Cosmo the Snail from Pica Pau 3

The snail. I had to make a few adjustments to this pattern. It took me a while to figure out the diamond pattern on the sweater because it is written for yarn under crocheters. I don't do yarn under. I think however you learn to crochet is how you do it. I can't do yarn under. I could have used the tapestry method but with all the color changes, I didn't. It would have cleaned up the edges a little but I managed to get through with the pattern recognizable anyway.

I understand yarn under makes a neater pattern when you do pattern work but it's extremely difficult to do for a yarn over person and it really slows you down if you didn't learn to crochet yarn under. I had to move the pattern one stitch to the right to make it look right. And I did get it to line up to my satisfaction.

The shell. The shell will not come out right for yarn over crochet people. It just won't. I tried it several ways and then just decided to make it one color all around, then chain stitch eight lines from the center out going on top of the increase stitches and they lined up perfectly. It looks just as good and it is tons easier to do than all that color change in the round work.

I love the pattern and everything came out good for me using a soft worsted yarn and a size 2mm hook. The main color is "It feels like butta" yarn in a light blue. This yarn is chain woven so there is no splitting off a ply. My snail turned out to be 11 inches tall including the eyeballs. You will get a bigger animal every time with RHSS (Red Heart Super Saver) yarn so just don't use it unless you want a bigger animal. It is a coarse yarn and my least favorite of all yarns. When I do use it, I am always sorry except that the brand has so many beautiful colors I like. I pick my yarn by the color and then adjust it to suit me either by separating the plys or using smaller hooks and needles.

Sometimes I will make a two inch sample to get the right gauge. I don't like making animals over 11 inches tall because they take too much time, too much yarn and too much stuffing. I really, really like the snail and you could do any pattern you want on his sweater and he will still look great! I'm on to the next... probably a panda or two.   

The Land of Pica Pau

One word. Amigurumi. If you like to crochet animal toys then you already know about Pica Pau and the books by Yan Schenkel. I fell in love with these animals, O.K. not all of them (I have my favorites) a few years back with the publishing of her first book. I made two of the animals from that book. I made a rhino and a gator. My favorite is always my latest, this one is from Pica Pau 3.

Then when I discovered her second book, I made a few animals from that one too. Pica Pau 2 did not disappoint. I also made two animals from that book. I can always find a couple of animals to fall in love with. I did the zebra and the lobster. My lobster turned out really big. I might make another one using smaller weight yarn and a smaller hook later. Mine's so big he looks like a pillow!

One thing I've learned from these patterns is if you use the yarn over method like I do, you may need to cut off a few rows on a head or body pattern to the the right look and keep it looking proportioned. The author used the yarn under method and adjustments need to be made. I also use a 2mm hook instead of a 2.75mm so my animal won't be so big with my medium weight worsted yarn. Hmmm... the alligator and the lobster should have been adjusted but that's how we learn. If you yarn over crochet then your animals will be longer. You should cut off a few rows as needed if you want them to look right. Just a heads up.

I wanted to keep my animals under 10 inches so I separated one strand off of my worsted weight yarns where I could because I had a lot of it in every color. Now Pica Pau 3 is about to hit the market and I've already pre-ordered my copy. I got it from Amigurumi.com and got the free .pdf  of the book to download immediately! Yippee! I didn't know you could get that until I ordered. What a great thing! So now I've already made two animals from that book and it hasn't even come out yet. 

I'm almost done with the snail from Book 3. Just have to do a few more finishing touches to him. I had to make some adjustments on the pattern here and there but He is coming along.

Bears and More Cute Bears

I went through a painting phase this summer and I think I got it out of my system... for now. But you know, when I feel like painting - I have to paint. And when I feel like making bears, I have to make bears.

I ran across these patterns by Mary Jane's Tearoom sometime in the last two years and although I wanted to try them then, at the time I was deep into making Little Cotton Rabbits patterns by Julie Williams. I still enjoy making them especially when she comes out with a new animal pattern. But lately I got the urge to try them. So I made a small 8 inch bear first and it took about three days. That's about what I spend in time on most other little knit animals. But that 11" "Candy Bear... it took me 6 days. I just can't spend that much time on one make. It's too much time on those baggy pants.

I knew knitted toys take a little longer to make than crochet but these little baggy pants are on another level. They absolutely take longer to make. I spent as much time on just the pants as I did the animal and I did not enjoy it. So although I really think they look great - and a little like they are styled from the 80's... I probably won't be making very many more of them. They are pretty but take up too much time. In contrast to crochet, I can make a similar sized animal with clothing in just 2 days. 

Although I like knitting very much, I need instant gratification when I make a project like a stuffed animal. It needs both to go quick and look stunning to keep my attention.  I'm moving on to Pica Pau next. The animals are more modern than the knitted ones and there is a whole smorgasbord of animals to choose from!