A few posts back, showed you 4 pentagons worked together and I asked you all to guess what I was working on. There were several guesses that I was working on a ball. That is exactly what I was doing. In fact, I was working the Doddy pattern from the Winter 2007 issue of Knitty. The idea, as you might guess from the fact that it is made of yarn that is very similar to that of the Hemlock blanket, is that it was supposed to be a companion piece for the blanket.
But that is the hazard of knitting toys for another baby when your own baby is running about and very excited about what you are working on. The project changes ownership.
I do have a few more reasons to justify the change than just the look in a pretty set of blue eyes. First, it's quite large in the size I made it and unlikely to be the sort of toy that a newborn can manipulate. By the time he is big enough, I will have had plenty of time to make him one of his own. Second, I have a couple of other much better projects in the wings for a newborn. And finally, Ms. Z loves her balls. It's really hard for me not to cave in and give her things she can identify with words. Especially when I know there is a long winter ahead and no more likely outdoor play days in the foreseeable future for a toddler who really likes to go outside.
But that is the hazard of knitting toys for another baby when your own baby is running about and very excited about what you are working on. The project changes ownership.
I do have a few more reasons to justify the change than just the look in a pretty set of blue eyes. First, it's quite large in the size I made it and unlikely to be the sort of toy that a newborn can manipulate. By the time he is big enough, I will have had plenty of time to make him one of his own. Second, I have a couple of other much better projects in the wings for a newborn. And finally, Ms. Z loves her balls. It's really hard for me not to cave in and give her things she can identify with words. Especially when I know there is a long winter ahead and no more likely outdoor play days in the foreseeable future for a toddler who really likes to go outside.Doddy Project Specs
Project: Doddy from the Fall 2007 Knitty
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed and Organic Cotton
My own personal touch to this project was to lay out the pentagons such that no two pentagons of the same color touched. The colors are remnants from the Circles Stroller Jacket, Baby Bobbi Bear and the Hemlock Blanket (I guess that also makes it a fair gift for Z since three of the four remnant yarns are from projects for her).
This ball looks very round in the picture, but the combination of movable fiberfill and cotton yarn means that it can take on all sorts of strange shapes. I suspect it will also spend some of its life as a pillow and that round is not something that it will be very often. But compared to other balls its size, this one is easy for a small person to grab and carry and it is a safe indoor playmate compared to the plastic balls that are also in our collection
Project: Doddy from the Fall 2007 Knitty
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed and Organic Cotton
My own personal touch to this project was to lay out the pentagons such that no two pentagons of the same color touched. The colors are remnants from the Circles Stroller Jacket, Baby Bobbi Bear and the Hemlock Blanket (I guess that also makes it a fair gift for Z since three of the four remnant yarns are from projects for her).
This ball looks very round in the picture, but the combination of movable fiberfill and cotton yarn means that it can take on all sorts of strange shapes. I suspect it will also spend some of its life as a pillow and that round is not something that it will be very often. But compared to other balls its size, this one is easy for a small person to grab and carry and it is a safe indoor playmate compared to the plastic balls that are also in our collection
The ball looks great! With the modular style of the knitting, it also looks like it is great for using up all the extra bits and pieces!
My son is 12 and still wants me to knit or crochet only for him. :) You have years of this. But, don't feel bad... the big brown eyes I see make me weak too. :)
Hmm, I thought it might be that Celestine toy that looks like a star, but the ball is cute too!
Maybe the next pictures could include a cute baby for scale?
And oh, I'm a long time reader and lurker, and I'm taking an initiative and commenting on blogs that I love today. I swear I'm not a stalker.
I had completely forgotten about that pattern - thanks for the reminder. My granddaughter is 2 today & also loves her balls. Now that it is cool, she hasn't been able to play with them so much. I've been thinking about knitting one for her & that is so lovely. I'll have to check out my stash for suitable yarns. By the way - your version is so much more attractive than the one in the Knitty article.