Monday, May 4, 2009

Yes, We Have No Swine Flu Here!


Sometimes a coincidence can be so serendipitous that the event becomes just downright eerie. How is it that I've been finalizing a pig pattern right at the exact same time that the swine flu blows across the globe?

Recently, I've been struggling to rediscover a potbelly amigurumi shape that I used last spring to create some Easter duckies. After discussing this struggle (and my lament for not jotting down the pattern at the time) in a previous post, I went forward and created two more morbidly obese plushies before, finally, I got the "stitch mix" just right!

First, the last of the fatty failures (that are--c'mon, admit it--exceptionally cute).

There's Eddie:

And Mucho:


But then it happened. Things went right. Now I have a four-animal pattern set, all based on the "potbelly" body shape:


While I've already taught a class using this pattern, I'm doing one final proofread before I post the pattern up on Etsy.

Someone in my knitting group asked me how I proofread a pattern. Great question! For me, I proof each pattern by suspending my intuition and using my pattern as if I were reviewing the instructions for the first time.

So far, so good.

Here are the original images of the duck I created while writing the pattern:

. . . and here's the test plushie (using a much thinner yarn and one hook size smaller):
Here are the original images of the rooster I created while writing the pattern:

. . . and here's the test plushie:
Here's the original piggy:





. . . and here's the test plushie (named HiNi, after the H1N1 virus. Sorry, I couldn't resist!):

Now, all that remains are a few edits to the current pattern and a test plushie of the bunny pattern.

Once the pattern's ready, I'll be sure to make the announcement!
. . . ah, now, hopefully, those amigurumi piggies I just created can serve as talismen that will ward off the flu virus! :)

Happy Hooking!
Christina

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