I couldn’t help but chuckle when I saw Bentley with his knitted amigurumi snake. It seems they’re getting along famously right?
Would you look at that face? I can almost hear him saying… Mine!
It looks like I had nothing to worry about, his old snake has been replaced.
Don’t even think about taking my snake!
This amigurumi snake pattern can be found in the book, Knitted Wild Animals by Sarah Keene. This is my first knitted amigurumi project. I’ve made several crochet amigurumi. All the knitted amigurumi projects within the book are knitted flat, and then seamed. I worked this amigurumi snake on my circular needles. If I use this pattern again, I’ll convert it to a circular pattern using my DPNs. Yes, yes, I know I can use magic loop, yes I know how to do them, but I much prefer doing small circular work with my DPNs. For larger circular projects, I’m all about using my Knit Picks circular needles.
The downloadable pattern is called Hawaiian Lacy Fern Throw. I must say it was a bit confusing because although there was a errata page it’s labeled as a Lacy Fern afghan. After a few moments of digging, I learned that Hawaiian Lacy Fern Throw and the Lacy Fern Afghan, are the same pattern,they just have different names. If you’re looking for updated pattern information for the Hawaiian Lacy Fern Throw or the Lacy Fern Afghan, check out the errata page.
Initially I was planning on casting on another afghan from the book Gorgeous Knitted Afghans, but I couldn’t find an errata page. The afghan I loved had a lot of errors. While I still enjoy looking at the gorgeous afghans within that book, I’m a bit disappointed that the errata page isn’t easily found.
But back to my lovely afghan that I’m knitting…
This pattern consists of 12 rows, repeated 17 times. I’m just starting on repeat #6. I still have the humongous center panel to complete, and the right panel. Yep, this will take a while, but I’m enjoying this project immensely. It’s simple and relaxing a perfect project to knit, while hanging with my daughter.
Last year, I discovered Ravelry. Ever since that discovery, it’s been my “go to” forum for crochet and knitting news. By the way, you can find me there as OpalT,
The site is chock full with patterns, a variety of forums, and so much helpful advice that it’s become a valuable resource for anything crochet and knitting related. I’ve received numerous ideas about crochet and knitting patterns from Ravelry, participated in numerous pattern tests, and met some interesting folk local and worldwide. Some of them I’ve met in person, and others I chat with through the forum, blog, or email.
Today, a fellow Ravelrer posted a link for vintage knitting (and a few crochet) digitized books! I love books, and have several hard copies of old books, some dating as far back as the 1700s. Naturally I was thrilled when I discovered the link for digitized vintage knitting books. I’m looking forward to checking out the books, seeing if I can figure out some of the patterns, along with some of the terms used. Naturally it will be all sorts of awesome to crochet or knit an item from one of the digitized books! Color me happy!
I’m definitely spoiled, since I’m use to pictures or logging online to watch online video tutorials if I run into problems. That wasn’t an option back then. The books range from 1800s to 1911. Enjoy!
This knitted amigurumi snake is coming together quite nicely, I love the colors!
It took me a few moments to decide on the colors for my newest work in progress a knitted amigurumi snake…
And although I knew I wanted to knit something with bold colors, I had a hard time making a selection… After all, I have a lot of yarn that fits that description. After looking through my yarn stash, Which now has it’s own little closet I’m proud to say, I stumbled upon the above color combination.
My daughter says, just looking at the colors make her smile. I feel the same way.
This is the wrong side of the knitted amigurumi snake, it looks almost as nice as the outside.
The wrong side looks as pretty as the outside, so colorful! I would say, this is a perfect first project for someone wanting to make a simple knitted amigurumi project or someone who wants to use more than one color in a knitted project. The additional yarn is carried loosely up the knitted side of the project. For myself it’s a nice break from some of my elaborate projects. The pattern is called Snakes and is found in the delightful book, Knitted Wild Animals by Sarah Keene.
I must say it felt great playing with fiber. I was extremely busy, Wednesday and Thursday, and so I was unable to do so, but yesterday I had time. And although I have plenty of works in progress that are near completion I decided to cast on 30 stitches and knit this amigurumi snake.
Isn’t he cute? I took this picture of Mr. B a few moments ago.
I hope the recipient is pleased with his knitted amigurumi snake. The recipient is Mr. B, our Shih Tzu. The snake he has, I’ve had since childhood and it’s now looking quite ragged after all the attention it’s received from him. He sleeps with that snake. It gets washed weekly, and he’s not pleased when it’s taken away to be cleaned. Hopefully the new snake will be a suitable replacement. I’ll post pictures of the old snake, once I’ve completed this knitted amigurumi snake.
This weeks finished objects were made about a month ago, I just never gotten around to posting them for Finished Object Friday.
Both hats are ribbed stitch followed by rows of stockinette stitch. The purple preemie hat also has a diamond design that wraps around the hat.
These are preemie hats that will be given to a local hospital in my area. It just happens that my mother’s a nurse at that hospital too. No pattern was used. I’ll hold off donating them until I have about thirty hats. Synthetic yarn is what the hospital requires for all the crocheted and knitted preemie hats. Over the past several months I’ve gradually increased my supply of charity stash yarn. The yarns I selected are incredibly soft. All the yarns in that stash are either 100% man made fibers or a cotton/synthetic blend.
This is the Elizabeth cowl, you can find the pattern in Wendy Knits Lace. This cowl was simple to make. It’s squishy soft! I still haven’t decided who’ll get this as a Christmas gift.
Say hello to my knitted Elizabeth cowl. I still need to block this cowl. I found this knitted cowl in the book Wendy Knits Lace. It’s the first time that I ever made a lace project with worsted weight yarn. For some reason I was thinking that title belonged to my Diamonds and Pearls shawl, but obviously I was wrong since I’m still working on that shawl.
This cowl is tucked away in my gift bin. I only make items for those that are craft worthy. Currently I’m unsure of who will be receiving this as a Christmas gift. Decisions, decisions… But, the good news is that most of my handcrafted Christmas gifts (crocheted, embroidery, knitting, and sewing) are almost complete. Yeah! I started working on my Christmas list in April.
This week, my biggest work in progress is teaching my daughter to crochet. I mainly knit, but I relearned crochet this past December, and I love it too.
My daughter crocheting a square
Earlier this year, my daughter expressed interest in learning crochet. She didn’t stick with it after learning the simple chain and single crochet, and I didn’t push. She wasn’t ready and immediately went back to her comfort zone, sewing. She’s been sewing for three years; she’s nine-years old.
This time is different, she’s determined to learn crochet, and I believe her. I know my daughter well enough to know when she’s ready to master something, and so I’ll be there to gently coax her along if she gets frustrated. She told me that after she masters crochet, she wants to learn knitting.
My daughter’s busy hands…
The crochet and knitted amigurumi dolls that I’ve made are the main reason she wants to learn. She’s seen how much fun I have turning my sketches into a lovely fiber art, and she wants design her own. She designs most of the clothing for her Monster High dolls. Occasionally, she’ll ask me to design outfits for them.
Last evening, I had her working on a simple crocheted square, and she did well. I told her initially, her crochet might not look as she’d like, and that was fine. If she persevered, crochet would become much easier, and eventually she’d be able to make whatever she likes.
Another crocheted amigurumi doll
I need some clothes!
This past Friday, I started crocheting this amigurumi doll. I didn’t use a pattern. This doll is for my daughter’s best friend, and while we gave her some lovely presents at her Girlee Gurlz birthday party, in the back of my mind, I wanted to give her more.. so this will be an extra gift.
It’s time to sew everything together, embroider the face, and root the hair.
Knitted amigurumi doll
Yesterday, I finished knitting the legs for this knitted amigurumi doll, and last evening I sewed the seams. There are a few firsts going on here…. You see, it’s my first time knitting an amigurumi doll, and it’s also my first time making a non-fabric doll with seams. With crochet I’ve always made dolls in the round. With the next doll I knit, I’ll knit in the round too, with my circular needles.
Knitted robe for amigurumi doll
This picture didn’t do a great job of showing that the collar is a different color, it’s dusky rose.
This is the robe I’m knitting for the knitted amigurumi doll. I’m using a seed stitch. Once this is complete I’ll add embroidery, and most likely line the robe. The book you see in the background, The Very Easy Guide to Lace Knitting has some lovely lace trim pattern and I’ll be using some of those as a gift to a friend. I know she’ll adore the hand-knitted lace trim.
Knitting: Diamonds and Pearls Shawl
I only managed a few rows of this shawl, hopefully I can complete this shawl soon.
Yesterday, during my free time, I found myself knitting this project.
Can you tell what I’m knitting?
It might be hard to figure what I’m making… currently, it’s just a bunch of knitted pieces, but eventually this will be a knitted amigurumi doll.
I chose not to knit in the round since I wanted to add extra stitching details to this knitted dolls body, which is definitely doable knitting circular, but not as easy. Also I’ve never crocheted or knitted a flat amigurumi project… first time for everything, right?
It’s my first time knitting an amigurumi doll, and surprisingly enough I’m liking it more than the crochet amigurumis dolls I’ve made. Shocking indeed, since I didn’t think that would happen. Of course this means I’ll be making my own knitted Coraline soon. And as much as I loved crocheting Coraline, I wondered at the time how she would look knitted.
While knitting this doll, I felt like Victor Frankenstein, prepping my little beastie that I’ll eventually bring to life, and of course I became inspired to knit another doll, that one will be undead.
As a child my mother couldn’t understand my fascination with the darker subjects such as the occult, horror, etc., and banned me from reading such material. I still managed to read those books. It’s one of the few times I secretly defied her. That fascination has continued to this day, but these days I write stories, or put my ideas into sewing. It’ll be nice to expand that to crochet and knitting.
Putting the knitted amigurumi parts together
And while this knitted doll is only body parts, I’m loving her! I’m not sure you can see her little lumps on her upper torso; those will be her boobs. The knitted increases were put in the right place, so the only thing left is to give them a bit of a “lift”. Also, I’ll be adding a navel. Guess what? When you flip her over, there will be an actual butt, not just some shapeless thing. But that’s as far as I’m going with being anatomically correct. I wanted this knitted doll to be similar to my daughters Monster High dolls.
Of course, I’m using my Knit Picks Options circular needles for this project. Circular needles aren’t only for knitting things in the round (socks, hats, etc.)
Because this doll is knitted flat, there will be a lot of seaming. Since I love sewing (especially hand-sewing) I don’t avoid implementing it into my crafts. You know, I was content to start seaming when all the parts were knitted (I still need to knit the feet) I have an impatient nine-year old daughter who wanted to see at least one seamed body part.
Seaming a knitted hand…
And so, last evening before she went to bed, I seamed a hand.
You know… I should have been working on a crocheted doll for my daughter’s best friends birthday party (which is tomorrow) and I promise I’ll do that… today. But yesterday the knitted doll idea I had spinning in my head, was begging me to make her, and so I listened.
Where can I find the knitted doll pattern?
My inspiration for the doll came from Fiona McDonald. This particular pattern is from her book, Gothic Knits, as with patterns I follow, I deviated from the pattern; sometimes a little, often a lot. I’ve been a follower of Fiona’s artwork for quite some time. I was intrigued that with many of the dolls made by her weren’t knit in the round.
With my next knitted amigurumi, I’ll knit in the round, and include a lot of details that I’ll be adding to this doll. Knitting this doll has brought back many fond memories of the numerous dolls I sewed from the age of seven on into my teens. I never played with them, but I sure loved bringing them to “life”.
One of the songs playing through my mind, while knitting this doll… I love Rob Zombie’s music.
