yuletide gnome

The blasted (but darn cute) thing is finally finished! I decided to take an “action shot” this time, since I was feeling festive. I had to break out the tripod, and I took several photos to finally end up with this photo. It’s totally cheesy, but I really, really like it. I’m not nuts about the background (it looks like wood paneling or something), but I’m happy with how most everything is in focus, the majority of it isn’t (too) overexposed, and it has those cool little starbursts around some of the lights (without any photoshop action I might add). Yes, dumb luck, but hey, I’ll take it. Sure, I can find plenty of things that make this less than a perfect example of “good” photography. But overall, I succeeded with what I wanted to accomplish with it. For those who are curious, it was shot at f/16 and the shutter speed was 10 seconds (edited to add: 400 ISo). The Christmas tree lights were the main light source.

Anyway, back to the silly gnome. It feels good to have a longtime unfinished object turn into a finished object. Apparently for this project, all I had to do was write about how it was a never-ending project for me. That tactic does not usually work for me.

As with most projects from books, I didn’t use the yarn it called for. I also didn’t worry too much about gauge since it’s a stuffed toy. My gnome is a little bit larger than knitting at the pattern gauge would have produced. I ended up using Galway Pure Wool for the body and clothing. His head and nose are knitted out of Plymouth Encore. I really wanted to use Galway yarn for his head and nose since I preferred the texture, but I couldn’t find a suitable color. Since so little of it shows though, the different texture isn’t a problem. His beard is Lion Brand Fun Fur, which is a product I absolutely hate. I happened to have a random skein of it, since I had purchased it to knit a toy skunk (yet another unfinished project). I still have enough of it left over to make a ton of gnome beards and skunk stripes, should I have the urge.

The gnome will have a new owner on Christmas morning, since it’s a Christmas present for Zach’s mom. Hopefully, she likes it. I think she will. Zach thinks she’ll love it.