Each week, we are pulling together some of our favorite patterns from the Yarnspirations website. We will try to stick with a theme each week, but sometimes, it’ll just be a collection of our favorites. Use these patterns to inspire you to try new projects or even some new yarn!
Is Madelinetosh going out of business? Who owns Madtosh? Did Madelinetosh get sold to Jimmy Beans Wool? Find out the answers to those questions and more on the podcast.
To make is short and sweet, NO, Madelinetosh Yarns is NOT going out of business. Laura Zander is the new owner of Madtosh and she is also the owner of Jimmy Beans Wool! That is right, JBW purchased Madelinetosh Yarns!
Jimmy Beans is a powerhouse in the yarn industry and they are always looking to keep these amazing brands alive and blooming. Thanks to the team at Jimmy Beans Madelinetosh will live on with the Jimmy Beans love.
[Read more…]I’ve been a fan of the TV Show FRIENDS for years and have always wanted to make a knit & crochet amigurumi Holiday Armadillo pattern but, sadly, I just don’t have the right skills to design something that awesome. Lucky for me, I have friends who can!
>> Scroll to the bottom for a link to the patterns <<
Let me tell you the story behind these two cute characters. After the introduction of the Holiday Armadillo Bonus pattern in the 2019 24 Days of Quickies with Marly Bird and Friends, so many of you asked for an actual armadillo pattern. As I mentioned before, I am not good at designing amigurumi but I have friends that are excellent at it. So, I contacted one of them.
Meet Megan Kreiner of MK Crochet and Knits. Megan is an animator at DreamWorks by day and has worked on such films as How to Train Your Dragon (all of them), Kung Fu Panda (all of them) and Trolls (all of them). By night she is an amazingly talented knit and crochet amigurumi designer and author of several books.
Megan and I have been friends for a long while now. I’ve had her on the podcast [ https://marlybird.com/mk-crochet-megan-kreiner/ || https://marlybird.com/yarn-thing-podcast-with-marly-bird-construction-vehicles-to-crochet/ ] and have even had a chance to meet up with her at events where we were both teaching. When I decided I was going to have somebody design an armadillo for me of course I thought of her.
I contacted Megan a few weeks before Christmas and asked her if she, by chance, had time to design and make a knit holiday armadillo and a crochet holiday armadillo for me. Knowing it was so close to Christmas and she was sure to have a ton of other things to do, I thought the chances of her saying yes were slim. So imagine my surprise when she told me she thought it was doable and she would sketch something up for me.
She sent me this sketch just hours later and of course I was ecstatic! I immediately responded that I loved it and I would purchase these designs from her to put on my website.
Then she asked when how soon I needed them. To tell the truth, I actually hesitated with my reply because I knew how ridiculous of an ask it was. To ask a designer, no an artist, no a friend….to design and make not 1 but 2 amigurumi DAYS before Christmas is just not a nice thing to do. But here I was, doing just that.
I told Megan that I would love to have them for the last Holiday Armadillo Bonus Pattern of the event which means I needed the pattern and the sample no later than Dec. 20th.
Long Pause….
She said, OK. Hot diggity dog!
It was only four days later that she sent me a picture of Arlene Stitchadillo, the Crochet Holiday Armadillo Amigurumi sample and it was love at first sight!
A few days later she sent a picture of Andy Stitchadillo, the Knit Holiday Armadillo Amigurumi sample and again, I squeed!
Just a few days after that I had both of the Holiday Armadillo Amigurumi patterns samples in my hands and this is the picture I sent to Megan to let her know I got them.
Once I had them in hand, I went to the store to buy props so that we could have a photoshoot. I must say, I’ve never done anything like that before since I don’t make amigurumi. But I had so much fun.
When I showed all the Marly’s Minions these who lovely stitchadillos, they went crazy and immediately asked for the pattern. Well, you don’t have to wait anymore. The patterns are ready for both Andy and Arlene Stitchadillo and I hope you enjoy making whichever one you try.
????Do you want the Crochet Holiday Armadillo Amigurumi || Arlene Stitchadillo? Click Here for Crochet Holiday Armadillo Amigurumi Pattern.
????Do you want the Knit Holiday Armadillo Amigurumi || Andy Stitchadillo? Click Here for Knit Holiday Armadillo Amigurumi Pattern.
????Buy the ad-free pdf of either pattern from the Marly Bird Ravelry Store.
Andy Stitchadillo: add to cart on Ravelry
Arlene Stitchadillo: add to cart on Ravelry
Armadillos are wonderfully unusual amigurumi subjects! Their distinctive armored shell, long snout, small eyes, and big ears make them instantly recognizable… and genuinely funny in stuffed toy form. A holiday armadillo is a delightfully quirky alternative to the usual Christmas amigurumi (no more Santas and snowmen for this crafter!). For anyone who loves Texas, the American South, unusual animals, or just appreciates the humor of a holiday armadillo… this is a completely unique and memorable handmade gift.
The armadillo’s banded shell is its most distinctive feature. Most patterns achieve this through surface texture techniques… post stitches that create raised lines, color changes to suggest banding, or worked-in texture stitches that create a ridged appearance. Some patterns use separate shell segments that are assembled. The specific technique depends on the pattern design, but expect some form of textural work on the body that differentiates the shell from the softer head, legs, and belly. Check the pattern for its specific approach.
Classic armadillo coloring is a muted brownish-grey… not quite brown, not quite grey, with a slightly lighter belly. Warm grey or taupe for the shell. A lighter cream or tan for the underbelly and snout. Small amounts of pink for the nose tip and inner ears. For a holiday armadillo, you might add a Santa hat (red yarn), a tiny scarf (contrasting color), or some holiday decoration to the shell. The muted natural colors of a realistic armadillo provide a nice contrast to bright holiday embellishments.
It’s intermediate territory! The shell texture and the unusual body proportions (that long tapering snout, the distinctive legs) require more attention than a simple round animal. It’s not the most complex amigurumi you’ll ever make… but it’s not a beginner project either. If you’ve made several amigurumi successfully and you’re looking for something different and challenging, the armadillo is a fantastic choice. The “holiday” version adds extra elements (decorations, accessories) that push the complexity slightly further.
Beyond the obvious holiday gift angle (for armadillo enthusiasts!), a crocheted armadillo makes a wonderful gift for: Texans and Southerners who embrace their regional fauna, animal biology or zoology fans, people who love unusual and quirky gifts, children who are into lesser-celebrated animals, and really anyone who would appreciate the humor and skill of a handmade armadillo. There’s also just something genuinely satisfying about making a beautifully crafted amigurumi of an animal that nobody else in the crafting world is making. Your armadillo will be one-of-a-kind!
One touch of Fleece Hugs and you will never want to put it down. Super soft and in fun colors this yarn is perfect for making baby gifts. Learn more about this worsted weight yarn from Red Heart and why you should pick some up today.
Knit ponchos and capes are a great alternative to shawls. Unlike shawls, ponchos and capes are worked in the round, or have a closure along the side, and won’t be falling off your shoulders as you wear them. Rita Maassen has put together a beautiful collection of 30 knit poncho and cape patterns for you to explore and expand your knittings skills.
This FREE knit pickle pattern can be found on the Yarnspirations website.
German legend has it that the Christmas pickle was the last ornament hung on the tree and the first child to find the pickle got an extra present. Whether you follow tradition or just love pickles, you’ll enjoy knitting this happy face ornament to have each Christmas season.
So here’s the thing… you can find the FREE knit pickle pattern over on the Yarnspirations website. Just click the big download button on the page!
Honestly… the free pattern from Yarnspirations is for a knit Jolly Pickle Ornament. If you’re looking for a crochet one, you might need to search Ravelry for “Christmas Pickle” patterns.
Yes! German legend says it was the last ornament hung on the tree, and the first kid to find it got an extra gift. So fun, right?
While this specific pattern is for knitting, there are definitely crochet pickle patterns out there! You can often find them by searching on sites like Ravelry.
This pattern is listed as Advanced Beginner, so it’s great if you’ve got some knitting basics down but aren’t quite ready for super complex stuff yet.