der kleine maus in das kleine haus?

...or something like that? My German is not the best. Unless you want to hear me tell you that it's very cold outside. My Norwegian is marginally better. I can a) tell you that I have to pee b) tell you to turn up the music and c) tell you that you have beautiful eyes, and that I want you SO much. Yes ladies and gentlemen I will be going far in life with these tucked away in the no man's land that is my frontal cortex.

But on to der Kleine Maus:



I finally gave him a face and shipped him off to his intended recipient (she for whom I'd previously knit (in the same yarn...) this pinafore:



He is a free pattern (and a fast and easy knit) from Lion Brand. My mom actually knit him quite awhile ago and I fell so in love with his divine squishy-ness that I made one of my own.



He really is just too cute for words. I made him back in October but agonized over the face (as always). The face always seems to make or break a knit toy, no matter how simple it appears. I actually looked up a bunch of "french-knot" tutorials online just to get the eyes right. Honestly, what did we do before video tutorials on Youtube? You can learn how to do ANYTHING (and everything) on there! The internet has definitely made me the knitter I am today.


(I just knit him using leftover cottonease that was in the stash, and 3.5mm needles)

Also in the land of doe-eyed toys...



BAM! (and her name is Austina...) Though I can't take ANY credit for her.


(here she is surrounded by her new brethren)

Isn't she freakin' adorable? Bet your heart skipped a beat when you thought I'd suddenly mastered the art of crochet, didn't it? Wrong again. This was gifted to me by the awesome Miss Muffy who I sadly did not get to see this Christmas as I normally would have. I'm sure she'll be posting all about it at some point and will have pattern details for you over there.

So enthralled was I that I paused to think "maybe I DO want to learn how to crochet after all!". God knows it would make knitting toys a heck of a lot easier. So I picked up my copy of the Happy Hooker and went to town. That first Stitch 'n Bitch book was somewhat of a bible to me when I was a beginner knitter. I referred to it a lot and figure her crochet book is likely to be a comparable source.

So I knit (er sorry crochetted) myself a chain stitch. Lots of fumbling but maybe with practice it will get easier? Then I got to the next part which is more of a "cast-on" I guess? That went badly. I ripped and started over. Badly again. Started over again. Badly again. And then finally once more before I launched the whole thing across the room in mass frustration.

Learning how to crochet was on my 2009 "knit-o-lutions" list. I was kidding myself to think I'd somehow be able to squeak that in a few days before the New Year, but hey a valliant effort on my part, right? I'll just bump that over to 2010 (again) and force myself to take a course or something.

So back to what I know a little bit better --KNITTING, and currently/apparently: MICE.



Mouse Mat pattern from: Pet Projects a very cute book I got from my fabulous sister for Christmas
needles: US #11 (sorry I like to use my old style Denise interchangeables for most projects and they never have the mm equivalents written on them, so I can never remember the equivalent Can./UK sizing)
yarn: leftover Sirdar Tweedie Chunky in "Cedar"


I just used some black Patons merino for the embellishments and some black buttons from the stash.

Again, the face --slightly all consuming. I must have re-shifted the positioning of eyes and ears at least three times.

My only mods were to make it "fatter" and longer. Maybe two stitches on each side (of the body) and another dozen rows. Really I should have probably done an additional 20 rows for my big 'ol beast, but he's easy to please so it's all good.



He currently sleeps all over this hideous navaho-type blanket that's folded up on the ground for him (yes there are other more cat friendly options, but he seems to love that thing...) Honestly I think I just dropped it on the ground ages ago and he's claimed it ever since...they are funny creatures. But rather than get rid of it I've just tried to camouflage it with the mouse mat. He seems to love them both, so it's a win win.



I have to count both those as 2009 knits...I know, I know I am sooooooo behind right now! (Happy New Year nonetheless)
xxxooo