Baby Penguin

I like to think that when I make a knitted animal I make it realistic. I don't go for a cute version. So in this case all I can only say that baby penguins really are this cute. Actually I think they may be even cuter.

This is my third polar Christmas decoration. The others were Polar Bear and Arctic Hare. I think I need to stop now, but I am really pleased with all these little animals on my Christmas tree. 

Baby Penguin is really quick and easy to make. Just for once I am going to recommend a wool. I used Rowan Alpaca Classic Shade 00101 to get the fluffy grey look. I think any other fluffy wool would work. Some of my first penguins were in a non-fluffy grey, and they are cute too.

The penguins have gone off again to the icy land of fluffy dressing gown. But they just keep waddling away in different directions when I try to photograph them.

These baby penguins are tiny - approximately 4.5 cm tall, and each one take less that 2g of wool. So this is the pattern for you if you like quick makes, and I am planning to make a lot more from my ball of wool, and those ones will be heading for my Etsy shop. But it is not for you if you don't like working small.

 

The pattern is be available on ravelry, Etsy and LoveKnitting. 

I have set up a discount code on ravelry if you buy any 2 of my polar animal decorations: Christmas Baby Penguin, Christmas Arctic Hare, or Christmas Polar Bear you will get £1 discount. If you buy all three the discount is £2. The code to use is POLAR, and this offer will run until the end of 2020.

 

Just a reminder that tomorrow you can still join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for December. I would love to see what you have been working on.

 
 

Christmas Arctic Hare

 

Meet the Christmas Arctic Hare, my second polar Christmas decoration. Once again I have had problems with my photographs, until I discovered the polar region of "the land of dressing gown". Taken with a zoom lens, I really think it looks like snow.

I have become a bit hooked on the Philip Pullman's Dark Materials, being shown on Sunday evening. Perhaps I should have called the Arctic Hare Hester, and the Polar Bear Decoration Iorek. I am thinking of making my polar bear a suit of armour out of felt. You can see Polar Bear by scrolling down or find the pattern on ravelry by clicking here - Polar Bear.

Arctic Hare is tiny. I tried to weigh the wool I had used, and at first it did not register on my scales. So I would say he takes 1-2g. So this is a pattern for people who like quick projects and working small.

Arctic Hare pattern is available on ravelry, Etsy and LoveKnitting later today. 

As I mentioned I am hoping there will be one more (not arctic but antarctic) Christmas animal pattern coming out soon. I wonder if you can guess.

 

Just a reminder that tomorrow you can join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for December. I would love to see what you have been working on.

Christmas Polar Bear

I've been thinking hard about a design for a new Christmas decoration, and have been pestering my family and friends for ideas - something original, but not perhaps not too unusual.

After a lot of thought I remembered a pattern I started back in 2014. I had the idea to make a collection of polar animals, and after getting quite far with two of them, the final animal stumped me. The project was put to one side, and sort of forgotton. 

But now I have reworked my Christmas Polar Bear, and here he is. He is not large (about 7cm long). If you can find the right sort of wool, one with a bit of fluffiness it really helps make him look realistic.

 

Below are a few of my previous Christmas decorations with links to the patterns on ravelry if you click on the pattern name. The Christmas Tree decoration was quite conventional, but then I branched out with Christmas Birds, and a symbolic Scallop Shell.

One year I tried to start a new tradition - Christmas Elephants. The Christmas Sand Dollars were requested part someone who wanted a seaside themed Christmas, and even sent me some real sand dollars as a thank you. And my Christmas Sloth took so long last year, that I did not have him ready until January. Perhaps I was a bit like the sloth. The Tiny Christmas Elf Clogs are just a good place to hide chocolates.

So the Christmas Polar Bear pattern is available well before Christmas, and I will be publishing my second polar animal shortly, and possibly number three will follow ...

Below are the original bears I made back in 2014.  I'm not linking this photo to the pattern, as I have made a few alterations. I can not even find the instructions for the two little cubs, and am not even sure I wrote it down, but they are rather cute.

You can find the pattern on ravelry, Etsy and Love Knitting if you want to make your own little hanging polar bear.

 

Just a reminder that there is still plenty of time left to join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for November. Click on the photo above or at the top of the page to find the party. I would love to see what you have been working on this month.