Tag Archives: knit toys

A Turkey for Thanksgiving

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For the upcoming holiday (that would be Thanksgiving, for us Americans – uh, in 2.5 weeks, so you have some time), I knit up this supercute turkey from a pattern posted a few years ago on the Spud and Chloe blog. 

I weighted his tummy with some glass marbles (like the kind you put in the bottom of a vase) so that he sits properly.  If I were going to be giving this to a small person, I would probably just stuff him as usual and not worry about him tipping backward or forward.

When I sewed on the wings, I was apparently under the impression that my turkey would be flying.  He looks ready for take-off here. He worked up pretty quickly, even including the time to sew all the bits together (my least favorite part of knitted toys).

I used Spud and Chloe Sweater in Rootbeer, Firefly, Firecracker and Grass.  I had enough extra of the feathers to work up a few dinosaurs (shh! they aren’t quite ready to show yet!),

Monster Shaping with Ysolda

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Have you knit this little guy? I have. A bajillion and a half times.  Okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating, but this is my go-to pattern for knitting baby gifts. Blankets are time-consuming, plus everyone always seems to knit blankets or give blankets. A handknit toy seems cute and practical. I also don’t knit them just for babies (but that is a whole additional post about choosing knitted gifts that are appropriate for the intended recipient).

Elijah (the elephant) is one of Ysolda Teague‘s most popular patterns in our store. I’ve made him out of several different yarns – the one for our shop sample is in Louisa Harding’s Kashmir Baby.  If I want one that wee baby hands can grasp, I head for Debbie Bliss Rialto 4-ply. If I’m aiming for larger kiddoes, I knit him in Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran.  I usually choose a yarn that is superwash, even if he can’t be really be tossed in the washer (the eyes!) because I like the additional safety net that he won’t felt while being swished around in a basin for handwashing.

If you haven’t knit this little guy (or any other toy), and even if you have knit a toy or two, I highly recommend our upcoming Monster Shaping Class with Ysolda.  She is covering invisible cast-ons, different increases and decreases, picking up stitches from stuffed pieces (applicable to Elijah!), short row shaping and stuffing and embroidering features.

And if you want to knit Elijah (or Ysolda’s other toys: Otto the bear and Sophie the rabbit), we have plenty of patterns in stock.

Ysolda’s class will be Thursday Oct. 20, 1:30 – 4:30 pm at the Hilton Garden Inn just down the road. She will also be teaching classes on making perfectly fitted sweaters.