Oh, snap!

I had been looking for a special critter scarf pattern for my lolobean ever since I finished Julian's slithering snake scarf last year, but couldn't find anything that I felt lived up to the awesomeness of Julian's scarf until I fell upon Terry Ross' "what a croc" pattern on Ravelry this fall...

I cast on immediately with some stash Knit Picks Swish worsted (in bok choy) and flew through it using up just 2 balls of yarn. I modified the teeth by picking up stitches around the snout and knitting a short picot hem. I also sewed on some eyes I knit (cast on 10 sts in cream, K 1 row, P 1 row, switch to blue and K2Tog across, cut yarn an pull through remaining stitches and sew to eye socket).

It looked a little plain and thin (and the sides rolled like crazy!) and since I was overdue with my daughter and looking for something mindless to do while I tried to patiently wait for labour to begin (it didn't for 5 days!) I decided to knit a striped lining using the same shaping instructions but without any features or scales. And then because I was really desperate and labour still hadn't begun, I knit 120 inches of i-cord and seamed it together with the croc and lining!

Turned out super cute and warm. And my lolobean loves it. Of course every time I look at it I am reminded of how annoying it is to be overdue (especially when you thought you'd be early), but still, a perfect toddler scarf! Here he is wearing it to "the slope" near Stephen's childhood home: a little incline (it's barely a hill) by the highway where my hubby and his sister used to go as a child (it slopes away from the highway for those who are wondering like I was - crazy).

It was the first time they got to try out their saucers on an actual hill and though I thought they were still little and might find the speed terrifying (I would) they actually found it thrilling! I stayed at the top of the hill with Abbey and could hear their loud laughter unfurling all the way down. Such fun!!

Guess this means we'll need to bring our snowpants, snakes, crocs, and saucers with us to Grandma and Grandpas on Sundays and stop by the "hill" on our way ;0)

Oh happy day!



p.s.: Thank you all for such a nice welcome back! I didn't expect anyone was still hanging around these parts so it was really heartwarming to hear from you all. I am so happy to be back and have so much to tell...