Two Cute Toys

I know I haven't posted anything for a while. I have been meaning to post some photos of our "new" house, but I haven't had an opportunity to sit and write. Things have been busy with work - and goodness knows that the boys always keep me busy! But I have been knitting - on the train, during my lunch break and in the evenings. Since it is winter here, I have been busy knitting fingerless gloves for Paul, the boys, and my nieces (as birthday gifts). I have also been "commissioned" to make a few gifts for my sister to give to her friends who are having children. I made two pairs of booties, a hat, and two cute toys. And those two toys turned out so adorable, I just had to share them

First up, Susan B. Anderson's "Ribbit." Not only is this frog simply adorable, it is also very fun - because inside his body is a bouncy rubber ball. So he hops like a frog!

Second, using the same yarn as the frog, I made the caterpillar from Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

I followed this pattern but made my own adjustments to more closely match Eric Carle's caterpillar: I made the antennae purple and added feet (because, as Vincent pointed out, the caterpillar in the book has 6 feet). I also crocheted the eyes and nose rather than cutting them out of felt. I think the result is a very close resemblance to Carle's famous caterpillar. (And if you are a fan of the book, there are several adorable patters for toys and baby clothes based on this book - have a look here and here and here.)

I am now finishing up the fingerless gloves for my youngest niece, who will be turning 9 in July. I also am going to make something for the raffle for the Relay for Life at our daycare. And maybe it is because of the cool and rainy winter weather we have been having here, I am really yearning to make a colorful afghan. I have been so inspired by Lucy at Attic 24 and am thinking that I might try to make an afghan similar to this one or maybe this one next. I also have been working on a pile of granny squares for a blanket - and granny squares make a great project to work on during my commute and over my lunch break at work. So I think I might take a break from short projects like toys and fingerless gloves and work on some longer-term projects for a while...at least until Vincent and Desmond ask me to make another toy animal for them to add to their collection (like this crocodile or this snake or this lobster or even Captain Barnacles from the Octonauts!)