What to Knit Holiday 2012 6 - Toys

This is often the most popular post of the What to Knit series.  Who doesn't love toys?  Fun to knit, fun to give, and a wonderful alternative to the knitted baby blanket if you've had enough of blanket knitting for awhile.

Knit these Toy Balls for children in cotton or acrylic for babies for a hypo-allergenic baby toys.  Self-striping yarns can be great fun, or use several different colors of a particular yarn.  Remember fathers appreciate toys made in their favorite team's colors for their sons!  Red Sox colors or Green Bay colors are fun for Dad and baby alike.

This Old-Fashioned Sheep Toy by Sarah Elizabeth Kellner is charming.  You can choose a boucle yarn or mohair if the child is old enough to keep toys out of their mouths.  Make it in real sheep colors, or have fun with crayon brights.  Add an I-cord or ribbon collar for a Bo Peep's sheep!

For all the space buffs and burgeoning astronauts in your life, there's this Little Rocket by Megan Kelly.  There are a variety of metallic yarns available if you want a more realistic look.  Maybe for an older child you could embroider NASA across the side!  You can make them in a variety of sizes and make an entire fleet of rockets.  Great idea! 

Fat Robin comes to us from the Petit Purls blog, and it's a multi-piece toy.  Naturally you can make any or all the parts of this set, but the robin's eggs are not baby safe for kids under 3.  It's a well-written pattern designed to take US 5 needles.  With a little adapting, you could make this pattern represent a variety of real or fantasy birds!  Variegated greys and browns would make a believable pigeon plumage, and bright yellow mohair would make an adorable chick!

Last but not least are these adorable Rabbit and Bear by April Cromwell of the By Small Means blog.  Not only are they endearing on their own, they also come with patterns for 5 clothing items!  Many children love to play dress-up, and with a little ingenuity you can devise a wide variety of outfits from these few patterns. 

I really hope this has given you some ideas for ths holiday season, or your next baby shower.  Send pics of toys you've knit.  We'd love to see them!