happy year of the mouse

... or rat, whichever you prefer.

I made this little guy this morning while Becca was in school, and Jess was watching Ni-Hao, Kai-lan (I've been *waiting* for a show like this, hooray!).  I followed the pattern found here (note: after round 5 you'll have 15 stitches, not 16, but keep going... it works out after that) for the body, but changed the ears.  In the pattern, she has you make a pink circle and a grey circle, then sew one on top of each other for each ear.  I decided to make each of my mouse's ears all in one piece (not that my way is better than hers, it's just that I'm lazy).  So, here's how I did mine:

using pink yarn, start with a magic ring 

6 sc in ring, pull to close loop

switch to main color, ch 1, turn

2 sc in each previous sc, finish off

I made sure to crochet over the loose ends (what I always do because I hate weaving in ends almost as much as I hate seaming) and then just used the tails to sew the ears to the head.

Aren't these the cutest red envelopes you ever saw?  It was a toss up between these and the ones that Becca brought for her class today, with Hello Kitty and Mickey and Donald and Winnie the Pooh and other cute characters.  Those had pop ups and a real "wow" factor, so she chose those, and I'm glad because then I get to keep these.  We put a shiny penny in each red envelope, and Becca will be passing them out along with a basket of tangerines, one for each child. 

I love being Chinese-American.  If January was kind of a bummer of a month, or I slipped up on my resolutions, well, then, I can just start all over again a few weeks later.

Good health, good fortune, and much happiness to all.

Comments

[Kuky]

Happy new year! I've been waiting for Kai-Lan too. I recorded it to watch later...I mean for my daughter to watch later. Yeah. That's it. For her.

[Beth]

Happy new year! Adorable mouse. :)

[ragan]

Happy New Year! Hahah. I love those red-envelopes! They look like the Sanrio Twin Stars. AND...we were anxiously awaiting Ni-Hao, Kai-lan too!!! The boys loved it (had to DVR it). Hahah...it was cute. It is ABOUT TIME there is a show like this with Chinese used as the "other" language. The only time the kids get to watch tv in Chinese is when we are at my in-laws house (and then it is those soap operas). Tee-hee. :o)

[laeroport]

I was thinking of you celebrating Chinese New Year yesterday. Aidin and I both wore red chinese tops yesterday in honor of Chinese New Year. What is life if not a celebration!

Thanks so much for all your good wishes for my mom. We have both appreciated them so much!