Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Hop


Hi Knitters,
Last May I designed and knitted a new bunny pattern for Blue Sky Alpacas. The pattern is now available and is called, Hop. Honestly, I had no idea what Hop would end up looking like when I started. I had a couple of ideas in mind when I began. One was that I wanted to knit the bunny in one piece with no seaming. The other idea was that the bunny should have a vintage feel. When I looked at some vintage toy images I gathered a couple of consistencies that ran throughout. Many of the fabric toys and dolls were long and many were flat. I liked this shape because a lot of the toys I design are round and chubby. This would be different and a fun challenge.

The image above is from the Blue Sky Alpacas photo shoot and it is the photo on the pattern. Isn't it beautiful? The photograph tells a story. The storybook quality is priceless. It's so moody. This photo tells more than a story, it could be the start of a novel.
The following photos tell the story of me in my living room with a finished bunny and a camera. It's not quite as intriguing. The bunny is knit in Blue Sky Hand Spun which is a huge treat. It is one of my favorites because of the homey hand spun feel. It is bumpy and sweet and organic and fantastically vintage-like in itself.

If you aren't sure how the construction works to knit a toy in one piece here it is kind of spelled out. You start knitting at the first toe and continue on to knit the leg. Set aside. Knit the second foot and leg. Join the legs together on the next round and begin to knit the body up to the underarms. Knit the arms separately starting at the hand. Join the arms to the body on the next round. Decrease for the shoulders and neck. Increase slightly for the head. Separate for each ear and knit to the top of the ear. You are done! There are only a couple of little gaps that will need closing up with a couple of quick stitches at the end.

What a fun little knit. You see the bunny come to life as you work.
I decided Hop could use a sporty sweater with a carrot applique and...
... a hole for the bunny tail to peek through. The sweater is knit in Blue Sky Skinny Dyed Cotton. It is knit in one piece as well, no seams.
I added some sweet whiskers to give Hop a distinguished look.
He looks sort of book smart to me and sort of soulful at the same time.
I love the over sized feet. Anyway, this pattern is an accomplishment for me. Creating Hop pushed my knitting in new ways. If you make Hop for yourself or a friend or loved one, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.



You can purchase the pattern here among many other online and local yarn shops.


It's the perfect season for some serious bunny knitting with spring on the way soon. For some reason I love knitting bunnies. Here are some other bunny patterns I have made: Bunny, the free Rabbit pattern, the Oh, Bunny! washcloth, the easiest ever garter stitch square Bunny & Chick, the Organic Cotton Bunnies in One Skein Wonders, the Chubby Bunny, the Bunny Rattle, and the Bunny Tail Hat.

Phew! Maybe I should do a whole book of knitted bunnies. That would be fun.

Always remember that somebunny loves you, especially a knitted somebunny. (I'm such a nerd.)
best, susie

27 comments:

Allegra said...

love him Susan! He's so cute. And I love the carrot applique AND the hole for his bunnytail. Wonderful!

Miss Julep said...

Hop is so darned CUTE!!! LOVE him!

The Cooking Ninja said...

aww..he's so cute. Love your little bunny guy.

anne said...

Lovely! What did you use for the whiskers? They have a nice bit of "heft" to them, and don't look like plain old yarn.

Susan B. Anderson said...

Anne,
The whiskers are black embroidery floss:)
susan

Stefanie said...

Hop is so cute; I can see a baby sucking on an ear or a toddler dragging it around by the ears or leg. Awesome work, Susan.

barb said...

LOVE the hole for the bunny tail. He is FANTASTIC. Perfect for the Easter bunny patch.

Katie B said...

Ooh, I need to get knitting on these before Easter! Knitting him in one piece really makes it for me. I love knitting, but sewing seams? Not so much.

MaryLou said...

He's a cutie! Reminds me of Bugs Bunny - long and lanky. Very easy for a toddler to drag around everywhere.

Robin said...

Okay- I just ordered enough to knit two for my sweet grandbabies for Easter! Love your patterns!

Nicole said...

He is fantastic! I've finished the heart washcloth for my niece (thanks again for working so hard to get that to me), just released from the NICU and heading home. Maybe her and her cousins (my kiddos) need an intellectual bunny, next? Yes, I think so.
-n

SockPixie said...

Darling!I am going to go through my fiber stash to find the perfect one to spin for Hop. Thanks for another great project.

paws said...

Oh, I just love it! I agree with what you said about that first photo. I almost want a print of it or something.

Kar said...

Another fine job Susan! Hop is absolutely adorable! I'll have to wait to show the girls because I know I will have to get the pattern and make a few for them. I'll be getting it soon. :)

xxxx

Sara in WI said...

When I grow up, I want to be a nerd like you...

Unknown said...

Hop is adorable! I may have to give him a try!

Ina said...

What an adorable bunny! Love the sweater with the hole for his tail.

Jill said...

so adorable!

Anonymous said...

What an adorable bunny! And thanks for the all-in-1 construction - seams are the least fun part of any project for me.

Heather L. said...

Hi Susan,
Just wondering if I can order this as a pdf download somewhere -- or are the yarn shops carrying the pattern as well as the yarn.
Thanks,
Heather
hrlefebvreATyahooDOTcom

Renae said...

I'm with Heather- can I order the download? The link added a shipping charge that made me think that they would ship it to me. But, if that's the only way- I'm ready to order it today. He is sooooo cute! I love everything you do.

Susan B. Anderson said...

Renae,
The pattern is only available in paper form from online and local yarn shops that carry Spud & Chloe and Blue Sky Alpacas.

Thanks and have fun if you decide to make Hop!
Susan

Renae said...

Thanks, Susan. He's definitely on my to-do list.

Josey said...

I would love to win this book but it looks like a must have book and I am just going to have to purchase one even if I don't win. But it would be awfully fun to win!! Josey

Josey said...

I would love to win this book but it looks like a must have so I think if I don't win it I am going to have to purchase one. But it would be very fun to win it!!

Renae said...

Susan, I am working on "Hop" and have a question. Hope this is a good place to ask. On the Head Shaping, between the Dec Rnd1 and Dec Rnd 2, I am not getting the same # of stitches at the end of Rnd 2. I start with 13-6-6, but when I do Rnd 2 I get 8-6-6 instead of 10-5-5. I am on my 2nd bunny and I think I just rearranged the stitches on the first one, but his ears are not sitting on his head right. Please help. I love my first bunny- even if his ears are not quite right. No one seemed to notice. :)

Susan B. Anderson said...

Renae,
I posted a comment to your blog. Please send me your email address so I can have the Blue Sky tech editor respond directly to you.
Thanks,
susan
my email is on the blog sidebar.