KNit and Kaboodle?

With eight children and twelve (soon to be fourteen) grandchildren between us, I confess Christmas has started to become something of a financial nightmare here at chez Kit and Kaboodle. This year I've resolved to try ease up the pressure a little by making things rather than spending money we don't really have on stuff which is likely to get cast aside the moment something better comes along, so this past month has seen me indulging in a flurry of activity with the knitting needles in order to make some of the younger ones cuddly toys of their own.



These three toys are the result of my endeavours. They're not particularly well made - I'm hopeless, for example at embroidering faces onto dolls as you can probably determine by the rather gaudily dressed teddy bear here;



Her snout is too thick, and her ears are too small and set back to far on her head but I suppose the quirkiness of it is probably what makes it individual-looking rather than mass produced. At least that's what I keep telling myself! Orange and cerise are the favourite colours of the granddaughter she's intended for, so that at least, is in the teddies favour!

The rabbit is probably slightly better made although I couldn't find the appropriate sized needles when making her jumper which has resulted in her paws disappearing up armholes three sizes too big;



And lastly, my favourite, the bearded gnome, knitted for our four year old grandson to go with the smaller knitted gnomes I made previously which he insisted on taking home with him last time he visited.


Patterns for both the rabbit and the teddy can be found here;

http://www.maryjanestearoom.com/

Whilst the pattern for the Gnome is by Alan Dart and can be found here;

http://www.alandart.co.uk/products/product/20

(Unfortunately blogger seems to be having an off day so I'm unable to link directly to the sites)

Now all I have to do is wrap them up......