Nestled is out, and for the next few days, it’s 10% off with the code SNUGGLED.

Now look, I know this isn’t for everyone.  Some of you are looking at this and thinking huh, well, that sure is…unusual.  And if that’s you, I get it.  You should totally wander off and find the knitting you love and do that instead.  But…I’ve heard a rumor that there are quite a few of you who are as hopelessly smitten with these as I am.

I’m hearing about plans to make one for everybody in the family ornament swap or one for everyone in the kid’s class.  I’m hearing about plans to use them as place card holders or favors at Thanksgiving dinner or at your fall wedding.  I’m hearing about plans to use champagne corks from important occasions as the doll base.  I’m hearing about plans to make piles of the leaves and use them for garlands and wreaths.  Basically, I’m hearing that a fair number of you have fallen under these wee little creatures’ spell and that you have ideas.  Which just fills me with glee!

I supposed I should talk about the practical bits.  Each cape or leaf takes about 25 yards of yarn (I went raiding my scraps bin, but if you’ve got some collections of mini skeins laying around, this could be just what you’ve been looking for).  I used a mix of fingering, sport, and dk weight yarns.  The dolls are easy to find at most any craft or toy store (ask for peg dolls), or you can find them online (these are the exact ones I used, but you can also just search for peg doll, as always, amazon links are affiliate links).  Mine are between 2 and 3 inches tall (any smaller and it’s hard to fit the capes on them).

The knitting is easy peasy.  Start with a tiny tube (that’s the stem or the tip of the hood).  Increase out and work in the round for a bit (that’s the pouch on the leaf or the hood on the cape).  Then open up and work flat for a bit (that’s the point on the leaf or the bottom of the cape).  There are two different leaf sizes and two different leaf textures plus three different cape shapes and three different ways to shape the hood points, so you won’t get bored if you make more than one.  And each piece only takes an hour or two, so you can end up with a whole forest of them in no time.

I’m going to be overly cautious here for a second and mention that the dolls are little (as are the tiny charms I’ve tied the capes with) and the pipe cleaners I used to make the hats bendy are a bit sharp.  So you want to be cautious and not give these to anyone who is in a ‘put everything in their mouth’ stage.  Which you probably already knew, but I feel like the cuteness could easily overcome good common sense, so I’ll feel better if I mention it.

But other than that one tiny caution, I strongly suggest you give in to the whims of the leaflings and just do what they want.  They clearly know something we don’t, and I suspect they’ll lead us on a glorious adventure!

Once again, the pattern is Nestled, and you can get it for 10% off for the first few days it’s out with the code SNUGGLED.