World of Knitted Toys [Paperback]

Kath Dalmeny (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2001

Knitted in two sizes 'clutch', perfect for a child's hand to hold, and 'cuddle', big enough to be hugged these cheerful, cuddly animals are just waiting to become someone's best friend. Each of the seven chapters takes you to a different part of the world. Choose from a colourful parrot, a friendly dolphin or a prowling tiger in the jungle, or stay closer to home with a cat, ducks and chickens from the farmland scene. As well as the animals, you can make the people who live with them from an Australian sheep farmer to a Canadian mountie. Each knitted person comes with a collection of clothes and accessories to provide hours of make believe play for your child. Beautifully illustrated in colour photography, every design is easy to knit. With plenty of helpful guidance, easy-to-read patterns and advice on creating just the right expression on each face, even newcomers to this popular and rewarding craft will find it simple to produce a toy that is sure to become a firm favourite.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kath Dalmeny's flair for design has resulted in several of her charming knitted toys being featured in well known magazines such as Creative Ideas. Her highly original approach has made her a winner both with knitting enthusiasts with a sense of fun and with the children who receive her toy animals and gifts. Kath lives in Devon and works for Schumacher College, an international centre for ecological studies based in Dartington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: David & Charles (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0715312243
• ISBN-13: 978-0715312247
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 0.3 x 10.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #247,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #64 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Toys & Models > Stuffed Animals

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

125 of 125 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The clownfish is an instant hit!! October 26, 2001

By R. Kelly Wagner

Format:Paperback

OK, where else are you going to find a pattern for knitting a stuffed clownfish? I have made 5 of them so far - two for nieces, and then 3 more for people who saw me knitting the first two, and demanded their own. The clownfish pattern is straighforward, simple. And accurate - the number of stripes, the placement of the fins and the coloring of the tail - all accurate! I am currently adapting the pattern, which is easy to do since it's simple, to make a garabaldi damselfish and a couple of different butterflyfish and angelfish.

The book is divided into sections - jungle, north woods, ocean, australian outback. Each section includes some kind of human character: a Polynesian pearl diver in the sea section, for example, and an Australian sheep farmer in the Australian section, a Canadian Mountie in the North Woods section.

The variety of animals is astounding: everything from platypus to moose. I have already purchased the yarn to do the platypus, once I finally manage to make fish for everyone who wants one. There's chipmunks, beavers, cats, tigers, merino sheep, sharks, octopus, zebra...

The pictures are so good, people who don't even know how to knit have spent time in my armchair leafing through the book, admiring them and asking if I can teach them to knit, because these animals are so inspiring, so cute!

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars All designs can be completed by advanced beginners. January 19, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

If you can do the basics (knit, purl, cast on/off) plus increase and decrease, you can make anything in this book. There is one pattern with intarsia (a pig with spots), but it's simply a variation of a standard pattern. Patterns marked "challenging" have colour changes, but only at the ends of rows. This book, along with Jean Greenhowe's _Knitted_Toys_ and Sharon Welch's _Knitted_Toys_ (both sadly out of print), are must-haves for this genre of knitting.

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Knitting Junkie's Dream come true! July 26, 2005

By emeleste

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I received this book from Amazon less than a week ago, and have already completed the parrot, have bought the yarn for the platypus and wombat, and am looking forward to trying my hand at just about every creature in the book! My son sees me knitting all the time (I also teach knitting) and asked me to knit him a parrot. I suppose I might have figured out a pattern on my own, but how happy I was when I saw one of the reviews for "World of Knitted Toys" by Kath Dalmeny that mentioned there was a parrot pattern included! I did some alterations..making the parrot a "love bird" rather than a macaw, because that is the kind of parrot my son wanted. It was quite easy to knit, the instructions were relatively easy to follow, and alterations in color were not a problem. I did have to get used to how Ms. Dalmeny wrote out her instructions, as it's a bit different from the usual patterns found here in the U.S.A., but once I got the hang of how she expressed herself, it was clear as day to me. None of the patterns appear unduly complicated or difficult. Anyone with even modest experience with knitting can have great success with these projects. I am really happy with this book, and consider it a true "knitter's treasure"!