So here we have a mini-kitty, a tabby, ermmm ... a tab-let.

I'd forgotten just how many pieces were in the kitten, so it was a little fiddly at times in mini size.

The pattern was a fairly simple reduction as no conversion to chunky snowflake was involved and the shaping was not too involved.

A reminder of the original patterns is here.

Having successfully checked and re-checked the mini-pig pattern, it's time to move on to something else.

The Not-So-Small Child has requested a kitty, so now for a mini-kitty pattern.

Now to halve the measurements for a smaller, cheaper, more saleable piggy.


Update:

Mini-pig:

I've written before about knitting where tension is not an issue. That post is here.

But there are times when tension is very important, usually garments.

My latest project is to be a fluffy pink pig based on Alan Dart's Sirdar pattern which uses predominantly snowflake DK yarn.

Now, the colour (or anything like it) has been discontinued, so an alternative is required.

I went for Sirdar's snowflake chunky instead, which is usually knitted up on 5mm needles.

An adaption of the pattern was required, especially as a plain DK yarn is also used in conjunction.

The tension for snowflake DK on 3mm needles is 26st over 36rows on a standard square, and chunky is 18st over 24rows on 4mm, a simple ratio between the two of 1.4.

Adapting the pattern meant a little maths as both width and length have to be adjusted and also allowing for shaping - sketching things out was very helpful here, especially for the turn rows shaping the top of the head.

So I now had the pattern adapted for the new yarn.

Of course, things were never going to be that easy, not knowing me!

There are TWO errors I made. It would have been a lot easier to sort out one. It would have been even easier had I knitted tension squares to begin with!

First mistake, I inadvertently knitted the snowflake on 3mm needles - I'd been using 3mm needles for just about everything for so long, it seemed natural and I didn't even realise.

Second mistake, I didn't check that the plain DK yarn I was using would knit up without distortion on 3 mm needles. It doesn't.

It would have been so much easier had I simply done this to begin with:

A very important lesson hard learned!

And here he is, an enchanting wizard:

Well, that's enough of that. I feel quite exhausted and more than a little tired of these dolls. So, before I start the princess, it's time for a fluffy pink pig.

All cast on and ready to go.

Coulomb's feet are based on Rosie Rabbit's from Alan Dart's Animal Magic (sadly now, hard to come by because, yes, you've guessed it, Sirdar discontinued most of the colours.):

Coulomb's nose is actually Rosie's tail!

And Coulomb's hands are based on Gordon Gorilla's (same source):

(I've scanned in the pictures of the animals from Animal Magic. They're here.)

So the secret of Coulomb is that, instead of reinventing the wheel, I took bits of other patterns and adapted them to my needs (rather like Object Oriented Programming - oh yes, I have now linked knitting to computer programming!!).

Finally, after sewing up what seemed to be a thousand seams, but were in fact only six, the sleeves were fitted in and stars embroidered on.

Looking at the cloak now, I think some more stars are in order, but as I am sick of the cloak at present, they can wait until the hat is done.

And that's the next task....

All cast on and ready to go.

Samuel Crowe now resides in Cornwall. Not quite Penzance, but close enough. He and Elizabeth are here:

There are lots of interesting things to look at and buy in the shop including hand-crafted products from many local crafters: 

Handmade Genuine Gemstone Jewellery, handmade cards, models and model kits, prints, water colour paintings, wool goods, crochet items, patchwork and felt gifts, glass-work, ceramics, cross stitch patterns and yarns, costume jewellery, shamballa bracelets, solid silver jewellery, wool and new and second-hand books.......and more. 

It's well worth a visit should you be down Hayle way.

A Breath of Fresh Air opened in June this year and is at 15 Fore Street, Hayle

Early in 1999, I discovered I was pregnant.

What does any staunchly unfashionable mother-to-be do? Knit. Knitting had not yet started to regain its fashionable status. Maybe I had subconsciously picked up that it would, or was simply a woman of the times and the inevitability of knitting's return, or maybe it was just coincidence.

There was not a plethora of knitting magazines with patterns of mobile phone covers and mug covers (and other such ridiculous nonsense), so I bought a pattern I liked, needles and some yarn and got started.

It became apparent very quickly that vague memories from the dim and very distant past were not good enough to actually knit. The internet was very helpful with diagrams of casting on, knitting and purling, and so on, but, being a book work, what I needed was.....

...... a book.

I chose 'Knitting in Plain English' by Maggie Righetti and it became my bible. It is not a book for everyone; flicking through it now, I think I need to re-read parts as I will now understand them better.

From baby clothes, the logical progression was to garments for myself.

At first, they were simple constructions with the odd detail here and there. But gradually the amount of detail and complexity of stitches increased becoming more and more lacey.

This ended up with the ultimate in lace - Shetland Lace. (Gladys Amedro's book is the one I started with.)

In another direction, children's clothes became fluffier (using eyelash yarns) and introduced not only colour work, but stuffing. In the pattern, the rabbit's nose is stuffed.

When Lethlet grew out of his rabbit jumper, it was incumbent on me  to knit him another in a bigger size.

Although colour work progressed, there was a particular direction in which 'fluffiness' and stuffing went.....

At first, I knitted the rabbit. Then I had to knit Rabbit's Friend (in black and white this time). Then it was the kitten, which was instrumental in a long-lasting near-obsession in kittens. Finally, the gorilla, who had to gain a tail on the insistence of the Lethlet.

This particular booklet is extremely hard to get hold of now, but some of the animals and many many more are available from Alan Dart's website.

I find that I am now highly critical of toy patterns and my favourite pattern designer is still Alan Dart. The current projects approach, although they do not quite meet, his standard.

Of course, Coulomb will tell you he is the ultimate in this particular direction (and who would disillusion that face?):

Alistair is finally modelling his matching tunic.

The published corrections, here, were needed. (Note, some of the corrections are not highlighted in the pdf.)

He has two belts, each made from three yarns, twisted, of yellow, soft purple and bright purple (which I shall be using for his cloak and hat).

Apart from his sandals, which I shall do later, I am done with the soft purple ...

So, moving along ....

On to the cloak.

All cast on and ready to go.