Unselfish Knitting

My dad does not send Christmas cards. He sends out valentines. Every year about this time I look forward to a heavily stickered envelope appearing in my letter box. He likes to send those little ones you get in the card board box in the drug store and they could be anything. One year it was Barbie princess fairies and the next it was Pixar's Cars. I picture him at the roll top desk (the one I used to hide under as a child) signing little messages and adding stickers at will. He inspired me to give my own valentine's. Not just to my husband but to my friends and anyone who just needs to be reminded that they are loved. I found a really cute one with a robot on it for my mother. She goes down to Florida every October and stays until about March. I don't get to see her much (read at all) during those months. So I decided not only was I going to send the card but also make the Dangercrafts Lovebot to accompany it. I figure she can put him in her car and he can be a little totem of luck and love.

He's about 8.5" inches from head to foot and made from Madelinetosh sock in Windowpane and a Wool Dispensary Oops color in a bright shade of pink. It was my first time doing duplicate stitch. Though I adore fair isle I possess poor intarsia skills so the Lovebot got stitched instead. I made him on size 1 needles in a day and a half of pure knitting bliss. Another unselfish knit dropped off my needles this weekend as well. He is for some friends in Philadelphia who just had (born yesterday) their second child, a little boy named Lucas Dean. I made a similar rabbit for the new big sister when she was born three years ago. 

Measuring 14" from ear to toe he is the perfect size for cuddling and a good excuse to use up some malabrigo merino worsted and malabrigo rios that was hanging around my stash. I used Ysolda Teague's Otto pattern and US size 5 needles. These two guys are ready to be packed up and shipped out to their respective recipient's. Though I won't get to see the looks of happiness as the boxes are opened I can imagine what they will look like. And that is worth every little stitch, every bit of finishing, and every yard of yarn.