Great Crested Newt

Thank you to Sheila, who bought my Lizard Pattern on Etsy, and has make some adaptations to make a Great Crested Newt. Isn't he cute. Sheila says she is originally from a small village in Glamorganshire, and is planning to make some more newts and lizards from the pattern using some of her stash. She is also researching Natterjack Toads, so perhaps she might be able to alter my Frog Pattern.

Thanks for sharing your project. I always love to see what folk have made from my patterns. 

 

 

Rainbow Lizard

 

One of the reasons I like selling on ravelry is that it gives the options for people to link up their projects made from a pattern. When I am looking for a pattern myself I always have a look at the projects. Do they look like the pattern samples, what comments have been made, etc. 

Etsy doesn't have this option built it, but I have noticed recently that buyers of my patterns on Etsy are sending me photos of what they have made, or posting them in the review/comment section. I love it when this happens, and was really delighted to be sent this rainbow version of my lizard. Susie who made it contacted me about the wrap stitch technique, but once mastered she has done a really great job. There must have been a few ends to run in, but I love this little rainbow lizard, who is on his way to Spain for her grandchild.

If you have made a project from one of my patterns I would love you to share a photo, and I do take all the comments onboard.

 

Still plenty of time to to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for September.

 

Lizards

I've been knitting a few more lizards from my own pattern. They may make some people recoil, but I love these little creatures, and they remind me of Noel, our pet lizard who has now departed from this world. 

They are knitted from sock wool, and I like the randomness of the wool, which means that they never turn out exactly the same. They are fairly easy, although perhaps after my fourth one I am bound to say that. They are knitted on just two needles, with a bit of icord knitting and short rows to give the curve on the body. You can also click on the lizard picture in my sidebar to find the pattern on ravelry. Though if you are not a knitter there are a few lizards for sale in my Etsy shop. I think they would make great stocking fillers.

I had quite a lot of trouble finding safety eyes that were small enough. Well what I mean is I couldn't find anything even close in the shops, and had to order them online. Then after all that I found I already had a pack in my work box, left over from another project. Duh. I do think the shiny eyes bring the little lizards to life.

Lizard

Wild Lizard Photo Taken in France

My latest knitting pattern has really been a labour of love. I have interspersed some photographs I managed to take of a lizard in the garden in France on my recent holiday. It seemed such a coincidence to be sitting in a garden with real lizards as I was knitting mine.

Several years ago my son pestered and pestered for a pet lizard. I was not too keen, but have to say from the moment we got Noel, the green anole lizard, I was completely captivated. We had him for several years, but he unfortunately passed away last winter. 

What I really liked about him was the way he moved. He would stalk his prey (small crickets) around his tank, and moved in such an intelligent way. And when he was happy you could really tell, as out would pop his flaming pink dewlap (a small piece of skin at his throat).

This is a fairly straightforward knit. I used two double-point needles, as there is some icord knitting. I tend to use double-points for a lot of my knits now as they are conveniently short. The body of the lizard is knitted in two pieces, so there is some seaming, and the legs are knitted separately and have to be attached. I tried other ways, but this seemed to give the best result. I used craft eyes and beads, but if you are going to give this to a small child it is probably best to sew the eyes with wool.

These sample lizards are for sale in my Etsy shop.

Fauna and Flora

Some of the plants and animals I photographed over the last week in Brittany.

These birds were doing a lot of pecking along the shoreline. I would love to know what they are. Hubby thinks they may be a type of plover.
 

We saw lizards in the garden nearly every day, but it took quite a lot of sitting still to get this shot.