When knitting is tiny
Does your crafting mojo wane and wax like the phases of the moon? Mine does. I have a fairly narrow set of interests but it’s up to the Gods of Craft when I work on one of them.
After my knitting took a back seat for a few weeks, I started feeling the need to get the needles and yarn out and create something cute and tiny. I didn’t feel ready to tackle a bit knitting project, my brain was asking for a quick reward. Enter a frog and a toad!
If you are familiar with India Rose Crawford on Instagram, you’ll know her cute frogs poised in adorable miniature cosy scenes. If you’ve never heard of her, I highly encourage you to have a look, her attention to detail is fantastic.
I bought a knitting kit featuring India Rose’s frog pattern (jumper included) and when the time was right I begun working on it. My first attempt didn’t quite go to plan, as I mistakenly placed the eyes on his bottom… poor thing ended up looking much more like an axolotl than a frog.
The knitting gods were mocking me but I persisted! A couple of days later I had a new cute amphibian with a wired armature.
Knitting an i-cord around wire isn’t easy, let me tell you. It’s fiddly work but the end result is super worth it. And yes, the background for the photo above is my pyjama bottoms – evening knitting works best in cosy loungewear.
The gods played tricks on me once again as I didn’t have enough yarn to finish the mini jumper, so I frogged it (if you’re not familiar, “frogging” refers to when you remove a project from the needles and undo the stitches, the resulting “rip-it” motion being similar to the word “ribbit.” Fitting for this post, no?) After adding some blue stripes this dapper gentleman was ready to stay cosy.
I seem to enjoy making things in pairs, as soon as I was done with the frog I decided it needed a friend and Toad was born. I even bought a tiny dungarees pattern for added whimsy. The front pocket was my own creation.
And there you have it, two quick dopamine-inducing knitting projects that eventually led me to a human-sized jumper a few days later. I’ll have to frog that project too, but that’s a subject for another day.
And, finally, here is an image of what India Rose Crawford does with her knitted frogs. Amazing, isn’t it?
Maybe I’ve inspired you to knit something tiny. If you do, let me know in the comments section. Thanks for reading.
23 thoughts on “When knitting is tiny”
Love them Leonor, they are cute indeed. I wouldn’t have called them quick though. Apart from the fact that I can’t knit, they are so small they would have driven me mad trying to make the arms and legs. But then you are a “knit person” so hopefully they were therapeutic.
Thanks for showing us India Rose’s frog – amazing, I can see why you wanted to make some.
Ann
Thanks, Ann! I promise they were a quick knit – the body takes me an evening and the legs + arms two more (they are indeed fiddly because of the wire). Knowing how cure they’ll look makes me knit faster 😀
Glad you enjoyed India Rose’s work!
So cute, Leonor. They’re gorgeous and I can definitely see how good making them would feel. My knitting is not nearly skilful enough to produce anything like that, scarcely anything at all that isn’t a rectangle. On the other hand, maybe I could felt one ….
Felt one, Lindsay! Maybe we can start our own army of frogs! 😀
Leonor! Fabulous Frogs!!! and the sweaters and pants are just in time, its cool this moring, so maybe fall is about to arive! some day i will try knitting again but it usualy dosnt go well, i keep randomly changing the direction im wrapping the yarn. i will admire your frogs, and sweters and anything else you knitt! myabe i will keep working on Naalbinding, there is only one needle so i dont mess up quite so badly. thanks for the Insperation and enjoyment of seeing your frogs! (who could not love a cute frog?)
Hi, Jan! So happy you like my amphibians 😀 Yep, cold weather has definitely arrived here in Scotland, but the annoying bit is the rain – maybe I need to sew the frogs some ponchos?…
You need to post about Naalbinding, I want to know all about it!
Your frogs are adorable and I love the little scenes created by Rose Crawford. I don’t knit at all so I would have to felt a frog but I am way behind on my classwork at the moment so that isn’t happening. It’s been cold here too but luckily not raining. Frog ponchos sounds like a “thing”.
Thanks, Ruth! India Rose is amazing in her scene setting, I can almost smell the frog’s tea.
You know, that we mention frog ponchos again, I’m thinking a leaf as an umbrella might not be a terrible idea… will let it settle in my head!
OMG they are so cute I think my ovaries just burst!! Possibly a silly question, but could you add the wire after knitting the arms and legs to make it easier?
IRC’s staging is impeccable, right down to the cute little pumpkins on his slippers and wisp of steam from his mug, just gorgeous!
Haha, everyone who sees the frogs ovulate, Teri! They’re just too cute 😀
Unfortunately the wire really needs to be added as one works, because the feet wouldn’t work as “slippers” and cooperate… plus, florist’s wire is either too thin not to bend when used single, or too tough to go into the legs if doubled/tripled…
Isn’t she just the best at staging? The pattern booklet has a photo of a frog sat by the dining table, a hot beverage on a thimble and a mini croissant on a plate – squeeee! It’s too cute.
That’s a great idea to make something small to kick-start your mojo 🙂
Your frog and toad look so sweet. Knitting an i-cord around wire does sound tricky but what a good idea to make the poseable limbs.
Love Rose’s frog in his armchair and the use of the cotton reel and thimble.
It’s great for (well, almost) instant gratification! The wire thing is indeed tricky but the end results make it super worthwhile 😀
Yep, that lady knows her staging! She’s magic. If you haven’t, do look for her videos where the frog bakes a tart – yes, actual baking. I can’t take the cuteness!
Those videos are incredible.
If everyone reading this post thinks they are cute….take them in your hand! I recently had the privilege of being introduced to L’s (as yet un-named) amphibians. Sadly I was frisked as I left 🤪 otherwise they would have had a new home.
I was amazed at the very fine knitting around the wire arms and legs – well done L. They are absolutely divine….but I can’t see the stripey jumper here! Thank you also for bringing a smile when showing me IRC’s cute, intricately detailed, offerings.
When will your guys acquire some ‘lasses’?
Xx
Haha, you did indeed hold those little guys in your hand! Aren’t they just the most fun thing? (And, I had to laugh at the image of my asking you to “assume the position” to frisk you!!)
The stripey jumper is in the photos where frog is wearing it, but I agree that the blue I chose is quite close to my speckled yarn… oops!
Ah, these guys won’t have lasses – they will be like Sesame Street’s Earnie and Bert, living together but the neighbours don’t quite know what it means… teehee! xx
Adorable frogs Leonor.
I follow that IG account too, it is so good.
She’s amazing! I’m glad I get to bring a little of that whimsy into my own life 🙂
Sooo cute! Star knitting.
The idea of getting back to your mojo by creating something small and super cute is brilliant, Leonor!
I am not that great at knitting,so it would probably prove frustrating to me, but I definitely sometimes do the same with felting, and it is ridiculous how it helps! My kids’ small felted animal friends are born of that.
Soooo glad I’m not the only one with tiny-creating-to-bring-back-mojo ideas 😀 You should share some of those small felted animals if you haven’t already, I’m always down for miniatures!
I am not sure how missed seeing this. It is almost enough to inspire me to try knitting again. I always seem to add random stitches when I try knitting. I will have to live vicariously through your wonderful knits big and small. I had to hit the follow button on the intsagram page. so much detail.
Almost enough? But Anne, they’re frogs with *miniature clothes* – surely that makes your knitting mojo at least itch? 😀
She is amazing, glad you gave her a follow!
OMG! Those frogs are so adorable!
Thanks, Heather! 🙂