Improvisation

It's been a while since I tried to work out something completely new in my knitting. Oh, there have been scarves, but I know a lot of different techniques for scarves and its fairly hard to go too far wrong. Hard, but yet somehow I manage it.

Since I finished the latest Twirly Skirt, I've been at a bit of a loss for bus projects. My criteria for bus projects is: short/circular needles; yarn in balls; and rows I can stop at any point. Generally, I've also looked for simple things, either stuff I've made before or basic patterns. For some reason, it had never occurred to me to use bus time for the sort of knitting experimentation that I never seem to get round to at home.

Months ago, I bought several balls of 4 ply with crazy, ambitious but vague plans of working out how to knit a person. It's something I've had in mind for a while but never quite started. Yes, I know there are countless doll/amiguri/person patterns out there but I want one that's mine. Something that's flexible enough to use for any number of different things.

Not a headless zombie. Really.

Turns out, feet are hard. Really hard. It took me three days of bus journeys to be happy with what I had for the feet but, since then, it's gone rather well. The hands have come out a lot better than I'd expected, thanks to my car share partner who suggested mitten hands. They look rubbish in the picture but will be better when finished off. And even better when I make a second copy of this thing and actually get them to the same size!

I'm trying to minimise the sewing up (the worst part of making toys) and it's been worked in one piece so far. I'm particularly happy with the joins on the ankles and wrists because, not only does it remove the need for sewing up, but it also looks like cuffs. I have used a seam up the backs of the legs and undersides of arms but that may change in draft two.

On Sunday I started on the head and I think that's going to take even more attempts than the feet. What shape are heads, anyway? But the fact that it's come this far in a couple of weeks is really reassuring. It's even got pipe cleaners in it so the figure can be posed a bit and the soles of the feet are felt rather than knitted so there's a chance it might be able to stand - something else I'd really hoped to work out.

I guess the true reason why I'm making this pattern up, rather than using an existing one, is simple: Where else am I going to find something that is customisable; 4 ply; small; one-piece; poseable; and has a chance of standing up?

Me? Demanding? Never.