Kreiner - Crochet a zoo : fun toys for baby and you

fun toys for baby and you

Megan Kreiner

Crochet a Zoo: Fun Toys for Baby and You
2013 by Megan Kreiner

Martingale
19021 120th Ave. NE, Suite 102
Bothell, WA 98011 USA
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eBook Edition: 2013

No part of this product may be reproduced in any form, unless otherwise stated, in which case reproduction is limited to the use of the purchaser. The written instructions, photographs, designs, projects, and patterns are intended for the personal, noncommercial use of the retail purchaser and are under federal copyright laws; they are not to be reproduced by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, including informational storage or retrieval systems, for commercial use. Permission is granted to photocopy patterns for the personal use of the retail purchaser. Attention teachers: Martingale encourages you to use this book for teaching, subject to the restrictions stated above.

The information in this book is presented in good faith, but no warranty is given nor results guaranteed. Since Martingale has no control over choice of materials or procedures, the company assumes no responsibility for the use of this information.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

eISBN: 978-1-60468-274-8

Original Source ISBN: 978-1-60468-273-1

Dedication

For my grandmother Amelia and my mother, Nancy. It has been a privilege to carry on our family tradition.

THE PROJECTS

Theres something very special about handmade toys. They become something to treasure for years to come and you can feel all warm and fuzzy about the care youve taken in selecting the projects and materials, and in adding your own special touches.

When I was expecting my son, I wanted to create toys that were not only safe, but also unique, inspiring, and fun. So, I set to work on a little crocheted lion. That lion was quickly followed by a giraffe and an elephant, and then a zebra and a hippopotamus. Soon, I had an entire zoo on my hands!

Im thrilled to be able to share these patterns with you, and I hope that youll enjoy creating these little animals and their keepers for the special people in your life.

If youre just getting started with your first crochet project, this section is for you. When it comes to materials for your projects, always keep in mind quality over quantity. You dont need much yarn to make these toys, so its worth using the best-quality materials for your special projects.

Choosing a yarn for your project is part of the fun of personalizing your creation! Its always a good idea to keep the age of your recipient in mind when choosing what kind of yarn to use. For very young children who like to put everything in their mouths, it might be prudent to go with organic or natural fibers, such as cotton or wool (but always be sure to check for allergies first).

Blended yarns are wonderful, as they often combine the best qualities of their respective fibers. Acrylic yarns can also make excellent toys as they are fairly easy to clean and care for and are generally less expensive than natural-fiber yarns.

Depending on what size you want your toy to be, you can choose a lighter or heavier yarn weight to achieve the desired results. For example, if you wish to make a family of elephants, you could use sport- or DK-weight yarn and a size D-3 (3.25 mm) or E-4 (3.5 mm) hook to make calf versions of the original, or go jumbo by using bulky-weight yarn and a size I-9 (5.5 mm) hook. Refer to the standard yarn weights chart on for more information on yarn weights.

Most of the patterns in this book call for worsted-weight yarn, but you may find that the gauge of worsted-weight yarns can vary quite a bit in thickness from one brand to the next. Feel free to adjust your hook size accordingly so that your stitches stay close together. Its always better to err on the side of caution by going with a smaller hook, since you want your stitches to be fairly tight to prevent the stuffing from showing through.

As a general rule of thumb, 125 yards of worsted-weight yarn should be more than enough to make one toy. For pieces that require contrasting colors for paws, teeth, muzzles, and toenails, an additional 15 to 20 yards of those colors should do the trick.

Elephant stitched in bulky-, worsted-, and DK-weight yarn (from left to right)

As with yarns, there are a variety of toy stuffings to choose from. Most craft and fabric stores carry polyester fiberfill, although more locations now carry natural fiber and organic options as well. The Internet can also be a great resource for specialty toy stuffing, such as organic wool and organic cotton.

For the toys in this book, Ive used the following stuffing and batting:

Hobbs Bonded Fibers polydown fiberfill toy stuffing (super soft and very nice to work with)

NearSea Naturals organic wool stuffing

NearSea Naturals organic cotton stuffing

Fiberfill, cotton, and wool toy stuffings (from left to right)

Sadly, black stuffing for dark-colored toys seems to be a rather scarce commodity, and, unless your stitches are super tight, white stuffing tends to show through, which can be an undesirable look. For black and brown toys, we have other options.

An old black T-shirt cut up into little pieces can make effective stuffing. And its thrifty!

If you dont require too much black stuffing, you could use black wool roving. It may be a bit pricey, but it can be a good way to go if you wish to use only natural or organic materials in your project.

Turn black cotton batting, like Hobbs Bonded Fibers Heirloom 80/20 Black Cotton Blend Quilt Batting, into stuffing. Simply cut off a chunk of batting and brush the heck out of it with a pet-grooming slicker brush (). The result is clumps of black fluffiness that can then be used in your toy. Its a bit of work, but the result is pretty effective. Just make sure you place a scrap cloth under your batting before you start brushing so you dont scratch your work surface. If you dont have a brush handy, you can also use scissors to cut the batting into little " to 1" pieces.

Around Halloween you may come across a product called Halloween Hay from Polyester Fibers, LLC, which is essentially black polyester fiberfill. If you find it, stock up!