Tag Archives: Critter Mitts

Critter Knit puppets

by
2

Yep. The knitted toys continue. Today it’s puppets. My entire set is designed by Karen Dimeler-Laurence. Check out “Critter Mitts” in her Toy Box eBook available at KnitPicks. If you link through via Ravelry you can also check out other versions of these puppets. Mine are all knit in Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride worsted. The bright colors really sing in these puppets.

First up: Triceratops. Three horns. Great top display. Excellent mouth. He’ll be shouting all sorts of scary stuff in no time at all.

I decided to knit this entire set with safety eyes. My embroidery skills are minimal. And the eyes looked quite spiffy when I first tried them on for size. One caveat though: the stems of the safety eyes are pretty scratchy rubbing against the top of the hand. So it’s not impossible that these critters might actually draw blood if someone jams their hand into the puppet too aggressively. Embroidering the eyes would be better for the youngest of puppeteers in your clan.

Here’s Tyrannosaurus Rex, of course. Quite a set of choppers. But my favorite part is probably the effect created by his silly little…well, arms.

My only modification to T-Rex was to add a row of garter stitch to the teeth, after the cast-on, before beginning the picot bind-off. I felt it would give his teeth more heft.

Next up: Sea Monster.

Again, I added that extra row of garter stitch–this time to the monster’s side frills. And nice super-big eyes, just because.

You’ve probably already noticed that these puppets are really one basic pattern. Up to the spot in the pattern where you put stitches on a holder to create the mouth hole, you’re just knitting a mitten. Same for after the mouth hole. Instead of knitting a thumb, you continue with the bottom of the mouth in the skin color. Then you knit a mouth patch that you’ll later sew in place. The different critters are achieved by knitting different embellishments.

Knitting that loop stitch mane was the high point of working on the Lion.

The patterns tell you, carefully, where to place the facial features.

I’m already thinking about how I will display my puppets in my new craft room. The Campbell’s Soup can I used for their porch pedestal photos actually worked fairly well though. In addition to these four critters, the pattern provides instructions for a platypus and a zebra.

I knit this set once before back in 2016. Such fun!

You probably noticed the anglerfish I improvised in my earlier set. My grandson liked anglerfish. Here’s a closer look at him. (The Anglerfish, not Isaac.)

I have a strong “blind follower” streak in my knitting most times. This pattern invites improvising.

Puppet Time

by
6

groupshot2

Here’s the whole gang. With the notable exception of that character in the center angling for your attention, these kid-sized puppets are “Critter Mitts” by Kerin Dimeler-Laurence. They are part of Toy Box, an ebook available on Knit Picks.

Now for some “up close and personals.” This first guy is Sea Monster.

monster_puppet

Sea Monster is trying to show off his extra set of eyeballs in this next pic. I added those to the pattern. He just seemed to be a four-eyes sort. Love those frilly gills.

seamonster_final2

Here’s the King of the Jungle.

lion_final

T-Rex is next, He wants to out-roar the King of the Jungle.

t_rex_shouting

I love those silly puny front legs. Actually, this shot makes him look like he’s yawning. So here’s a view that makes him look a bit more ferocious. Great set of teeth!

t_rex_puppet

Next is Triceratops. Check out the 3 horns. And don’t be distracted that his crest looks a bit like a piece of toast dripping with mint jam. Some fairly recent research suggests dinosaurs were likely quite colorful creatures. OK. Probably not this colorful.

triceratops_puppet

Here’s T-Rex is in his twist and shout pose.

tricera_final_twisted

Now, here’s my add-on to the gang. These puppets are just a smallish mitten, with basically a somewhat wide and centrally placed thumb. Once you’ve made a few, it’s easy to dream up ways to personalize the set with some specialty characters. Obviously, this guy’s an anglerfish.

anglerfish

Don’t swim to close to that lure, now.

anglerfish_rear

With some help from the hands of my young neighbors, here’s a few outdoor action shots.

Sea monster gets ready for a dive into ‘ye old swimming…bucket.

seamonster_swimming

Lion is going to loll about in the grass.

lion_grass

T-Rex and Triceratops have decided they are vegetarians and both want to munch that tasty bush.

tri_cera_eating

t-rex_eating

And the Anglerfish wants to get into the swim too.

anglerfish_swimming

Finally, another group shot. The gang gets along pretty well. Some of them sleep together in Isaac’s bed and so far there hasn’t been any rumble in the jumble.

groupshot4

Just think, they all started out like this.

tapestry_bowl

This yarn is an old favorite of mine. It’s the long ago discontinued Classic Elite Tapestry. Great yarn. 75% wool, 25% mohair. Don’t think you’ll find any though.