Tuesday, March 23, 2010

It's A Good Thing

I was an early Martha Stewart fan. Pre-orange jumpsuit Martha. If you asked my college roommates, they would tell you I worshiped her. I memorized every page of Martha Stewart Living. I saved every issue. I bought her fabulous Weddings editions, even when I didn't have a wedding to plan. I forced my friends to try just about every crafty idea published each month. I made everything from wreaths to cookies. When Martha went to prison, my girlfriends sent me sympathy cards, and I knitted a version of the poncho she created while incarcerated.

I mentioned before that I come from a crafty family. Knitting is my thing. I think it's in my genes as my grandmother could create anything and one of my aunts is a master knitter (yes, there is such a thing). For as long as I have been knitting, I've wanted to make a greyhound. There are plenty of crochet patterns for life-sized and toy greyhounds. I've even bid on a finished one at an auction. However, I really wanted to find a pattern to knit one of my own.

I Hate Toast sent me a pattern for a knitted mini-greyhound and totally renewed my knitting mo-jo. I created this little bugger from the HotDiggerdy Dog pattern in just three nights of knitting and one long evening of seaming. It was the perfect compliment to my Winter Olympics viewing.

The funny thing is, while I was knitting the girls could have cared less about the knitted mini-me creation. But once he was all stuffed and seamed together, I had to watch them like a hawk or else this little guy would have been shaken and disassembled in about one minute. My girls are very careful with their toys. Only a couple in their stash lack squeakers (all due to visiting dogs), and they have never disemboweled a stuffy. But for some reason, this little guy has their number, and I've caught Roxy and Seka prancing around with him in their mouths getting ready to move in for the kill.

I need a name for him, and I think I will take junior with me on vacation to remind me of my girls.  It's a good thing.

P.S. Seka has demanded a black version so that she will be represented as well.

11 comments:

rebecca said...

LOVE IT! and boone requests a black one with the front legs having taller white socks and a while belly. okay, and maybe floppier ears. but otherwise it's perfect! :) and i want it to take on vacation, too! (good thing for you i have no vacations planned yet, so we've got time to negotiate your price. :) )

really - he's precious. and i'm not kidding i will pay for one.

Unknown said...

Oh, my goodness, he is absolutely darlin'!!! I must have one too - let's see, 3 days of your time is worth . . . oh dear, never mind . . . I clearly can't afford that much greyhound. I love the idea of "Needle" for a name (as suggested by one of your Twitter followers). Obviously, a play on Needle Nose, which is what we often call our own greys. Maybe K-Needle could be his rap name.

Beautiful work! I'm always impressed with the wide range of your talents!

Hiking Hounds said...

That is so cute! I'm a new knitter, a little over a year. I've seen the big crocheted greyhounds. I think I might have to try this pattern.

houndstooth said...

Oh my gosh! That is too cute! You could sell those, I'm betting. I hope you post pictures of the black one, too!

Perhaps her name could be Purl. Okay, maybe not!

Those Brindle Kids said...

Now Truly and Maggie want to come live with you. They only get socks with knots tied in them from me! :)

Unknown said...

Dan LOVES it when I start knitting. He really loves it when I forget to put my knitting bag away and he really really loves to disembowel my ball of yarn attached to whatever I am making. He doesn't normally bother whatever is on the needles (thank goodness, I've had a few heart attacks) he just really likes to pull the middle out of the ball. It took me 3 hours to untie what he had knotted one night after he found my little project. All I could do was laugh because it was my fault he could reach it and he had obviously had a blast.

Kim said...

Wow, he's fabulous! Is he in your Rav projects yet?

Patti said...

OMG, I saw this on Etsy this morning and wondered if I would be able to knit it. I haven't picked up a pair of knitting needles in years. Was it hard to do Heather? Absolutely adorable!!

genji said...

That is very cool. Maybe I should take up knitting :) All the other toys have that 'Made in China' smell. But who can resist disembowling a toy that smells of mommy's hard work?

Life With Dogs said...

Make sure you point out to the dogs that destruction would be kind of like cannibalism. ;)

Sistertex said...

Absolutely wonderful. Love your hounds too.