Pattern Design by Sweet Softies, www.sweetsofties.com.
Find me on YouTube and Instagram @SweetSofties!
Jade of Sweet Softies had a particular use for a giant crochet pencil: her daughters’ back-to-school pictures.
"I love crochet plush stuffies, and decided to make a giant pencil as a photo prop for my daughters' back-to-school pictures. I thought it'd be a fun way to document how much they grow year by year alongside this giant pencil," she told Tingles in a written interview.
She chose chenille velvet yarn for the soft, velvety feel she wanted. Then she had to work out how much stuffing would give the pencil the right shape and feel.
"The trickiest part to getting the pencil's shape and feel right was stuffing it with just the right amount of stuffing so that it wasn't too stiff or too floppy," she explained.
Jade imagines the finished pencil as pillow decor in a kid’s room as well as a prop for school-themed photos. The object she made for a family photograph could have a place in the room between school years.
The appeal is in how specific the idea is: a familiar school object reworked around a family’s pictures. Its oversized scale begins with something Jade wants to remember.
"I enjoy the whimsical aspect of turning everyday objects into soft, handmade toys!" she wrote.