Sock Production

Every Christmas, I give a pair of socks to each of a group of people.  This year, I am trying to stay ahead of the curve....

I have two more pairs to make before Christmas.   Having this much done is really, really calming.

Christmas stockings also get presented to new family arrivals.  I owe two from last year and there will be two new babies this year.   I am also making them for three lovely very young ladies that I know.

The Bredeson babies get the Happy Holiday Striped Stocking from Bernat. 

This makes a very large stocking that will be a challenge for St. Nick to fill.   This is a quick and lovely knit....worsted weight.  I used size 6 needles and Willow Yarns Burrow.   Burrow does not have the classic Christmas colors but I love that yarn and am happy with the way this one turned out.

The stockings for the Jacobs girls are being put together from a couple of patterns.   This time, I am making notes as I go along so that I don't have to think too hard as I do the next two.....the first is getting figured out as I go along.  

The pattern I am using for most of the stocking is the Hearts and Trees Stocking from Nana's Knits.   I did not want to do an afterthought heel or make these stockings huge.  I changed that.  Now I am working out how I want to do the toe.  I think I know what I will do.

The yarn is Brava from Knitpicks.   Not my favorite but the colors are lovely.  The yarn has a nice

Stocking 1 in progress - Jacobs Series

sheen.   As these will be played with, it is also wonderful that they can machine washed and dried.  that is also the reason that I choose to do stripes after the pattern set at the top....I wanted to minimize the floats that could get caught and pulled as the stockings are stuffed.

Proportion is tricky.   I think I have the toe worked out....and will post a picture as soon as the first one is done.

More Henry's Tiger

My sister Helen is very skilled at presentation.    Her present wrapping puts me to shame.  Me, I wrap something in tissue and put it in a bag.

Henry will be visiting Helen and Sam this weekend.   The tiger is there waiting for him.  Helen's presentation for the tiger is really fun.

A special box with air holes for breathing.....

Helen made a special travel box for the Tiger that has air holes so that Tiger can breathe freely as he waits for Henry to open the box.

This is way more exciting than finding a gift bag with tissue spring out of it....   This is more of a mystery.   Henry is two....and is old enough to find this exciting...I think.

Tiger with the note...

There is a note Helen wrote on my behalf (good thing as my handwriting is not legible).

"Dear Henry,

 I found this lost baby tiger cub.  He needs a strong, brave boy to be his family and keep him safe so I am sending him to you."

As the Tiger goes into the box, I think he looks happy.  I am hoping that Henry and the Tiger have a good long relationship together.

The Tiger is smiling...

Helen placed Tiger so that he looks like he is reaching out for a hug.  The finished size of the tiger is small enough that little hands will have no trouble hauling him around.   I stuffed the tiger so that he would be very squishy and cuddly.

Faces on stuffed toys are really important.   When I was doing the eyes...which I embroidered...I wanted to make sure that the eyes looked friendly and not squinty.  Tiger is supposed to be friendly, not having an attitude.   When I was stitching the mouth, I made sure there was a smile.   Making a "personality" is fun.   Were this for a teenager...the face might have been a little more snarky.   Tiger's face is good for a buddy.

Ready for Henry.....

I will be excited to hear how Henry likes the Tiger.   This, after figuring out what I had done wrong and re-checking the pattern, was a fun project.   The second tiger, for Augusto, has been mailed.   I hope both tigers are good buddies to their boys.

A Tale of Two Arms

I have been knitting the "Tigers are for Cuddling" pattern for Henry.  He needs a cuddle buddy as he has a lot of changes going on in his very young life.   I finished this last night.....after having to figure out a few things.

Henry's Tiger Ready for Cuddling...

Gregory Patrick, who wrote this pattern, also has a pattern called A Boy's Bunny which I have knit several times.

Knowing that I wanted this project to be done on time to ship it to a place Henry would be, I launched into this project a week or so ago.

Everything went fairly well until I got to the arms......

The problem is really in the reading of this pattern if you aren't paying full attention.  The long arm was the result of following the directions I thought I saw.   The short arm, which I used, is the result of reading more carefully.   There is a little problem with the wording of the tail...but not one that really matters.

This makes a really cute tiger.  Don't let the many stripes prevent making your own little buddy.

The yarn I used was a Paton's Canadiana and some Willow Burrow.   I stuffed it so that it holds its shape, but is still squishy enough to be cuddly.   Henry is pretty little...and is going to have a sibling soon...so the eyes are embroidered rather than using safety eyes.   The mouth and nose are also embroidered....and I made sure the tiger is smiling.

The Squirrel is Finished!

Frontal view of the squirrel.

The squirrel is finished!

Making the tail was interesting.  I will admit that I was worried that it would not look like I wanted it to look.  It doesn't, but it is okay.

Even if you aren't interested in making a squirrel, checking out the tutorial on making the tail is worth checking out for the technique.  This is something I had never really thought of doing...and will use on other projects.   One of my grandnieces loves horses.  This technique would product a pretty snappy mane.

I did embroider the eyes..not my best job but it works.  Safety eyes would not have given me what I wanted with this project.  The size would be way too big.....and the embroidered eyes just feel as though they are a better design choice.

This was a great project for learning new things.  Will I do it again?  Maybe.

Rabbit Hole Knits really is a great resource for stuffed animal patterns.   The added bonus is that a number of the patterns are free and none are inexpensive.

Short Rows

Knit 1, Squirrel 2 from Rabbit Hole Knits - in progress

One of my friends wanted a knit squirrel.  I don't judge.   Sarah Kellner had this cool pattern that I have been wanting to try.  Picked up some cheap brown yarn and had at it.  

I got to the body shaping and was stopped because my short rowing looked....very bad.   OH NO!   Craftsy has an excellent free short row class by Carol Feller.   Saved!

Carol Feller is a good teacher.  I will also be taking her longer class on short rows as I have decided that I really want to learn how to do short rows well...and learn how to use them in many different ways.

One of the best things about knitting is that you never, never know it all.   Learning new things is good for one's head!