I just packed up a little gift box for a Valentine’s day swap on Ravelry, with this little nugget of a birdie inside (I’m pretty sure my swap partner doesn’t read this, and that it should be delivered by now, but if you’re reading, doll: SPOILER ALERT!!).

It measures about 2″ high, with little striped pipe cleaner chicken legs.  I modified a little bird pattern from one of my Japanese amigurumi books (isbn# 4-309-26670-3, bought from the fab Saucylouise) with scraps of Luxe Merino Fine in Peabody on a size C hook.  I love that little tail nubbin!

Now it’s time to gear up to work on some new patterns that have been clunking around in my noggin.  Fun ideas that I just can’t stop thinking about, so they must begin!  So knitters that may have been feeling neglected in this crochet lovefest, stay tuned over the next few weeks.   At least two new knitting patterns are on the way, including the full version (headband, cowl, mitts-So excited!) of the Snakehandler pattern featured back in autumn and a SWEET new embellished cardi!

That, friends, is the beginning of a cute amigurumi groundhog!  Using June Gilbank’s Groundhog pattern and KSD’s Merino Fine held doubled, I’m making this as part of the Groundhogalong that started from some joking around on twitter.  Turns out there are quite a few crafters that are just as crazy about the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day.

Want to join us?  There’s now a ravelry group, a flickr group, and a cute badge!  Just grab a hook and complete your groundhog by Feb 2nd.  In Casa de Clark, we have a screening of Groundhog Day every year, so I’ll be camped out on the sofa with my g’hog and husband.

Progress has paused while I hunt through my super-disorganized stash for a bag of polyfill stuffing and some appropriate buttons for eyes.  And I’m naming my g’hog Desmond.  You can’t name yours Ned Ryerson, Kim already called dibs!