Meet Mini Magne, aka MM. 
MM was my excellent summer project this year. Actually, I don’t usually have a “summer project” per se, but then this challenge came along, and I was consumed. One of the people whose “friends” list I am on in MySpace issued a call for people to knit or sew a simulacrum -- erm -- doll of him, for inclusion in an art show he was due to have at the end of August in Kristiansand, Norway. I bit.
I was unable to find any suitable patterns online to help, so I sallied forth into the unknown territory of doll-knitting, and wrote the pattern down as I went (I may post it at a later date). When I began, I didn’t have a clear vision of body construction, so he actually turned out a little “sculptural” – that’s how one person put it – as his limbs are quite shaped and he is very much anatomically correct. Those little bits – the scrotum specifically – were so satisfying to have turn out nicely!
He’s pretty much seamless, being knit like a sweater completely in the round, aside from grafting his armpits, fingers, toes, nose and “nose”, and cinching closed the top of his head and scrotum. I had several parts on stitch holders at various times, coming back later on to continue knitting them into shape.
I did knit his hair separately though as it was just not turning out otherwise, and sewed it on, and embroidered on his eyes, lips, nipples and body hair.
I had planned on including a complete knit set of clothing, but in the end the little dude flew off to Norway with just one pair of jeans, one short-sleeved button-down collared shirt, one t-shirt, and a pair of shoes (all knitted of course). He went commando, which is how I prefer my men anyway… LOL … and had no socks. Hey, it was summertime.
I had hoped to make it to the show in Kristiansand, but Michael and I had just completed a two-day 40 km kayak trip covering a couple of shorter fjords and traveling to the south coast from the Nærøyfjord was just not realistic, so we had to miss it. Fortunately, the artist has recently posted photos of all the dolls he received on his website. Have a looksy at the slideshow if you like; there is some real talent in there. And have a looksy at the artist’s stuff too; he works in different media and tends to embark on things he’s got no experience working with.
Yarns:
Flesh - Nashua Natural Focus Ecologie cotton yarn in colour 0080 Chestnut. It was somewhat difficult finding yarn
that resembled Caucasian flesh in colour…
Hair – various fluffy offerings from Romni’s basement; eyelash, fun fur, that kind of stuff
Lips and nipples – Nashua yarn as above, dyed with food colouring
Eyes and tattoo – random embroidery thread I had lying around the house
T-shirt – Brown Sheep Cotton Fine in colour CW475 Olivette
Variegated mystery yarn in olive, dark red, and ultramarine blue, probably wool, from Romni’s basement
Collared shirt – Variegated mystery yarn in cream, olive and tan, probably wool and cotton, from Romni’s basement
Jeans – Berroco Suede in just the stressed navy portion of colour 3796 Abilene Mix
Shoes – Berroco Suede in dark brown, possibly colour 3717 Wild Bill Hickcock
Needles:
U.S. sizes 0, 1, 2
He was a lot of fun to knit, and in the end it was difficult to give him up. I’d carried him everywhere with me for two months; to work, the hair salon, the bar, anywhere I was going. We spent many summer evenings on the front porch with a bottle of wine…
Went to the beach...
We baked scones one morning…
And got drunk watching Doctor Who.
This is in fact the final photo before he went off to Norway. Michael said he was relieved to be the only man in my life again.
I really owe Michael another sweater. He was, after all, the model for the doll’s lower half… ;)
Today's Earworm: Whalebone, by Savoy
