I must make one of these!

I love Lucinda Guy's books and her stuffed animals filled with personality. I made her bird from the first book last summer and loved it! I agree with you about the pieces and seaming, but wasn't clever enough to take the "American" approach -- next time.

Do the seams give the dolls more structure? Have no idea myself but thought I'd try a guess.

I love that owl, too. He's my favorite thing in that book! I have both her books but have only made the little dog from the first book so far (picture here: http://tinyurl.com/24lddf). I do dream of making some of the little sweaters and dresses eventually.

I received that book for Christmas, and just love it too. The toys are really cute!

Carol, I'm all for keeping seams in when it does add structure. (For example, I'm not a fan of sweaters knit in the round for exactly that reason.) I'll certainly be doing the body of the owl in two pieces, but I just can't see how it would make a difference in something like the wings that are just supposed to be floppy anyway.

If anyone does make this the "proper" way and thinks that all that seaming really does serve a purpose, let me know. I'm happy to seam when it's necessary.

I forsee lots of owls in blogland in the near future! I finished my owl yesterday. It was a late mother's day present for my mom... who is under the weather and I thought he was the perfect thing to cheer her up - she has always been a bit of a sucker for soft toys. I made mine from DB Baby Cashmerino I had left over from my most recent baby blanket; so he is probably a bit smaller than yours but still very cute! My second project from this book... I love it.

Pictures, Roo, we wanna see some finished pictures! ;0)

Alison, you are impressive!! You have just had a baby, have 2 boys, etc etc and you're able to knit AND blog about it...amazing...simply amazing!! ;)

Isn't that just the cutest book? I am glad to hear that there are others who have issues with knitting everything flat and then seaming the pieces together. I usually try and change things when I can. A belated congrats on the arrival of baby L!

What a sweet owl! And those wings do look like space capsules. My Boy would love those since he's all about space right now! Ha,ha,ha. :)

I bought this book just for the owl, too! I was even prepared to do all the goofy little pieces. I don't know why it never occurred to me to just do them in the round. Thanks to your adventurousness, I may get this thing actually made. Thanks for knitting outside the lines. :)

Oh my gosh that is the cutest! Owls are totally hot right now! They're everywhere!!!

You always pick out the cutest projects. And your drive is amazing.

Aww! That is so cute!

Wow! You are busy. All this and a baby too? I'm impressed. What an adorable owl. :)

You know... Jen from "knit'n lit" just started a Knitted Toys KAL complete with it's own blog. If you are going to do so many, you'd might as well join!

http://knittedtoys.blogspot.com/

Dear Alison,

I love the owl, and I think the "seamy debate" is fascinating. My very proper-knitting friend finds seams to be "an integral foundation upon which the success of a finished project depends." I like back and forth knitting as much as knitting around.

What a hoot!

Tiffanie

Thanks Johanna, I believe I will join! :)

That owl is adorable!

That's going to be so adorable. I have done the Big Dig sweater from her other book. So many cute things in there, too.

I think there are two reasons that most patterns are written flat. Intarsia is a big part of the patterns in these two books. Yes, it can be done in the round, but it's more trouble than its worth to me. Second, it doesn't require such a variety of needles. I have a Denise set and a Knitpicks set of interchangeable needles, and I am good to go, though one is all that would be necessary. When the diameters get really tiny, I just use 2 sets of circulars, with the correct needle size on the right end, and one size smaller on the other. I can knit just about anything. Seaming is OK, but it is so cool to slide a finished item off the needles!

I have that book and want to knit the owl ... I've not been doing it due to the numerous amounts of sewing I'd need to do. How are you adjusting the pattern to knit the pieces as one each rather than two each?

I've wondered the same thing to myself British patterns and the seaming that seems so unnecessary. I thought that it was just me. So glad to hear that its not. The pattern is adorable. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

I'm a big toy knitter, that owl is sublime! I'm gonna have to check out that book. You know who has really cute doll patterns: www.jeangreenhowe.com if your interested ever.

I love that book!

Yes, Smuddpie, clearly not everything can or should be done in the round. Clearly the intarsia isn't good for circular knitting and the wings and tail are knit side to side, which also wouldn't really work that way. I'm actually not suggesting that any of these pieces be done in the round. (As I mentioned in my comment above, I'm not actually a fan of knitting in the round. And I'm even less of a fan of knitting teeny tiny little things in the round on dpns!) What I don't understand really is why two identical pieces couldn't be knitted as one.

That's what I've done with the wings and tail and will do with the ears too. (Here come the details, Samantha!) I made the pieces twice as wide (for the wings and tail, repeat the entire pattern once more on the same piece; for the ears, cast on twice as many stitches and work the decreases in two repeats across the row). Then I just had to fold them in half and sew up one side instead of seaming two pieces together all the way around. I don't really mind seaming, but when a project already has a ton of little parts and a lot of seaming, I don't want to do any unnecessary seaming, if you know what I mean. Plus, seaming little things like this together often means using some creative seaming techniques to get a neat result. I think that the less tricky seaming there is the better the resulting piece is going to look.

Then again, I might just be lazy.

ooh! I like that book! here's a belated mazel tov on baby L and two precious little boys. that owl is wonderful and i might have to go looking for this book now. Thank you!

Oh the owl cuteness! Must check out the book. I have not congratulated you on your sweet little girl, so Congratulations!

Alison that is great! I'm surpised you didn't make this guy White like Hedwig!!! I want to make one in honor of the Potter release this summer...

I love this book too it is one of only a few knitting books I own. I am making the little gray bedtime robe for my 18 month old.

hi- i made the striped cat from one of her other books and was also puzzled by all the wee flat pieces when it seemed easier to knit it with fewer seams to make up. i too went"american" and don't think it affected the structural integrity at all.

I can't believe what all you get done with a new baby in the house. It really is amazing! Everything must be going well if you get nice, quiet knitting time =)

I read your site regularly, but have never contributed before, and my only comment about the seams on UK patterns is that perhaps there is a difference in knitting technique between US and UK. I used to have a wool shop for 30yrs and my best selling needles were the pairs of 35cms (14") ones as 75% of my customers knitted with the right hand needle tucked under their arm (as I was taught myself) and so we knit a lot slower with circular or sets of 4 needles. I used to stock all sizes of circular needles but they were very slow sellers.

I would echo the previous comment on technique. I'm in my 30s and lots of knitters who are older than me knit with one needle held firmly in the armpit. Needless to say, they knit a darn site quicker than me, waggling my arms about like some kind of demented chicken. The only thing i can think of regarding knitting two pieces rather than one and folding it in half is that kntting two and seaming would presumably produce a piece with symmetrical seams? Some people are rather uptight about symmetry...

I'm just waiting for the opportunity to make the "Mike Mulligan" steam shovel sweater from Guy's other book, to give along with the book - but everyone keeps having girls!

Very cute! I really like the Lulu doll, too.

Brilliant. I've made my toys w/ Acrylic...it's what the pattern calls for. I got my pattern from Jean Woods, an Austrelian...who sells them on line.
http://www.alphalink.com.au/~woodsy/
She's a lovely grandma.
Anyway, I figure, you don't need to wear the toys, so why use expensive yarn...

Owl is fab. Love the book too.

I've made half an Otto Owl!! Just the back to knit now! They are so cute. I've also adapted the pattern for the pink blanket with the flowers which took me ages to knit but is finally finished! I agree it is a delightful book! I want to make the hen pyjama case next!

Just found your blog and LOVE IT! Beautiful baby pics. I found the "And So To Bed" book a bit late (my kids are 4-8) but there are plenty of fun projects in there. Can't wait to check out the Harry Potter knits!! Congrats on the book!