Knitted Toys review

 Knitted Toys by Zoe Mellor

  Book Depository; Ravelry; Dublin City Public Libraries
The book opens with some basics and then it has 3 sections, Knitting Pretty; Fun Favourites and Cute Creations.  Charts and templates are at the back of the book.

Knitting Pretty opens with Dress-up dolly which is a basic doll with plaits and a separate sleeveless dress.  Pieced individually and then sewn together (to be honest I'd do a chunk of it in the round to avoid all that seaming but that's me)

Airy Fairy is a doll with a sewn on skirt and wings.  There is a little too much emphasis on pretty in this one for me.

The Cat Pyjama Case is done in Pink, I would be inclined towards more natural colouring but that's me.  Colours are an easy fix, this could also be a pillow. Many seams and buttoned at the back.

Cow Cushion is another made in parts and sewn together piece, could also be a Pyjama case with some minor adaptation.

Cot Hanger Chick has felt eyes, beak and wings and is pretty predictable.

Boy Doll "Isn't it great to see a boy doll for a change?" yeah, but a lot of dolls are unisex and the gender is often because of clothing and hair, neither of which are the best gender markers.  He has a knitted in crop jumper and hat and removable trousers. One of the pictures has him with boxers which aren't detailed, again made in pieces, i.e. legs, arms, body. Making it a bit fiddly.

Squeaky Pig looks like he's ready for a swim in his shorts.

Finger Puppets are of Goldilocks and the Three bears but could be easily adapted for any story, very fiddly these ones as they're again made in pieces and seamed.  What is the allergy to knitting in the round for these?


Fun Favourites

Shiny Robot, ah lurex for a squishy toy, yeah, that would be a bit scratchy.  Boxy robot with some colour detail

Flat Ted "make a blue one for a boy or a soft pink for a girl, or just knit a plain brown one for a traditional look" save me from really early gendered markers  In this one the legs and body are made in one piece, only the arms are made separately.

Gingerbread man - felted and cut square of knitting.

Big-foot bunny - what it says, seams galore

Cheeky Monkey - long-armed and long-legged monkey

Floppy Dog, probably a good colourwork practice piece.  Not a bad looking toy, still too many seams.

Roaring Dinosaur - pretty basic shape, but with a lot of seams.


Cute Creations

Slithery Snake - this would be a perfect practice piece for Jogless stripes in the round, author likes seams.

Butterfly, wings lined with felt, this is another piece for Intarsia practice.

Jumbo Elephant - felt ears button eyes and knit in multiple pieces

Colourful Mice - this one could be knit for a pet, multiple seams.

Owl cushion relies on a lot of felt for wings and feathers.

Patchwork tortoise.  This one is for those who like seaming (and to be honest I wasn't all that impressed with the finishing on this one) I'd knit it modularly or in stripes to avoid as many of the seams as possible.

Dotty Dog is another intarsia project, again many seams.

Stripy Ball is a set of 6 sections seamed together.

Fish on the Line are a set of seamed small fish strung together as a decoration.

Lastly we have Snappy Crocodile who is as usual seamed and with a red knitted mouth and felt teeth.


The designer makes pieces and doesn't believe in knitting in the round, expect a lot of seaming or adaptation for this one.  I prefer my toymaking to have less fiddly seams and some of this could have been avoided with circular knitting, your mileage may vary, some of the patterns are quite cute.

Not a bad set of designs but it feels a bit unimaginative.