. That is an I-cord w/ pipe cleaner in it so it's shapeable.



And he turned out looking 'fluffy'. He's looking very 'Zucker' (a genetically obese rat model).

stats:
yarn: various acrylic worsted (okay, pink and white)
needles: US2 dpns
start: 2/6/08
finish: 2/7/08
mods: did the body in the round. The arms are amazing, but I think I switched them...but they worked out fine. the feet were done in the round, and the tail (w/ pipecleaner). I didn't do the 2 ear tufts and I used white crochet cotton for whiskers instead of the black.

I also chose to knit Cheese as a male lab rat (Rattus norvegicus), but he turned out to more resemble a Zucker (fafa) rat. Altho' I don't know if these rats are white...

Rock Lobster

What a fun little knit.

I test knit this for Mahoney on Ravelry and it turned out great. It was a very easy to follow pattern and the best part was that it was knit in the round. yippee!

Go here for the pattern.

specs:
start - finish: December 2007
needles: US2
yarn: red acrylic yarn
amount: not too much

eyes were felt holes punched out with hole punch and sewed on.

I think I'm going to make another one.

Bobble hat sheep

Another one done. This is another.





start date: December 17, 2007
finish date: December 22, 2007

Timmy's mom

Hee. Here's Timmy's mom.


Specs:
Pattern: Shaun the Sheep & Friends Mobile
yarns: same as Shaun
needles: US2
time started: Dec 13, 2007
time finished: Dec 14, 2007

The curlers were sections of straw with yarn wrapped around. And you all know my pet peeve about glue so the curlers were sewn on using Cebelia #30 (left over from the doily). I was going to make a scarf, but I thought I'd make her a shawl instead. Here's a picture of the mini triangular shawl.



This is the pattern for the main portion of 0484/15 shawl. I think I may have to make a big one for me. And unfortunately, I don't know what this pattern is called. Please let me know if you've seen it elsewhere.

Timmy

Timmy's done. Here he is.



I had a dickens of a time trying to get him to look right. For whatever reason, I had his ears too low and he was looking sinister.

I repositioned, and he looks much better. I had to redo his pacifer a couple of times. The loop was very funky. I ended up taking a jump ring and wrapping it with yarn, then sewing it to the pacifier.

Shaun the sheep

I'm so excited. Look what came in the mail yesterday? What? why yes, through the wonderful world of Ravelry, I was able to swap some of my stuff for the the magazine (it's the Simply Knitting December issue). Why swap? Well, let me tell you that it's not available in the states yet. They didn't have this issue available at any of the bookstores, so what's a girl to do? I swapped with a very nice Raveler, socherry, who lives in Scotland!

hee hee. I immediately went to the LYS (Alameda Yarn Company) and asked her for sheep-like yarn. She obliged and here's the equipment list for my first Shaun.

These include:
the super soft yarn for the wool, Wendy Peter Pan's Velvet Touch
good ole Patons wool
black crochet cotton
white felt
US2 needles
hole punch and pipe cleaner

the hole punch for punching out felt eyeballs and the pipe cleaner for my Shauns legs.


What a fun easy knit (okay, as with all Alan Dart patterns, a bit fiddly). My only modifications were that I didn't use glue and hairspray and whatever else to stick things onto Shaun. I also knitted his legs as I-cords instead of flat. I did use skewers for the needles, but I didn't have wooden pony beads, so I raided my bead stash and these were the only beads that fit. I must craft, because except for the wool-like yarn, I had all the other stuff.




So, introducing Shaun, knitting, of course


Other views:


I should mention that Shaun's knitted piece is actually my first attempt at color-work. As my knitting friends have said, it's not that hard. I guess I'll have to go try some intarsia now. And the box he's sitting on is a can of oysters (for scale).


Oh, and then, well...I went 'doh' and changed out what he's knitting. hee hee . I am gleeful. I have to go make all the rest of them now.

Spine envy

Now, back to our regular programming...


May I introduce Spinosaurus.


This is yet another dinosaur from Patons Dinosaur book. Again I took liberties with the pattern where I could (mostly converting flat pieces to round ones).

Observations:
-This is likely the most complex of the dinosaurs I've knitted thus far. Maybe that's why it took me so long.
-Making him incorporated many of the skills learned from the other dinos. Like what? Well, the fin is felted, this guy needed claws and I had to make teeth.
-The spine? Let me tell you about the spine. I actually knit 3 of them?! The first was a prototype to see if it could be done, then another that should have fit the dino (but it was way too small), and then finally a third much larger one. I did not want spino to have a wimpy small fin and have his dino friends mock him.
Specs:
yarn: acrylic of various colors and Patons merino for spine
needles: US3 for everything except for the fin. US9 for spine
started: September, 2007
finished October 26, 2007
fiddly pieces sewn together: 23


fin: The fin was knitted flat to achieve an oval shape. CO12 stitches, changed color every 2 rows, increased every row 1st and last stitch w/ M1 until 4 rows, then increase every 2 rows until 11th row, then no increase for 8 rows, then decrease (to match increase). The piece was folded over, seamed and then felted.


Okay, one final shot. Yes, Spino's a carnivore, but this cedar tree looks pretty good...

From across the pond

I was surfin' the groups a bit ago and came across someone RAKing an Alan Dart pattern. As you know, I'm in a toy knitting stint and guess what came in the mail on Saturday?
So of course I had to cast on. Here's what I made:
Stats:
yarn: the steg green and a bit of the light green
needles: US3
Start/end time: 8/31/07-9/01/07 (only because I put it down)
Mods: I lost count on the body, so I fudged the bottom piece. I figured it was garter stitch, so it's stretchy.

I meant to make the camel first, but I couldn't find camel colour yarn (I know I have some, just have to find it).

Shel for G

Did I mention I needed to make another knitted item for another child's first birthday? Well, yes, I do. My group of friends (from 2nd time mom's group) are all having birthdays. As a lark, I had gifted a knitted item to the first child, and then I gave each child a knitted item as they turned one. I figured that they'll get lots of toys and books, but how many would get handknits?

So, with G, I decided another toy. I started on kangaroo (Joey) from World of Knitted Toys, but am not enamored with it enough to actually make mommy.

Then I decided to make a ear infection germ (all their kids always get ear infections). I thought that would be humorous, but z & a's dad reminded me that the parents might be a tad offended. So, that project will go to another child who's parents will think it's weird, but very funny.

Anyway, I knit Sheldon from Knitty for him. It's originally done in sport weight, but I chose to do it in worsted. Then I decided I'd better double the yarn and knit w/ US6. Woah! what a mistake. I finished knitting the body, only to decide that a smaller Sheldon would be much cuter. Not only that, but I don't think I had enough yarn.

Finished stats:

yarn: worsted acrylic in limeade green and 'baby blue' from lb of love
needles: dpn US3 (clovers)
time: August 21-23, 2007
size: 13inches long

mods: I did make one for the body instead of kfb. Instead of choking-hazard-eyes, I used felt and cut out circles for eyes which then I sewed on. I had such issues trying to knit together the shell while doing the attached i-cord that I ended up doing the attached i-cord to the top shell, then sewing the bottom on. I also put the shell on Sheldon before I sewed on legs. Unfortunately, this means that it'll be difficult to take him out of shell.

Well, it goes to a new home tomorrow. Hope he likes it.

Bubby for a Bubby

This gift is already gifted. This was for a lovely boy who just turned one at the beginning of the month. He's a doll. So I knit him a bubby.
This knit was fiddly. But cute. And it hurt my fingers knitting tightly. I am not a natural born tight knitter. (sigh) Remember, I'm the loosey goosey kind of gal.

The directions were followed, except that I used doubled Woolease with US5 needles. I did add a tail and a bellybutton. For the tail, I crocheted a chain of 4 and tied a knot and sewed it on. For the belly button, I used the yarn used for putting the tail on and came out through the front, and back into the back. Put a bit of tension there so that you got a little 'insie' and that was that.

I will have to make one of these for my little girl child too. I wonder if I can knit it and felt it to get that tightness?hmmm...I've got some lovely worsted weight 100% wool in a pink that I really shouldn't use for anything but toys. I may even try to make a dinosaur, for my boy z (but maybe not in pink).