Thank you all so much for your many suggestions on what toy to knit for Ellen's little boy. I let Steve make the final selection and he chose Maddox the Mischievous Monster! A big thank you to Hilary (TheYarniad) and Kelly (Celtic Cast On) (both awesome knitters) who came up with this suggestion.
Maddox the Mischievous Monster is well known for small acts of mischief such as hiding socks and jumping out from under the bed and someone is responsible for my chewed up glasses. Just look at those teeth. And yet. There is someone else in this household with big teeth. Someone with more of a criminal mind. I don't think we can lay blame for my glasses on Maddox. Do you?
I was pleased that this was the toy Steve liked best because I wanted to make something fairly substantial in size that could be hugged and lugged about (the little boy is only just turning four next month). It was also important to me that the toy be tactile in appeal similar to a fuzzy teddy bear. To achieve that feel I selected a very soft base yarn and stranded it with a mohair yarn and it did come out very soft and fuzzy.
Oh, before I forget, aren't his eyes great! They are Suncatcher Craft Eyes in metallic purple (24 mm size) sold at an incredibly reasonable price on-line by ChezMichelle.
Particulars: Maddox the Mischievous Monster by Danger Crafts; 1 skein (plus a small amount of a second skein) of Rehue Multy by Araucania, colorway No. 10 (baby alpaca 75%, silk 18%, 7% polyamide) stranded with kidsilk aura by Rowan; US 9 needles using both straight and circular. No modifications except I used a kitchener stitch to BO instead of a 3 needle BO as I think that creates a softer seam. Dimensions: 10" (height) and 17" (around his middle). 
Toys Toys and More Toys
There were so many cute toy ideas either left as a comment or sent to me in a private email that I wanted to make a list for quick reference as a thank you to all of you for being there for me!
Bunny by Berroco ~ free pattern
Garden Slug by Cheezombie
Airplane by Patons ~ free pattern
Daphne and Delilah by Danger Crafts
Itty-Bitty Toys by Susan B. Anderson
Knitted Toys by Zoe Mellor
Toys by Fuzzy Mitten
Penelope the Empathetic Monster by Danger Crafts
Nautie by Knitty ~ free pattern
Toys by Twins Knit
Otto by Ysolda
Teddy Bear by Debbie Bliss
Loch Ness Monster by Hansi Singh
Horse by Lion Brand ~ free pattern
Rosemary or Robert Bunny Rabbits by Adrienne Deaville
Bunnies by Mary Jane's Tea Room
The Long Journey Home
Miss Elly (blogged here) and Maddox the Mischievous Monster are getting ready to start their journey to their new home. I'm sure they will be BFFs ("best friends forever") just like the children who will receive them. That is actually a prayer I have for these children. That they will be BFFs forever and ever and ever and never grow apart.
PS the flower attached to Miss Elly is a broach I made with hand painted wool roving. There will be more about wet felting with wool roving coming up in later posts!
Pancakes Anyone?
Maddox the Monster just loves pancakes for breakfast and, coincidentally, so do I. So I thought I would send along a recipe for pancakes so he can be fed properly in his new home and I'm going to share the recipe with you too. This recipe makes thick fluffy pancakes just the way I like them. The recipe came from an old copy of Joy of Cooking (at least I think it did) which is slightly different in the current edition. Because I like them made this way, I'll share what I believe is an original version of the recipe:
Sift before measuring 1 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour
Resift the flour with the following:
Scant teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
In a separate bowl combine:
1 slightly beaten eggs
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/4 C. Milk (or slightly more to make batter consistently you like)
Steps:
Mix liquid ingredients quickly into dry ingredients. Immediately cook pancakes on hot oiled griddle pan.
Tip: I like to flip my pancakes prior to all the bubbles bursting as I think it helps fluff up the pancakes to have some of the air bubbles still trapped. Serve with butter, maple syrup and fresh fruit.
Until next time, be well, love well and why not add a Mischievous Monster to your life? It's a great excuse to make pancakes!
Maddox the Mischievous Monster is well known for small acts of mischief such as hiding socks and jumping out from under the bed and someone is responsible for my chewed up glasses. Just look at those teeth. And yet. There is someone else in this household with big teeth. Someone with more of a criminal mind. I don't think we can lay blame for my glasses on Maddox. Do you?
I was pleased that this was the toy Steve liked best because I wanted to make something fairly substantial in size that could be hugged and lugged about (the little boy is only just turning four next month). It was also important to me that the toy be tactile in appeal similar to a fuzzy teddy bear. To achieve that feel I selected a very soft base yarn and stranded it with a mohair yarn and it did come out very soft and fuzzy.
Oh, before I forget, aren't his eyes great! They are Suncatcher Craft Eyes in metallic purple (24 mm size) sold at an incredibly reasonable price on-line by ChezMichelle.
Toys Toys and More Toys
There were so many cute toy ideas either left as a comment or sent to me in a private email that I wanted to make a list for quick reference as a thank you to all of you for being there for me!
Bunny by Berroco ~ free pattern
Garden Slug by Cheezombie
Airplane by Patons ~ free pattern
Daphne and Delilah by Danger Crafts
Itty-Bitty Toys by Susan B. Anderson
Knitted Toys by Zoe Mellor
Toys by Fuzzy Mitten
Penelope the Empathetic Monster by Danger Crafts
Nautie by Knitty ~ free pattern
Toys by Twins Knit
Otto by Ysolda
Teddy Bear by Debbie Bliss
Loch Ness Monster by Hansi Singh
Horse by Lion Brand ~ free pattern
Rosemary or Robert Bunny Rabbits by Adrienne Deaville
Bunnies by Mary Jane's Tea Room
The Long Journey Home
Miss Elly (blogged here) and Maddox the Mischievous Monster are getting ready to start their journey to their new home. I'm sure they will be BFFs ("best friends forever") just like the children who will receive them. That is actually a prayer I have for these children. That they will be BFFs forever and ever and ever and never grow apart.
PS the flower attached to Miss Elly is a broach I made with hand painted wool roving. There will be more about wet felting with wool roving coming up in later posts!
Pancakes Anyone?
Maddox the Monster just loves pancakes for breakfast and, coincidentally, so do I. So I thought I would send along a recipe for pancakes so he can be fed properly in his new home and I'm going to share the recipe with you too. This recipe makes thick fluffy pancakes just the way I like them. The recipe came from an old copy of Joy of Cooking (at least I think it did) which is slightly different in the current edition. Because I like them made this way, I'll share what I believe is an original version of the recipe:
Old Fashioned Pancake Recipe
Sift before measuring 1 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour
Resift the flour with the following:
Scant teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
In a separate bowl combine:
1 slightly beaten eggs
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/4 C. Milk (or slightly more to make batter consistently you like)
Steps:
Mix liquid ingredients quickly into dry ingredients. Immediately cook pancakes on hot oiled griddle pan.
Tip: I like to flip my pancakes prior to all the bubbles bursting as I think it helps fluff up the pancakes to have some of the air bubbles still trapped. Serve with butter, maple syrup and fresh fruit.
Until next time, be well, love well and why not add a Mischievous Monster to your life? It's a great excuse to make pancakes!
29 comments:
Oh so very cute, I'm sure they will be worn out by love. But I think knitted toys hold up better then store bought toys, at least I still have my big dolly, who was knit, and I received as a toddler.
Oh I love pancakes. Hmmm, maybe for dinner.
Yay great Maddox! I'm sure he will be loved!
How is your mischievous monster doing? hehhe
Claudia he's DARLING! I think you've made two children very very happy...Maddox and Miss Elly are just darling!
And no, I don't think you can blame the glasses on Maddox. Maybe someone with four paws.....
Those toys are too cute! What a lovely gesture from you as well.
Adorable toys. What a lovely gesture. g
That is a darn cute monster! And thanks for the pancake recipe. I'm always looking at homemade pancake recipes but so many of them seem fussy. This one seems pretty easy (and they look good too!).
Your toys will be so well loved, how wonderful they look. Your pancakes look delicious, and we love them in this household too. Is your little puppy chewing glasses already, maybe he needs a knitted toy to chew too!
Those Danger Crafts patterns are so cute - we got them in the LYS where I work part-time, and everyone has volunteered to knit them for store samples!
I think the shot of the two toys together is priceless.
Too cute,Claudia!!they will love them!!
and those pancakes look divine...thanks for the recipe~~!
Maddox is so cute and I am positive he will be well loved. The two toys are so amazing and unique. I have a feeling a furry somebody likes sunglasses!!!! I always wonder how people make their pancakes so fluffy. I think I need to try your method. Hope life is easing off a bit. I am in my last week of my ethics course and then I get a three week break! Yippeeeeeee.
Maddox and Miss Elly are so cute. I'm sure they will be well loved and treasured by little hands. Thank you for your pancake recipe. One of my favorite foods :D
What a darling monster! But please don't tell him I said that :)
I have several bunnies living at my house. Most are woolies but one is more of a cotton lover. They all prefer carrot cake.
Oh, Maddox you have huge, scary teeth but I feel all warm & fuzzy when I look at you! ;o) He is wonderful, Claudia--and those eyes really add extra character. And so does the X for his belly button! ;o) He will be greatly loved. I can see Maddox getting very worn out from being hugged and squooshed lots. I must show your pancaked to my hubby... he's the pancake king of Norway, or, well...that's what I call him. He makes the best American-style pancakes. And he's always on the hunt for a new recipe to try. Thanks so much for sharing... And great toys links too! Happy Days, my friend ((HUGS))
Hope Maddox and Elly have a safe trip!!!
Those toys are fantastic, what fortunate children your recipients are :).
Thanks for all the great toy links, I am forever getting requests around here so I bookmarked some of those patterns.
Wonderful! The kids will love them!
So cute! I want to hug him into submission!
Perfect gifts along with perfect wishes for the children! And anything topped with blackberries is worth making...thanks for the recipe!
I love Maddox and his beautiful elephant friend Miss Elly. Those are great gifts for the children.
Also - the Joy of Cooking has been, hands down, the best cookbook/reference book I have ever had. And I LOVE their pancake recipe. Easy, and if I can make it turn out, anyone can.
Maddox turned out so well, a perfect companion to Miss Elly. The flower turned out so cute also. I seriously think with those teeth Maddox might be to blame?? Thanks for the links, and I'm dying to try your pancakes! I'm off the weekend and have some fresh blueberries. Thanks for the flipping tip, my pancakes are never as fluffy as I want them.
Vicki
Maddox is wonderful! They're going to be such loved toys, such heartfelt gifts.
Mmm, pancakes are our favourite breakfast, we try to enjoy them every Sunday morning our on the deck. Will definitely try your recipe, thanks for sharing the original.
Your 4-legged fur baby has expensive taste in teething toys... ;)
Aww, Maddox! Honestly, he could not be any cuter. The teeth are so cute, the colors are great, I love his shape, and the eyes are fantastic! (I am seriously considering stocking up for all future toy-making projects.) I keep going back to the photos because the little guy brings such a big smile to my face!! I'm sure his future owner is going to LOVE him. What a wonderful gift!
Very nice! What kind gifts.
I could have pancakes for dinner, but since the Knight will be out... probably not tonight.
Claudia, you picked the perfect project! Boy-like but still very cuddly. And obviously knit with love, the most important ingredient.
Ursula
And somebody, somewhere, wrote about making monster pancakes.
My thoughts and prayers are with the children.
Thank you all for your kind words and prayers for these children. They have a wonderful father and you won't find better people than Steve's extended family. They will come through this heartache and enjoy life as Ellen would have wished.
fabulous!
What a great looking monster, or is that an oxymoron? Any way you did a great job making hima nd I'm sure he's going to bring hours of fun to his new owner.
Sooo Cute! And those pancakes...oh YUM...thanks for the recipe.
How's the new pup doing?
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