Today is my Dad’s birthday. My dad is hard to shop for and it isn’t because he has a lot of stuff…he doesn’t want or need a lot of stuff. The items that he wants he saves up for (i.e. a new bike, a kayak) you know the big stuff. He’d rather get used books than new books. He doesn’t watch movies. My Dad also doesn’t like warm clothes. He is typically in a t-shirt year round and while he does wear a coat in the winter he doesn’t need hat/scarves/mittens (he already has them!). So, what did I do for my Dad? I wanted something unique and special, something that would make him laugh.
I did the logical thing. I knit him a squirrel!
Squirrels have been a joke in my family for a long time. I don’t know how this happened but for some reason the joke is always there. The iron-pumping squirrels in Cleveland, the squirrels who wouldn’t eat Dad’s GARLIC pizza (that even we couldn’t eat), the squirrels being acrobats to get to the bird feeder, digging up the garden to hide food, and so on. So, when I saw this pattern (several years ago) I knew that I was going to make it for my Dad.
The pattern is from Fiber Trends and is called “Nuts About Squirrels”. The pattern was actually quick to knit and while it was a bit fiddly the pattern was very clearly written (when I actually read it and could tell my left from my right). I used 2 colors of Cascade 220 and a bit of Crystal Palace’s Fizz (upscale fun-fur!) on the tail.
I do hope that he likes it! Or at least has a good laugh!
By the way, the squirrel’s name is Earl and a co-worker suggested that I knit Earl a wife and babies. I see more squirrels knitting in my future.
I think Sparky might like his own squirrel to play with. He was incredibly enamored by this project. As soon as I stitched the tail on Earl Sparky was ALL over it. I couldn’t leave Earl on the table because Sparky would get on the table (yes, on the dining room table) to get it. I finally decided to put the squirrel on the mantle. One day Sparky saw Earl sitting up there and then proceeded to sit on the floor, staring at the squirrel and started whining. No kidding. Maybe someday I’ll knit him a felted box or ball, but he is NOT getting a squirrel to rip apart!
5 comments:
such a cute squirrel. and such a great photo of Mr. Sparkle Barkle. I'd have a hard time denying that face of anything.
Oh my gosh! Now that I know the story behind the squirrel, it's even more hilarious! (And seriously--so cute.) How could your dad not love it?
This is so so so cute! I can't imagine your dad not getting a kick out of it. And you have to do one for Sparky and then, Skeeter will want one, too.
Eee, I love it! He's much chubbier than the squirrel I made. Perhaps I'll have to try this pattern as well - we have lots of squirrel jokes/obsessions in my family too.
The squirrel is sooo cute and I can see why Sparky can't keep his eyes off him. :)
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