Where I am:

-I am finally back at work!  Technically I was back two weeks ago, but missed most of the 2nd week running around taking care of Henri.  I missed one day to bring him to the doc to get a puffer for a chest cold, then missed the following 2 days going back to the neurologist at the hospital for another consult and then blood tests.  Each time we got home at lunch time- too late to get him to daycare, which meant I had to bring him home for nap.  And if that leaves me with nothing to do during his 3.5-hour afternoon naps but watch TV and knit…well…there’s no rule that I can’t enjoy it. 🙂

-I am 40 lbs lighter than I was on my wedding day!  Since I came home from my honeymoon pregnant with Jakob, I’m not counting gaining/losing any baby weight.  If I go back to my highest weight while pregnant, then I can say I’ve lost over 60 lbs.  Woo hoo!

I went shopping for the first time in  years and had a heck of a time trying to figure out what size I am, and what fits.  It’s going to take time, but I’m slowly trying to rebuild my wardrobe.  I’m really looking forward to spending less money and less time knitting garments for myself, that’s for sure!

-I am still studying nightly for school, and really looking forwards to my final exam in  August, just to feel like the year is finally over.  Only 2 more to go…blargh.

-I am also trying to catch up on non-posted projects.  To that end, here’s a project from Sept 2010 that had a redux just a few months ago…

Aren’t they cute?  My friend/neighbor C is a HUGE Pee Wee fan, and a long time ago she’d sent me a link to these guys in the Crafty is Cool etsy store.  I can’t find a link now, so Allison’s patterns may only be available through Ravelry now, I’m not sure.  Some of you may have heard of/seen her amigurumis before- I believe her Oprah doll made the rounds a while ago, and her Conan O’Brien was huge on the ‘net around the time of the whole O’Brien/Leno debacle.

Anyways, I’d made a joke to C about making them for her for her birthday.  And then she promptly forgot about it.  I didn’t.  🙂  I LOVE when that happens, not only when there’s a perfect gift opportunity, but especially when it’s a perfect handmade gift opportunity!

Her birthday is in September, so last year when I was home recuperating from the hernia/tonsil surgeries, I made these for her.

Pattern:  Pee Wee Herman Amigurumi PeeWee Doll and Chairry from Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Amigurumi by  Allison Hoffman (Ravelry link)

Size:  one size, Pee Wee about 16″, Chairry about 8″ or so?

Yarn: Assorted Phentex acrylic from my stash and Zellers, in gray, white, peach, aqua.

Needles:  4mm crochet hook

Dates:  September 3 – 11 2010 (Pee Wee) and September 12 – 14 2010 (Chairry)

Modifications:  None.  I used a bamboo skewer cut in half to support the neck, and some white, red and black felt from Fabricville.  I didn’t know if the self-adhesive felt would work, so I just sewed everything by hand with matching thread.  It took a try or two to get Chairry’s eyes right, but I used pins to hold them in place and get a idea of where I wanted to sew them down.   Pee Wee’s eyes are black yarn sewn over and over small black felt circles, and there’s a touch of blush on his cheeks.

The only problem I had with the pattern was the placement of the black hair cap- I’d thought the widow’s peak was crocheted into the cap, as were the sideburns.  Turns out neither are, you just need to arrange it as you sew it in place.  An email to the designer was answered pretty quickly, and I was able to finish well in time for C’s birthday.

It worked out great- I was able to get her hubby to let me into their garage when she was out, and I arranged Pee Wee and Chairry together over a birthday card, as a surprise for when she got back.  She loved them, and even took Pee Wee with her to meet the REAL Pee Wee at his stage show!  He (the real one) saw my version of Allison’s work a 2nd time when C tweeted a pic of her hubby, son and dad all dressed up as Pee Wee serving her a birthday breakfast, and holding the doll, and the real Pee Wee retweeted the pic!)

As usual you can find my finished (and unfinished!) projects in my “projects” page by clicking the tab up at the top of every page on my blog, and I also have this project in my Ravelry notebook here (PeeWee) or here (Chairry) .

C’s brother H loves Pee Wee almost as much as C, so when his birthday rolled around this April, C asked if she could get me to make one for him too.  We worked out a trade (she’s a fabulous seamstress and I’m in need of clothes being taken in!) and so when I was home recuperating from this latest hernia surgery, I made H’s Pee Wee.  (Apparently I make one each time I’m recuperating LOL)

Pattern:  Pee Wee Herman Amigurumi PeeWee Doll by  Allison Hoffman (Ravelry link)

Size:  one size, about 16″ tall

Yarn:  Assorted Phentex acrylic from stash (leftovers from the original stash/Zellers purchase)

Needles:  4mm crochet hook

Dates:  April 18-23 2011

Modifications:  None.

I didn’t remember to check a pic of the first one, so without realizing I made Pee Wee the 2nd’s eyes much bigger.  I also added eyebrows and a light reflection, in trying to make it look good.  I think I also forgot the blush on the cheeks, and I overstuffed the legs- they are awesomely stiff, but you can see the stuffing through the holes in the stitches.  All in all, I think I prefer the first one.

As usual you can find my finished (and unfinished!) projects in my “projects” page by clicking the tab up at the top of every page on my blog, and I also have this project in my Ravelry notebook here .