Here's Horace!!!

Horace the Bear that is.  :>) This is a pattern that I've been wanting to make for quite some time. Years, actually. The yarn is a hand-spun Targhee/Lincoln blend. The roving was already dyed when I bought it (most likely at a fiber show). The pattern is by an artist in Britain. Horace was a ton of fun to knit up.

I  had wanted to try something a bit different. Horace is a knitted bear and I wanted to create a fabric that was a bit firmer. So after the bear was knitted, I lightly stuffed it.....so it would retain its shape.....and then into the washer it went.  I checked on it often....holding my breath most times.  :>) He came out beautifully!! I got the firm fabric I was looking for without any of the distortion that I was worried about. There was just enough stuffing to help the knitting retain the shape I wanted. Once he was dry, I then finish stuffing him (even put a small pellet bag in his body to give him a bit of weight when sitting).....and then put all of the finishing touches on. I couldn't be happier with the end results.  :>) Horace is about 7" tall when sitting......11" when standing. The flower  Horace is wearing was made by a friend of mine.

I do have another knitted bear on the needles. Different pattern, different technique. This one is being knitted with yarn from my very own animals. It's a blend of shetland wool and llama with a touch of soy silk. Very pretty yarn. I simply adore the way it is knitting up as well. If someone were to ask me what my favorite fiber is I would have to say.......anything from my own fiber flock!! And that I've processed myself. So far this year I have spun up close to a pound of fiber.....and all of it from my flock.