Three-D Imagining
Designing knitted stuffed animals requires quite a bit of three-d imagining. I have a lot of respect for designers who can do that.
Are You Good At Three-D Imagining?
Remember those spatial reasoning tests?
I was always pretty good at those tests. I was always able to fold and turn flat objects in a way that I could imagine them as solid objects.
But when it comes to designing knitwear that must take a specific shape when its felted or stuffed or sewn up in some form of origami, I leave that work up to people way more talented than me.
I remember the first time I ever made a pair of the felted clog slippers by FiberTrends. It was truly amazing to me how a designer could figure out the shaping of the sole and the toe part of the unfelted slipper.
Then to imagine how this floppy clown shoe would felt into a beautiful clog slipper was awe-inspiring.
Similarly, with stuffed animals. Sarah Gasson has designed such a well-shaped stuffed bear. The snout and head especially since they need to have a face put on them. But also the feet and the paws and ears.
I’ve made three of them now and the while the knitting requires some attention while it’s being made, it’s a very well-written pattern. The construction takes a bit of fiddly work as well. But it makes a really nice stuffed teddy bear.
Perhaps I’m just lazy, but I would NEVER have gone through all Sarah did to produce this pattern.
Current Knitting/Spinning
I am finishing off the year with a lot of finished projects. So I continue to be über-productive. Obviously, I finished constructing the third bear.
Very similar to the other two, this one has its own distinct personality, no?
I’ve also been compulsively knitting garter stitch in-the-round now that I know how successful a technique it is.
Yes…since Wednesday, I’ve knit another garter-helix hat (this one is a size small) and two garter-helix headbands. The garter stitch makes a very plush and squishy fabric that is perfect for keeping head and ears warm. Plus, you don’t need to hide the seam or the jog like some of those twisted headbands.
Finally, I’ve finished spinning the singles for the Jacob roving.
Can’t wait to see what the marled 3-ply yarn will look like.
That bear is super cute. We make bears for babies. My husband is very good at getting the ears sewn in right. When I do it they always look like a monkey.
Our radical move is that we do not embroider any eyes/mouths/etc on as this seem to fix the expression in place too much and somehow limits the imagination. I think it may be a Waldorf thing to have dolls without eyes. Just an idea to consider in the future. Yours is totally adorable as is!!
And yes I also am fine at those tests but suck at trying to design knit items. Crochet is a bit easier for me as you can see what’s happening as you go.
I am absolutely awful at 3-D imagining. I get hives just looking at those tests. Also get all flummoxed with sewing patterns, even though I sew a lot (more now even than years ago) and how flat stuff gets to be 3-D. Making adjustments to fit my 3-D body, super challenging. I really like the look of the helical garter hats and ear warmers…is that one of your patterns please?
Thanks…there’s no pattern for the hats/headbands. US6 4mm needle and worsted weight yarn. 80 sts and 34 rounds of knit/purl rounds using the helical method of one strand of yarn for the knit rounds and a second strand for the purl rounds.
Fantastic bear! Love everything about it. You did a super job in every way. Best wishes!