A Hopeful Squirrel Looking for Friends

Hello! Kendra here, finally checking back in! In my apartment, my living room window A/C is a common spot for little squirrels to visit. A few months ago I was fortunate enough to capture this adorable little guy peaking in on me one day...

Now that I too have finished my Nathaniel pillow (currently just named Squirrel! said in a very excited tone), Squirrel! is anxiously awaiting a visit from one of his outdoor buddies. He's new in town and a bit shy, but he's trying his best to put himself out there and meet new friends.

Sadly no one has come to visit yet, but day after day he waits, hopeful he makes some new friends soon! Will you come visit him?

Pattern notes: Knit in Lion Brand Wool-Ease Chunky in Walnut. It's a little fiddly to fit on needles in a comfortable way, but a quick and engaging knit. Stuffed with left-over yarn and man is he dense! (Don't tell him I said that...)

A Squirrel Lives in Brooklyn

I want you all to meet someone new to town. He's a little shy and doesn't talk too much, but give him a few handfuls of cashews and he'll be your new best bud! Say hello to Lawrence:

He's hanging out with his little gnome buddy. Who knows what trouble they get up to while I'm at work! Mostly though, I think he likes to hang out on the couch, watch Animal Planet, or keeping watch through the window:

I had fun making him, apart from when I forgot to stuff his tail until I was about 3 rows from the end - oops! Like Jess I was worried about him being too small, but he definitely grew with stuffing! And as long as no one sits on him, I think Lawrence will keep his squirrelish figure just fine. 

I Knit an Oven Mit!

No, I did not knit an oven mit, but that's exactly what my beloved boyfriend thought when he saw me crafting a gray amorphous blob. While I admit that Nathaniel is not the squirreliest squirrel, he is still decidedly animal-like, thank you very much. I actually breezed through the pattern in just 3 sittings, but I hadn't gotten around to photographing him because I moved. He's safe and sound in his new home, enjoying his very own wingback chair.

While he didn't seem like he'd be all that big when I was knitting, Nathaniel did come out the perfect size for cuddling (especially when you're glaring at your boyfriend for not understanding your beautiful, whimsical pillow).

I knit the pattern almost as is. The one exception was the long strings of lifted increases. I found that these were pulling my knitting way too much, so I peppering in a few make ones whenever I didn't like the tension. I'm really happy with the way that turned out, so I recommend that tip to anyone who's having trouble with the lifted increases.

Now that the squirrel is all finished, I'm at a loss as to where to go with my knitting. I need to knit another Damson (I lost mine on the train!), and I definitely need to finish my hibernating sweater. I am proud to say that I've been steadily hexipuffing for lack of other projects, so I should have a Beekeeper's Quilt sometime this decade.