The Mitten
Posted by Little Sister on 29 Jan 2009 at 06:09 pm | Tagged as: animal crafts, knitting, needle-felting, winter
Thank you to all who have been following along as I’ve been crafting Jan Brett’s The Mitten
Here is the mitten I knitted using a very, very old pattern I picked up at a craft swap fundraiser for a local art group:
It’s knitted with wool from the little working farm our county has at a park about ten minutes from our house. We like to visit the sheep there, and feel pretty good about using their wool. Not only do my little ones know the sheep who produced it, but their mama knows they are a rare breed and they don’t get eaten or have their babies made into kid gloves. Only humanely-shorn mittens like this one!
Here are all the mitten inhabitants (some simply crafted while looking at the book or google images, but only after learning to make some of them with this wonderful book
Here they are, eyeing the mitten:
And here they are stuffed inside of it:
Oooo, it’s going to be hard to wait until Valentine’s Day to give this to my little guy! For those of you who haven’t been following along, here are the pictures of all the individual animals. Thanks for visiting!
That is just so adorable and the owl is still my favorite. Look at him glaring suspiciously at that mitten!
I’m happy to see the wool from our sheep friends knitted into something so cute!
I didn’t grasp the full awesomeness of this project until seeing them all stuffed inside the mitten! I used to read that book when I was babysitting and it just came back to me. I absolutely love how you made it “real” with these crafts.
The picture of them all eyeing the mitten is PRICELESS! Such a charming project, Em!
I cannot even handle how adorable that is. What a beautiful gift. Your children are so lucky!
I love your story of the mitten even better than the book: the sheep, the farm, your children, their mama …
PS: I just showed my husband. Well, more like dragged him to the monitor to show him the cutest thing ever, and he asked how much they went for. I was all, “Silly, it’s one of a kind! She doesn’t sell them.” To which he replied, “She should!”
Your comments mean so much to me! Thank you, thank you! That owl IS eyeing the mitten rather suspiciously. I didn’t really mean for his head to be turned, but it just sort of ended up that way as I was making it, and now I’m glad it did!
PrixMadonna – your comments make me blush, but with happiness, too! Thank you! I’m glad your husband like it, too, but you’re right. It is one of a kind. I’m guessing it took me about 20 hours total, and I’m ready to move on! Already working on something else and scheming about the next thing! Crafting is even more enjoyable now that I’m sharing it with you all!
The image of them all stuffed into the mitten is beyond precious! Amazing work, Emily!
OMG! This has been such a special story for us! My mom was a librarian at my school and she read it every year to her kids and it was one of the books she gave me at my “library” shower for my girlie… and as soon as The Girlie was old enough to hold a book, it became her favorite! What a spectacular idea. And what a lucky little Valentine! Your work is exquisite. I’m inspired
…Amy R sent this link to me, in case you were wondering who the heck I am… I was telling her about the book this past weekend!
Wow, Emily, YOU ARE AN ARTIST! I love the little animals, each one has personality. I’ve never read The Mitten but I will be looking for it next time I go to the library. Be sure and get a photo of Lucas with his Valentine’s gift, we all want to see him with it. Hope you will bring your little handmade creatures when you come for Easter so I can look at each one. Amazing work, I cant wait to see what oyu come up with next!
Nita
I’m just basking in all this mitten love! Thank you all so much for your kind comments, and welcome, Julie — what a beautiful story about your library shower!
Oooh… so sweet… and so tiny, yet so much expression.
I haven’t seen this book before, or read the story. Must track them down….
Adorable! The owl is my fav, too. I guess I need to go find and read this book,lol. I feel like the only one who hasn’t.
That is SO cute! What a fantastic idea to go along with an adorable book. I’ll be the first in line if you ever decide to make some money off it.
ok, I had to switch screens when Sam walked back by because that is one of her favorite books and she would have passed out cold on the floor if she saw the little critters in the mitten! I’ve been sitting here speechless (amazing no?) for a few minutes, trying to find the right words to express my admiration at your obvious talent! These little critters are as good if not better than anything I’ve seen before in craft fairs/stores. You could seriously set up an Etsy shop with your handmades. Your children are so fortunate to have such beautifully crafted (and lovingly made)toys to express with in imaginative play…. these little animals are stunning!
[...] it (which is unfortunately rare for many of my creations — not that it stops me)! And the Mitten animals also took up residence in it right away. Lucas obviously made the connection between the [...]
I love your wee animals. I’ve just started needle felting and am having loads of fun. I’ve recently posted them on my blog, but your little friends are so much better. You are obviously a pro.
Found your wonderful blog searching for inspiration on how to needle felt a wee mole for a story we will be telling our kindergarten next week. Lovely, lovely, lovely! I hadn’t seen the book you referenced for the little animals, but have ordered it now!
Would you be willing to share the pattern for the mitten? So beautiful in it’s simplicity, and from sheep you know and love!
This is so cute! I would love this for my Blythe collection.
You should think about mass producing them and selling them. They are so adorable. I am a big Jan Brett fan and love ready the story to my students every January.
I teach a kindergarten/first grade combination class and read The Mitten with the children each year. What an amazing treasure you’ve created to enhance this wonderful book!
How did you make these little woodland animals? They are very cute. I would love to have some. Do you make them to sell?
I would love to buy a set of the animals from you if you sell them. They are just adorable and I am doing a The Mitten in school right now. Please let me know.
Judy
I am a head start teacher always searching for amazing props for my children.
if you ever decide to make these wonderful animals to sell, i will be one of your first customers.
thanks !! very helpful post!
Gorgeous, these are so sweet! Thank you for the picture of what this story might look like in its most lovliness!
Very interesting topic , thanks for putting up. “Genius is of no country.” by Charles Churchill.
oh my goodness.this is absolutely adorable! We also love The Mitten in our house! WOuld love to make this but I have only needle felted an actual figure once. WOndering if you sell your creations anywhere?
Erinn
This is probably the cutest thing ever. SO wish you would make them to sell! As a speech pathologist, I’m always looking for creative props to go with my favorite books/lessons.
Love your art and I have never seen this type of needlework. I would love to know more about it and if you sell anything?