Thursday, March 4, 2010

Monkey for Harper


This Saturday I'll have been a grandmother for a year. Harper is a wonderful addition to our family. She's the first grandchild on both sides, and the first niece of many.
I had in mind to make her an amigurumi style monkey for her birthday. Why a monkey? Well, being born in the Chinese Astrology Year of the Monkey makes me partial. They're smart, fun, and they love a good party.

I used acrylic yarn and polyfill stuffing so that it could be washed if need be. Tiny bits of acrylic felt are embroidered on for the eyes, so that we don't have to worry about Harper choking on a button. I didn't use any pattern; long ago I learned how crochet lends itself to sculpture and I wanted to play with shaping as part of the design process. It's crocheted in the round, starting at the center of the big, red mouth. Sometimes I had to make short rows for shaping, as would be done on the heel of a sock. The mouth is crooked, the ears are different sizes, the arms and legs tend to twist a little, making the monkey look pigeon-toed, but I adore these flaws and consider them intentional.

Enjoy!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Congratulations on your grand daughters first birthday. My mother used to make me Raggedy Anne dolls growing up. I loved them so much. There is nothing better than to have a stuffed animal to squeeze and carry around. My Annes are saved in a trunk at my mother's house. She made her last one when my best friend had her first child at 40. Your grand daughter will cherish that Monkey forever! She is lucky to have such a great grand mother in her life!

Catherine
8 Women Dream
A Week In The Life of A Redhead