Cam’s Jacobus

jacobus_guitar

Yep, another Jacobus. This time it’s for a young neighbor of mine who tells me monkeys are just about his favorite animal. You’ve met my Jacobi before, actually Jacobus and his buddy Saar. They are the best knitted monkeys out there, and I’ve knit some cute ones before this. Jacobus is the creation of Annita Wilschut, the very talented Dutch designer who specializes in stuffies, like Vera the bear, Karel the bunny, and Joris the…the…dragon (I think).

Jacobus is knit all in one piece. No seaming. None. For those of you who are used to knitting Alan Dart or Debbie Bliss toy patterns (which are also cute as bugs’ ears), you are used to ending your knitting and bracing for a sewing session that takes just as long as the knitting. Not with a Wilschut pattern. Off the needles. Stuff the creature. Finished. OK, Jacobus’s overalls need just a bit of seaming–but it’s easy peasy.

cam_jacobus

cam_jacobus_back

Jacobus is sitting next to me begging me not to put him on the internet without his overalls. But I do want you to see him in his skin, so here goes.

Jacobus_2balls

jacobus_side

By the way, Jacobus is knit in Ella Rae Cozy Soft, a DK 75% acrylic, 25% wool mix. I’m afraid I have nothing good to say about working with this yarn. The colors are quite nice. That’s the best I can say.

Rainbow Vera in her raingear

vera_dressed

Recently I’ve been on an Annita Wilschut knitting frenzy. I’ve knit Joris, Karel, Jacobus and Saar, and Vera. Mostly I’ve knit in Quaere Fibre Self-Striping Sportweight Superwash–a wonderful yarn, including for stuffed buddy projects.

Here’s my entire Wilschut gang, including Rainbow Vera decked out in her raingear.annita_gang

Vera’s clothes, a separate Wilschut pattern, are very detailed. Apparently Vera is a bit fussy about how her clothes fit. You knit linings, pockets, and even some short row shaping.

vera_hat2

vera's_raincoat

That teeny raincoat even needed blocking to assure that its seams laid properly and that the garter stitch band didn’t curl. There are three small yarn over buttonholes knit into the band. But Vera is headed to a little one and so right now buttons are not a good idea.

Vera is especially pleased with her hat.

vera_hat

She thinks the color shows off her stripes quite nicely and even tones down her red nose a tad.

vera_sidedressed

She isn’t sure why she’s got both a hood on her raincoat and a hat, but she’s not complaining. I told her that the hood could come in handy in a major downpour.

Vera pleaded with me not to show her naked, but I told her knitters and readers would want to see her pretty rainbow skin. I did agree that I’d not put her butt on display, though.

Rainbow_vera