Teddy Bear

Here at last, these cute little crochet baby shoes, I just adore the teddy bear faces on them. They were really fun to make, well maybe a bit fiddly when it came to making the ears, but they are worth a bit of faffing wouldn’t you say?

You may remember I told you back in August about my colleague NG who was expecting her second child when I wrote about the Teddy Bear (thegrangerange.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/teddy-bear-for-a-baby-boy-from-lois-daykins-baby-crochet-book/). Well the expected little man has made his entrance to the world and is now the grand old age of 2 weeks. NG and son number one, Master R, brought Baby S into the office last week to see us, so sweet, so little, so sleepy.

Big brother Master R, was so excited as he proudly introduced little Baby S as my new sister! Well, he is only three and a half himself, bless.

Anyway back to these lovely little baby boots. I used the same as for the Teddy, Rico Soft Essentials Merino Aran from www.crafty-yarn.co.uk/shop/115/175/index.htm the delicate pale blue for the main bootee colour with beige for the face and paws and a touch of cream for the finishing touches.

I am definitely intrigued by baby shoes, you see so many fabulous designs from cute Baby Jane shoes to mock Wellies, Converse baseball styled boots and trainers.

I was a bit confused at first as other shoes that I have made have always started with the sole and worked up but with these you start at the top. By making a chain and joining to form a circle then working in rounds you create the boot cuff.Then you add the top of the boot, it looks like a big blue tongue at this stage.

Then you pick up and work in rounds again the form the sides, heel and toe.

That leaves the sole to do.

So with the sole completed and a line of cream trim around the top of the bootee it’s time to make the sweetest of Teddy Bear faces, their cuteness being the essential element for these baby feet treats.

Finally stitch the face onto the bootee, I actually applied the features before stitching on the face as it was easier to manage and gave a neat finish as any ends were tucked away.

Make another one to match and you have the cutest little Teddy Bear Bootees fit for a prince, or in this case Baby S.

: Photo: Liv Cawston

This is my favourite photo of both Teddy and Booties taken by my lovely friend and photographer Liv, you can probably tell that she also took the image of the boots at the start of this post. I do my best with the photography but find it quite trying at times as I get shadows and dark patches or cannot get the composition to look on the image the way I had envisaged it in my head. I was struggling with this image when Liv just happened to pop round and quick as a flash (pardon the pun) it is done. You can see more of Liv’s work on her website www.livcawston.co.uk . Thank you Liv.

This book by Lois Daykin is definitely one that I could recommend. I found the book when browsing on amazon recently, it has one of those look inside options so you can have a look at some of the patterns before you commit to purchase. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Baby-Crochet-Designs-Babies-Months/dp/1904485871

Here is project number two from Lois Daykin’s Baby Crochet book. I have not told you about my first one yet that will follow shortly, my wonderful Stripy Cat!!

I took the book into the office along with my finished gorgeously lovely Stripy Cat to show the girls. NG who is expecting her second child fell in love with the Teddy and matching Bootee’s so I was delighted to say I would make them for her expected little man.

Actually the truth is I had already planned to make them for her so was secretly excited to have approval for making this gorgeous pair of cuties. I had sent for the wool the previous week so was ready to get started straight away. I am using the Rico Soft Essentials Merino Aran from www.crafty-yarn.co.uk/shop/115/175/index.htm this delicate pale blue for the main teddy colour with beige for the paws and and cream for the tummy. I am always pleased when Crafty Yarn have the yarn I am looking for as they offer a very quick service which is a downfall with some other wool websites.

If you have a favourite website that you can recommend please let me know. Isn’t it dreadful when you get all excited about a new project then have to wait 10 days for the wool to arrive! This has happened to me recently, ordered the yarn on the 24 July and still waiting!!!!!

Anyway, my apologies back to this exciting project. Here he is, a first glimpse of the pattern.

This is only the second toy I have ever made so I found it very interesting seeing how it all went together. I started as instructed with the body and head which are worked in one piece.

Starting by creating a base then working upwards in rounds to form the body and joining in with the cream for the tummy, then decreasing to shape the body up towards the head. You stuff the body as you go which means that you can manoeuvre the stuffing to get it nicely placed (no lumpy bits).

The pattern said to do the muzzle next but I was so keen to give Teddy some legs I skipped the nose, no particular reason I just wanted to give him some limbs!

The little paw pads are made separately and stitched on, a bit fiddly but worth it don’t you think?

He does look a little odd at this stage as you can see………….

…………. his face is lacking character and I thought his head was a slightly odd shape, so next I thought I should go back to following the pattern and make the muzzle. Once made the muzzle is stuffed and sewn in place.

With the muzzle made I set about completing the other leg and Teddy’s arms and stitched him all together. He was so pleased to be complete he could not stop looking at himself.

Eventually I managed to get him to sit nicely for a photograph.

I wanted the limbs to have a floppiness to them so I confess I did add an additional row of single crochet to the top of the legs and arms before sewing them on.

The picture I had in my mind is of Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh, do you know the picture I mean? When CR is dragging Pooh by the arm down the stairs