Knitted Toy Pattern Review
I’m sharing the good and the not so good in my knitted toy pattern review. No doubt, JetKat’s bunny is adorable, but is the pattern worth the price? Find out more in my review.
I ventured a bit out of my comfort zone this week. Not only did I knit a tiny toy on double point needles, but we rescued a sweet little kitten (more on that later). Typically I stick to projects I’m comfortable with but, I had a hankering to challenge myself a bit. Me thinks it paid off.
Last month Suzy Marie Knits began sharing these quirky little bunnies on her Instagram feed. I had never seen them before and they were so different from the bunnies she normally knits. When I clicked on the link to the designer I stepped into an enchanted little world of bunnies, raccoons, mice, and twinkling lights.
Jet Kat
If you haven’t seen the work of JetKat.spb you are in for a treat. Katya’s magical world is full of surprises and adorableness! She has created the most captivating creatures. Her photography is not only spot on but tells a story in each little Instagram square.
Katya’s animals are certainly full of cuteness, but for Halloween she designed a Freddy Krueger cat just for fun. How she makes Nightmare on Elm Street charming, I’ll never know. Most of her photos contain pretty pastels and pouty faces. The scruffiness of her creatures is so unusual and I just want to squeeze each and every one.
Check out my blog post about knitting with double point needles here.
Knitted Toy Pattern Review
There are so many good things about this pattern, but I also want to share what I found to be a bit challenging. I paid for this pattern myself and will make no money if you decide to purchase it for yourself. My goal is to give you the information so you can decide if it’s something you would like to try.
JetKat’s Etsy shop name is Knit Zoo. You can find all her patterns and finished toys for sale as well.
Details
One of the best aspects of this knitted toy pattern are the details. It is a whopping thirty-four pages long. In addition there are notes for most sections to explain what the knitter should be doing in order to complete the project. I genuinely appreciate the time and effort Katya put into creating such a beautiful pattern.
Photos
I’m a very visual person so having dozens of photos in a pattern is very helpful for me. Not only beneficial, the photos are extremely clear. There are eighty-seven in total. I found the tutorial photos for completing the face extremely valuable. There are eight in total just for embroidering the mouth.
Large Type
The pattern is published in large type. For me that is a serious advantage. I am not a fan of teeny tiny type. I like to knit in the evenings and the larger the font size the happier my eyes are. Straining to see what’s on the pattern is not my idea of a good time.
Accessories Tutorial
The pattern includes tutorials for the glasses and making the pom-pom for the hat. I am a sucker for details and love when designers add lots of them. She also includes photos for how to customize your own bunny and make him or her all your own.
Negatives
The next section in my knitted toy pattern review is the negatives. There are a couple of them that I want you to be aware of before purchasing this pattern.
Language
While the pattern is written in English, it is clear that it is being translated from another language, which I believe is Russian. The reason I’m including this in the “negative” section is that at times the wording can be confusing. I discovered that when she writes “take off” it means to slip as if to knit. There are other awkward sections but I found if I was patient it helped. When I reread the text and looked at the photos I was able to understand what I needed to do.
Price
At $15 (US) I found this pattern to be a bit on the pricey side. I do believe it is worth it because of all the details, but it definitely is more expensive than others that are similar. The reason I believe it is worth the price is that the design is very unique. I haven’t seen any that look quite like it. I also learned quite a bit by knitting this little bunny. Educating myself is something I find very valuable.
Intermediate Skill Level
If you are already a confident knitted toy maker, you should have little problem making this adorable little bunny. You will also need to know how to knit on double point needles. I would not recommend this if you are a beginner knitter or have never knit toys before. The pattern assumes that you already understand certain basic knitting skills and gives little explanation for those sections.
Yay or Nay
I am now a big fan of JetKat’s patterns and will be purchasing more in the future. Katya even has video tutorials for some of her other designs. Even though there are a handful of negatives I found no errors and am tickled pink with the result. I highly recommend this pattern and can’t wait to start another spectacled bunny.
Helpful Tutorials
I found several YouTube videos that greatly helped me in sections of the pattern that I struggled with.
Helpful Tools & Materials
I strayed a bit from the pattern recommendations and used yarn that I already had. Not having the correct size DPNs (double point needles), I bought some at Hobby Lobby. I would not recommend those at all. While I typically like the Yarnology brand for notions and such, I really disliked these knitting needles. They aren’t strong enough for toy making and bent. Arrrrggghh. No bueno.
These are the tools and materials I used to make my adorable little Hamilton Bunny. You will need to refer to the pattern for all the materials needed to complete your own little fuzzy friend. I used. a different weight yarn, different size needles, and different gauge wire than the pattern called for.
- Knitter’s Pride KP800413 Pom-Pom Nirvana Makers, Multicolor
- Artistic Wire 16-Gauge Black Coil Wire, 10-Feet
- addi FlipStix Double Pointed Knitting Needles 6-inch (15cm) – Set of 5; US Size 0 (2mm)
- Baby Cashmerino, Light Blue Color 202
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Thank You!
Finally, thank you for supporting Le Petit Saint Crochet. Every like, comment, view, and recommendation is so very much appreciated. If you have any suggestions for future blog posts please let me know! I love hearing from you all.
I love the eyes on this little guy. Thank you for giving such detailed info about the tools you use, it is much appreciated
Thanks so much, Katie! I do love his expression! 🤓🤓🤓
Thanks so much, Katie!
This little guy is too cute!
I love your thoughtful reviews Elise.
I’m just about to start knitting my first bunny using the Little Cotton Rabbits pattern.
Oh how fun! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know how it goes!!
He is so cute, and I just love your photography!
Thanks so very much, Jenn!