It's a Stitch Up

This little lady was recently brought into existence…

She was created following this pattern: Snow White the Unicorn by Cutie Patooties, which is available for $5.

I have previously shied away from making toys out of a dislike for fiddly seaming and work that’s “bitty”. When I was asked if I’d take a commission for a knitted unicorn I decided to meet the challenge and I’m glad to report that this was a pleasure to make.

The pattern is thorough, detailed and exceptionally well thought out. The toy has a real personality and it’s all down to getting the right placement and proportion of the features, which the pattern gives great guidance on.

I was sceptical about the knitted horn, but even that worked out. I put as much wadding into it as I could, but even so I think that knitting some fine craft wire in with the silver yarn would give the best result.

I am least happy with the mane. I followed the instructions and I’m a little disappointed with how visible the knots are. If there’s a knack to this I didn’t figure out what it was – further research required.

Overall I am delighted with how it turned out and I will be making more, probably multi-coloured horses a-la My Little Pony.

Some tips for knitted toy success:

• Leave long cast-on tails to use for joining together later
• Mattress stitch everything – even the join of the horn to the head is virtually invisible on my unicorn
• Stuff pieces with small amounts of wadding at a time – it gives a much more even shape
• Fine mohair yarn and silver thread held together with ordinary yard add an extra bit of magic
• Take care to get the placement of limbs and features exactly right – these give the toy its personality
• For young children, sewn or embroidered eyes are preferable to buttons or studs and remember to choose washable yarns