This is the little valentine's day present to self I referred to. Really, it was more a gift of taking the time to do something I wanted to do, rather than working on the gift-project or any of the ongoing things. I completed it this weekend.

This is "Cuddles."



Cuddles is knit using the Hugs and Squoze pattern from Mochimochiland. I just made the main "big" toy (called Hugs, there), because (a) I just didn't feel like making the little one and (b) I kind of wanted the "hugs" all for myself.

Cuddles is very affectionate.



He seems to love me.

He also loves tea.



And he loves Charmaine-the-Monster, though she's not entirely sure what to make of him:



I knitted Cuddles from some Moda Dea "Cartwheel" from my box of undesignated-but-purchased-for-toymaking yarn (I will buy yarns when there is a small amount on a good sale - like there was with this - if it seems like it might be used in the future to make a toy out of. I have a nice little stash of yarns like these. Which is good, because my one "local" option for yarn (the Mart of Wal) seems to be eliminating their craft department. Which means having a stash is even more important).

The "ears" (They are called horns in the pattern but I think they are really ears; such an affectionate creature must be a good listener) are knit of that Bernat glow-in-the-dark yarn. But they don't glow that well, so I didn't try taking a picture.

The yarn I used - the Cartwheel - is actually a bit heavier than worsted (though it's marked "worsted") and is a thick-and-thin yarn. I used size 6 needles, and so, Cuddles came out a bit bigger than the pattern predicted.

I also made the face different from what the pattern indicated, I wanted more of an "anime cute" face. I think it turned out very effectively; Cuddles makes me smile when I look at him, which is really part of the raison d'etre of a toy, anyway.

The name - Cuddles - is actually taken from the nickname of one of my mother's favorite "character" actors, S. Z. Sakall (Though I see, from that page at least, he apparently disliked the nickname. His "first" name (actually a stage name) was not one I think many Americans could pronounce correctly, though). I think of him first as "Uncle Felix" (the restauranteur) from "Christmas in Connecticut" but I also know him from "In the Good Old Summertime."