Making Changes to Knitting Patterns

 Brrr! We're having some cold weather here in Cobalt. I feel like hibernating. Hmmm....maybe that explains my knitting all these bears. This will be the last one for the time being. So bear with me for one more day. OK, I'll get serious now. I made this bear to show how easy it is to make changes to a knitting pattern. This little bear was knitted with the same pattern as the two previous ones. The reason he is so much tinier is because I used finer yarn and thinner needles. The first two bears were knitted with worsted on 3.5 mm needles and the one today was knitted with fingering yarn on 2.25mm needles. You can see the big difference in size that made. You can also make changes to knitting patterns by changing the number of rows and stitches. You might want to do this if you wish to use the same yarn or just make a small change to the size.

Sitting Knitted Teddy Bear

Today I finished another knitted teddy bear. I used the same pattern as for the first bear but I used a different type of yarn and made a few changes so he can sit. The yarn I used this time was firmer and so I had to stuff him tighter. It made the bear not as cuddly and huggable as the first one. The first bear is filled with soft, springy polyester stuffing.  It's amazing what a difference changing the yarn and type of stuffing can make to the appearance and feel of knitted toys and other items.

Today's bear has been stuffed with yarn ends. Whenever I cut the yarn I keep the ends in a plastic bag. In time there is enough to use as stuffing. I like to recycle and reuse what I can.

Here is the new teddy bear

Here he is with his friend.

A close up of his cute face.

My bag of yarn ends.

I'm not quite happy with this teddy bear pattern yet. There have to be some little changes made. I enjoy knitting but sewing the pieces together are not anyway near as much fun. I never did care for sewing much and even less now because the arthritis makes it more difficult. Too bad our bodies couldn't stay as young as we feel. But I'm not complaining. I can still do what I enjoy even if I am slower at it now. TTFN

Knitted Dog

Hello all!  Sorry to be away so long. There were a lot of changes I had to make for this year but I am back on track.

Here is a little knitted dog I think you will enjoy. He can stand on his own. Isn't his face cute! He will be joined later by some friends. With a few easy changes this dog pattern can become a cat. All I need to do is change the ears and the head a bit. I also have plans for a whole barnyard of knitted animals as well as knitted dolls.

I started knitting waaaay back when I was 17. I taught myself from a book and made puppet mittens. I still have the little booklet though it is held together with tape now. After some years of knitting various items it hit me that these patterns I was knitting from were created by someone. I was in awe! And I couldn't get it out of my mind. People actually created these knitting patterns I used. I wished I was that talented.

Then some time later it occured to me that everytime we tweak a pattern we are being creative. Don't like the type of yarn specified in the pattern?  Don't like the stitch pattern used? Want it longer, shorter, bigger, smaller? Little more this or a little less that? If you can make these changes you are being creative. And it's not too big a step from that to designing something simple from scratch. A scarf, a simple doll.

Then as you learn more knitting techniques more design features are available to you. Also you learn from your mistakes. Over time you find that you can make different items. Sometimes an idea that seems good looks nothing like what it is supposed to but it does look like something else. So you keep the mistake as a pattern idea for a future project.

When I was knitting the teddy bear I was looking at his ear upside down and it looked - don't laugh- like a doll's pantie. The knitted goose's wings can become angel wings with a few changes. And so it goes. If you enjoy knitting or any other creative endeavor don't be discouraged by mistakes. They are a valuable part of the learning process.

I enjoy knitting. I put on a movie and knit away. There is something about movies and television in general that makes me want to work. Any work. It could be housework or knitting or writing, whatever. I get involved with what I'm doing and often look up and the movie is finished. I missed most of it. My brain is wired funny I guess, but hey! I get a lot of work done. Sometimes it's the only way I get my housework done. Don't laugh, I'm serious here. TTFN