Teddetonka Fire Chief

When you drop a pin on your kitchen floor, do you intentionally drop a second one to help find the first one? I swear it works, although it is chancy. If it doesn't work, you have two pins to worry about stepping on barefoot instead of one.

Life is full of little risks that way. I was messing around with pins because I was blocking a felted knitting project, a fireman's helmet. In this case, a firebear's helmet. The pattern is heavily modified from New Knits on the Block by Vickie Howell . (Heavily as in more-like-inspiration-than-following-a-pattern.) I bought the book specifically for the felted fireman's helmet and was just looking for an excuse to knit one. Since there are no toddlers on my horizon, enter the Prince William Purler's charity project: dressing Teddy bears for the local police officers to give to traumatized children.

It is so easy and fun to knit cute little girlie things that little boys (and big ones) sometimes get the short end of handmade love. Searching for balance is one of my goals this week, so this one is for the little boys.

Meet Chief Ted of the Teddetonka Fire Department.

I am not sure if he will even qualify for the knitting guild's contest because his coat and the crest on his hat are sewn. Truthfully, making the pattern for the coat took as long as sewing it, and the crest took as long as the coat (all that zigging and zagging). Yes, the stripe on his coat is reflective so he can be seen in heavy smoke. Did I mention there is a contest? Nothing like a little competition to bring out the over-achiever gene. I do not care if he qualifies for the contest or not. I only hope that some little boy who is having a very bad day feels a little better when he gets to hug this bear.

P.S. The guild graciously provided the naked bears in three colors: brown bear, polar bear and blond bear. I would have liked a polar bear but then his fur would have gotten dingy from the smoke.