***Be sure to click on photo to enlarge and see the handwork up close!***
Spring! A bright morning in May. The irresistible scent of roses wafted through the open window luring me outside. As I was standing in front of the rose bush trying to decide which roses to cut and bring in, I heard what sounded faintly like jingling bells. I looked down the path leading from the garden. There was nothing there but still I heard the sound of bells~ I went back to cutting roses. A few minutes later I heard not only the bells; they were being accompanied by a sweet little humming sound. The sound wasn’t even. It sped-up and slowed down, in the way a small mountain stream running downhill slows to a calm lazy gurgle as it flows into a level spot and pools for a bit before running out again.
I’d cut four roses before I looked down the path again. Hopping, skipping, running and jumping; jingling and humming- and then they stopped abruptly. A second of silence while they caught their breath- and then the only movement made was the joyful sound of giggling. Oh my gosh they were cute! Two girls. From the giggling, it had to be girls. Besides, they were both dressed in pink.; a lamb and a sheepdog! Such a cute pair! Suddenly they were up in a hop and skipping, bells jingling and a tune, humming! I saw them but they hadn’t seen me- I could feel myself smiling as I watched them. These were definitely a happy pair!
Right in the middle of a run they suddenly both skid to a halt. They’d seen me! They stood right where they’d stopped and stared at me with “sheepish” grins on their faces. I waved and said, “Hi” before walking towards them, not wanting to frighten them.
They are delightful!! I invited them into the cottage and over lemonade and ginger cookies I learned that Pansy, the lamb, and Bella, the sheepdog are the best of friends. Both are quite young; under two- years- old. They met as babies when Bella was being trained to herd sheep. She didn’t want to herd the sheep, she wanted to play with the sheep; especially with Pansy. Pansy was constantly running away from the herd to play with Bella. They both had been punished so much for not behaving the way they were expected to that they decided the only way they were going to be able to play together & be best friends, was to run away. This was their second day away and they were already having a great time. When I asked them where they were going, they looked at each other, shrugged, giggled and replied they were just going to follow the road and see where it brought them.
They had no idea of danger. I told them all about the bunny garden and invited them to stay with us as long as they’d like and be free to play forever if they wanted. I wanted them stay here with the bunnies and other animals- at least until they got old enough to be able to live on their own safely. They looked at each other to decide what to do- “Before you decide, let me show you the garden and introduce you to all of the animals who live here. I know you’re going to like them!" I said. They were eager to take a tour & meet everyone and just as I’d hoped, by the time they’d met everyone and picked out a spot in the garden they could call their own, they were very excited to stay. That made me SO happy!! I’d like to tell you a bit about them……..
I’ve hand knit Pansy from a soft, mohair-blend yarn. I spent four days after first knitting her head, meticulously stitching layers and layers of French knots all over her head to give her a realistic, very- woolly look. To give you an idea of how many French knots are stitched- way too many to keep count of, I’ll tell you that it took an entire skein of yarn just to make the knots for her head. That’s more yarn than it takes to knit the entire lamb! This was a labor of love. Pansy stands approximately 14” tall, measured to the highest curve of her ear.
Pansy has been carefully assembled with repetitive stitches that firmly attach her limbs to her body, while leaving her limber and cuddly. Her head is purposely attached so that it can wobble from side to side and forward and back. It may seem "loose" but it's intended to be that way. It is attached extremely well and under normal conditions, is there to stay-
I’ve designed both Pansy and her romper which I’ve knit especially for her. Her romper is knit from a pretty heathered-pink wool-blend yarn and is not removable. On the front of one leg of the romper I’ve hand-embroidered a vine of lavender-hued flowers. The romper ties at each ankle and matching pink bows tie around each of her ears. They aren’t intended to be removed either as they’ve been attached to her head. I’ve hand embroidered her eyes and nose and she retains her nice shape from poly-fil stuffing. Pansy likes to lie on a bed or stand on a shelf but she needs something behind her when she stands to prop her up.
Bella is also designed, hand-knit and hand-stitched by me. As with everything I create, both animals are one of a kind. You may find it hard to believe, but underneath all of Bella’s “hair” I’ve hand knit a basic sitting puppy shape. To give her the characteristics of an Old English Sheepdog, I cut what seemed like a zillion strands of yarn, tied them into little bundles and sewed each bundle onto the knit form. There are many layers of bundled yarn here. Once they’re sewn onto the form they have to be trimmed to “sculpt” the mass of yarn strands into the semblance of a sheepdog. Many of the strands had to be stitched in a few places to hold them to the original shape and prevent the yarn from standing out in every direction like a porcupine. I left as much of the top layer loose rather than tied down, to make it more realistic-looking. To give a lot of the yarn its shaggy look I took a needle and ran it down most of the yarn strands a few times to untwist the fibers at the end. Some of the white yarn used is a boucle yarn so it already had a shaggy look without my running a needle down it.
I hand embroidered Bella’s nose with embroidery floss. Her eyes are two tiny glass beads that have been sewn on through her head with stitches running from one eye to the other several times. Bella’s hat is both hand crocheted and hand knit. I’ve woven a satin ribbon to match the color of the flowers embroidered on Pansy’s romper, through the brim of her hat and as a symbol of their freedom and their friendship, the first thing they did after running away was to remove the sheep bells from around Pansy;s neck and attach them onto the ribbon that weaves around Bella's hat making it a beautiful adornment symbolizing happiness and freedom!
Bella’s hat is knit from the same wool-blend yarn as Pansy’s romper. Her hat is not removable. It’s sewn to her head. Bella measures approximately 6” tall from her seated position to the top of her hat.
**Pansy and Bella are not meant to be a young child's rough-play toy. Because of her "knit nature" Pansy needs to be handled gently or she could easily snag. Both Pansy & Bella will make a wonderful addition to a collection and will be great decor for a child's room- or any room. For an older child Pansy is great to lay on a bed or stand on a shelf and she really gives wonderful hugs if hugged gently. With gentle care she should last many years and will make an excellent heirloom gift. Bella is really rather fragile. The less she is handled, the better she will survive. Bella is really meant primarily as decor; to look at but not to touch. When her hair seems to need "fixing" just gently patting it down in the direction it wants to go is the best way. Because I've sewn it to her body to help shape her, don;'t try to force it to go a way it doesn't want to go **
***Bella should never be given to a baby or young child because of her eyes which are glass beads and would be dangerous if swallowed or broken and also because of her many long strands of yarn which would definitely be a choking hazard.