Handmade Christmas

In the last few years, I've noticed that when Christmas rolls around, gone is any desire on my part to shop. This may or may not have something to do with my overall stubborn nature in regards to societal 'Do's and Don'ts'. Perhaps I'm tired of seeing dead animals wash ashore after an oil companies 'oops' moment, or hearing about plastic garbage choking wildlife or washing out to sea. Maybe it has something to do with debt and my fear of any more of it, or the fact that most of the people that make these toys can't afford them for their own children.

Whatever this drive in me is, I've come up with something I'm rather excited about this year, and I think the kids will actually enjoy it, too. Here it is-

I've decided to make stuffed replica's of things my kids have drawn this year. My first project is a stuffed train for my four year old, Joe.

Here is Joe's train picture (he loves trains and draws them all the time). You'll notice that he's named this particular engine- Sam.



I've begun with the last car on the train~



Here, I am working on the windows- trying to get them as close to the picture as possible~



And here is a photo of the completed car with the next car in the works~



Stuffed animals (or stuffed trains) are one of my favorite things to knit. There's something about the feeling of bringing a character to life in this way.

So, here's hoping that I'll be able to finish before Christmas Eve:)