Giant slugs for little boys

LullabyLily Giant Slug needing home

(Yes, still here and not at my blogger second home yet.) As I made two Giant Slugs today to give as birthday presents I realised again how gorgeous these babies are. The shape of them is so appealing and you can squish them into different sluggy positions. [I have a continual impulse to tweak upwards the feelers on all my girl’s knit slugs, I can’t help it!] I made one each for two 6 year old birthday boys who were having a combined party. Boys love these knit slug toys, and no doubt there is competition over who has the biggest one.

This Giant Slug is now the beloved pet of an older boy in England

One of the things I love about knitting something for someone I know, child or adult, is allowing my intuition to choose the yarn colors and seeing what is created while I’m thinking about that person. So the first boy whom we’ve known for a couple of years now has a giant slug which was made with several different yarns in a rich burgundy, natural yellow mohair, natural mushroom raw wool and a soft twisted stripe yarn in brown and cream. He’s a warm Autumny honey just like this darling boy! (I am putting a slightly smaller version in my Etsy shop.)

The second slug I made was for a boy I haven’t known for long but like very much who is sensitive and complex and charming. The Giant Slug he inspired in me is so stunning I am delighted to have enough of all the yarns to make another similar one. It is in greys and blues, but different to the bluegrey one above.

Natural Giant Slug

Knitting with as many as 8 different yarns of varying plys [a fine mohair with a chunky raw wool or a thick chenille with a tape yarn] on big needles (7’s or even 9’s) reminds me of some of the different parts of each person that make them the individual they are. OK, I know I am sounding slightly pretentious but there we are. I feel the various yarns I use to knit, in this example, a Giant Slug, somehow DO represent the many facets of a particular personality. And I also think that by allowing my intuition to guide me this way I make something that in turn resonates in a surprising way with the recipient.

PS We found a real, live Giant Slug in our compost bin yesterday, he was a beauty!!

Slugs, whales and cats who like cupcakes

curious cupcake teaparty

A glimpse of a child’s play. I love it when I turn around and see the scene my girl has created. Here, how wonderful, a world where knit cats, whales, slugs and snails – oh and even a butterfly chrysalis – gather together to enjoy one another’s company while companionably sharing a couple of cupcakes.

Purist Toy Adventures

I turn around and there is a sweet scene of a toy tiger talking to a knit slug or a beautiful bride waltzing with a giant wooden bear. The scenes my girl creates in her imaginative play are so ADORABLE and so strangely surprising – sometimes enlightening and always creative that I have started a Photo Gallery of candid moments to share with others. There is absolutely no staging or styling of shots by me.*

Oh dear - Purple Snail is clearly identified in the line-up, but what did she do?

The scenes show how beautiful and inspiring imaginative play can be for children – and those who cherish them.

Petal Slug's victory parade with two puppies, Troll girl and sheep cheering her on

I see all the time how a featureless creature has a wider variety of adventures than toys with fixed expressions.

* However, I have also included a hilarious photo essay of Donkey’s Hawaiian Vacation a customer sent me – thanks SilveryA!