08-15-2024

Using 13.5mm pearl blue eyes. I ordered some other eyes which have a paper backing that holds the color and they just aren’t good quality. So I’m using these that I already had. Unfortunately the seller is no longer on etsy, so I can’t link the ones I’m using. I can’t seem to find any other sellers of nice eyes like these either.

I got safety noses at my local Joann. It is a package of 3 sizes(12, 14, and 18mm), and I used the largest 18mm. I uploaded a pic of how you install it. There were no instructions on the package. I always line the back of my knitted animal faces with batting so as to give the safety eyes and nose something to grab onto. I just don’t trusted knitted fabric to hold onto it.

Years ago, when I started knitting stuffed animals, I could only find the safety eyes on etsy. Never saw safety noses back then and a nose is easy to embroider. I opted for a safety nose this time as to speed up my process. NOW you can get eyes and noses on amazon and temu (even cheaper) I just learned. So look around. I do not like the ones with paper backing. They don’t catch the light and just too thick. I only knew to check Joann for noses because it came up on a google search. The item I went there for was not there (shown in stock)and the item I got doesn’t show up online anywhere. So it is a crap shoot what you’re gonna find in a local store I guess. I’m not surprised at all.

Ears
Here is an easy cast on for the ears.

Knit the first ear and it looks too short in height.

Knit another ear and add 3 additional knit rounds. Looks better. Somehow, I managed to knit this one even tighter.

Knit another ear with the 3 additional rounds.

Eyes
I cut out felt in an oval shape and poked a small hole in it with my scissors for the safety eyes stem. I glued false eyelashes to the felt with fabric glue. I also glued the felt to the knitted fabric with some fabric glue to keep it in place.

08-18-2024

Set this down for a couple of days. Back to it.

Changed to black at “BODY”. Knit with black through “SEPARATE ARMS” using black to knit the separate arms round so that I could really tighten the stitches that span the underarm. Then switched back to white.

The black yarn left dye on my hands. It didn’t do that when I knitted the ears. Maybe the death grip during increases helped transfer the dye. Not happy about this because I don’t want the white on the bear to get grubby with handling. I’ve read other people complaining of yarn transferring dye to their hands, but this is the first time it has happened to me.

Looking cute now.

08-23-2024

Measurements:

tummy 10.5”
height 13”
arm 3”
leg 4.5”
foot bottom 1.5”
head across snout 10.5”
around under ears 6.5”
Eye patches 1.375” x .875”