Happy Birthday to Toy Tester 'Bob,' Fan of Carnivorous Plants

Toy Tester Bob kicks back with his tiny cousin

As of his birthday yesterday, Toy Tester Bob received by mail the last installment of his exciting collection of carnivorous plants. They are small and delicate when they arrive, and need special care. Bob set to work researching how he could help them feel more at home here. When he heard that music can help plants thrive, he said,

"If any plants like rock music, it would have to be Venus Flytraps." 

I knew I had to blog that! (After researching it, he learned that classical music is a safer choice for any type of plant.)

Venus Flytrap Toy with suspenseful lace-up action

My birthday boy has been captivated by carnivorous plants for most of his life. When he was his tiny cousin's age, we learned about them from picture books.


During elementary school years we created a batch of these crochet Venus Flytrap toys for his school's "Mini-Mall" day. As I've previously blogged, Bob conducted extensive toy testing and delivered a sales performance report to me on the way home from school: the Venus Flytrap Action Toys SOLD OUT to a wide age range after a BIDDING WAR for the last one. 


Toy Tester Bob is now completing his first year in middle school. If the Venus Flytraps weren't dormant right now, I'd provide a photo here so that you could appreciate the compelling realism of the crocheted version :-) Here's a pic of two pitcher plants, in relation to the size of the Toy Tester's fingers. 

Bob notes that the larger pitcher ate a small ant the other day. He also learned that although they are often called "Monkey Cups" (because monkeys really do drink from them), it's better to call them by their botanical name, Nepenthes, when searching for information on them.

Toy Tester Bob is having a great first year in middle school. Last week he performed in a musical review called Brand New Day. (This is the best photo I could get with my cell phone, no flash permitted. He's wearing a microphone headset.) He did great on stage: not only did he speak his lines clearly and loudly, he had a solo in a song! I'm very proud.

Crochet Toy/Amigurumi Pattern NOMINATED FOR AWARD!

"What an incredibly creative way to teach measurements of this sort!"  

                                                                     --Carol in Ravelry

I'm pleased and excited to report that one of my crochet toy patterns is an award finalist! The Teacher's Gallon Friend, an educational toy that helps teach the relationship between cups, pints, quarts, and gallons, has been nominated by the Crochet Liberation Front for Best Crochet Design for Children!

Here's what people have been saying about it in Ravelry since the Teacher's Gallon Friend pattern PDF was released in November 2010:

"This is really clever! I need to make one for my small granddaughters. They will love it."

"Awesome idea! Love it!"

"This is totally cute and a great learning device! Every child should have one. (And maybe adults, too! LOL) I’m going to try to make one of these from your pattern. And kudos to your son for his amazing drawing!"

Wonderful! I think I need one for my kitchen."

"cute + brilliant!!!"

My son was a part of it from the very beginning (starting at age 9). So it's a special feeling for both of us to announce it in this toy designing blog. When I began this blog a few years ago, I didn't imagine that the things I crochet for my son and his friends would qualify for awards, I was just keeping a journal of how crochet is play and adds to the fun that I can have as a mom. I hope that as my son grows up, this blog will become a record of how crochet grows along with him. 


I do have other crochet toy patterns in mind, and you can bet that just being nominated, and seeing the wonderful designs in this category, inspires me to design more.


Please visit this Crochet Liberation Front page to see all nominees. (It may take a while for all images to load.) The CLF founded the annual Flamies Awards about three years ago. You will be amazed to see all the wonderful crochet designs. Starting tomorrow, Mar. 15, you can cast your votes in all award categories. 

Crochet Accessory Wins First Place....

....in son's heart as padding for the strap of a musical instrument.

A tenor saxophone is a heavy instrument for a kid! All of the weight is felt at the neck. 

It only took about 20 minutes to crochet a rectangle of puff stitches with the softest yarn from my stash: one full skein of Moda Dea Aerie yarn. 

Then, seamed it into a tube while it was wrapped around the strap. 

Longer practice times are now enabled with this simple solution.

The fire red color probably has something to do with its success. It has been his favorite color most of his eleven years, with time out for blue and electric turquoise. Also, briefly in preschool years, sunshine yellow. Well, I should call it "Spongebob Yellow."