Olive-ia

So this is a story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down...

Or not.

The thing about being a craft sort of person and having the nerve to tell people about it is that they then want you to, you know, CRAFT something for them. Watching me knit the soldier scarf, my best male friend requested a granny square blanket. WTH? What 30 year old man wants a granny square blanket? Anyway- I told him no but secretly started making one anyway. Seeing me start that blanket one of my best girl friends requested one, too. Arg. She has been told she is on a waiting list and can, at best, expect one Christmas 2011.

Then came Olivia. I posted a photo album on Facebook called "Stuff I made out of yarn" and put all my recent creations there. I got lots of positive feedback and a possible crochet date with a friend of a friend... so that was nice. I also got a comment from a high school classmate who not so subtly hinted that her newborn would LOVE something made for her.

I have this thing about babies and handmade things. My maternal grandmother was an avid crocheter. She is, in fact, the one who taught me to hook at the ripe old age of 7. I have multiple blankets in many sizes as well as a few dresses and sweaters made by her hands. Although knitting (and on a smaller scale, crocheting) is making a come-back, I still don't see many handmade things at baby showers and it makes me sad. So I've become the "auntie" who fills this role. I'm still on a quest to find a quick & easy amigurumi pattern I can churn out multiples of for Project Night Night.

So... there's Olivia. Daughter of a 30 year old rocker chick. I'm guessing she probably isn't swimming in hand-knitwear. So how can I, an easily guilt-ridden Catholic, deny her the opportunity to have something handmade for her. But... I'm also a crocheter swimming in works-in-progress. So I took the semi-easy way out.

I took RoxyCraft's Bunny Boo pattern and altered it, making a cute little olive. I flattened the top and then angled it up a bit to mimic the hole in a green olive. Obviously I omitted the ears and tail. Instead, I added a small circle of red for the pimento. I added a face (remembering to keep the eyes set low and wide this time) and, to make her more feminine I stitched a little bow to the side of her head.



Oh amigurumi, how I adore thee.

Olive-ia will me mailed off to Miss Olivia today, and hopefully make it to Vegas in time for Easter. Because nothing says "Jesus is Risen" like an anthropomorphic cocktail garnish.