Pile-Able Pups

My favorite little nephew just turned 2!  Which is definitely a good reason to knit him up a special present. I thought these adorable pile-able pups would be just perfect.  Fun for playing and stacking. Even though the patten calls for three pups, I only made two, since it was his second birthday.

I must admit, I really struggled with these guys.  Mostly just the seaming gave me troubles.  It was my first time seaming and it was definitely a good learning experience.  Using the mattress stitch worked perfectly to hide the seams but it was a major pain to figure out.  Once I got the hang of it, finishing up these guys was no problem. And from now on, I can use the mattress stitch if I need to.

The only changes I made was to switch to a 16" circular when I picked up the stitches along the side. It was a little easier to manage than the DPN's at that point.  I also did a stripe patten on the belly of the pup.  The yarn I used was just enough for one pup, but only because of the stripe on the belly. 

Overall, this was a fun learning experience project. Something small and quick (if you already know how to use the mattress stitch).  And just enough of a motivator to get me back into the swing of things with knitting.

How adorable are the little tails?

Raverly Page 
Pattern - Pile-Able Pups by Anna Hrachovec
Yarn - Lily Sugar N' Creme Solids in Yellow Sun, Green, and Bright Blue
Needles - Size 5 US DPN's and 16" circulars
Safety eyes and nose from Joann's