Over the summer I found this bag in my favorite recycling center Dumpster.
Inside: seven or eight skeins of yarn, a crochet hook, and an abandoned swatch of decent crochet work.
Of course I brought it home and tried to teach myself to crochet from The Complete Book of Handicrafts. I managed to crochet a chain or two before utter frustration took over.
Then I found a book of crafts for kids at the library. It contained instructions for knitting a simple stuffed toy called "Fast Freddie." I thought, "If a kid can learn to knit, then so can I!"
So I did. This is Finfrock, who is nothing but a set of 5 simple garter stitched rectangles folded, stitched, stuffed, and sewn together. After finishing Finfrock and his scarf, I started an interminable garter stitch tote I've mentioned before. Cast on 130 stitches or so, and garter stitch until you've got a rectangle 26 inches in length. I'm maybe a third of the way there, but I've lost interest. So my mom taught me to knit a preemie cap for charity, which gave me lots of single rib practice and allowed me to botch my first decrease. Then in the library I found a book called World of Knitted Toys by Kath Dalmeney.
It took me a little over a week to knit and stuff the Adult Pig. I managed the instructions OK but my technique needs some improvement. Still, I'm proud I finished her. She's way overstuffed because I was thinking of the time I made Hillary's Pointy Kitty.
Next project? Lion Brand's free pattern for the Carousel Hat, in burgundy and purple, I think. Maybe with a scarf to match.
Comments
Love that Pig!
~A