My son has a tattered, matted, well-loved stuffed animal named Lamby. Lamby comes with us everywhere. Because of Lamby's frequent excursions (supermarket! park! preschool! doctor's office! friend's houses! the zoo! the museum! restaurants! Metro! library!) Lamby is in a rather, dare I say, crusty state. I understand 100%. I had a Care Bear that got dragged around with me everywhere for years, the bright bubblegum pink slowly fading to dusty rose over time. Deep down I know that Lamby and Care Bear are cousins and Lamby will be part of our family for years to come.
Due to the frequent washings of Lamby version 1, 2 and 3 (yes, we have 3, all in various states of disrepair) it's lost the softness and satiny feeling it once had. I got the brilliant idea to knit a version of Lamby that would stay in the house, not lose the softness in the wash, yet be as loved as the others.
Enter in Cascade's Pluscious, an amazingly soft 100% polyester that's both machine washable and dryable. While choosing the proper yarn for Knit Lamby, softness was at the top of my list since my son will sleep with it. It also had to be easy to throw in the laundry without worry. Can you imagine an impatient toddler waiting for me to handwash a favorite toy? Insanity! I liked that this yarn didn't shed like some others with similar texture can, it knit up super fast on size US 9s, and the color is easy to spot among the wasteland of toys that is our living room. In just under 20 colors, you'll be able to find one that suits the young recipient in a solid or variegated. What else did this frugal mom appreciate? A great price point meant that the 2 skeins you need for this project still equalled 1/3 of what a store-bought Lamby is. Plus, this one is made with love. :)
Safety eyes and a safety nose ensure that no chewing or pulling can make them come off the knitting. The appendages are simple extensions of the knitting, so nothing can fall off.
Welcome to the family, Knit Lamby. Prepare for some serious toddler love.
Download the free Lamby pattern here.