Wow, this was a big one! This birthday gift from one of my long-time blog followers to her partner included a whole heap of accessories, and was designed to capture as many elements of their life together as possible.
To start with, they’re both keen gardeners – so gardening kit featured heavily in the design.
Jan Beastie (on the right) is wearing an apron modelled on one of her human counterpart’s own handmade creations, and both Beasties are sporting handmade wellies with needle-felted soles.
A hand-stitched chili plant and felt trowel complete the look!
Of course, much as they love their garden, they don’t spend all their time there. When they’re out and about, Jan Beastie can hang up her apron and show off her cotton dress with its pretty geometric floral print.
I also copied her human’s boxy-framed glasses…
… And preferred hairstyle.
She got a bag as well, loosely modelled on another of Human Jan’s makes. The original is crochet, so I couldn’t copy it exactly, but it mirrors the colour scheme!
She can use it to carry her copy of Jon Beastie’s novel (a Beastified tribute to human Jon’s book Kirkenes Blue)…
…Or her knitting!
And what about the birthday boy?
Again, I copied his human counterpart’s hair…
… And glasses!
Although the gift was commissioned for delivery in the summer, I prepared Jon Beastie for cooler days ahead with a hand-knitted hat.
The hat follows a design and technique Human Jan uses in some of her own knitting projects – creating new pieces from the short scraps of yarn that would otherwise be thrown away. I love this idea! And I always save my yarn scraps, so it was great to put them to use.
Now, I already mentioned that Jon Beastie’s human counterpart is an author… So I figured this little literary monster would have to have a notebook and pen.
The design on the cover is hand-embroidered, and based on a favourite notebook of Human Jon’s.
I guess he’ll also need a backpack to carry those around…
Very nice!
And finally – let’s provide him with the kit for a couple of his other hobbies before we wrap up. Are you also wondering how he finds time to do all this?! Still, he’s a handy Beastie to have around, because he enjoys mending electronics with his teeny felt soldering iron…
… And then he can entertain us with a riff or two on his awesome felt guitar!
Jon and Jan Beasties Vital Statistics
- Yarns: Irish-spun yarn in Royal, Sky Blue, Spring Green and Purple. Hair is 100% merino wool (Jon), 100% British Blue-Faced Leicester (Jan)
- Clothing: Jan – Hand-stitched cotton dress and hand-stitched felt apron. Jon – Handknitted merino wool sweater
- Accessories: Felt and wire glasses with plastic lenses, handknitted hat, felt welly boots, handknitted shoulder bag with felt lining, felt chili plant, felt trowel, felt Flying V guitar, embroidered felt notebook and pen, felt soldering iron, felt backpack. All felt pieces hand stitched or needle-felted.
PS Check in with these two at The Snail of Happiness and Writinghouse !
