These two are the last Bears of the year for me since I will be traveling over the holidays. I always take yarn and needles with me, but NEVER poly fill, and so, even if I knit, I won't finish any of the Bears while I am on my trip.
I've named these Bears Patti and Patrick in honor of my daughter and her boyfriend. And, staying with the current B list, the girl Bear is a Barefoot Babe with Boogie Bag, and the boy Bear is a Barefoot Beanie Boy.
I wish everybody a wonderful Holiday Season and hope to knit many more Bears in the coming year.
I think I have fitted more than enough B-Words into these two Bears (see below). It is one of my favorite Bear photographs in quite a while; the black and white squares of the material kind of swirl around this little brother and sister pair. I can't wait for them to begin their journey to Africa. They've been loaded with love and good wishes, having witnessed the Rescue of the Chilean Miners on television while they were sitting on my coffee table. Bonne Chance! Barefoot, Bonbon,Beanie,Boy, Black, Breeches, Blossom, Band,Boogie Bag,Boots, Babe.
I really don't very often listen to my own advice - my table top is in constant flux and rarely ever neat and orderly. Some days the colors match, more often they clash. My color choices depend on my mood or they are influenced by the kind of Bear I have in mind. Since my ideas overlap my Bears aren't finished in the order I want them to be finished, but in the order of interest to me at any particular time. I was fully invested in lime green and hot pink when suddenly I saw an image on TV and couldn't wait to get the right colors to make it come to life. The image was of a woman in red high heels and black and white striped stockings. I had to come up with a color for the dress and picked teal for the contrast. Bear 211 is the result.
Teal, black, rouge, and white Red Heart Super Saver yarn made the Beanie Boy possible. He's only a few days old, but has been a favorite of mine since I began working on him. Another B-Word incorporated with the Beanie. I am tempted to rename the PomPom a BonBon and call the cap a Bonbon-topped Beanie
Here she is, the young lady in red Boots and Black and white stockings. She carries a Boogie Bag and wears a Blossom Band on her head.
And this is the first Bikini Bottom Bathing Beauty
A Blossom over her ear, hot pink Boogie Bag strapped to her shoulder, wearing lace-edged white Bloomers, this is Bear Number 209.
Something that always motivates me to knit more Bears is a trip to Michaels. Whenever a friend sends me a 40% off coupon for yarn I take it as an omen: You must shop NOW.
I love to crochet little flowers and the Boogie Bag is perfect for "hosting" one of them
Of course Boogie Bags have to have different shapes and sizes.
I love the little Black Boots; the color of the laces is important in the overall picture.
Another Boogie Bag, this one with drawstring.
I know from my own childhood how important little bags or pockets are to little girls. I used to beg for buttons from my grandmother's button box and kept them in my apron pocket. Sometimes I carried flowers or pebbles around or I folded a very important piece of paper and hid it in my pocket.
I always try to come up with different angles to keep up my interest in knitting Bears . Of course there is the real chance to give something tangible to a child, which, in itself, is a wonderful motivator, but enthusiasm tires occasionally after more than 200 repetitions of the same pattern. That is why, this time, I have given myself the task of collecting fashion-B-words and expressing them on Bears. The name of my Fall Collection is:
It's Fun to be on the B-List and my first four bears show off the new accessories by wearing one or two of the following:
Boleros, Bibs, Belts, Bandanas. and, after a suggestion by "Mother- Bear-in-Charge" Berets
There are at least two things I like about today. First: Forty Bears are now packed and ready to go. Secondly, Germany won the soccer match against Argentina and will advance to the World Cup Semi Finals next Wednesday.
But, there is one more. I like the way the mockingbird situation has resolved itself. A master singer has moved into the neighborhood; he sings from the top of the pine tree in front of my house at seven in the morning. Not that he has improved the tui tui twee of my old friend in back, but I benefit from his expert song in that I am no longer dwelling upon the stunted melodies that reach me later on. Somehow it seems easier to think of my own tasks when the components of a morning concert fly past my ears without making me feel pity for the poor fellow who pours his whole heart into three syllables. I know now that he has not been replaced, but instead is supported by a more mature and experienced singer. At least that is the story my mind has fabricated around the mockingbirds in my neighborhood. I am always willing to believe the better of two outcomes.
As to the World Cup in South Africa, it’s been a long time since I’ve followed a sporting event that closely, and because I have no control over the outcome I never know how I will feel at the end of a game - happy because my team won, sad because the other team won, or, what is even worse, sad because the other team lost. Sometimes I can’t decide whom to root for. I am German, living in the USA, with friends in several other countries. I want everybody to be happy.
So, back to Bears. They do make everybody happy. I finished the second one hundred on June 28, almost a month ahead of schedule. (I wanted to be finished by Mr. Mandela’s 92nd birthday on July 18.) I named Bear #200 Jessica for Jessica Mbangeni, one of South Africa’s female Imbongi (praise poet). Jessica Mbangeni, singer, dancer, poet, narrator, is an international star; naming a Bear in her honor is just another way to catch her creativity and infuse the Bear with magic.
Some of the last forty Bears have been named after soccer players in the World Cup, some after people that surround artists, and some were the lucky winners of “chance drawings” from my “Baby Names from Around the World” book. All of them will fly to Africa with my most hopeful wishes that they will make a few more children happy.
I will take a two-months leave from knitting Bears, because there are a few other projects that need my attention. I’ll be back in September.
I grew up with soccer. We played it everywhere, bouncing balls off our heads or kicking them across the street or a field. On Sundays we walked to the sports field where we watched the local guys and those from neighboring villages play soccer. So, of course, I have to watch the World Cup from South Africa. so far I saw the South Africa vs. Mexico match. The Uruguay vs. France match. The England vs. USA match. And finally the Germany vs. Australia match. I enjoyed the opening ceremony and Desmond Tutu's energetic dance of celebration and I am very happy that Bafana Bafana delivered the first goal during the first game.
It was just before the Germany vs. Australia game that I thought of knitting a bear that would show the colors of the German flag. In the end I included all the colors of the South African flag in the scarf. And I finished the whole Bear yesterday. I will give him the name "Fifa" and he will remind me of the noise of the vuvuzela that sounds like an army of bees has invaded the playing field. It might be annoying to visitors, but it is a South African tradition to blow vuvuzelas and I think that banning them, as has been suggested by some, is not an option.
My condolences go out to Mr. Mandela and his family. His great-granddaughter lost her life in a car crash on the eve of the first game. He, of course, did not attend the opening ceremony.
I've knitted six bears with an off-white yarn and have given them the group name "IceBears." Their colors are determined by location.
The first one reflects the blue and white of icebergs and the pale yellow of a distant sun.
The second one is observed as the evening sun hits the ocean.
The third one shows the atmospheric conditions present in the morning.
The fourth one climbs an iceberg and reflects the deep blue sea with his scarf.
The fifth one has moved inland to a lake that is surrounded by trees.
The sixth one strayed into the redwoods, dark greens are pierced here and there by yellow sunlight.
All six are interpretations of photos I have taken during my travels; they are all landscapes that include water and show the reflection of its surroundings.
