Balloon dog + a peek at Rembrandt etchings

Balloon animals are purely delightful! They evoke memories of amusement parks and celebrations from childhood. Here’s an amigurumi dog version that’s hot off my hook, from a wonderful pattern by Knotmonster. I had so much fun making this figure that I’ll certainly do a few more in the coming weeks. Sometimes frivolous, simple pleasures are in order, and my inner child is here for it.

The finished size is 17cm (H) x 12cm (L). I used one of my favorite amigurumi cotton yarns, Schachenmayr Catania, in color 282, a vibrant reddish-purple. My photos often don’t get the color shade quite right – I think the last photo above comes closest. To keep the stitches tight, I used a Clover hook in size D (3.25mm).

This dog is stuffed with poly fiberfill, and assembled carefully so he doesn’t flop over. I had to tack the head and neck together fairly well, and run a stitch from the tail through the body, to keep the tail perky.

I’ll be back soon to share with you more of my crafts doings, as well as my first Bloganuary post. I have no idea what the first prompt will be, but I will just roll with it! In the meantime, here are a couple of views from my visit yesterday to the Daegu Art Museum. There’s a wonderful exhibit there of Rembrandt etchings that runs through March 2024. The exhibit is divided into several categories, including landscapes, religious themes, streetfolk, and faces.

One thing that’s fascinating about these etchings is in the case of Rembrandt’s self-portraits, some are not much larger than postage stamps.

I’ve never been a huge fan of Rembrandt’s stark realism, especially of his nudes, which sometimes border on the grotesque; nonetheless, I can’t help but admire his absolute genius with perspective and capturing the mood of a subject. Many of his etchings, particularly the portraits, are believed to have been studies for his paintings. If you’re not familiar with Rembrandt’s work, start here with his masterpiece The Night Watch.

Bodhi and I wish all a Happy New Year! Welcome, Year of the Blue Dragon.