I saw this pattern a while ago and earmarked it as a gift for… someone. I finally know who I’m making it for; let the party commence!
Project Details
PATTERN: Draft Dodger by Bernat Design Studio (Yarnspirations)
NEEDLES: 5mm KnitPro Zings
GAUGE: 15×24 (10cm)
SIZE: 77cm
MATERIALS:
- 0.75 ball (150m) Rowan Pure Wool Superwash Worsted (113 Pretty Pink)
- 1 ball (75m) Garnstudios DROPS Big Merino (02 Grey)
STARTED: 27th June, 2020
FINISHED: 4th July, 2020
28th June, 2020:
I love the Big Merino. It’s so soft and squishy! And I adore chunky knits in stockinette. This is already looking so, so good.
I will, however, be turning this upside down so the pink is the butt end and the grey (which would have been the butt in the original pattern) is the head. This is partly because I ordered some toy noses (some of which are pink hearts that won’t really be visible on the pink stitches) but also just because I feel like the grey should be the head.
Also, I’m doing this in the round. It’s easy enough (even for a somewhat inexperienced/beginner knitter like myself!) to convert a pattern like this since it’s basically just a tube anyway.
I won’t be knitting legs, but there’ll be ears and a tail.
2nd July, 2020:
I’ve ordered some glass pebbles for weight when stuffing, and knitted as far as I can. It’s not quite 76cm as the pattern states (I’m worried about running out of the grey) but it should be okay.
However, though I started with pink at the nose end, I’ve decided it will look better with grey instead. So, I need to somehow fasten off while also stuffing and attaching eyes and a nose. (Should be fun!)
4th July, 2020
I had to finish off before the 76cm called for in the pattern because I was running out of the grey. ( I could probably have striped out into the pink again to finish but I wanted the nose to be grey, so.) This also meant that I couldn’t knit a proper tail and didn’t have enough grey for ears, so I used the last bit of Big Merino to make a tassel tail instead. I need to check with the intended recipient, but I think it looks better without ears (after three attempts at different sizes because the droopy ears of the pattern don’t look right to me).
I cleared with the recipient. Dumbledog is now a snake.
It was much easier to stuff and attach the safety eyes and nose while decreasing into the cast-off than I expected, which was nice. I’m actually jealous; I really like how it turned out. It’s just so cute (though no longer a dog 😂).
Thoughts
I need more of this yarn. Drops Big Merino. Mmmmm. Gimme all the colourways.
I’m so glad I have enough experience as a knitter now to turn seamed patterns into in-the-round instead. I would not have enjoyed that aspect of this if I couldn’t just knit knit knit away home.
soggy musings 