Tutorial - soft sculpture for the head

A long time ago I wrote a brief tip describing how I use soft-sculpture to enhance the shape of the heads of my toys. While stuffing is the most important step in shaping any toy, soft-sculpture will reinforce the shape, and help maintain it if the toy is played with. It also adds a lot of character to your toy's face. Below is a photo tutorial showing my technique for sculpting around the eyes. I hope you find it useful!

Here is the head from the front, with safety eyes attached, then stuffed and sewn closed. You can see that I've added some extra stuffing to the cheeks and nose, so the head is not just a round ball.

Here is the head from the side. If you are using buttons or felt instead of safety eyes, attach them first before doing any soft sculpture to the head.

Step 1: To begin, cut a length of your main-colour yarn (about 30 cm or 12"), and thread it onto a sharp needle. (I've used a long, sharp darning needle, which is a good tool to own if you're making several toys.) Insert the needle at the center-bottom, through the seam (shown with the arrow).

Step 2: Have the needle exit the head near the first eye, towards the nose and in line with the lower edge of the eye. Pull the yarn through, leaving a 3" tail where you began.

Step 3: Insert the needle again below the center of the eye, making a short stitch (about 1 cm or 3/8"). Have the needle exit at the bottom of the head where you began.

Step 4: Gently pull on the yarn attached to your needle, making sure not to pull through your yarn end. This will make a dent in the head below the eye, and make the cheek seem to stick out more. 

Step 5: When you are happy with the shape of the head, tie your yarn in a knot with the short yarn tail. Do not cut the yarn yet, but repeat the same steps to shape the other side of the head.

Step 6: Once you are happy with the shape of the head, make sure your knots are secure, and trim the yarn ends to about 2.5 cm or 1". These ends will be hidden when you attach the head to the body. Now you can embroider the nose and mouth, and attach the ears.

The method shown above will change the direction that the eyes face, so they seem to be more on the sides of the head. This technique works well for animals like rabbits, otters, beavers, and other animals with longer faces. If your toy has forward facing eyes, like a cat, a dog, or a monkey, try the slightly different method below.

Follow Steps 1-2 as shown above. When you get to Step 3, insert your needle in front of the eye, as shown in the photo below. Complete Steps 4-6 as described above.

You can see that the eyes point forward now, giving the face a different look. If you want the nose/muzzle more pronounced, you can use the same method to make another stitch between the eyes, and in line with the other two. I did this on my Big Teddy.

I use this technique on most of my toys. It's simple and quick, and can make a big difference in the appearance of any toys you knit. The sample used in the photos is the head from the Well-Dressed Bunny, but you can adapt it for any of my patterns. I used this technique on my Bunny Puppets, which is my featured pattern for March. Try it out, if you're knitting a bunny puppet!

featured patterns: your projects

As part of my featured patterns series, I would like to share with you some of the toys other knitters have made. I hope these will serve as examples and inspiration for what you could make!

Don't forget, both the Mama and Baby Bunny (Ravelry, Etsy) and the Flat Foot Floogies (Ravelry, Etsy) are half price for the month of February!

I love how chubby and cuddly this bunny is! Don't you just want to hug him? The knitter who made this bunny also has an Etsy shop, where she sells some of her adorable toys.

I usually knit my pattern samples from yarn colours that match the actual animal, but it's fun to see how they look in all different colours!

If you're a Ravelry member, check out the projects page to see more Mama and Baby Bunnies.

Here's an adorable lamb lovey that's sure to be treasured for many years. I've noticed a number of knitters have worked the feet in garter stitch instead of stockinette. Babies do love different textures!

And finally, here is the sweetest ever bunny lovey, with an embroidered heart on it's tummy! It makes me want to add a little heart to all my toys.

If you need more cuteness, check out the other toys on the Ravelry projects page.

All photos have been used with permission.

dressing-up

winter vacation

These are from a couple weeks ago. A winter vacation to somewhere tropical is something I never thought I would do. But last year, my husband worked very hard at his new job, and that is what he wanted to do with his first vacation. Now we're back home, at the grey cold end of winter, and I think we all wish we could have stayed a little longer.

when I'm not knitting

images from my week

Kyr

Lev

autumn colour

hungry goat

all images borrowed from mricon

portland

I've been in Portland, Oregon, since Monday evening. My husband is here on business, and I got to tag along because my wonderful parents were willing to watch the kids. While I do miss my boys, it's been great having a few days to myself in such an interesting city. I've been shown around by a native of the city, had breakfast with one of my favourite bloggers, been to some beautiful gardens, seen a childhood friend whom I didn't even know was living here, bought yarn and fabric, visited the Oregon Zoo, had some great coffee, and eaten some delicious food. (I'm not going to provide links for everything I did, since I saw only a tiny part of the city. If you want ideas, please see this excellent list).

I return to my parent's place in BC tomorrow, and in just a few days we fly back to Montreal. I miss home so much, and our busy lives will restart in a big hurry once we get there. I think it's going to be a great Autumn, and I hope you come back here to see what we're up to.

muddy knees and knitting

A couple images of what my days look like recently. A lot of playing outside, now that the snow is gone, and whatever knitting time I can squeeze in. I've been making a few custom toys, since I'm not designing anything new right now. As you can guess, it can be very difficult to find moments to pick up my needles when this little toddler is bustling around getting into everything.

knitting projects of 2011

Wow, I have no idea how I found time to knit so much this year. Here are 16 projects I finished, and that's not all of them. I know of several more that I haven't photographed - some toys and toy clothes, socks for the boys, a beret and mittens for myself, a partially finished cardigan for myself, a partially finished pullover for Lev that ended up too small, half-a-dozen hats which didn't fit Kyr, and probably more that I'm forgetting. If you want details of anything, check my Ravelry projects page (I'll try to add anything that's not already there over the next couple days).

My goals for next year include a fair-isle cardigan and striped pullover for myself. I also want to finish the cardigan and pullover I had started - the first is lovely and only got abandoned because I messed up the raglan increases, the second will fit Kyr in the Autumn and just needs 1.5 sleeves to be done. I also need a couple more pairs of socks, and I have a few skeins of stashed yarn for which I really want to find projects.

I'm sure I will knit toys as well. Maybe I will find time for a few custom toys, or just knit ones for my Etsy shop. At the moment I have no ideas for new patterns. However, this might be a good thing because I have several old patterns that really need my attention. As far as Fuzzy Mitten knitting goes, I'm content to make no plans or deadlines, and just work on each idea as it comes to me.

Kyr this year

How this boy has changed in 9 months! It's been a tough year, but now that we're at the end of it, things seem to be looking up for this fellow. From a less-than-easy pregnancy, 6-weeks premature birth, 3 weeks in hospital, colic, and all the other challenges that came once he started doing more than eat and sleep! However, in the past couple of months the good moments out-number the bad, especially since he decided that laughing and giggling are fun. I have hope that the new year will only bring more improvements, and challenges I can manage (there's nothing like colic to make you feel like a useless parent).

By now a few things about his personality are coming clear. He loves to snuggle, and can crawl to find me and climb into my lap. But he has quite a temper and gets frustrated easily (tantrums already?!) He prefers toys that make noise, and can already clap his hands, bang on a drum, and will bounce to a good beat. He adores Lev, but doesn't want to share his mommy with his big brother.  His favourite food is cheerios, despite his lack of teeth. He loves being outside, and would happily spend all day out in the garden or woods (if only the winter weather would cooperate). More than that, it's hard to say, since he will change a lot in the next few months.

I didn't know that a second child would be so much more difficult than one, or that Kyr would be demanding in ways that Lev never was. But nevertheless, he has found his place in our family and hearts. He is my cheeky Kiki, and I am excited to know the person he will become.

(I'm working on another post about my knit FO's this year, except I realized I didn't get photos of many of them. I will remedy that soon!)

busy days

The days have been full and busy, with not much time to pick up a camera and record them. Also, Kyr hasn't been sleeping well, so neither have I. Most days I feel a bit like a zombie, wandering around the house, trying to keep kids happy, laundry washed, and enough food cooked to keep us going. If that's all I get done, it feels like a good day. Anyway, I'm sure all you other mums out there can relate. Here's a couple cute photos I did manage to get. Until we're sleeping better, that will be all :)

cute baby making puppy eyes 

(probably because he wants something I'm eating)

 

cool giraffe, waiting for my Etsy shop update 

(could be a few weeks, the way life is right now)

 

four years

Four years ago...

 

wedding day

 

honeymoon in Nova Scotia

Three years ago...

vacation to Prince Edward Island (that's a baby bump under my jacket!)

Two years ago...

 Lev at 1 month

 bought a house

Lev at 10 months

And the past year...

 

Lev at 22 months (baby #2 under my sweater)

Kyr at 1 month

My sweet husband and I got married four years ago, and our lives have been so busy and full since then! These are just the highlights. There have been so many happy and fun days, plus some sad and some difficult, some that never seemed to end and some that I wished wouldn't end. I'm sure this is a good preview of all the years we have to come.

In case you didn't know, Fuzzy Mitten is a partnership. It was Konstantin who gave me the time and encouragement to start this business, and ever since he has been helping in any way he can. I would never be able to do half of what I have, if it wasn't for him. So thank you for that, as well as for everything else. Love you, sweetie!

images from my week

It was a busy week. We had perfect late-summer weather, so there was plenty of playing at the park around the corner.

I did manage to fit in a little sewing time to whip this up for Kyr. Sadly, it's a bit big and he doesn't like chewing on the fuzzy limbs. There's now a second one partly made.

We went out on adventures both days this weekend. First, we picked up lunch at the farmers' market, then headed to the woods for a walk. We also spent Sunday afternoon at the Montreal Botanical Gardens, but I was so busy chasing Lev and calming tantrums (he missed his nap) that I didn't take a single photo.

In between all that, and a whole lot more, I finally found time to put these guys together. There's still a couple details to finish (tusks for the elephant, a mane for the zebra), then I will send off the pattern to my tech. editor. Hopefully this means you won't have to wait too much longer!

images from my week

A few things happened this past week. Kyr turned 6 months old! He's changed a lot in the past few weeks: sitting on his own, starting solid food, and many smaller developmental and personality changes that are making him into more of a little person, rather than a wee baby. However, he remains hard to please, so this photo is one of his rare smiles.

I also found time for a little preserving, as it's that season around these parts. So far I've made some red currant and apple jam (tasty, but too many seeds), blueberry and apple butter (yum!), plus red currant and crab-apple jelly (super tasty, but declined to set). Also made, but not photographed, are 18 quarts of crushed tomatoes. I have plans for more canning, but we'll see how much time I get.

Any other plans for the week were interrupted by the school year's first stomach bug, which made it's way through everyone but the baby (thank goodness). We've recovered, and hopefully will have regained our strength by the time Lev brings the next bug home from preschool.

For this who are interested, I'm still working on that new elephant pattern, when I can find time. However, I hit a snag when something didn't turn out as I'd hoped, so I'm having to start over with a different idea. Hopefully I can get all the pieces knit and put together this week, so I will finally have something to show you!

images from my week

Yet again delayed by a power-outage. Let's hope they don't become a weekly event. 

This past week was all about oatmeal (thank goodness, as I was getting hard-pressed to feed such a huge baby all on my own),

and finally getting the knitting part of the new pattern done. Now I just need that oatmeal face to take an extra-long nap so I can put these toys together!

 

In other news, we've finally (finally!) updated the Well-Dressed Bunny pattern. You get the newer version of the toy from Fuzzy Knits, plus redesigned outfits, and the new formatting styles. If you bought it on Ravelry, you've already been sent a new download link. If you bought it elsewhere, just email one of us a receipt so we can send you a copy.

images from my week

Goldenrod and rosehips

Sunset at the lakeshore

Lev is learning to put words together

(which make about as much sense as what he says sometimes)

Kyr's new quilt, made by my lovely girl friends