Marvelous Monday* - Crochet Animals

This morning, my little Mischief Makers and their friends congregated in our driveway waiting for the bus. They were having a blast - despite my salting the driveway this AM, they had managed to find a slippery patch of ice. Since our driveway has a slight incline, they were able to slide 4-5 feet if they started in the right spot. It was lovely to hear their laughter - a great start to the day!

Last week, Mario and Toad put me to work crocheting for them again. A few months ago, they asked me to make them a kitten and a puppy. I didn't have a pattern at the time, and whipped something up (see my "design/description" below). They were appeased for a while, then requested their stockings, and now this time, Mario wanted a wolf, and Toad asked for a penguin!

For these requests (read: demands), I did have patterns - a Leisure Arts "Roly-Poly Toys" (1993) pattern for the penguin and an online Lion Brand one for the wolf. Here are the final creations:

Puppy, Werewolf, Penguie & Cleo

Werewolf & Penguie - definitely not to scale in relation to one another, lol!

Kitty "Cleo" & Puppy

To make Kitty Cleo and Puppy, I crocheted a sphere for the body, four cylinders for the legs (wider at the base for the paw), and a skinnier, longer cylinder for the tails using the yarns and colours the boys had requested (read: insisted on). For Cleo's ears, I made triangles, and stitched on facial features and button eyes. Puppy's features are from a Leisure Arts blanket pattern.

Now, stuffed toys are not my favourite thing to crochet, but I do enjoy making these animals for the boys upon request. I find it really cute how happy the boys get knowing that I made something just for them, and that it was done just the way they wanted. Toad slept with Penguie all weekend, and Mario brought Werewolf to a sleepover at his grandparents. It's a good feeling when your kids like something you create!

Here's to a marvelous week!

*Why "marvelous"? Well, according to my research (we have to be scientific here, right, because it is the small print), "marvelous" means "to cause wonder or astonishment".....Marvelous Mondays get the week off to a good start. People, this week is going to be exciting! Fun! Wonderful! That, and it's the day I share my crafting - and I, for one, am always astonished when I see the finished product: "Woot! I actually made something!"