Why I don't knit (very many) toys

I'm making toys for my husband's grandchildren, at their request. I don't know if they'll remember asking for them or not, but ask they did, and they chose the yarn, and on the off chance that they're waiting breathlessly for Grandma Debbi to produce the goods, I'm making good on my promise. Kids need to know that adults take them seriously.

Especially when they ask for specific toys.

I rarely knit toys. Most toys are knit in several pieces – little pieces – each of which then needs to be sewn and stuffed and attached to other pieces which have been sewn and stuffed.

I spent my Saturday (after preparing for the yet-to-arrive storm) sewing and stuffing.

Three out of four, sewn and stuffed. One dinosaur (in blue instead of green) to go. 

And watching football. (I couldn't stay awake for the end of the Ohio State game – tough end to their season, but I'm kind of glad Auburn will be playing in the national championship game.)

It took much, much longer to knit all the pieces for these critters than it did to finish them. And yet … I'd so much rather knit than sew. Or stuff.

Ah, well, it isn't about me. The boys asked for badges with their names on them (they're fascinated by the Badge-a-Minit machine), medals they can wear around their necks (they saw my half-marathon finisher medals hanging in my office) and stuffed toys. Their little sister wasn't here to ask, but she's a Hello Kitty fan and I hope she can see the resemblance.

We're getting them other things, as well. But one bag – filled with love – will have all their special requests in it. Because that's what Christmas is all about.

Links to patterns: Dinosaurs. Horse. Hello Kitty.