Super Easy Toy Knitting

 
5-23-16 UPDATE!!
Pattern is ready in all my pattern stores!

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Happy Monday all!  It's scorching hot in the middle of the USA, just the way I like it.  The painter finished up with a fresh coat of paint on the house and it looks marvelous.  Simple white house with black shutters, like before, but looks fresh and new.  

We found some hail damage on the roof, flashing and gutters while all this was going on.  So, that might mean some $$ coming our way!  Yippee!  

I've been working on some knitting toy pattern sets.  One set called "Knitting Zoo"  another called "Petting Zoo" and another, "Baby Zoo".  

("Petting Zoo" dog and cat,  minus the bunny I'm still working on)

Here's the goal:

*toy

*knit in one piece

*all must be the same body

*advanced beginner or better

*worsted weight scrap yarn, 7grams

*knit one in about an hour

*sets of 3

Every one has the same head and body.  Different faces and ears.  The ears and tails on the animals are knit separately and sewn on. The "paws" are just long stitches and I think it really adds that little something.  I'm really loving how they all have turned out. 

I added a collar to both the dog and cat.  A rhinestone button is cute, but would have to be removed if giving to a baby.

("Baby Zoo" minus the face and hair on the non-Caucasian baby)

I'd love some feedback on what color yarn to use on that one.  Black for the hair would be fine, but what color to use on the face?  Black yarn won't show up too well.  Would beige do it?  I really want to get it right and I surely don't want to offend. 

I love these little ears, which are knit on the side of the head as you go along, and not added on later.  

 Good size.

I found this little Mercury scale on Amazon for about $12 I think.  So handy.  The felted Polar Bear pin cushion was hand felted and gifted to me from my bestie!

Ok, so I need to get back to finishing up, write up the pattern, take more photos and so on.

Have a great week,

sheila

Purls of Wisdom:

Need some short, straight needles?  Get out your double point needles and put a point protector on the end of each one.  Voila!

It's All About Presentation

I hope your June is going well.  We have many things on our summer list....

get house painted, new driveway is needed, hubby needs a new car, Sheila (that's me) needs to clear off the dining room table of 3 patterns she's designing, which have no business being on that table in the first place....I do have a studio for that!  Painter comes today, new car was purchased on Saturday, driveway will have to wait until August, so that leaves the dining room table!!

So, on to more fun things! I gift many a knitted or crocheted project, especially for babies.  I love making blankets, but it's far too hot in the summer months to have my lap filled with yarny goodness.  Hats are perfect!  Great project, but rather dull for gifting, unless....

you have great packaging.

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I visit many thrift stores.  I'm always on the lookout for great boxes to gift baby hats.  This is one of my finds, a little "tree box" and I think very gender neutral.  Even if you do know the sex of the baby, it still works.

I think I paid $2.00 for it.  Perfect size, quite realistic looking and great for storing bits and bobs in a nursery.

Sometimes, hats are a bit dull.  I like adding pom poms, flowers or feathers, but not everyone is into that.  I saw these sweet owl iron on appliques at JoAnn Fabrics.  It's difficult to see, but each owl is a little bit different.  Cute, gender neutral, three hats in graduated sizes.  Newborn, 0-6 months, 6-12 months.  I used one skein of Lion Brand Heartland and US size 7 16" circs.

Pop them in (I think I'll add some tissue paper), there you go!

Ok, the painter is due any time now.  Have a great week and thanks for stopping by!

Sheila

Purls of Wisdom:

Can't quite get your cast on stitches to the tips to knit in the round?  Just knit back and forth, like you would on straight needles, for about 5 rows, and like magic, the two ends will meet!  Sew up those 5 rows with your cast on tail when you've finished.  The plastic thingy is a bread bag tie.  I wind my cast on tail on to it to keep the tail out of my way as I knit.