A little farmers' market.

One of my favorite little buddies is turning two in a few days, so of course, I knitted him a farmers' market, complete with personalized canvas market bag. Like you do.

I actually wanted to make this for him last Christmas, but I think he was just too little. He's old enough now that he can actually play with his toys, instead of just wave them around and chew on them. He may be just a little young for a set of veggies, but he'll grow into it. Provided they don't get lost, felted, chewed up, ripped, or otherwise destroyed. I think that's the risk of hand-made kids' toys, but 1) I can't help it- I have to make all of my gifts by hand, and 2) knitted vegetables are too funny. Had to do it.

Left to right: chili pepper, garlic, French radishes, potato, leek, eggplant, carrot, tomato. I mean, I hope that was all obvious, but.

I totally used these veggies as a bribe for myself over the past few weeks. "If I get x y and z done, I can knit a potato." It worked. I could not wait to knit just one more veggie! Most of them I just made up as I went, but the potato (the first one I knitted... who picks a potato to knit first? I'm weird.) pattern I got here and the radishes are sort of based off this pattern, but I made them French radishes instead of plain ones because Kai's parents are fancy like that.

This was a great project, because I only used leftovers. My leftovers tub is overflowing. It's annoying. I can't get the lid closed. So... small projects! I think everything is wool except possibly the red part of the radishes. Quite a bit of this is Wool of the Andes and Cascade 220. Despite the fact that I used all of the colors and felt like I knitted a lot, I made no noticeable dent in the leftovers, and didn't even use up anything. Oh well. Eight-color mittens are going to make their way into everyone's stockings this year, I think.

I sewed the little canvas bag from some duck cloth I had leftover from my Weekender bag. Then I just drew out my lettering and painted it with that paints-on-everything Martha Stewart paint. A little fray check on the edges, and done. 

I hope he likes it! Or rather, I hope his parents like it, and that the veggies last at least a while before getting destroyed by whatever means a two year old is likely to find. It was a fun project, and super rewarding- a garlic bulb start to finish in 30 minutes can't but make you feel productive.