Hello everyone! I’ve another creature feature for you this week – and I’m surprised at how long it’s taken me to share this special Beastie pet with you! She’s a real cutie.
Hey there, Mini-Penelope!
This sweet little French bulldog pup was created to complete a Beastie family which I made a few years ago. Here’s the original trio…
They landed in their new home just in time to help their new human friends celebrate their wedding. However, that was ALLLLLL the way back in 2018! And with the arrival of Penelope (a cheeky lil’ French bulldog puppy) during last year’s lockdown, this family portrait needed an update!
So, I grabbed my needle-felting kit, and spent a good bit of time getting to know Penelope a little better. You can too! She and her sister Zoey have their own Instagram account.
And now here’s her Mini-Me!
* Waves magic Beastification wand *
And turn and smile for the camera, please.
Very nice.
Oh sorry, what’s that? You want to play Fetch?
Maybe the pens and pencils might be a bit big for you, don’t you think?
Oh. She looks disappointed. Hey, you can still climb on them! Endless hours of fun.
Who’s a good girl?
Thanks to Kristen for requesting this fun addition to her little family of woolly monsters!
And be sure to join us again next week, when we’ll be catching up with Paddy and Plunkett. I wonder where they’ve been for the last couple of weeks? See you then!
First of all, you can see she’s sporting a very lovely handknitted Aran sweater. This Beastie’s human counterpart loves to travel… And although she’s been to some pretty far-flung destinations, the Aran Islands (which lie just off Ireland’s west coast) remain one of her favourite places to visit. What better way for a Beastie to celebrate this connection than with knitwear?
And now, how about something to tie into her working life? For a time, our Beastification subject worked for St Patrick’s Athletic Football Club – a Dublin team based in Inchicore, just to the west of the city centre. She’s also the head of a family of self-confessed football addicts… That made this a prime candidate for being included in the accessory lineup!
When it’s not holding the ingredients for her latest gastronomic experiments, she can use it to carry everything she needs for her other favourite pastime – getting lost in a good book!
As you can see, I’ve provided her with a selection of Beastie-appropriate titles – The Monster Family Cookbook and a classic Hercwool Poirot crime thriller!
… And let the good times roll!
Thanks to Niamh for choosing to celebrate her Mum’s retirement the Beastie way… And for all her help in getting the blend of accessories just right!
Now, I don’t mind admitting that this was a pretty big project. All Beastifications are important, of course, but it was hinted that this pair would be joining the wedding party on the day. They’d be given the monster task of looking after (not eating!) the wedding cake, and the ceremony and reception were to take place in the oh-so-fancy Merchant Hotel in Belfast.
The jackets close with a snap fastener, and are completely removable. Underneath, a shirt with felt collar and cuffs completes the look… Then a black ribbon bow tie adds a final flourish. Here’s Mr P Beastie to give us a close-up!
Let’s just take another look at those jackets… First of all, they’re fully lined!
I used a lighter weight wool and viscose blend felt for this, to make sure the jackets kept their lines and didn’t end up looking like bulky winter coats. They’ve got black satin collars, and…
… I even copied the cuff buttons from the human-sized version!
… And then sending them down the aisle with a special accessory each!
Meanwhile, Mr D Beastie decided to toast to the success of the marriage with a refreshing Beastie-sized pint.
Strategically-placed magnets mean that the Beasties can set their goodies down and hit the dancefloor at the end of the night, too!
And while they’re off honeymooning, we might indulge in a bit more holiday reminiscing ourselves! Join us next week for more from 
I found Knitter Beastie hanging out among the plants in my studio, on the day I was going to meet one of my long-term knitting students for a goodbye coffee. This student had been a regular at the classes for a while, and we’d worked through some awesome and ambitious projects together. But alas, her time in Dublin was coming to an end, and she was moving home to Germany to continue her studies.
“Reeeeeally? I’ve always wanted to see Germany… And I could probably use a bit of help with this project, too.”
And with that, it was decided. Knitter Beastie hopped into my bag, and pretty much insisted on leaving the country with my student. I hope they’re getting on well… And that Knitter Beastie hasn’t been raiding all the local yarn shops in the hope of whipping up a few woolly monster friends!
This Beastie girl was created as a very special birthday gift… And as you might have guessed from the title and subsequent puns, copying her human counterpart’s supercool hairdo was a really big part of this project! Let’s take a closer look at that colourful barnet, shall we?
And of course, the hood can be worn up or down. There are even holes for her ears to poke through!
And… Wait a sec, don’t go!
These little scamps are Beastie pugaliers – just like the full-size ones that her new human friend has at home!
… And Beastie Sanjay!
How about you? Have you tackled something new recently? If you have, tell us all about it in the comments!
Is it because of their shared curiosity about the world around them? Or just because they both have pointy ears? Either way, my first Beasties with their own feline friends proved popular at 
… Enjoying some cosy feline cuddles in their new home!
Then, a black cat this time… With bright green eyes!
Eagle-eyed readers will also notice that the cat is sitting the other way around in the Beastie’s paws… So Orange Beastie and Blue Beastie will make a lovely matching pair when they’re together!
Oh, hello Ophelia! No, don’t worry… I wouldn’t dream of doing a photoshoot without including you too.
Thanks so much to Rosa for this Beastie request… And for giving Ophelia an excuse to drop into the BeastieBlog 
It’s been a while since I made a Rugby Beastie – you can check out past members of Team Beastie 
So, in knitting terms, this guy is rocking an extra row on his torso, and a couple of extra rows to lengthen his legs!
The colour is inspired by his human counterpart, and the yarn I used was a luxurious blend of alpaca and wool. You’ll have to take my word for it, but it’s unbelievably soft.
And hopefully he worked a little monster magic for his teammates, too!
Aha! It’s Cyclist Beastie! Here, I’ll see if I can get him to take off those wraparound shades so he can say hello properly.
But wait a sec… Aren’t you forgetting something, Cyclist Beastie?
Cyclist Beastie’s helmet is built to be sturdy and comfortable – the padding protecting his head is needle felted into place, to ensure an excellent snug fit! That said, I did have to leave a little gap to ensure that he could still wear his sunglasses too when he’s biking on sunny summer days!
I reckon he’s just about ready to mount up and hit the road!
(Although hopefully not literally – let’s hope he learns from his new family, rather than taking too strongly after his maker!)