Wednesday - work in progress...

Abi's frock, coming on nicely.  Not perfect, but nice (and possible a little large, but too large is always better than too small)

Daniel's hat, which so far meets with sir's approval.  He was finding his current hat a bit itchy, so I took him to the wool shop to stroke the lovely wool and choose one.  I think I have the shaping right but really can't be arsed to put the sts onto a thread to try it, it would probably be no quicker or slower to rip it back and alter it

Classy boy went with rowan coccoon.  Can't blame him, I chose the same for the shalom.  Which means abi's frock is also of the same yarn as its knitted from the shalom sleeves.  At least we get a discount at the wool shop!

Also: I borrowed the most beautiful and inspiring book from the library, freya jaffke's 'toymaking with children'.  I have been meaning to buy it for ever, and not being able to justify the pennies, and then I remembered about LIBRARIES hurrah!  I have a couple more excellent craft books reserved too, can't wait.  But I reckon if you want a comprehensive book for lovely homemade natural toys, this is the one to go for. I was wanting to get abi a barn and animals for her birthday...this book has given me the confidence to think I could maybe knit the animals myself...

After knitting this first attempt, I realised I would have to forget the first rule of knitting toys, i.e. KEEP YOUR TENSION TIGHT ENOUGH TO BRING ON EARLY ARTHRITIS IN ORDER TO AVOID STUFFING POKING OUT because these toys are designed to be shaped largely by the wool stuffing, and clever seaming.  They are ingenious.  But I wasn't able to get the desired effect when stuffing this because of my very efficient tension.  I then knitted a much slacker duck which is turning out much better.

  I would have continued knitting farm animals, but the trouble with knitting toys is that I just want to give them RIGHT NOW.  It is very hard not to.  So now I am knitting a quick little doll from the same book to give abi asap.

And, a final project from this book which will be ongoing and not knitting related...yet, at least...any guesses?