Friday, January 11, 2008

Knit a Little Lamb: Exciting Conclusion

The Hollywood writers are still on strike, so I figure I got a decent shot at you tuning in to see how the little lamb turns out. You could choose to walk away and watch old episodes of "Bosom Buddies" on DVD, but it would make him cry.

The Model

Knitter's choice.

At the end of part two we finished the main shapes and only needed to add small details to finish up. Frankly, I could have covered this all in two installments but I forgot to knit a background swatch to stick the thing on.

A Meadow

Plus it was lunch time and I'd developed an unaccountable craving for souvlaki.

Okay. Pretend the green square (note the garter edges; I love you so much I made the swatch neat and pretty) is the pocket of Abigail's sweater. Whipstitch the lamb body onto it.

Whip It Good

It still doesn't look much like a lamb, though. We have to give it a face. And just as we reduced the body to its simplest elements in order to knit it, so we must pick out only the essential details in the face. Happily, there's not a whole lot going on in a lamb's face.

Face, Analyzed

That's all, sister.

Easy enough to render with a bit of doubled sewing thread–chosen in lieu of yarn or embroidery floss because the former is too thick, and the latter is unlikely to stand up to much washing.

Using our simplified sketch as a guide, we add the nose, mouth and beady little eyes.

Face, Complete

Now, ears.

You could drive yourself cuckoo knitting two itty-bitty little ear flaps, then painstakingly sew them onto the lamb only to find out they make it look more like an albino bat. But since I've already done that, you don't have to.

Instead, simply embroider a single petal from a lazy daisy on either side, and fill 'em both in with a couple stitches each.

Ear Detail

And behold, the lamb.

Awwww.

Awwwwww.

It's not just for babies, either. You can do so much with it! L@@K!

Wee Drinkie

Trendy wine coaster.

Country Home Decor

Cozy antimacassar.

Stylin'

Avant-garde toupée.

Wipe Wipe

Polishing cloth.

Where Was I?

Bookmark.

I Wish I Could Smurf You

Smurf hideout.

Incognito

Ironic disguise.

G'night

Cat bed.

* Finis *

70 comments:

Laurel said...

I love all the uses you found for the swatch! Great tutorial.

Chelsea said...

Hee! Smurf hideout!

Anonymous said...

I just laughed myself into a coughing fit over the 'albino bat.' Now I want to make one of my own!

amy said...

I was thisclose to selling my children on etsy (hey, I made them, right?), but your blog made me laugh out loud several times, and now I'm feeling benevolent enough to keep them. Where shall I have them send the thank you notes?

Mel said...

*snigger* Why, versatile seems to be your middle name.

Rosie said...

love the ironic disguise and smurf hideout. don't you dare polish shoes with it. evil!

Kristen said...

Oh, honey, you slay me! Love the tutorial--though perhaps the little lambie is a bit to delicate for handling the needs of your impressive leather boy boots?

Anonymous said...

why do you have a smurf?

Aidan said...

Bookmark?

Is that like the bookmark I knit for you last year?

lol!

Evelyn said...

Where'd ya get the uber-realistic but small sheep in the iconic pic??

Susan said...

I've never considered knitting baby clothes, when I found out there was a chance of having something turn out like an albino bat, you piqued my interest.

Anonymous said...

thanks for putting a big smile on my face this afternoon with your creative uses for the swatch!

Anonymous said...

My fiance just looked over from across the couch, saw the pre-ear picture, and asked if it was a lamb or a dog. Considering that it was still lacking the ears at that point, I'd call that very successful!

Unknown said...

I didn't know a man could be so creative with a sweet lamb! Bravo! Have a wonderful weekend

swan/dragon said...

AAHAHAHAHA CAT BED!!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh Most Demented Of Minds - your swatch uses crack me up.

Jeanne said...

I'm impressed with your lambie and love that you are quite the film connoisseur. ;-)

(formerly) no-blog-rachel said...

Oh you crack me up. Why can't you be my neighbor?

Anonymous said...

I love the ironic disguise. The disguised sheep even has an ironic look on its face.

Meredith said...

I about fell over laughing at albino bat. Then the many uses of a swatch pretty much finished me off.

Thanks for the great tutorial!

Judy in Indiana said...

Whipstitch? Honey i like the sound of that!

And your boots are pretty sexy, too.

katerina said...

All I have to say is Franklin, you make me smile :) Thanks for the entertainment.

Lola and Ava said...

Since Smurfette dumped him, Cowboy Smurf has never been the same. I must go make some little lambs myself.

Ava

Tracy Purtscher said...

Is it just me or does that little lamb look like he's smirking?

alice said...

ok am i the only one wondering who this Kristen chick is? ("the films of...")... cause from that little glimpse, it looks like some friendly gentleman action going on...! should your little lamby pocket REALLY be gracing those pages? hehe.

Anonymous said...

Lambimacassar?

Great tutorial! Now, if only someone comes up with how to survive laughing at the sample uses...

Anonymous said...

Exciting new direction in headwear design, *but* it was the cats waving from the cat bed that made me laugh out loud!

Anonymous said...

Impressive tutorial, amazing collection of props for the various applications but I'm going to keep coming back for another look at that adorable lamb. It made me smile all week--and that really says something.

Gerrie in St Paul

Anonymous said...

Late comment on the Maltese Fisherman's hat - you inspired me to go to EZ and knit one for DH, who is THRILLED at his new hat that keeps his ears warm.

Thanks from both of us!

Lurker Beverly near Yosemite, CA

Anonymous said...

I'm guessing that's Dolores' book?

Anonymous said...

speaking of dolores...wouldn't that lamb look adorable with her cat-eye glasses?
mittz on ravelry

Terrie D. (StarSpry) said...

Adorable! I love all the uses you found for the swatch :D

catsmum said...

I left an awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww on the last post but badblogger ate it
so awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww again.

Eileen said...

Wow, Franklin has all the cool toys.

Carol said...

Stop being so damn cute! I mean it! Stop it! It makes me sad that you live so far away from me!

How many days 'til April?

Janet said...

Wonderful workshop. Looking forward to the next one.

LizzieK8 said...

Great photos!

Monika said...

Wonderful, had me a good laugh! :o)

Marcy said...

Is it just me? Or does that lamby look a lot like Dolores? Is this a portrait of Dolores in younger, innocent days, or has there been an event you have not told us about?

Sweet Camden Lass said...

I would sing 'Little Lamb' from Gypsy, but I can't remember all the words...

So cute!

Happily Knit said...

That is hilarious - Ironic disguise :)

Helen said...

I want your boots.

I also *heart* your lamb, but I just know what would happen if I tried one. Albino bats all round. Now, maybe if I knitted a little black sheepy....hmmmm

KnottyArtisan on Ravelry

Anonymous said...

You have to write a book with knitting as the subject. Your directions were incredibly clear, concise, and fun to read.

The new design: OOOO! COLOR!!!

Josette said...

Whew! You are awesome! And just in time to inspire me so that when the cold finger freezing nights of late January and early February lambing in Maine are upon me - I'll keep this pic in mind.

I am partial to the toupee' - but the smurf hideout near made me fall out of my chair.

KnelleyBelley said...

Cracked me up. I need a Smurf so I can knit it a hideout.

Addiopolis said...

You are the cleverest little darling aren't you. Very nice lambikin. And I about died laughing over the cat bed. I don't know why. It was just really funny.

Anonymous said...

Love the bookmark and its use for smurf and your choice of books or should I say films ;-)

Hugs!!!

FiberQat said...

Avant garde indeed. I heard that Tibetan yaks were the fashion trend this year as opposed to the lower Mongolian yaks.

Anonymous said...

omg, I laughed so much that Other Half came in to see what was up...

Thank you (hiccup)

Barbara from Nova Scotia said...

I agree with eileen. You have very cool toys. Where did you get the smurf. In my youth, after school was misspent watching The Smurfs. Long live nostalgia.

Carson said...

Tough to decide my favourite usage.
But I think the ironic disguise wins by a nose (albeit a small, flat one)

Karin said...

Great tutorial indeed! :)
Love the last/upside down picture.

Nic said...

How am I supposed to read blogs at work when you make tea come out of my nose? Huh? huh?

Katherine said...

I have a giant crush on those boots. And on your knitting skills -- thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Oops... I was scrolling down first, looking at the pics, and saw "polishing cloth" and saw the picture of the book. I thought you'd gone x-rated!! What can I say, it's 5:30 in the morning. I'm not awake yet!

Jon the Librarian said...

Personally, the toupee is my favorite use for this. Next would have to be the bookmark. {evil smirk}

Courtney the Knitting Goddess said...

HA! I snorted when I got to the toupée picture.

Shelda said...

Franklin, it's such a pleasure to read your blog! Thank you for being there.

Nana Sadie said...

So cute! Congrats and thanks!
(((hugs)))

Anonymous said...

*Another* smurf lover? Check this out: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2008/01/14/smurf-anniversary-events.html

Loved the tutorial. Thanks, Franklin!

ADA

Robin said...

The Smurf hideout cracked me up.

Anonymous said...

Hmm... until I saw the caption, I thought it was a boot cozy!

Madame Leiderhosen said...

Am I more turned on by the toupee or your boots? Or maybe it's just the sheep. Or maybe funny men are just more sexy than anything else. Thanks for the laugh, Darling.

Anonymous said...

Lurv your work. Absolutely smashing. And I mean that honestly.

Question: Have you changed anything with the site? I'm having issues perusing your musings in Firefox (it's more frozen than a rush-party margarita, reboot required) and since have gone onto Safari b/c let's be honest-- one just can't get enough. It's like mental Pringle's or something.

Thanks for the knitting voyeurism.

doulicia said...

you make me smile. thanks!

Seanna Lea said...

It is amazing how a few details can totally change what something looks like.

Anonymous said...

Noooooo ... not a shoe polisher. Much too cute to be a shoe polisher.

Anonymous said...

I love the little lamb - it's so cute!

LeaMV

James said...

I've never even considered using swatches to bookmark porn! You are a visionary.

Anonmous said...

Omg the spam....