Monster Knits

I think it goes without saying, I love knitting.  New patterns, yarns, techniques, gifts, you name it, I am always going to find a reason to knit.  Lately,  I have been inspired to knit monsters, maybe it’s because my wife and I have at least five friends expecting babies in the coming months!  I can only knit so many traditional baby items like hats and blankets before I get bored.  I think everyone is going to be getting something monster themed.

The Making of a Monster:

Here is the first monster I created.   The bright colors of Wool Pak were perfect to create this little guy.  I just did Judy’s Magic Cast on with three stitches on each needle and began knitting in the round.  Every other row I increased my stitch count evenly until I was happy with how big around the body was.  For his head, I used Hikoo Caribou yarn so he had a bit of furry hair.  I picked up some stitches to do I-cord arms and legs.  Then I did a duplicate stitch mouth and he was finished!  Monster Chunks by Rebecca Danger is a pattern I plan on giving a try next.

Knit Your Own:

There are so many great monster themed knits out there.  A quick Ravelry search reveals that the sky really is the limit.  Get creative and have fun with it!  After all, it is hard to be serious when you’re knitting a monster.  Below are some pictures of a few of the patterns that really caught my eye.  Click on each picture to be linked to the pattern.

Yarns to Use:

One nice thing about these smaller sized monsters is you can use whatever leftover yarns you have to make them.  Using lots of bright colors makes them come to life.  When I knit a bigger monster I will use a line of yarn that gives me machine washability and lots of bright colors to choose from.  I love the tonal effects of the Kollage Happiness for this.  Conway + Bliss Lolli would make a fun monster too.  For an all over furry monster, I would use Hikoo Caribou yarn.  This novelty yarn is perfect for creating a shaggy monster.  The more I look at these little guys the more they make me smile.  They would be such a fun addition to a gift basket for a friends baby shower.  Check out the world of monster knitting, it is so satisfying to create one in an evening.  Just think of the joy you can bring to a child when you give them your creation!