Hey there everybody, and happy Friday to you all! Now, earlier in the week I promised you new Beasties… So, new Beasties you shall have. And not just a couple, either… There’s a whole family of them waiting to meet you!
This project started when I met Lino from Olivieri’s Fine Italian Foods at a market just before Christmas. We got chatting, and I mentioned that as well as the gang of little knitted monsters hanging out on my stall that day, I also do requests. Fast forward a few months, and I’m sure you can imagine how delighted I was when he got back in touch and asked me to Beastify his entire family AND their faithful pooch!
I should probably introduce you to the man himself – or at least his Beastie counterpart!
I used a wool and alpaca yarn for his hair, and dressed him in a smart blue felt t-shirt and grey shorts.
And what’s that in his paw?
It’s a Beastie-sized bottle of olive oil! Lino has been running his family’s olive grove and farm in southern Italy since 2010, and he brings the oil he produces there back to Ireland to supply specialist food stores and restaurants across the country. His oils were even listed as being among the best available in Ireland in this article in The Irish Times last year! Definitely an achievement worthy of being celebrated in felt and teeny sewing, I’m sure you’ll agree. I made sure to include his company logo on the bottle’s label – accept no substitutes!
But hey, where’s the rest of the family?
Let’s meet the girls first, starting with… Florence Beastie!
This sweet little monster lady seems to have a real way with animals… In many of the photos her dad sent me, there was usually a four-legged friend in there somewhere too. At his suggestion, I went hunting for a dress fabric with an animal print… And wow, that’s a tricky thing to find! Many of the fabrics I liked had an oversized design that would be totally lost on a Beastie-sized outfit. In the end, I found three designs that fit the bill, and this was the pick of the bunch – cute without being babyish, and the little pink birds sit nicely alongside her candy-coloured complexion.
I also had fun styling her hair!
And let’s take a proper look at that dress, too.
I changed my dress pattern up a bit for this project – I opted for a circle skirt instead of pleats, and I really like the neater line it gives. The dress closes with my new favourite hook-and-eye fastener, too!
Meanwhile, Beastie Florence’s sister Sophia Beastie is sporting an outfit that shows her love of dance! This was a first for me…
…Voilà! One Beastie-sized leotard!
Perfect for a day at the studio, or her next big stage performance! She looks happy, anyway.
And let’s not forget their brother, Lucca Beastie!
He’s looking sharp in a tailored button-down shirt and boxy-framed glasses.
And after seeing a set of headphones in one of my reference photos, I thought I’d better Beastify those too!
And, last but not least, meet Lino Beastie’s partner Lynn Beastie!
This is another new dress design – a sweet sundress inspired by one of the reference photos I used. It’s cut on the bias with a cute A-line shape, has a halterneck (well, as much as I could manage given that Beasties don’t have necks) and fastens with a ribbon at each shoulder.
Then a pair of snazzy sunglasses completes her look!
Oh, and who’s this?
Well, I did mention there was a dog! Hey there, Beastie Lego!
Heehee! I think he likes you.
Now, let’s get everyone together in the Teeny Photo Studio for a group shot!
Lovely!
But this isn’t the end of the story for this monster family! Stop back in on Tuesday to find out where these Beasties are going, and why they have special feet…
… See you then!
