Knitting is more than just creating a wearable sweater. What’s more, contemporary knitters are gradually redefining this craft into a new form of art. Kristina McGowan, the creative behind the company Frog & Cast, merges her passion for knitting and her childhood memories to create Frog and Toad plushies.
Frog & Cast is a company that offers knitting patterns for pullovers, blankets and hats. Kristina coined the name from two well-known knitting terms: to frog (undo) and to cast on (start anew). So, knitters like her would immediately understand what the company is all about. Among their collection of patterns, one definitely stands out – the Frog and Toad.
Knitted Frog and Toad Plushies
The plushies are based on Kristina’s favorite book as a child. It was a series of children’s books written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel featuring the adorable characters Frog and Toad. Kristina revealed on the company website that no other books have inspired her more vividly than Lobel’s bestseller. When she visited her parents several years ago, she found the books she used to love as a kid. She was suddenly flooded by the memory of childhood and the familiar sense of home upon seeing the books. And that inspired her to knit Frog and Toad. The night the idea came to her she
“Sat by the woodstove with a ball of green yarn and sock needles and began to experiment with how one might make a Frog. It was an evening of smiling and experimenting and revisiting the pages of Lobel’s magic with new appreciation.”
In the story, Frog is taller than Toad. Also, Frog has a green skin while Toad has brown. Although shorter, Toad has a stouter body. After Kristina completed Frog, she decided to knit Toad’s stout body and she filled him with pellets. Then after completing the plushies, she went on to knit clothing from her favorite scenes including a jacket, a bathing suit and a pair of pants.
Here’s what people have to say about these adorable plushies
You don’t have to be a fan of Lobel to have your own plushies. Well, just look at how cute these knitted creations are. If you’re ready to put your knitting skills to the test, check out their website to see all the materials you’ll need. Then buy the pattern in PDF format to get you started. The pattern includes detailed instructions for the plushies and clothing along with images to guide you along the way.
Source: Frog & Cast