toys
i've been trying to remind myself, when knitting gifts for children, that little ones often care more for toys than clothes. armed with that thought and an arsenal of cool patterns found in jess hutch's booklet Unusual Toys for You to Knit and Enjoy, i made a cupcake and a snake.





birds' eye view:


cupcake pattern: this, but slightly modified (top is in stockinette)
yarn: knitpicks shine sport
needles: size 3 and 2 dpns

snake pattern: from Jess Hutch's abovementioned booklet
yarn: knitpicks shine sport for the green, and a similarly-contented yarn i got in a swap for the orange (i forget the brand)
needles: size 3 and 2 dpns
eyes: felt

so ... the cupcake was intended for Baby Yasmin, and the snake for her older brother Kamar. i received this report from their mom:

ar actually was with me when we opened the box (he LOVES presents so was happy to just have it arrived) and as soon as I opened it he ran over with both the cupcake and the snake to give them to 'baby', as he calls her. Later, he retrieved the cupcake and tosses is about like a ball ;-)

i actually am rather pleased that they decided to switch up which item was for whom.

.... and .... here's a robot i just put the finishing touches on. i look like a total spaz in the pictures, but you see the robot is pretty gloriously 80's colored.