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Review: Knitted Animal Toys

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If you’re new to knit amigurumi and want to make some cute, long-legged animals for yourself or a little one in your life, Knitted Animal Toys by Louise Crowther is a fun place to start.

The animals are 16 inches tall (excluding ears) and are made from a set of similar body parts. For instance, they may have a plain body or there are a couple of options for different colorwork on the chest and back, as well as different kinds of feet and paws.

The patterns are as follows:

  • dog
  • cat
  • horse
  • mouse
  • fox
  • squirrel
  • unicorn
  • pig
  • raccoon
  • hare
  • duck
  • ram (which has a different body from the others because it is covered in bobbles)
  • owl
  • elephant
  • rhinoceros
  • giraffe
  • lion
  • chimpanzee
  • tiger
  • zebra
  • sloth
  • koala
  • bear
  • hippopotamus
  • panda

Some of my favorites are the owl, the lion, the tiger and the zebra, but honestly they’re all pretty cute. The patterns aren’t on Ravelry as of this writing, but you can see many of the animals on the cover or in the book listing on Amazon or on the publisher’s website, linked below.

All of the patterns call for DK weight yarn and are worked flat in pieces, which means more finishing time but makes it easier to stuff the pieces and get all the details look right. Some of the animals have I-cord hair, so you’ll also need double pointed needles for a few projects.

Lots of pictures of each animal are show to highlight the details on their bodies. The pattern for the head, ears and tail of each animal is included with the photos of that pattern; general directions for body types are at the front of the book so they didn’t have to be repeated each time.

At the end of the book are the detailed instruction for assembling the animals, which explains how to sew up the different pieces, how to stuff them and how to combine them to make your animals look just right. There are good photos in this section to help you along, too. Knitting basics such as the long-tail cast on, I-cord, colorwork and seaming techniques are also detailed.

If you’re new to knitting animals, this cute collection is a great place to start. The patterns are relatively small and easy to knit, and if you take your time with the finishing you’re sure to end up with a sweet collection of knit animals.

About the book: 128 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2023 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $24.99.

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Knit a Garter Stitch Blanket with a Twist

When I first started knitting again after a long absence from the craft (which has now been almost 25 years ago!) I really didn’t like garter stitch that much. I found it super boring, somehow even more boring than knitting stockinette stitch in the round, even though it’s exactly the same thing.

Over the years I’ve softened my opinion, and even grown to like garter stitch. There’s nothing wrong with being plain, and actually the texture of garter stitch is more interesting than stockinette.

Also there are fun things you can do with garter stitch to make it more interesting if you want to, such as adding stripes, working on the bias, or doing fun effects to change the look.

That’s the way with the Bernat Twist My Way Garter Knit Blanket. Using combinations of casting on and binding off creates what they call a Swiss cheese effect along two sides of the blanket. This is a lot of fun in the self-striping ombre yarn they chose for the pattern, but it would also be fun in a solid color or making your own stripes.

Despite the dramatic effect, this pattern is rated easy. It’s worked from side to side (if you consider the “cheesy” edges the top and bottom) and has an eight-row repeat that involves binding off and then casting on again to make the holes. They’re kind of like giant buttonholes.

Once you get the hang of it it’s a pretty easy repeat to remember, and it will be smooth knitting as big as you want to make it.

You can download this pattern from the Yarnspirations website for free, or you can buy a kit direct from them that includes the yarn you need (and knitting needles if you need those, too). Bernat Sport Ombre Twist, which is what is used in the pattern, comes in 12 self patterning colors and is a DK weight acrylic yarn.

[Photo: Yarnspirations]